“Did you just…”

“I was a child-thief. Purchased straight from a den of ring-hungry bandits,” Lucas bragged.

Kaley held up the gold ring as Lucas turned again, arms and fingers brushing scarves and pockets. “Purchased by who?” She slid the ring into her pocket, but not before Lucas displayed a handful more.

“By a sturdy, wise, cunning folk named Mikal,” he explained, tossing the rings to her one by one. She missed catching the last one and it rolled away.

“Yes, I’ve heard about him. Helen had some good things to say about your old mentor.”

“Well, she’d better have. And he wasn’t just my mentor.” Lucas stopped talking, the sparks leaving his eyes. He turned away, his knuckles grazing a burlap satchel as a richly dressed lady pushed past.

Kaley cleared her throat and decided on a subject change. “It’s wrong to steal. You know that, right?” But she still took the four more rings he passed along.

“Oh, I’m sure the Volumes say a thing or three of that sort. But don’t muddle your buttons over it; I thought you said you were fearless.” His twinkle returned as he nodded toward the crowd, and Kaley slowed.

“Wait, you don’t actually want me to…” She looked at the bustling creatures, at their pockets.

“I dare you, daredevil.” Lucas bit his lower lip through his grin. “Unless you’re not really fearless after all.”

Kaley stopped walking. Her eyes caught a man with a large pocket coming her way. “I’ll rob him,” she decided, nodding.

Lucas’s grin widened. “Excellent.”

Kaley slowed her breathing as the man came by. Just as she lifted her fingers, Lucas stuck out his foot and the man tripped. Kaley found herself catching the folk instead, her eyes as round as saucers.

“Pinespittle…” the man cursed, not even thanking her as he regained his footing and shoved his way back into the crowd.

Lucas’s laugh was loud and raspy. He slid an arm ‘round Kaley’s waist to weave her out of the rush.

“Stealing is wrong, Lucas Leutenski,” Kaley stated as she composed herself. “I don’t care what you think it proves.”

“Well, frostbite. You want to eat, don’t you?” He drew her to a porch where a dozen plus two candles cast traces of light against a spruce-branch awning. There, he let her go, and Kaley shuddered at the sweep of cold that came after. Scents of cooked vegetables and spices leaked from the cracked door to her right.

“Of course I want to eat,” she said.

“Well quit your nattering, and I’ll buy you a feast.” But brassy-orange swept over Lucas’s irises, and he glanced at the road. “Or perhaps we ought to scuttle back into the forest. We seem to have a pesky ashworm on our trail.”

Kaley turned but saw only commotion, antlers, and green coats. “Wait…” she tried, but Lucas was already trotting down the porch stairs.

When she followed, Lucas rounded and placed a hand against her shoulder. “Stay, Trite,” he whispered and pulled up his hood.