chapter 5, part 1

[*This is a work-in-progress and may not fully reflect the final draft*]

My first private lesson with Deryn Lhopri was to be two days later, the day we'd been divided according to our abilities being Third Day. I had not seen her at all since parting from her in the hall, but she had never been far from my mind.

As soon as I entered the classroom to which the Hymanni had been taken, all discussion ceased. The professor, who had been dealing with putting names to faces, stood wordless for a...