“There are four of us and at least four of them, since there are supposed to be four Master Artificers coming to the selected places to help,” Abi retorted. “And we know they can summon at least two demons. That makes us outnumbered and out-maneuvered. If we attack the demons, how do we protect ourselves from the priests? And if we attack the priests, how do we protect ourselves from the demons?”

“Korlak can cast a shield to ward us from firebolts,” said Jicks confidently.

“Korlak is busy researching things against demons, not shields,” came the retort from where the Mage sat with his nose apparently in the book. “Korlak can research shields or demons, not both.”

“It’s not a terrible idea,” said Stev unexpectedly. “We know the route. We know the last place with problems. We could follow them to make sure they aren’t going to continue their antics and then let them go when they seem to be well on their way home.”

“But—that’s like letting enemy scouts come and go as they please!” Jicks sputtered.

“They’re not in Valdemar,” said Stev. “They’re in a strip of land that might decide to join Valdemar. Not my problem.”

“And what if they do decide to join Valdermar?” Jicks crowed in triumph.

“Then whatever drives Mages out of Valdemar will keep them and their demons out,” Stev said serenely. “Still not my problem.”

Jicks seethed for a moment, then shook her head. “I must be getting soft,” she said. “I’m not getting paid to make it my problem either. All right. If they decide to believe their scrying and wander off to make trouble again, we’ll do that. It means I won’t have to risk my skin fighting them.”

But she looked peeved, and Abi had a good guess why. Abi had pointed out there were at least four priests, and Jicks had mentally leaped from “two bounties” to “four bounties.” Abi was pretty sure Jicks figured none of the others would have the inclination to collect blood money, which meant she also wouldn’t have to share those bounties. And now she could see all that money slipping away.

Then again, Abi had just reminded her she wasn’t going to have to put herself in danger, either. Hard to spend money when you’re dead.

Jicks made a show of getting up to check on the hinnies and making sure they had water. Korlak’s crow sat, a tiny, black dot on a larger beige blob that was the wagon.

And then it wasn’t. It was speeding off, at right angles to the direction it would have taken to them.

Korlak frowned. “I wonder if he saw something, or if he’s felt someone scrying. . . .”

Well, that answered my question about Animal Mindspeech, Abi thought.

But as they continued to watch the wagon, the crow came flying in under the branches, to land on Korlak’s hunched shoulder.