“Watch out for Riversbend,” she murmured in a low tone. “They’re a bunch of fortune-seeking opportunists. What did she ask you?”
“To go horseback riding.”
“Horseback?” Tressa halted, eyebrows raised. “Her? On a—Queen’s Jewels, I doubt she’s ever been on a horse. But clearly you have, and so she guessed, and… well.”
I smiled. I hoped smiling was good.
Tressa chuckled under her breath. “What a pretender. I wouldn’t be shocked if she suddenly started taking lessons. If she does, it only proves how desperate she is.”
“To… ride with me?”
All mirth vanished from Tressa’s face. “Oh dear, I never meant to imply that someone wouldn’t wish to spend time with you. But to ask you to go horseback riding? That’s not the order of things at Dragonsridge. Not for your first engagement. You see, Adara, she’s trying to use you. She’s already picked up that you’re my protégé. Don’t be offended. Be honored.”
“Oh, I—I am. Very.” Tressa was allowed to call me her friend, but not Anastasi? And horseback riding was… bad?
We had reached the door, and Tressa said a few goodbyes while keeping her hand on my arm. When the flow of people leaving lessened, she turned back to me. “Come to a gathering of mine on the twenty-ninth. The upstart will be there—rules say I must invite her—but I’ll introduce you to some people worth knowing. Don’t worry, you’ll learn the Game by-and-by.”
She wanted me to go to a party. The last ten minutes had me hopelessly confused. How could I survive an entire evening?
Tressa gave me a small squeeze. “Please?”
It’ll be worse to offend her. I needed the Kyer to be my home. I needed to pass as a noble. So far, Tressa had been a forgiving teacher. “I’d love to.”
Chapter Seven
“The Dragonmaster’s returned!” Anastasi said as she joined our table in the dining hall.
I’d become Tressa’s ‘sweet, quiet friend,’ so I sat with her at midday. By some strange calculation, Anastasi sat with us, too. Every meal, the gossip taught me—and confused me—as much as my tutors did.
Tressa frowned at Anastasi’s announcement. “Where did you hear that?”
Anastasi smirked and pointed across the room. “Overheard it just now.”
Two women talked over their meal, hands waving with excitement, jewels flashing on their fingers and wrists. Dragon Mages. Sometimes jewelry was the only way I could tell noble from commoner at the Kyer. That and hairstyle. My scalp still ached from Tressa clawing loose my braid two days earlier. She’d threatened to cut it all off if I ever played such a joke again.
“The Dragonmaster is here to scold the Seneschal,” Anastasi continued as she stabbed a piece of broccoli. “His handling of the wounded left much to be desired.”
“Nonsense,” Jerroth said. “That occurred weeks ago. If the Dragonmaster had any such intentions, he would have chastised the Seneschal immediately. He certainly would not have allowed it to become gossip.”
That ended the discussion. One, because Jerroth’s family had taken positions in the military for generations. He knew this sort of thing. Two, because whenever someone mentioned the Seneschal, Tressa looked as if she’d bitten into something rotten. Only Anastasi dared upset Tressa.
A few minutes later, a boy wearing a red armband came to our table. He handed each of us a sealed envelope.
“Ugh. This will be tedious,” Tressa murmured as she glanced at her letter.
I opened mine: the Dragonmaster requested my presence so he could welcome me in person. There was no mention of my situation, and I suspected the words were identical to everyone else’s letter. A new flood of chatter began, but I didn’t listen. My stomach had grown heavy at the thought of meeting the man who’d given me so much. I excused myself.
“Wait, Adara!” Anastasi hurried after me as I left the dining hall. “I’ll walk with you. I believe we live near each other.”
I forced a smile. Tressa’s annoyance with the brunette made a lot of sense. As I worked the Transportation spell, Anastasi told me her opinion on pretty much everything.
Which was great. My smile-and-nod strategy worked flawlessly with her. By the time we arrived at my door, I had said perhaps two words.
“Oh dear,” Anastasi said as she frowned at the plaque by my door. “I thought you lived on level one.”
“No. Level two.”
“Ah well. Exercise is good for the complexion, isn’t it?”
“I suppose.”
Awkward pause. I bit my lip with dread. Was it rude if I didn’t invite her in? I had nothing fancier than water to offer. And if she saw my apartments… Anastasi always dressed nice, an echo of whatever Tressa had worn a few days earlier, and my shabby things would shock her.
“Well, I need to study,” I said. I reached to fiddle with the end of my braid—no braid. I put my hand on the doorknob instead. “Because of the summons, you know. I usually study after midday, but the Dragonmaster wants to see me soon.”
“Of course,” Anastasi said. “You and Jerroth, the studious ones of our little group. So determined! Ta-ta!”
I waited for her to take a step. The magic caught her and I breathed a sigh of relief. The rooms in this hallway were meant for nobles, which meant they didn’t have physical locks. I didn’t want anyone to know I couldn’t use magic to lock my own door.
I went inside and lit a few candles. The familiar orange glow relaxed my eyes. I took the candelabra to the sofa’s table and sat.
I hadn’t lied. My history tutor wanted an essay on the bread riots of 503. But more than that, before I saw the Dragonmaster I needed magic.
I wiped my palms on my breeches and glanced at the corner of my living room. I had half a Sphere. Half a Sphere to create Light… which should have been created my first day.
Bonding won’t happen until after we finish the Kyer class. That’s weeks away. Surely the Dragonmaster can’t get rid of me until then.
Right? Except Dragonmaster Merram
