Nealan of Queenscove sighed and called a ball of emerald green light to hand. He shut the book and replaced it on the shelf, next to all the other tomes.
Lately, Neal had begun to feel... dissatisfied with life. His thirst for knowledge was too easily quenched here at the university. Sometimes he wondered what life would have been like, if he had pursued his ideas of knighthood. The heartbreak in his parents' eyes had stopped him pursuing it, though. The loss of his brothers was still too raw.
And, besides, did the realm really need a knight who preferred reading to fighting?
Keladry of Mindelan stopped her packing to scrub at her eyes furiously.
I am stone. Calm. I am stone.
Stone didn't constantly have to ask directions from the palace servants because its sponsor hadn't given her the right directions. Stone didn't have to clean all the horses belonging to its sponsor and friends, every night. Stone didn't have to complete menial tasks during free time, leaving no time for practicing or homework.
Keladry of Mindelan did.
Stone. I am stone.
For once, the Yamani pretence didn't help. Frustrated, the girl sank down onto her bed. No, this was not her bed. She would never see this room again, never have to wake up to another day of torture again. Never have her clothes stolen again. Never have her hair pulled, her homework taken, her chair taken from under her as she was about to sit down.
Never again, because this time, Kel was ready to give in.
All she had wanted was one chance. From the beginning, none of them had allowed her to succeed, not the training master, not her sponsor or his friends, not the King. And especially not Alanna the Lioness. The one person who would have understood, and all she did was stay away from the palace.
Kel resumed packing.
Stone. Nothing can touch me.
Never again.
Alanna the Lioness braced her hands on the wall, the wind carelessly flinging her loose hair around. She didn't seem to notice it flying across her face. Her expression was impassive; her unusual violet eyes watched a coach draw away from the palace.
Keladry of Mindelan had given in.
"You couldn't have helped her, Alanna," a quiet voice said from behind. "It wasn't the right time, that's all. The people just aren't ready."
His Champion turned to face him, eyes cold enough to freeze a blizzard in its tracks. Silently, she pushed past the King, heading for the door.
He knew she'd be upset; the first girl page was a failure. She'd put so much hope into this year, and it was a big letdown, he understood that. But she didn't have to take it out on him.
He sighed. "Where are you going?"
Jonathan didn't expect a response. Normally, Alanna wouldn't have bothered to give one. But today, over the noise of her boots clattering down the stairs, he heard, "Mindelan."