It would have been bad enough just to Gary sitting at the table, but Dedicate Crane was there. He was a stiff man, who always had to have things his way and had to be right. No one really like him. And of course he happened to be one of the smartest Dedicates at Winding Circle. That didn't help any.

"Lark, you didn't tell me we had visitors or else I would have helped make dinner," Tris complained.

"It's ok, Tris," Lark told her. "I didn't know" she whispered in Tris ear.

"Now Trisana there has been another outbreak of the orange cold as we call it. Only this time it's impossible to treat. I need to start on experiments for this, but I need Rosethorn. We'e always worked together, and I don't want her mad at me for not having her help."

You old softie. You'll miss her if she's not there. That's what you mean, she thought.

"And you want me to use my connections with Briar to call and ask her to come home?" Tris finished for him.

"Yes could you? Of course I'll also need you to take notes for me like you've done before."

"I'd be delighted to. It's been getting boring around here lately." Tris told him.

She had almost forgotten Gary was there when a voice piped in, "I want to help! I'm 15! I should be able to do something!"

"No you can't! We have no clue what your magic is and Crane, Rosethorn, and I can't risk finding out what it is during experiments. You might mess it up." Tris shouted.

Crane shocked, closed his mouth. "Exactly, but Tris you've never shouted like a teacher. And I never thought you would shout at family."

Tris blushed at this reprimand, but stood firm, " Well I haven't exactly had a great family. Not even a family by most people's definition, and Gary definitely doesn't fit the family description." She shot him a look.

Gary put his hands up in defeat," I can't win with you Tris! I want to go home! But you know what? I don't have a home! My parents did exactly what they did to you to me! Only I ran away.So I know how you feel, and now my family is dead because some drunk pirates killed them! So I don't really have a family by definition either!"

Tris was shocked but she didn't let it show, " Well at least your family treated you like a child for 14 years! I was never treated as a child, but as a freak or the girl who my dad wanted to be a boy. And let me ask you this! When you became a servant for your family, if you even did, which I doubt because my family would never let me leave, did they make someone constantly monitor you because they didn't want to pay the price for what would happen if you caused damage. Well they did that to me, so if I was still there I'd still be treated as a dirt. When you moved into their house did you have someone taunting you, mocking you? I don't think so because I doubt you would mock yourself because you're in love with yourself. And Lark may I go get the drinks for us?"

Startled by Tris' change in topic, Lark nodded. Tris turned to go get the drinks. Then Lark turned to Gary, "Is it true? Did you mock Tris? Did you taunt her?"

The frightened air that had been around him earlier vanished. It was replaced by a smirk, "What if I did?"

"Nothing will happen. Nothing that you can prove due to Tris. But it will not be tolerated, that behavior, in my house." Lark said this in such a calm manner it scared Crane and maybe Gary. Then she turned to help Tris.

Crane looked at Gary, "Now you've done it."

Gary looked at him with a questioning glance.

"Trisana is a very powerful weather mage. She used to have no control over her power. Now she has some but that means she can do more than what she used to."

"I knew that, but how does that affect me?"

"Watch what you do, and watch her. She might hurt you."

"Well I'll just close my window. Then nothing she send can get in."

Crane smiled, "You do that."

Tris and Lark walked in with the drinks, then the dinner started.

~~~~~~~----------------~~~~~~~

After dinner as Tris picked up the table(anything to get anyway from that brat) she decided to send a quick message to Briar.

Hey,thief, she called.

Coppercurls.

We've got a new occupant in your room. He's my cousin,Gary.

Your cousin?

Your cousin? You mean like family? I thought you would have sent some kind of airborne disease their way already.

Don't think I haven't thought about it.

Don't worry you can handle him. After all you taught a thief like me to read you can teach a brat to maybe feel.

Ha! but you were a willing student.

Make him be. Just...you have to know how to work him.

Work him?

Come on your a girl. You know how to manipulate people.

Have I ever manipulated you?

Well I wouldn't know.

Tris stuck out her tongue. Quiet you.

I guess i will be now. I have to go.

Okay.. I guess. See ya.

It wasn't until Tris had put up her last dish that she realized she'd forgotten to tell him Crane's message.

Oh well, I'll tell them later.