"Elayne."
Her steps stopped.
She had almost cleared the courtyard.
Another three paces would have carried her behind the western arch, where the evening traffic thickened enough for someone with Elayne's particular talent for becoming uninteresting to disappear comfortably among the returning students.
Almost.
Elayne looked over.
Lucavion raised one hand.
"Come suffer with the rest of us."
Her gaze moved across the gathering.
Caeden stood beside Lucavion. Toven remained nearby, though whatever enthusiasm had animated him earlier appeared to have suffered a recent and severe injury. Mireilla had arrived from the examination sector several minutes ago and now looked as though sitting down had become her highest remaining ambition.
Elayne glanced toward the arch again.
Mireilla saw it.
"Oh, don't even try."
Elayne's eyes returned to her.
"I wasn't…"
She paused.
"Leaving."
"You were absolutely leaving."
"I was going inside."
