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Back Given Save as PDF
Chapters (49)
  1. Given
  2. CONTENTS
  3. Dedication
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. Acknowledgments
  44. About the Author
  45. Copyright
  46. About the Publisher
  47. Backad 1
  48. Backad 2
  49. Backad 3

But Harth shook his head. “He’s away for the next half moonturn,” he said.

Weysh sighed. “Of course he is. I have to find some way to help her. I can’t let her leave now, not when I’ve finally realized . . .” He trailed off, not exactly sure how to articulate his thoughts from earlier.

“What?” prompted Harth. “I can practically see the gears turning in your head. Don’t strain yourself.”

“Being Given and being married are two different things,” said Weysh.

“So close,” said Harth.

“Being Given and being in love are two different things.”

Harth reached across the table and punched him playfully in the shoulder. “Give the man a prize!”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Harth snorted. “Would you have listened?”

Weysh stayed quiet.

“Hey, some things you’ve just got to learn the hard way, en? But if you didn’t know about Yenni Ajani failing her classes, what had you so quiet?”

“I was thinking about how I know so much more about Carmenna than I do about my own Given.” He glanced up at Harth. “I do feel bad about how things ended with Carmenna, en? I think I shouldn’t have strung her along as I did, but since we weren’t sharing a bed I thought . . .” He paused and laughed roughly. “With the others, the transaction was simple: I got to have fun and they got to bed an unmated dragon. But maybe I was using Carmenna in a different way.”

“And maybe she was using you, too, in a different way. Well, Weysh, I must say, this has been a day of vigorous thinking for you. You’re going to have one demon of a headache tomorrow, and not from the cognac.”

“Go kiss a pig’s ass, Harth.”

Harth only laughed.

“I tried the same thing with Yenni Ajani, didn’t I? But she wouldn’t have it.”

“Seriously, Weysh, how has your head not exploded yet?”

Weysh closed his eyes and pinched his nose bridge. “I want to know more about my Given, Harth—really get to know her. I’ll find her first thing tomorrow. I need to apologize, and I need to make this right.”

14

Yenni lay with her eyes wide open as the sun slowly rose, lighting up her chamber in oranges and golds. Three days they had given her to vacate the school. Three days—now two.

For the fiftieth, maybe sixtieth time, she checked the rune on her left palm, the tightness in her chest releasing at the sight of it—just as strong as the day her father had drawn it there. “I haven’t failed you yet,” she whispered to it. There was still time. She swallowed, fighting back the constant lump that had formed in her throat, that ever-present despair that threatened to strangle her. The Sha still watched, there was still time.