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tradeboat.
    “And we’ve all heard about the two dirty wenches dismissed in disgrace,” Drayvon continued, smirking.
    Tali stiffened and exchanged a worried glance with Zarif. Drayvon had spoken loudly; certainly the quiet Earth Guilders behind them had heard every word. Tali’s sweaty palms tightened
around her legs under the table. No wonder Chey hadn’t wanted to sit with us, she thought. Would this idiot never hush?
    “With child,” the Sun Guild girl next to Drayvon whispered, “despite the hellbane root provided to female pledges.”
    “It was the first time in a century that has happened,” Zarif said quietly, his friendly voice now cold and formal. “Very unfortunate.”
    “Well, what do you expect from dirts?” Drayvon answered. “They aren’t exactly known for their great intellects.”
    “And what’s
your
excuse?” Tali answered, raising her voice. She knew her face burned, but she could no longer tame her anger. She did not want to be associated with
this arrogant ass of a boy for one more moment. Zarif laid a warning hand on her arm, but she refused to take the hint. “It’s a wonder you can eat with all the filth in your
mouth,” Tali added.
    Drayvon’s mouth dropped open in surprise. He rose angrily from his seat, fists clenched. Tali stood in challenge. The rest of the table went silent.
    “No harm done, son and daughter of Intiq,” Zarif said, in a low voice. “Let’s not quarrel our first night here.”
    Drayvon narrowed his eyes at Zarif. “Quarrels are for girls, Moon Guilder. Find me when you’re ready for a real fight, you and your little river-rat friend,” he said, glaring
at Tali as he turned and stalked out of the Great Hall.
    The meal concluded in silence.
    “May I walk you back to your room?” Zarif asked Tali after their plates had been cleared away. As bone-weary as she felt, Tali knew she would have a hard time
falling asleep after their encounter with Drayvon. She suspected Zarif felt the same way.
    Tali nodded. “If you’d like. Maybe you can help me navigate the maze. I simply followed the herd to find the Great Hall. The way back won’t be so easy.”
    As they stood and turned to leave, they came face to face with Chey, who had raised a hand of farewell to his tablemates as he headed toward the door. For a brief moment, his eyes met
Tali’s, then flew away and seemed to focus on something beyond her shoulder. She searched for words, but found none. She was too tired, too confused.
I only make things worse.
    “Chey, we apologize—” Zarif began, but Chey held up a hand to stop him.
    “Please, it’s not necessary,” Chey said.
    “But—”
    “Truly, I prefer not to speak of it.”
    Zarif nodded, then changed tack. “I was about to accompany Tali to her room,” he said. “Will you join us?”
    Chey shook his head. “Sorry, but I must go to the stables to see…a friend.”
    Tali bit the inside of her cheeks. Of course he would want to spend time with his fellow Earth Guilders after what had happened. Though she could not blame him, still she felt a twinge of hurt
from his decision.
    Chey must have seen something in her face, for he tilted his head to catch her eyes. “Perhaps you two might accompany
me
?”
    Tali looked at Zarif and saw the same relief in his eyes that she felt herself. “We would like that very much,” she said.
    It was not a far walk from the Great Hall to the stables. Evening had fallen and the first stars blinked among the sky’s periwinkle hue. Tali thought of filling the silence but decided
instead to hold her tongue. Her companions were equally quiet, as if they’d all decided enough had been spoken that day.
    As they entered the stable grounds, Chey seemed to relax, his shoulders falling, his face softening. Several covered buildings and open pens dotted the vast enclosure, sheltering the animals
required to supply the Alcazar with food and transport. Tali heard the soft clucks of chickens as they settled in