“I can get her something much better, later,” Dag murmured, and with a grimace of agreement Fawn gave over poking through the sad piles. They strolled onward side by side, leading their horses.

Fawn stopped and wheeled, lips pursing, as they passed a narrow medicine shop tucked between a shoemaker and a barber-toothdrawer-scribe—it was unclear if the latter was all one man. The medicine shop had a broad window, with small square glass panes set in a bowed-out wooden frame to make a larger view. “I wonder if they sell scent water like what your patroller girls found in Glassforge?”

Or oil, Dag could not help wondering. They could stand to re-stock for future use, although the likelihood of immediate future use at the Bluefield homestead seemed remote. Whatever gratitude her family might feel for his bringing their only daughter back alive was unlikely to extend to letting them sleep together there. In any case, they tied their horses to one of the hitching rails conveniently lining the cobblestone sidewalk and went inside.

The shop had four kinds of scent water but only plain oil, which made Dag’s selection immediate. He occupied himself looking over the shop’s actually impressive stock of herbals, several of which he recognized as of high quality and coming from Lakewalker sources, while Fawn made herself redolent with happy indecision. Her choice finally made, they waited while their small purchases were wrapped. Or not so small in proportion to Fawn’s thin purse, Dag noted as she braced herself to trade out some of her few coins for the little luxury.

Outside, Dag tucked the packets away in his saddlebags and turned to give Fawn a leg up on the bay mare. She was standing staring at her saddle in dismay.

“My bedroll’s gone!” Her hand went to the dangling rawhide strings behind her cantle. “Did it drop on the road? I know I tied it on better than…”

His hand followed hers, and his voice tightened. “These are cut. See, the knots are still tied. Sneak thief.”

“Dag, the knife was in my bedroll!” she gasped.

He snapped open his groundsense, flinching as it was battered by the uproar pouring from all the people nearby. He searched through the noise for a faint, familiar chime. Just…there. His head came up, and he looked along the square to where a slight figure was disappearing between two buildings, the roll cast casually over his shoulder as though he owned it.

“I see it,” he said thickly. “Wait here!” His legs stretched as he followed after, not quite running. Behind him, he could hear Fawn demanding of passersby, Did you see anyone fooling around by our horses?