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When the hearing started, I was left outside, instructed to come in when grandpa's defense and testimony ended, and they called me. Sitting there, inactive, waiting, was nerve-wracking. Which is why I brought a book with me. A kids' book on magic, one of those grandpa insisted I read to fill in the gaps in my education. In his opinion, the university courses I had studied on magic taught me nothing in the more practical areas.
Lieutenant Craen, who stayed outside for some reason, sat beside me on the bench in front of the courtroom door. He sat very close to me, his thigh touching mine, despite having the whole bench available. I pointedly ignored him, concentrating on the book. It was written in a very simple language, and the explanations were way too primitive for my academically t
