A snicker swept past the group and Mara pulled off her glasses.

"Who shall remain nameless for now," she added, "has clearly not though through his actions."

Neda, sitting to the side of her class, put her head in her hands. She hadn't really had the option, much less the opportunity, to talk to Venn about his games. She didn't mind them; usually they weren't destructive, and they were never mean-spirited. But a lot of the administrators couldn't move outside the rigid framework they'd built themselves into.

Venn caught her eye and winked, then resumed his serious face and pretended to pay attention to Mara, who was getting increasingly frustrated.

"I said," her voice rising in pitch with every word, "You may think this is a joke, but it isn't. Trying to poison--"

"Worms ain't poison!" Venn said, the words bursting out.

"They're dirty and they'll make people sick."

"I washed em."

Neda tried not to laugh. He had, she'd seen the dirt in the school kitchen's sink. He'd washed them carefully, then put them in with the chopped meat intended for today's lunch.

"Whether or not you washed them is irrelevant. Worms are not food and never have been."

"Worms are too food! The 'cyclepedia says!"

"The rest of you are dismissed. Venn, come with me." Mara strode to the door, holding it open and waiting for Venn to stand up and follow her.

Venn did, after a second to put on his penitent face. He knew the administrators didn't like his games, and he took the detentions as part of the process.

He glanced back just before passing underneath Mara's arm, and grinned. "I've got a date with the harpy!" me mouthed.

Neda stiffened in her chair, then made herself relax. Mara couldn't have seen it, her arm was in the way and Venn had turned his head. But when had she used that phrase in Venn's presence? When had she ever spoken it aloud, for that matter? It was something she thought very quietly, careful not to let it show on her face, when she was summoned to Mara's office.