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“I’m afraid I have pressing business to attend to,” Caspar Lennox said.

“Pressing business that involves bringing a human to Graevale?” Shirez asked, an edge to her voice.

Seeing as the female clearly knew Alex was there, she felt ridiculous hiding behind her teacher, so she stepped into view. Just as she was about to take the initiative and introduce herself, she caught Caspar Lennox’s warning glance and remembered his instruction not to speak unless first spoken to.

“The human is Alexandra Jennings,” Caspar Lennox said, and Shirez’s eyes widened in surprise—which in turn surprised Alex, since she had no idea why her name would mean anything to the female Shadow Walker. “She is here to speak with the elders.”

Shirez scoffed at that. “They will not speak with her. She is human.”

Alex barely managed to hold her tongue at the Shadow Walker’s clear disdain.

“What she has to say needs to be heard.”

“I gathered as much,” Shirez replied. “You would not have brought Alexandra Jennings of all people here otherwise.”

Alex’s brow furrowed.Of all people?What was that supposed to mean?

Unfortunately, her facial gesture gave her away, and Shirez turned narrowed onyx eyes to her. “Can you understand me, human?”

Her expression once again neutral, Alex was careful not to react or respond in any way.

“Of course she cannot understand,” Caspar Lennox said dismissively, despite knowing of her bond with Xiraxus and its potential language interpretation. “She has had neither the time nor the training to learn our tongue.”

If nothing else, that much was true. And Alex had a feeling she would be better off keeping her translation skills a secret, given the less than amiable reception she’d already received.

“I could have sworn…” Shirez began, but then she shook her head. “You’re right, of course. No human would ever be capable of learning our language.”

If all Shadow Walkers were as condescending as Shirez, then Alex was going to have a jaw ache by the time she left Graevale just from gritting her teeth.

“We’ve clearly come at an inopportune time,” Caspar Lennox said, tilting his head towards the commotion at the centre of the cathedral, “but Alexandra’s news is time-sensitive. And if, as you say, thevatali targois only in the early rounds, it could be too late if we return after the trials and their resulting festivities are complete.”

Curiosity lit the grey features of the female Shadow Walker. “Too late for what?”

Caspar Lennox didn’t answer, but he did say, “I would be in your debt if you would assist us with this.”

With a knowing look, Shirez said, “You want me to take you to my grandfather, don’t you?”

“As I said, I would be in your debt.”

“If I do, will you stay a while? Watch the next few matches with us?”

Her tone was the kind of hopeful that Alex thought was unbelievably telling, but Caspar Lennox seemed oblivious.

“As soon as Alexandra has delivered her tidings, I must be away with her to the academy,” he responded.

Standing close enough to him that his shadows covered her feet, Alex booted him firmly in the leg, the gesture hidden from sight.

Giving a jolt that he managed to cover by shifting his weight, Caspar Lennox’s eyes narrowed slightly at the confirmation that Alex could indeed understand their conversation, but he didn’t look down and risk revealing her secret. Instead, he somehow managed to read her not-so-subtle hint. Perhaps he wasn’t as oblivious as she had presumed.

“However,” he said slowly, “perhaps I shall return to witness the final trials, and we might see each other again then.”

Shirez’s features lit up with pleasure. But then she turned to Alex and her expression blanked. “Come with me, Alexandra Jennings,” she said clearly in the common tongue, and she turned on her heel and began marching away.

If Alex hadn’t been following their whole conversation until now, there was no way she would have blindly trailed after the Shadow Walker, not even when Caspar Lennox gave her a none-too-gentle shove forward. But since this might be her only chance to speak with the elders, she didn’t hesitate to rush after Shirez, only slowing when the excited crowd became so thick that she had to elbow her way through the masses.

Oblivious to the human in their midst, the Shadow Walkers continued screaming insults and encouragement to thevatalitargocontenders—whatever they were doing—as Alex fought to keep up with Shirez. When a break opened up in the mob, she darted through it, figuring she would cut the corner and return close to her escort’s heels. But instead of making up the distance, when Alex’s view became clear, she stopped dead and stared.

Just as she had first presumed, it was a sparring match of some kind. But it was also much more than that.