He made it back home without incident, but only because he was surrounded by people who wouldn't stop talking to him for most of it. People who kept asking him questions, demanding, some politely, some not, that he recount the story of how he'd won the challenge.
On the other hand, several people had been more than happy to tell what they knew about Jessa, whose grandfather had come into some unexpected money and bought a bookshop, which automatically moved them up in society. If rumors were to be trusted at all, they were eager to keep moving up. A few said they were petitioning to change their family name, but everyone knew that sort of thing took centuries and wasn't worth the effort.
Rath thought a bookshop sounded like a wonderful life. Good money, interesting work, and there were
