“No. In fact, everything his people down here told him indicated the locals were united on one thing: they were all so jealous of one another that they didn’t want anyone from along this stretch of territory to rule over the rest of them.” He smirked a little. “I think that’s why they hit on this scheme of coming under the umbrella of Valdemar.”

So there was no answer there. I need to know the why of this. Knowing the why should tell me who is responsible. But who would have a magician or Mage at his disposal? That’s nearly as important. And how difficult would this be? Steen told us that we’d only see really powerful Mages in places where there was a lot of money to pay them, and I certainly haven’t seen any signs of wealth so far.

“I wish Steen were available,” she fretted. “He’d know how easy or difficult it is to break a wall apart with that freezing trick.”

“There are three magicians in town, and I think we should ask one or all of them,” Stev replied. “Look, there’s no point in skulking about anymore. People know now that we’re the real Valdemarans. They know we’re actually doing work to fix the wall, not pretending to. Let’s just approach these magicians openly and ask their opinions.”

She stared at him, wide-eyed. “You mean . . . just ask?”

He laughed. “I know, right? We never do anything openly. Well, as my Companion would say, there is a first time for everything.”

“Well, I know of one of the magicians, she’s got a shop—I suppose you’d call it a shop, even though she doesn’t actually sell anything—not far from the washing well I used. I can go talk to her,” Abi offered.

“And I’ll have a word with the one right here, near the Town Hall.” Stev stood up. “At least we can give the appearance of being useful.”

•   •   •

Abi knocked on the door of the “shop,” and when no one answered the door, cautiously tried the latch. It wasn’t locked, and she pushed the door open. A bell set over the door jangled as she did so.

It looked like an ordinary shop inside: narrow, a door and a window in the street-side wall, lath and plaster walls on the inside, with counters and shelves on the left and back, and a door into the back half of the place behind the rear counter. And now that she was inside, she saw it wasn’t quite true that there was nothing for sale. There were a few weapons—several daggers, two swords. The daggers were displayed on the counter, the swords on the back wall.