There was a lot of activity at the wall site. There was a kiln going full blast, Master Padrick had marked out the rectangle where the footings would go in string tied around pegs pounded into the ground, and there were two men digging it out to the depth of about a hand. The ground was saturated, but there wasn’t a puddle forming in the excavated area, so the cement footings should set regardless of the condition of the ground.

The Mage ignored them all, stalking up to the place where the wall had been, closing her eyes and scowling with concentration.

She stood there a lot longer than Abi would have expected. But finally, she nodded, turned, and stalked back to Abi.

“Three spells, no doubt of that. What three spells, I couldn’t tell you; not my specialty. But since everybody knows you Valdemarans don’t use magic, if they were your people, I’ll eat a set of horseshoes without salt.” She said it loud enough that everyone around the breach in the wall could hear her. Then she held out her hand. “One silver.”

Abi put two into the waiting palm.

She grinned. “Pleasure doing business with you,” she said, giving Abi a little two-fingered salute, and stalked off again, the workers quickly getting out of her way.

Master Vance gazed after her in astonishment. “What was the force of nature that just came onto my worksite?” he asked incredulously.

“Mage-smith Evelie,” Abi replied. “She makes magical weapons. She was also able to confirm that there were three spells used on the wall, as we guessed. I’m betting one was to pull water into the wall, one was to freeze the wall, and one was to heat it.”

Master Padrick joined them, nodding. “It just occurred to me that you wouldn’t need to freeze and thaw the wall several times to make the mortar crumble. Once would do it if you could get it cold and hot enough, suddenly.”

“Well, I’m glad she trumpeted the fact that it couldn’t have been our people to everyone in earshot,” Vance said. “She’s local, and probably trusted. This should spread.”

Abi nodded. That was why she’d paid the woman the second silver piece.

When Stev turned up, he was relieved to hear that Abi had been successful in her quest. “Because I certainly wasn’t,” he said ruefully. “The old man was deaf as a post, and I’m not entirely certain he had all his wits. He kept trying to shove me out the door, yelling ‘I don’t make love potions, young man! You’ll have to win her yourself!’ at the top of his lungs. I couldn’t get it through his head that I was there on other business.”