What had come over him? That was stupid, and he knew it as he walked, finally getting a true chance to think about what had happened. His old friend had gotten him angry in a way he rarely was. He had fell for the emperor's trick; now his weakness was known. But before it, even he hadn't truly known it.
He had always realized that he loved having her as his student, but was it more? Stefan he had liked training, for he had been a fun man to work with and quick to understand. He felt more of an attachment to her, but he regarded it as because she was just special.
Now he practically knew it had to be more. He had nearly slapped a person who could easily trick him into his death, or worse, his student. He held back a sigh. He would have to think about this later, because for now, she needed to talk to him about a badger who hadn't been himself.
He felt guilty, angry, and horrified all at once.
She had seen it. She must have been among the birds of the aviary, shape shifted with her clothes hidden. She had watched the emperor's cruel prompts, and she had watched his fiery reaction.
Now it was worse then him knowing it: she might know it too.
He wished his heart could decide, because it was giving him an ache for something that he knew couldn't be.