Cat gave up. “Corporal Byrne has been walking out with Annamaya. You met her, remember? At the Temple School? He’s been coming by regular, twice a week. They never do anything but hold hands, all formal-like.” She rolled her eyes as if to say, What’s the point?

“So I’m coming up the walk to the dormitory, and I see somebody crawling behind the shrubbery, peering in the parlor window. I look through the window and see Corporal Byrne sitting with Annamaya. And the girlie was Rebecca, spying on them.”

“The Corporal Byrne from Southbridge, right?”

“That’s the only one I know.”

Han couldn’t picture that Corporal Byrne cheating on Rebecca. Or keeping two girlies on the line.

“Did you say anything to her?”

“Annamaya?”

“Rebecca.”

“Just asked what she was doing there. And like that.” Cat didn’t meet Han’s eyes.

“Well?” Han said impatiently. “What did she say?”

“Said she was going to school here.”

“Did you say anything about me?” he asked.

Cat scowled at him. “Why would I say anything about you? You think the whole world’s sniffing your butt?”

Han threw a black look at Dancer, who was grinning.

“I thought maybe she was cheating on you with Corporal Byrne, and that’s why she was spying on him cheating on her,” Cat went on. “She run away before I could ask.”

“Why would she run away?” Han asked. Cat could talk an awful lot without ever telling you what you needed to know.

“How should I know?” She paused, then added reluctantly, “Well. I did have my knife out.”

Han and Dancer looked at each other.

“Your knife?” Dancer said, furrowing his brow.

“Well, I saw her sneaking around, and I didn’t recognize her at first, and I didn’t know what she was up to, and then I kind of forgot I had it out.”

“I can see how that could happen,” Han said dryly.

“I talked to Annamaya about it, and she says her and Corporal Byrne are going to get married. Only not for a long time. Me, I think if you’re going to get married, you might as well get it over with.”

Han cleared his throat. “Do you know where she’s staying? Rebecca, I mean.”

“I don’t know. You might try Grindell Hall. Across the river. That’s where Corporal Byrne stays.”

C H A P T E R  T W E N T Y - T H R E E

A MEETING
OF EXILES

Raisa found out that there was a downside to having friends—they were always trying to cheer you up when all you wanted to do was feel sorry for yourself.