teach someone what she knew. She did not have to rejoin the Kirin Tor to help others understand and work well with magic, as she had learned how to do. Life was unpredictable, these days more so than ever. Additionally, she found she missed Anduin’s occasional presence. Perhaps a young person would liven up the damp old place.
“You know,” she said, “I recall a certain headstrong young woman who pestered Antonidas to take her as an apprentice.”
“And as I recall, she turned out rather well. Some say she’s the finest mage in Azeroth.”
“Some say many things.”
“Please tell me you’ll teach her,” Rhonin said, dropping any hint of anything other than complete sincerity.
“I think it’s a fine idea,” she said firmly.
“You’ll like her,” Rhonin said. His expression grew impish. “She’ll challenge you.”
Kinndy had challenged Pained, too, Jaina remembered. She smothered a smile as she thought about Pained’s reaction to the gnome girl.Pained was a night elf, a warrior who had stayed with Jaina ever since being assigned to the mage at the Battle of Mount Hyjal. She steadfastly served as Jaina’s bodyguard, whether or not the lady actually needed her, unless Jaina sent her off on a more covert mission. Jaina often told Pained that she was free to return to her people at any point. Pained usually shrugged and said, “Lady Tyrande never officially relieved me of my duty,” and would not reply further. Jaina didn’t quite understand the night elf’s stubbornness and inexplicable, devotion but she was grateful for it.
At one point, Kinndy had been studying while Jaina methodically went through her cabinet of reagents, writing up new labels for those that were almost illegible and putting aside items that had lost their potency for proper disposal. Chairs in Theramore were designed for humans, and Kinndy’s feet didn’t reach the floor. She had been swinging them absently, sipping tea as she perused a tome nearly as large as she was. Pained had been busying herself, cleaning her sword. Out of the corner of her eye, Jaina had noticed the elf glancing at Kinndy now and then, looking more annoyed each time.
Finally Pained burst out. “Kinndy? Do you enjoy being perky?”
Kinndy closed the book, marking her place with a small finger, and pondered the question. After a moment, she said, “People don’t take me seriously. This often denies me opportunities to be useful. I find it rather frustrating. So, no. I don’t enjoy being perky.”
Pained nodded. “Ah. That is all right, then,” she said, and returned to her work. Jaina had to excuse herself quickly in order to keep from laughing.
Unintentional perkiness aside, Kinndy had indeed challenged Jaina. The gnome had more energy than anyone Jaina had ever met. The questions were endless. At first they were amusing, then annoying, and then Jaina woke up one day and realized she was truly a mentor. A master with an apprentice who would grow up to do her proud. Rhonin hadn’t been exaggerating—he had probably given her the best the Kirin Tor had to offer.
Kinndy was curious about Jaina’s role as a leader as well as a mage. Jaina would have liked to have told the gnome about the secretmeetings with Go’el—Kinndy seemed the type of person who might understand Jaina’s reasoning—but of course could not. Fond of the girl though Jaina might be, Kinndy was, in the end, honor-bound to report everything she knew to the Kirin Tor. Jaina’s slip with Anduin had taught her to take extra precautions, and thus far, she was certain that Kinndy was still ignorant of the meetings.
“How is Master Rhonin?” Jaina inquired.
“Oh, he is well. He sends his best,” Kinndy replied. “He seemed a bit distracted,” she mused, pausing to take another bite of cookie.
“We’re magi, Kinndy,” Jaina said wryly. “We’re always distracted by something or other.”
“This is true!” she said cheerily, brushing at some crumbs. “But even
“You know,” she said, “I recall a certain headstrong young woman who pestered Antonidas to take her as an apprentice.”
“And as I recall, she turned out rather well. Some say she’s the finest mage in Azeroth.”
“Some say many things.”
“Please tell me you’ll teach her,” Rhonin said, dropping any hint of anything other than complete sincerity.
“I think it’s a fine idea,” she said firmly.
“You’ll like her,” Rhonin said. His expression grew impish. “She’ll challenge you.”
Kinndy had challenged Pained, too, Jaina remembered. She smothered a smile as she thought about Pained’s reaction to the gnome girl.Pained was a night elf, a warrior who had stayed with Jaina ever since being assigned to the mage at the Battle of Mount Hyjal. She steadfastly served as Jaina’s bodyguard, whether or not the lady actually needed her, unless Jaina sent her off on a more covert mission. Jaina often told Pained that she was free to return to her people at any point. Pained usually shrugged and said, “Lady Tyrande never officially relieved me of my duty,” and would not reply further. Jaina didn’t quite understand the night elf’s stubbornness and inexplicable, devotion but she was grateful for it.
At one point, Kinndy had been studying while Jaina methodically went through her cabinet of reagents, writing up new labels for those that were almost illegible and putting aside items that had lost their potency for proper disposal. Chairs in Theramore were designed for humans, and Kinndy’s feet didn’t reach the floor. She had been swinging them absently, sipping tea as she perused a tome nearly as large as she was. Pained had been busying herself, cleaning her sword. Out of the corner of her eye, Jaina had noticed the elf glancing at Kinndy now and then, looking more annoyed each time.
Finally Pained burst out. “Kinndy? Do you enjoy being perky?”
Kinndy closed the book, marking her place with a small finger, and pondered the question. After a moment, she said, “People don’t take me seriously. This often denies me opportunities to be useful. I find it rather frustrating. So, no. I don’t enjoy being perky.”
Pained nodded. “Ah. That is all right, then,” she said, and returned to her work. Jaina had to excuse herself quickly in order to keep from laughing.
Unintentional perkiness aside, Kinndy had indeed challenged Jaina. The gnome had more energy than anyone Jaina had ever met. The questions were endless. At first they were amusing, then annoying, and then Jaina woke up one day and realized she was truly a mentor. A master with an apprentice who would grow up to do her proud. Rhonin hadn’t been exaggerating—he had probably given her the best the Kirin Tor had to offer.
Kinndy was curious about Jaina’s role as a leader as well as a mage. Jaina would have liked to have told the gnome about the secretmeetings with Go’el—Kinndy seemed the type of person who might understand Jaina’s reasoning—but of course could not. Fond of the girl though Jaina might be, Kinndy was, in the end, honor-bound to report everything she knew to the Kirin Tor. Jaina’s slip with Anduin had taught her to take extra precautions, and thus far, she was certain that Kinndy was still ignorant of the meetings.
“How is Master Rhonin?” Jaina inquired.
“Oh, he is well. He sends his best,” Kinndy replied. “He seemed a bit distracted,” she mused, pausing to take another bite of cookie.
“We’re magi, Kinndy,” Jaina said wryly. “We’re always distracted by something or other.”
“This is true!” she said cheerily, brushing at some crumbs. “But even
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