A little too gleefully, actually. Oh no—Abi thought with alarm Don’t say it!

“This should be very easy.”

Oh, gods. Now he’s done it. We’re going to be cursed for sure.

•   •   •

The village mayor—which was what they called the fellow in charge here—came out to greet them and welcome them officially to the village before a large and appreciative crowd. There was just one problem.

They couldn’t understand a bloody word he said.

It sounded like Valdemaran, sort of, but with a thick accent and absolutely unfamiliar words sprinkled liberally throughout. And he didn’t seem to be using words that they did recognize in the same way that they were used in Valdemar. So they just nodded and smiled where it seemed appropriate, everyone appeared to be happy, they all shook hands and the mayor and the audience departed back to their own business, leaving them all alone in the village square, with their wagons and gear and no idea what to do or where to go next. Or at least, that was true of the Valdemarans. Jicks, Bret, and Bart appeared to be completely at ease with the situation.

“Jicks,” Master Vance said, as they all stood there on the hard-packed dirt of the village square, “I . . . believe we have a problem.”

Jicks smirked. “No, you have a problem. The lads and I don’t. Aye unnerstanet owt. Tha unnerstanet nowt.” She laughed. “Nay, tha’ll be reight.”

“That’s exactly what I mean!” Vance said, despairingly. “I haven’t the faintest idea what you just said! How are we to help these people if we can’t understand each other?”

“Because, Master, I allowed for that. Just get back in your saddles and follow me.” She hauled herself onto her hinny and sent her moving down a side street. Perforce, they followed. The houses were set extremely close together, and right down on the street, just as if they were all in the older parts of Haven. The only thing missing was paved streets; these were just dirt.

She led them to a house that might have been a touch more prosperous looking than the ones on either side of it. It had a plaque mounted above the door showing four mountains. She dismounted and knocked on the door, which was answered by a middle-aged woman in a brown linen blouse and skirt and a spotless apron. By concentrating very hard, Abi thought Jicks said, “We have five people to buy a spell from the” . . . something. Sorcerer? But she wasn’t entirely sure.

The woman bobbed her head and gestured to them to come in.