There was an unanticipated day of rest at the Winding Circle temples. Most every dedicate, novice, apprentice, or boarder was gossiping. Only five residents weren't. Dedicate Lark and Lady Sandry, Daja Kusibo, and Briar Moss were sitting there, stunned. Trisana Chandeler was smirking and trying to act stunned. It had taken all five fresh powerful mages to lick Dedicate Rosethorn in her room in Discipline Cottage.
It had all started yesterday, at the Blue-pox-is-over and Rosethorn-is-cured party. Everyone except dedicates Rosethorn and Crane, and Briar was thoroughly drunk. About halfway though, Rosethorn and Crane went out to Crane's precious Green house. Every person still undrunk enough to think was amazed, for Rosethorn was usually banned from Crane's plant epicenter, but they thought it was because Rosethorn had just almost died.
When they had been outside for two hours, some very drunk dedicates had sent Briar out to look for Rosethorn and Crane. The boy, thankful to be out of that wretched room at the Hub, meandered around the long way, taking the winding circle road in the shape of a winding circle. Briar had planned his words that he would have to say to his teacher, telling her that she could not linger about the green house any longer, taking care of Crane's abused plants.
Briar had crept up to the magically enhanced greenhouse windows and peeked inside.
Briar couldn't believe what his eyes were telling him. He rubbed his eyes, blinked, and looked again. They were still at it.
Rosethorn and Crane were kissing, a lot!
Briar had gasped, almost choked, and run toward Discipline Cottage
End of Chapter One