From the book jacket Keladry of Mindelan has returned to the royal palace of Tortall, where she fights to maintain the rigorous regimen of a page while confronting the prejudices that come with being a female in a man's world. And if that isn't hard enough, she's also starting to get something suspiciously like a crush on her closest friend, the handsome and sarcastic Neal. Yet Kel has much to be grateful for as well: a loyal circle of friends, an ill-tempered but lovable horse, and a scruffy dog who would give his life for her. Then one day, a group of pages is trapped by bandits, and the boys depend on Kel to lead them. Could it be a sign of things to come? Suddenly those in power are looking at Kel in a whole new way, wondering if she can succeed far beyond what they imagined...

"I hope you've thought better of this experiment of yours, now that you've seen blood."
                            - Lord Wyldon, Training Master of Pages and Squires

Continuing on from First Test, Keladry is now a page just like everyone else. However, there are still those who will question that having a girl page is just not right...and they will do anything in their power to stop her from becoming a squire. In Page, Keladry continues to astound those around her all while dealing with feminine problems around a group of fun-loving boys. She also meets new friends and continues on to prove her soon-to-be title of Protector of the Small with her maid Lalasa and the scruff of a dog, Jump.

She sat next to him. "We'll make a knight of you yet, Queenscove."
"That's what I'm afraid of," he retorted.
- Keladry of Mindelan and Nealan of Queenscove chapter 2, page 18

"It is I who thank you, Keladry, for them. You treat animals as well as you treat human beings."
- Veralidaine Sarrasri chapter 2, page 24

Garvey waded in and grabbed the front of her gown to haul her to her feet. Owen - forgotten until that moment - struck him from behind. Down Garvey went, face-first, chubby Owen clinging monkey--like to his back as Kel rolled out of the way. Owen beat Garvey wildly about the head and shoulders with one hand.
Not much technique, Kel thought as she got to her knees, but he's got plenty of heart.
chapter 2, page 27

That's what living with the Yamanis does to people. They get so well-mannered they won't mention you're crazy
- Keladry of Mindelan chapter 3, page 35

Faleron, whose fire chestnut was Peachblossom's neighbor, leaned on the rail between the stalls. "Kel, I'm still not sure about that catapult problem," he confessed, embarrassed. He knew more Tortallan law than any other page, but mathematics came hard for him. "If I fetch it to lunch, would you take a look?"
Kel nodded. "You didn't have to ask, you know."
Faleron grinned. "Mama raised me polite."
In a nearby stall Garvey muttered, "So Faleron, you're friends with her now because you can have her whenever you want?"
Faleron threw down his brush and went for the other boy..."Gods curse it, Kel, you heard what he said!"
Faleron relaxed, but she still kept both hands wrapped around his arm. He was easy-going, but everyone had sore spots. At last Faleron made a rude gesture at Garvey and let Kel pull him away.
They had almost reached their horses when Neal's unmistakable drawl sounded through the stable: "Joren is so pretty. Say, Garvey, are you two friends because you can have him?"
chapter 3, page 45-6

"What's the matter, dewdrop? Don't you like men fighting to protect your honor?"
- Cleon of Kennan chapter 3, page 47

"Are you - Kel, the Yamani Lump - are you yelling at me?"
- Nealen of Queenscove chapter 3, page 49

"It's still an insult on this side of the Emerald Ocean, my dear. Now, if I may shave before our bread-and-water feast?"
Kel eyed Neal's cheeks and chin. "You don't need to."
Neal sighed. "I live in hope, as the priest said to the princess. If you don't mind?"
chapter 3, page 51

"Most girls don't have a covey of boys whacking them with sticks every morning. Most girls don't want to be knights."
- Keladry of Mindelan chapter 4, page 58

"If this isn't friendship, what is? After people abuse my poor body all morning in the courts, I'm going to let you bruise me some more."
- Nealen of Queenscove chapter 4, page 63

"I'm going to treat you with the reverence I reserve for the Crown Jewels," Roald assured her, his eyes crinkled with mirth.
"Me too," added Seaver and Merric.
"I'll treat you with the reverence once you help me with classwork, O moon of mathematical wisdom," said Cleon lazily.
chapter 4, page 64

"With you and me at the job, there won't be a bandit in the country in ten years."
- Owen of Jesslaw chapter 7, page 118

"I've been a girl for a while, Owen."
- Keladry of Mindelan chapter 8, page 123

"You can be rude without trying. The stump would penalize you for talking so loud and free. It's your own fault for encouraging him when he was a first-year, you know. Now he thinks he's a human being."
- Nealen of Queenscove chapter 8, page 123

Neal glared at the chubby second-year with all the royal disdain of a vexed lion. He was limping from a staff blow to the knee. "You are a bloody-minded savage," he informed Owen sternly. "I hope you are kidnapped by centaurs."
chapter 9, page 142

"If they've changed things 'round in tilting, I'm going to stick my head in a rain barrel and drown myself."
- Faleron of King's Reach chapter 9, page 143

"I suppose he could have changed," Neal said dryly. "I myself have noticed my growing resemblance to a daffodil." The other pages snorted.
Kel eyed her friend. "You do look yellow around the edges," she told him, her face quite serious. "I hadn't wanted to bring it up."
"We daffodils like to have things brought up," Neal said, slinging an arm around her shoulders. "It reminds us of spring."
"Does dung remind you of spring, too, Princess Flower?" Cleon demanded irritably. "You needn't manhandle our Kel like that."
Kel peeled Neal's arm away. "Thanks, but no thanks. I don't want to crush your petals."
"Crush mine all you like, fair lady," Cleon told her, putting an arm around her shoulders in Neal's stead.
chapter 10, page 167

"...Her beauteous countenance will be thy guide, her favor and thanks your payment. Let her-"
Someone passed Kel one of the long, thin loaves of bread served with soup. Before Neal could go on, his friends attacked him with the loaves, battering him until the bread fell to pieces.
Neal brushed crumbs off his clothes and fixed them with this loftiest glare. "Soulless, heartless pages that you are," he said, "I ignore you." He cut ahead of them in line so he could be served first.
chapter 10, page 168

"I knew you would come."
- Lalasa, Keladry's maid chapter 11, page 185

"You are an education, Keladry of Mindelan."
- Nealan of Queenscove chapter 11, page 188

"Gods, Mindelan. I would you had been born a boy."
- Lord Wyldon of Cavall chapter 15, page 238

"I think I will no longer try to predict what will or will not happen to you, Squire Keladry. So far you have proved me wrong on every count. Even I can learn when to quit."
- Lord Wyldon of Cavall chapter 15, page 245

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