She preceded him down the stairs, her head up, her back very straight. They were nearly at the bottom when someone called over, “Hey! Rebecca!”

Rebecca stopped so abruptly that Han ran into her. He grabbed hold of her arms to keep her from toppling.

Two Wien House cadets occupied a nearby table. Both girlies, with big grins on their faces. One wore faculty bars on her uniform.

“Hello, Talia,” Rebecca said, practically choking on it. “Hello, Pearlie.”

They raised their mugs. “Who’s your friend?” Talia asked, winking.

“My friend?” Rebecca said, pretending she didn’t know who they meant. “Oh.” She looked over her shoulder at Han, as if surprised to find him right behind her. “This is—ah—Han. Alister. I know him from home.”

“Good to meet you,” Han said, nodding at Pearlie and Talia.

“Didn’t you used to be called Cuffs?” Talia asked.

Han nodded. “Used to be.”

“Whoa, Rebecca,” Talia said, smiling even wider. “Walking on the wild side, are we?”

Rebecca seemed to think the situation needed more explaining. “He—uh—I’m tutoring him.”

“She is,” Han said solemnly. “She’s very good. I’m learning a lot.”

Pearlie snickered. “What’s she teaching you?”

“Well,” Han said, “we’re jumping around a lot.”

The two cadets howled with laughter, but Rebecca didn’t look amused. She walked straight to the door and out, ignoring her friends.

Crow displayed a certain arrogant interest in Han’s sessions with Rebecca. “Who is this young woman?” he asked. “Where did you find her?”

“Her name is Rebecca Morley,” Han said. “She worked as a tutor in a noble household. I met her back at home, before I came here.”

“A tutor,” Crow said, wrinkling his nose. “Do you know anything about her family?”

“She is not as well connected as I’d like,” Han said sarcastically. “But Queen Marianna was busy.”

“Queen Marianna?” Crow looked puzzled. Then his face cleared. “Oh, yes. Of course.”

Brilliant as he was, Crow sometimes seemed to be a step behind, particularly when it came to understanding Han’s jokes. Maybe blue-blood humor was different. Crow was funny, in a bitter-edged way.

Crow persisted. “Are you certain that this Rebecca really—”

“She was a tutor for the Bayars,” Han said. “Apparently she was good enough for them.”

“The Bayars?” Crow asked, stiffening. “She works for Aerie House?”

“She used to,” Han said. “Now she’s in school here.”

“How do you know she’s not a spy?” Crow asked. “Or an assassin?”

“I don’t know,” Han said. “But it’s not like I had a flock of applicants. I had to practically get down on my knees to get her to do it. We’ve been meeting for a month now, and I’m not dead.”

“Well,” Crow conceded, “we’ll see. I hope you are being careful, at least.” He eyed Han critically. “Your choice of clothing is improving. Your speech as well.”