I lighted down by the six dragons, Hinte not among them.  The prefect nodded at me.  Digrif dashed over and hugged me.


    <hr style="margin-top: 2ex; margin-bottom: 2ex">


    It was my very first day inside the walls of Gwymr/Frina.  Everyone stared, everyone peered.  Whispers and mutters stalked me.


    this.  Days stretched by, and it dug into my nerves.  I was out to buy food, and the digging struck something.  I’d turned down an alleyway???—??I just wanted to escape the stares.  The alley was a dead end.


    three dragons walking up to me with that kind of curdling confidence, I wouldn’t’ve tried my body against their if my inheritance was on the stakes.


    Hinte, granddaughter of Gronte.”  Their frills folded under their cowl.  “Ushra has invited you to dinner.  I’m sure these dregs will not even try to bother you.”  She turned so that her gaze fell over each cloaked figure.  Two of them flinched, but one only made a sneering sound.


    dare???—”


    no one else had.


    relate.


    was the answer.  I was doing silence wrong.


    get it.  Or hadn’t.  I’d tried asking Hinte about it, but she just ignored the question, and I couldn’t tell if that was significant or just Hinte being Hinte.


    * * *