Willo shook her head. “He has been too ill. We’ve been unable to question him.”

“He’s ill?” Raisa leaned forward. “Was he injured? What happened? Where is he?” Every answer seemed to spawn more questions.

“Hunts Alone knew you had been poisoned,” Willo said. “He used high magic to save your life. Wizard healers treat patients by taking on the injuries of their patients. It’s a risky business, and Hunts Alone is relatively untutored.” She looked at Elena, and her gaze hardened. “He should not have been put into this position. He should not be here at all. He’s had only a few months of training.”

A tension crackled between the two women that Raisa had never seen before.

“No,” Raisa whispered, shaking her head. “He should never have risked it if he didn’t know what he was doing.”

But neither woman seemed to hear. They were focused on each other.

“It was his duty to save her life, if indeed he did,” Elena said, returning Willo’s glare.

Raisa looked from one to the other. “What do you mean, it was his duty?”

They both looked at her, mouths clamped shut, as if wishing they could call the words back.

There was something in Willo’s face—some secret she did not want to reveal. She cut her eyes to Elena as if to say, This is your fault. You tell her.

“Hunts Alone is sworn to serve the clans and the Gray Wolf line,” Elena said.

“What?” Raisa headache was growing worse with every revelation. Her sleepiness had fled, despite Willo’s efforts. “What are you talking about? Han hates the Gray Wolf line.”

Elena raised her eyebrows and looked at Willo, as if to say, Ha! Willo rolled her eyes and bent her head over her bandages.

None of this made any sense. Han Alister blamed the queen, her mother, for the deaths of his mother and sister. Why would he sign on in their service?

As Willo wound a bandage around Raisa’s middle, Raisa caught hold of her wrist. “Somebody had better tell me what’s going on,” she said, glaring at the two matriarchs.

Willo turned her head and looked pointedly at Elena. It was still her turn, apparently.

“Marisa Pines and Demonai Camp agreed to fund Alister’s schooling at Oden’s Ford in exchange for his future service,” Elena said, shrugging.

“The clans are training a wizard?” Raisa wondered if it were possible she was still dreaming. “But that…but that…”

“It’s complicated, granddaughter,” Elena said, patting her knee. “Perhaps we can discuss this further when you—”

“Then why isn’t he at school, if you’re sponsoring him?” Raisa asked. “Why did he come back here?”