Fay was swamped by the angry mob. Food scraps and rotten vegetables flew at her.
Someone clipped her shoulder with a clod of dirt. Another rock skittered past her foot.
Shame crawled up her throat and sat there.
Radeon had always asked her before what martial arts she needed.
She had always said she had enough. That she wanted to carve her own path.
Now she looked at the wreckage and felt her hands go cold. Her heart hammered with blame that was not all hers.
Fay turned and ran for her master's tent.
Radeon was already inside.
She crashed into him and clung. Then she broke. Bawling.
Her fingers knotted in his robe like she could anchor herself there.
She had done her best. She had. She had tried to do the right thing. She had.
Radeon let the tears fall. He had heard sect members joke about her before, calling her odd, calling her too much, but never like this.
In the Everwritten Archivists Court, people dodged trouble with cordial smiles.
