Shields Lady by Jayne Castle

it," she agreed with a sigh. "I was so shamed by my failure. I could hardly face my
    family."

    "Why did you fail?"

                Sariana's mouth tightened. "The academy board said my test scores revealed too much of a tendency toward experimentation and innovation and not enough grounding in the fundamentals. The best I could hope for at that point was an insignificant position in my family's business and, eventually, an insignificant marriage to some other academy failure. Not exactly an inspiring future. I had to get away. Had to prove myself."

    "So you came to Serendipity. How will you prove yourself here, Sariana?"

                "I'm hoping to prove my potential by making a reputation for myself as a business manager who can rescue clans such as the Avylyns that are in real financial trouble." Sariana looked up at him with a shy

    eagerness. "I'm going to reapply to the academy and ask for permission to retake the entrance exams."
                "Will that be allowed?"

                "It's highly unusual, but under special circumstances the academy members will allow it. My goal is to give a graphic demonstration of my abilities here in Serendipity and use that to persuade the academy to give me another chance. I'm very close to pulling the Avylyns out of the red, you know. In a few more months, if all goes well, they should be back on their feet financially."

                "If the academy members agree to give you another chance," Gryph said slowly, "you'll go back to Rendezvous?"

                She smiled. "You'd better believe it. I'll be on the next available windrigger home. How else could I finish myeducation and take my proper place in society?"

                Gryph had to fight to control the frustrated rage that shot through him in that moment. Deliberately he subdued it. He must take this slowly and carefully.

    "What will you do if the academy is not willing to relent?" he asked.

                Her smile vanished into a rather grim line. "Then I'll be trapped here in Serendipity. I have thought about it a great deal and I've decided Etion Rakken is right. It would be better to stay here if I can't take my rightful place back home."

                "This Rakken," Gryph said, "he's already made such a decision for himself?" Sariana nodded. "He has resigned himself to his exile. He is very successful here and he takes what
    consolation and satisfaction he can from that. If I am forced to stay, I'll probably marry him."
                Gryph reached out reflexively with his free hand and snagged a huge whispflower. His fingers closed around it, plucking it from its stem and crushing it into a pulpy mass in the blink of an eye. Sariana stared in shock.

                "What are you doing? Those are Lady Avylyn's prize whispflowers! She's planning to enter them in an exhibition next week."

    Gryph opened his hand and looked down at the smashed petals. "Accidents will happen."
                "That was no accident. You did that deliberately," Sariana accused.

                Gryph shoved the evidence into his jacket pocket. "Maybe Lady Avylyn won't notice if one of her precious flowers is missing."

                "If she does notice, I'm certainly going to tell her who is responsible," Sariana threatened. Gryph laughed softly. "Little tattletale. You'd inform on me?"

    "In a flash."

                He shook his head, still grinning. "What? No loyalty at all to your poor, underpaid employee?" "What has my poor, underpaid employee accomplished since he started this job?" she demanded. Gryph was slightly taken back by the way she had switched the topic. "As a matter of fact, I've
    subcontracted out some work to an informer. A man named Brinton. He's one of those very useful people who knows every back alley in Serendipity. And he makes a living selling information to those who