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.“And if you do that, who do you think the provosts will suspect? If you wanted to kill him you shouldn’t have faced off with him in public.”Han scowled, but didn’t argue the point.He knew Dancer was right.“If you go after him, I’ll have to back you.We’ll both be expelled,” Dancer said.Han shook his head.“No.I never asked you to—”“Right now he knows less about you than you do about him,” Dancer interrupted, knowing he was gaining ground.“You surprised him.He’s off balance.He’ll wait until he has more information before making his move.You can use that time, Hunts Alone.”But Micah won’t be sitting idle, either, Han thought.Could he stand to walk around with that constant prickle between his shoulder blades?He’d rather have a chat with Micah in a back alley and ease his own mind.Dancer’s voice cut into Han’s thoughts.“I’m back from breakfast,” he called from the doorway.“I brought something for you.”Han looked up in time to catch the napkin-wrapped bundle Dancer tossed at him.Pulling back a corner, he saw that it contained a biscuit with cheese and ham tucked inside.“Thank you,” Han said, taking a big bite.“I saw Cat in the dining hall,” Dancer said.“How was she?” Han asked, hoping a night’s sleep had improved her mood.“Well,” Dancer said, “she still looked kind of witch-fixed.That Annamaya from last night was there.She’ll take her to her classes and help her get her books together.”After they’d left the tavern the night before, they’d walked Cat back to the Temple School.By then she seemed to have run out of arguments.It worried Han, since he’d never known it to happen before.They left her standing at the door, arms wrapped around herself as if she hoped she could fold up and disappear.Han hated to leave her there, but he’d already done enough walking around to know that there was no way to make a living on the down low within the walls of the academy.The provost guards were everywhere, the common spaces were brightly lit, and there’d be no cheap places to throw down for the night.It would be like trying to run a canting crew out of the castle close.She had to make it work.The bells in Mystwerk Tower sounded once.It was time to be on their way.Han slid his book into his carry bag and rooted through it one more time.It contained the books of charms Elena had given him, a thick book of charms by someone named Kinley he’d got from Blevins, a sheaf of clean paper, and his writing box.At Southbridge Temple he’d never brought any books to class, because he didn’t own any.Nor paper, pencils, or ink, save those supplied by Jemson once he got there.At Southbridge, none but Jemson cared if he showed up or not.He’d had no problem holding his own.The other students came from the streets too.They talked like he did—using the flash patter street slang they’d all grown up with.This was different.His classmates would have been raised in families of blueblood charmcasters.They’d been exposed to spellwork since they were lytlings.They would have had training before they were even allowed to have amulets, and access to whole libraries of charmcraft.“We’re going to be late!” Dancer broke into Han’s fog of worry.Dancer had put on his school robes and slung his carry bag over one shoulder.“Coming.” Han pulled his red robe over his head, poking his arms through the sleeves and pulling it down so it covered his clothing.He liked having the robe on—it made him feel more like he belonged.They descended the stairs, Han hiking up the hem of his robe to keep from getting his feet tangled in it.It would take some getting used to.It was a fresh, clean morning, still peculiarly warm, but with less humidity than before.Sunlight slanted across the lawns, sparkling on the dew-spangled grass.Students crowded the walkways in their multicolored robes, still yawning and blinking away sleep.Han finished his biscuit as they walked.The classroom was on the second floor of Mystwerk Hall, overlooking the Tamron River.Stone risers were arranged in a semicircle around a raised central podium.When Han and Dancer arrived, students were settling into their seats, fishing books and papers out of their carry bags.There were fifteen students in all, arranged like candies in a box, all in the same red wrappers.Han paused in the doorway, scanning the room.He spotted Bayar and the Mander brothers in the back row, left side, bunched together like sour grapes [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]