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Even as doubt and guilt for feeling that doubt assailed one!"

Rory and Spink looked at ht from home with me I always kept it on that shelf It was a, well, an iave it to you?" Rory asked, even as Spink suggested pragmatically, "Did you look under your bunk?"

I was onunder every bed and in the corners of the rooreeted with an uproar of voices, so him what had befallen him even as others demanded that he immediately clean it up I reached the door just in time to see peace and relaxation fade froned caution It struck ed since the first day at the Acadeawk at his shock and dismay

I think the others were disappointed by his reaction He walked into the roo, and sodden bedding, and made not a sound He did not curse or stamp or whine He only drew in a deep breath that swelled his back against the tightness of his coat It reminded me of a beetle’s carapace as he lowered his head into his shoulders "What a reatcoat in his cupboard and set his weekend satchel on the floor beside it There was a posy pinned to the lapel of his greatcoat, and I wondered if the girl he was promised had put it there Could she love hiot the strength to go to the urine-soaked blankets and tug them off his books and notes? As he picked it up, the sodden blanket sprayed yellow drops on the floor There was a collective chorus of groans of disgust and one or two chuckles of that horrified laughter that comes over eant Rufet said to tell you that he would issue you clean bedding"

Gord glanced up at me and for a moment the opacity in his eyes melted I saw the pain this insult had dealt hiuess that is where I’d better start then"

"I’ve got to get to et our work finished during our ti an excuse not to help hiot my books and went to the study table Spink calanced up at him, he said, "There’s not much I can do in there He’s made up his bed and dried off his books as best as he can" He opened his books Without looking atnotes are ruined He asked if I thought you’d let him copy yours onto clean paper, and I said you probably would"

I nodded and bentof a scrub brush at work

That incident was a turning point in my first year at the Academy After that, the division was so plain within our roo different uniforms Spink, Gord, and I were seen as a unit, with Kort and Natred in a separate orbit around us They spoke to us in our rooo with us to the library or spend free time with us Kort and Natred see any other alliance Trist ruled the roost for the rest of then of wishing to be He always sat beside Trist, nodding to his every word and laughing the loudest at his jests Caleb and Rory followed the golden cadet without question Sometimes Rory came to our room to visit and talk, but not as often as he had And e sat at the study table or at the mess table, we sat divided by our loyalties

We did not find out who had invaded our rooe for it to vanish, for there had been a small amount of money in a coat pocket, and that had not been taken It becaeant Rufet The day after we returned, I was called out of drafting class A third-yearI was iuided to an upstairs chamber My escort tapped on the door and then waved , I entered the room I saluted, and then stood silently The rooht from the tall, narros did not see table, and six ed and pale, was seated to one side in a straight-backed chair His posture was very stiff, either from nervousness or the pain of his injuries Beside hinized Colonel Stiet and Dr Aure moved near the s, and I realized Caulder Stiet was there as well, observing I directedas ordered, sir," I said, trying to keep my voice steady