The crowd gasped.
Meredith froze for half a second. "Idiot"? The word struck sharper than she'd expected it to. Her jaw tightened. Her gut twisted.
Then everything snapped into place.
"I… have made a mistake," she muttered.
Of course, she had. The Rogue had played her. He manipulated the Wizard with ease and made her look like a fool in front of half the town.
Heat, both anger and embarrassment, rushed up her spine as she sprinted after him, steps carried by faint wisps of easily suppressed magic. The chase took her weaving through clustered vendors, down narrower and narrower streets until the buildings leaned inward like eavesdropping giants. Her boots pounded stone. Her breath came out sharp. And she cursed herself with every step.
"I should have trusted my gut," she hissed between breaths. "What a fool. He was obviously playing you. Idiot. I should have smote him where he stood…!"
