“The Guild has met and unanimously said that you will be made a Master on the spot if you go, just on the basis of the design of your bridge,” Ketnar continued. “We feel the design alone is a Master Work, and we want there to be no question of your authority among other Masters.”

“And Master Edders thinks you will certainly be back in time to see the finishing touches put on your bridge,” her mother said persuasively.

The balustrade, she thought forlornly. Which will be pretty, but not the same as seeing my arch put in piece by piece.

Still, it was the Crown. And this was not the sort of expedition that should be mounted in anything but good Spring and Summer and early Autumn weather. None of these people would be seasoned travelers; all of them were accustomed to living in comfort.

Master Ketnar gazed at her encouragingly.

Fleetingly the fear went through her that he might claim responsibility for the bridge in her absence—

—but no. For one thing, this was Master Ketnar, who had never been known for such chicanery and who, moreover, had just gotten a commission to design a great, expensive manor on the outskirts of Haven, where the newly rich were now forced to build, given there was no more land available on the Hill. This was a major commission, and the only thing more impressive would be a very large, new temple or sanctuary. And those sorts of commissions came around only once in two lifetimes—or three.

She sighed. Her mother read her assent in that sigh before Abi could say a word. “You’re doing the Crown a great service, Abi,” she said, happily.

She didn’t say, “You won’t regret this,” because she knows I will almost certainly regret this many times before the trip is over, Abi thought wryly. If there’s one thing I can count on from Mama and Papa, it’s stark honesty.

“The Guild will owe you a tremendous favor,” Master Ketnar said, which meant rather more than the Crown getting a “great service.” The Guild Council were the ones who recommended specific Masters for specific projects if someone came to them without a Master in mind. I can do worse than having the Guild owe me a tremendous favor, she thought, feeling a tiny bit better about this whole thing.

“All right,” she said. And added, giving both of them a hard look, “If I’m killed by a bear, I’ll haunt you forever.”

•   •   •