“You don’t get a choice, Master,” Abi interrupted. “You three and Bret and Bart are going home the fastest way possible. Jicks and Stev and I are tracking down these Karsites. I’ll be coming up with solutions to fix any problems they’ve caused, but we’re going incognito until we make sure no one’s been hurt, and only then offer to fix things. Three people and a wagon probably won’t attract attention, but eight people and three vehicles will. And when we catch up with the imposters, we’re going to stop them. That’s what’s going to happen.”

“But—but—but—you’re nothing but a slip of a girl!” Vance protested. “Oh, I don’t doubt you can solve any problem the three of us could, but what about when you finally confront these villains?”

“Haven’t you seen the girl practicing against me in the mornings?” Jicks asked quietly. “I’m not holding back, you know. Abi’s not some sheltered little scholar who doesn’t know which end of a sword to hold. She’s good. I’d have her at my back in any fight.”

Master Vance stared at the mercenary for a long time.

“Isn’t this the business of the Guard?” he said, finally.

Stev actually smacked himself in the face with his palm. “Please tell me you’re not that naive,” he begged. “Send the Valdemaran Guard past our Border to hunt down Karsites? Not only would we never get another ally to trust us again, we’d never get any of these people to agree to—”

They had been so intent on their conversation that not even Abi had noticed that a half dozen people had entered the Great Hall until the mayor cleared his throat ostentatiously. And they all jumped, turned in their seats, and stared.

The Mage-smith elbowed the mayor, who also jumped. “Uhm . . . it has come to our attention . . . that . . . uhm . . . the vandals who broke our wall were agents of Karse,” the mayor said nervously. “There’s a standard bounty on agents of Karse posted by the Crown of Menmellith, which we honor here, especially the ones that can summon demons. I’ve been asked to give you authorization and deputization to find them and deal with them. If you will. You don’t have to. But—”