Even though I felt bad for the boy, a twinge of nerves put my back up. After all, according to Iepa, weren't we going to war with sorcerers? How smart was it to have one in my house?

And yet, there was no way the sweet-faced kid standing in front of me, his crushed expression telling me how much he worried about his own abilities, could possibly be a threat. At least, not on purpose.

I'd take it.

His sister, on the other hand, had this way with my last nerve that ...