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the glow that he had seen in the daughter's four days ago, when she had passed through the crowd on her way home. The same amber eyes, which on Linden's exquisite face had been sharp with intelligence, fury, and utmost contempt for those around her.
    The father was also watching him intently, so Rianor locked each of their gazes in turn, forcing them to look away. Although he appreciated these people's uncommon lack of servitude, he could not afford to allow them too much freedom now. Then again, there was no point in making them additionally nervous, either.
    "I would like to test her Science abilities, madam." His look was more amiable now. "Your daughter is listed as an apprentice applicant with the Science guild, and I have learned from one Mister Podd that she is his brightest student and exhibits, as he put it, an incredible talent in Science. I myself am doing research in some Science areas, and I happen to be in need of an apprentice. Since the Day of the Master is approaching fast, I would like to discuss the possibility with Linden. I would also like to start tonight, when she comes home from her walk."
    He waited for them to assimilate his proposal. He was giving their daughter the chance of her life. There were very few ways for a commoner to rise to nobility, and one of them was to become an apprentice to a noble. This, although not unseen, did not happen often. It was too risky an endeavor, since nobles and commoners thought in vastly different ways.
    She does not seem to think like other commoners, though, Rianor mused. She seemed too rebellious for that. Also, he was certain that she did have an unnatural skill. It should be worth it.
    * * *
    An hour later he was outside, waiting for her to come home. The houses were cramped close to each other, and the small balconies on the second floors of two adjacent buildings formed something like a tunnel, where he could stand without being seen from the street. The parents had politely asked him to wait in the apartment, but he had told them that he would be back later. In this way he did not intrude into their tiny space for longer than necessary, and they had some time to wonder whether he would really come back.
    It was getting colder and darker, and the shadows were growing, including his own. Rianor moved further back into the tunnel and huddled in his coat, drawing the hood lower over his face. It was so cold that even his hair felt brittle at the touch of the heavy cloth. " Cold is evil. " This was a line from the book that he had read just before coming, and he sighed in annoyance. Simple but powerful Ber propaganda phrases were able to wriggle themselves even into his mind.
    We'll see about that evil, Rianor thought. Soon enough.
    Linden came with another girl, the two of them emerging from behind the grove at the side of the street. There were trees in the neighborhood, some of them in this street. Even narrow and crowded as it were, the street might be beautiful when they had leaves, but Rianor's investigations had revealed that the commoners avoided them. Trees were living things, and they had too much to do with water.
    The girls stopped, and Rianor could hear them talk.
    "Trees really are nice, Lind," the girl he did not know laughed. "I hope that they don't mind the cold. I don't mind it right now, myself. But you know what? Right now I don't even mind the Mentor!"
    Linden laughed as well, with only the slightest hint of bizarreness in her laughter. Rianor tried to see the expression in her eyes, but she was not facing him directly. He could only see a part of her face and a lock of hair that fell out of her hood to the tips of her shoulders. He could not see the other girl well, either, but it was evident that her cloak was of a much finer material. He should get Linden a nice noble lady's coat when the time came. Rianor rubbed his eyes. The cold was obviously getting to him, thinking about women's clothes instead of focusing on why he had come. He