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say poisonous viper .
    â€œI’m not the—” I started, before Rowan silenced me with a sharp glare.
    â€œThank you, Captain,” she said, and gazed at me over her golden spectacles. For a moment she reminded me of her mother. “Sit, Connwaer,” she said, pointing at the other padded chair before her desk.
    Instead of going to sit there I stayed by the door, leaning against the wall with my hands in my pockets. Pip dropped off my shoulder, then flapped across the room to the windowsill, where it crouched watching us, its eyes glowing red like coals in a winter hearth. Raindrops ticked against the windowpanes outside.
    Before anybody said anything, there was a loud knocking at the door; it opened and Rowan’s secretary, Miss Dimity, poked her head in. “Duchess Rowan—” she whispered.
    â€œWhat is it?” Rowan asked, straightening.
    â€œI’m so very, very sorry to interrupt, but several council members are demanding to see you, Your Grace. They insist that the, um”—she bulged her eyes at me, and it was clear as clear that she wasn’t seeing a ducal magister —“that this young person should be arrested for thievery.”
    â€œDuchess Rowan?” Kerrn said, waiting for orders.
    At her desk, Rowan shook her head. “Oh, curse them, anyway,” she said with a sigh. “Tell them to wait, Miss Dimity.” The secretary nodded and went out. Rowan frowned at me. “You’ll have to do something about this thieving dragon of yours, Connwaer.”
    â€œPip’s not a thief,” I said.
    â€œReally,” Rowan said, her voice dry.
    Well, Pip was a thief. Its true name, Tallennar, meant thief in the dragon language. But it wouldn’t steal locus stones. Would it? Maybe it would. It had stolen my locus stone and swallowed it. But why steal Keeston’s stone?
    Rowan was shaking her head. “It’s not exactly an auspicious start to your term as ducal magister.”
    â€œRo, I’m not the ducal magister,” I said.
    â€œYes, you are,” Rowan insisted.
    â€œNo, I’m not,” I insisted right back at her.
    â€œAll right then, Conn.” Rowan leaned forward and put her elbows on the desk. “You said you know who you are. So tell me.” She waved around the room at Embre and Kerrn and Nevery. “Tell all of us. Who are you?”
    That was easy. “I’m Nevery’s apprentice.”
    Nevery shook his head. “You know more about the magical beings than I do, boy.”
    That was true. “I’m a wizard, then,” I said.
    â€œThe other magisters don’t think so,” Rowan said. “They think you’re a troublemaker.”
    Drats, that was true, too.
    â€œOnce a thief, always a thief,” Kerrn put in.
    â€œI’m not a thief,” I shot back.
    â€œWell, then?” Rowan said, sitting back and looking satisfied, as if she’d proven something. “What are you?”
    I glared at her.
    â€œYou see?” she said. “I’m right. And I think that will be all,” she said. “Conn, you stay for a moment.” She nodded at Nevery. “Magister Nevery, will you settle the magisters?”
    â€œIf they can be settled.” Nevery got up from his chair. “Which I doubt.” He bristled his eyebrows at me. “We’ll discuss this further when you get home to Heartsease, Connwaer.”
    I shrugged. He could talk if he wanted to. I didn’t have any more to say about it.
    â€œWell, boy?” Nevery asked sharply.
    I glanced up at him. He was studying me with his keen-gleam black eyes.
    I knew what he was thinking. Not very long ago, when I had tied the two magics to Wellmet, the magics had taken what was me, but left my body behind. For a long time I’d been lost, like a walking, talking puppet-boy. Ever since I’d found myself again, Nevery had been keeping a closer eye on me. Maybe he thought I would