Harper noticed the problem before Jasper admitted there was one.

They were walking toward the western practice yard when she stopped so suddenly that Jasper nearly walked into her.

"You keep doing it."

"Doing what?"

"Watching where I stand."

Jasper's stomach tightened.

"No I don't."

Harper moved two steps toward the courtyard rail. She remained well behind the painted safety line, with half a metre of stone between her shoes and anything dangerous.

Jasper looked at her feet.

Harper pointed at his face. "That."

Ava, who had been walking behind them, stopped too.

Jasper turned to her. "You noticed?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"I thought it might stop."

Harper folded her arms. "It did not."

The practice bell rang somewhere ahead of them.

Jasper wished it had rung louder.

"I'm not doing it on purpose."

"I know."

"Then why are you angry?"

"Because I'm not going to fall every time I'm near a wall."

Jasper knew that. Of course he knew that.

Unfortunately, knowing it did not stop his mind from showing him Harper disappearing through broken stone whenever she stepped near an edge.

"I just see it," he said quietly.

Harper's expression changed.

"See what?"

Jasper did not want to answer.

"You falling."

For a second Harper looked less angry. Then she looked angry in a different way.

"And watching me stops it?"

"No."

"Then I need you to stop treating me like I'm already falling."

Ava glanced toward the practice hall. "We are late."

Harper said, "Good."

They arrived four minutes after the bell.

Professor Ward looked at all three of them. "Reason?"

Harper answered before Jasper could invent one.

"Friendship problem."

Ward paused. "Unexpectedly honest. Take your places."

Unfortunately, the day's lesson involved shields.

Pairs had to cross a marked practice lane while soft targets rolled toward them on rails. One student moved; the other placed a shield only when and where it was needed.

Jasper was paired with Harper.

Of course he was.

The first target came from the left. Jasper blocked it cleanly.

The second came low. Another clean shield.

Then Harper moved faster than Jasper expected.

His mind supplied the ledge before the target had even arrived.

A shield snapped into place directly in front of her.

Harper walked into it.

Not hard enough to hurt, but hard enough to make the entire problem obvious.

She stepped back. "Jasper."

"Sorry."

"There was nothing there."

"I thought the target was coming."

"It wasn't."

Ward blew the whistle.

"Reset."

Harper returned to the start line, jaw tight.

"Stop protecting me before there's danger."

"That's what shields are for."

"No. Shields are for where danger actually is. You know that better than anyone."

Ward, unfortunately, had heard.

"She's right," she said.

Jasper wanted the practice floor to swallow him.

Harper continued. "You're good at this because you wait. With me, you're not waiting anymore."

Ward pointed toward the benches. "Five minutes. Both of you."

They sat apart.

Jasper stared at his shoes.

A few minutes later Ward sat beside him.

"You saw something frightening happen to your friend," she said. "Your brain is now trying very hard to stop it from happening again."

Jasper nodded.

"That part is normal."

He looked at her.

"The problem is not noticing danger," Ward continued. "The problem is deciding Harper is in danger when she isn't."

"But what if I miss it next time?"

"Then you respond to what is actually happening. You do not build a cage around your friend because something might happen."

Jasper frowned. "I'm not building a cage."

"No. But you are beginning to make choices for her."

That landed harder.

Ward tapped the practice lane with one finger. "Your job with a shield is simple. Watch the target. Watch the line. Put the shield where it matters. Harper's job is to move. Do not turn Harper into the target."

Jasper looked across the hall.

Harper was sitting with her arms folded, pretending not to look back.

"I don't know how to stop seeing the fall."

"You may not stop immediately," Ward said. "You can still choose what you do after you remember it."

That sounded possible.

After five minutes, Jasper returned to the lane.

Harper met him at the start line.

"I'll try," he said.

"Good."

The first target came.

Jasper waited.

The second came faster.

He waited until it actually crossed the marked line, then placed the shield exactly where it needed to be.

Harper passed it safely.

On the final run, she stumbled.

Jasper's whole body reacted.

For half a second he almost threw a shield around her.

Then Harper caught her own balance.

She looked at him.

He had done nothing.

"See?" she said.

Jasper let out a breath. "Yeah."

Harper grinned. "Also, excellent balance."

"You nearly fell."

"Still didn't."

Ava met them after class.

"Resolved?"

Harper said, "Improving."

Jasper nodded.

That was probably a better word.