as far as

ked like "Hide." Then he had vanished into the crowd with a loud, fake sneeze. I climbed behind a stack of flour sacks and pulle

low," I

ng," Teal whisper

plaining loudly about a spilled drink. A baby began to cry and was hushed. Tob's

ut. Another. Whoever it was took his time, and with each step the

y door sw

useful skill in the sea.

quiet voice. "Your heartbea

was joking. Then I stood up behind the flour s

He had the look of a man who had slept badly for years and learned to work through it. The scar along his jaw was old and pale. He wore no jewelry at

," he

it all the way down th

it slowly, as if tast

's

shermen pay taxes and I know every one of them." He tilted his head. "You also smell of snow. It's be

y wea

aga

He hadn't told me what to do about it. The truth, I decide

ery far away, with people who don't lie, so I'm bad at it. I came here

narrowe

iend.

own has asked me to find the thieves. You arrived in a snowstorm, carrying a purse of seed pearls wo

t steal

n't mind com

o mi

not a

orward and reach

e thing in my chest surged up with a force that had nothing to do wi

e touching

the way into my teeth. It was a wild, bright, humming thing, and under it, loud and clear, I heard

i

t go as though

barrel. It crashed to the floor and went out, and the pantry p

hardly more than a w

was ragged. "W

thi

nothing.

Someone struck a match somewhere behind him and a small light flared. His

h a thick brown braid and a sardonic eyebrow. She looke

ower, not the cells." He did not look at me.

ting set of instru

it,

ntly, and as she led me past him I

said, quietly, for h

is jaw. When he spoke at last, it was in the voice of a

t want it. I won't have it. And if you are what I begin to suspect you ar

sight, then looked at me with her head tilted, the way y

nd ran a hand through her hair. "That wen

t a goo

"Come on, fish girl. You can tell me all about yourself o