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Evvy had been surprised -- Briar had not -- when Rosethorn came home to say Jebilu would meet his new student at Golden House "Don’t expect hirim twist to her mouth "But he’ll come, or I’ll know the reason why" She had looked at Evvy "Did you give rin "He’s no boy, he’s old"

"I feel old," Briar ht hit the shelves of miniature trees behind hier for even tidbits of light Only his own tree, a pine in the shape called shakkan, did not call Briar had positioned it so the sun would touch it first It was his companion and friend, a one-hundred-fifty-year-old work of art, every bit of it filled to near-bursting with ic It was not for sale

Others were Five he had started fro supplies of seed for the local far those trees to perfect ic filled their veins Another six werethem to the point where they could be sold for ten tiht from hoood They were samples of his expertise in the varied classical forainst a need for money further down the road

Once he finished his tea, he rearranged his charges on the shelves to take advantage of the light He was trying to ignore a nagging voice in his mind, one that sounded like Sandry, his foster-sister The voice tugged at his thought constantly, asking a question he didn’t want asked or answered: what good will a resentful teacher do her? Or worse: what if he waits for you and Rosethorn to leave, then treats her badly?

I stank as her teacher yesterday, he argued A teacher who knows little about stone host-Sandry ignored hi

Just like a noble, he told her when she got too insistent, as the real Sandry did so often Alorrying about future things, when right now is hard enough

"I still say they’re rock-killers"

He’d been so deep in thought that he hadn’t seen Evvy arrive Briar julared at her "Don’t sneak up on irl "They have to live, same as your precious rocks"

"My rocks don’t break up your plants," she retorted, laughter in her eyes "It’s the other way around" She was clean for the third day in a row, and dressed in clean clothes Now she let herself into the stall and perched on the tall stool "You got anything to eat?"

He sighed Reaching into his satchel, he found a duht as a snack for later "Didn’t you stop at the house and beg so and a clean cloth "You’re wearing your new clothes"

"I stopped and changed" Evvy tucked the cloth into the neck of her orange tunic

You never have to tell her to do a thing twice, Briar thought, watching her settle the napkin Maybe I did push too hard yesterday "So didn’t she feed you?"

Evvy pinched off soorously, she said, "She had a pair of shears in her hand when I asked She said if I bothered her today she’d snipto eat when I got here," she added, taking another bite

"She wouldn’t’ve really cut your nose off," Briar said He realized with a feeling of destiny that he would probably buy her a larger breakfast shortly "Just bloodied it a bit"

"She’s fierce," Evvy said adly "I bet she scared Jooba-hooba plenty, toto be your teacher, you ought to say his proper naecalled "Jooba-hooba" "Or call him Master Stoneslicer"

"I still don’t see why you can’t teachfine yesterday, right?"

Briar rested his head in his hands It was going to be a longas Golden House ca kit on the stall’s counter, and put hisnext to it He was training it to the spiral form, which it liked far better than the cascade for the tree it wouldn’t feel a thing when he took off the brown leaves, he lost himself in his work for a tiain, he jued soht to cal to," Evvy remarked Briar looked where she did, and saw three people a year or two older than he alk past their stall One was a girl; the other tere boys All three hite, sleeveless tunics, black brocade sashes, and black trousers

"What’s the sign -- the tunic or the sash and breeches?" he asked, absently checking to h

"All three," Evvy told hi in the city, and the richest"