“It’s fine,” Jereb said, still eyeing her with a fair amount of skepticism. “You did the right thing. And, from what I recall, you used your Ability in the process. Congratulations. I’m happy for you. Also on earning your third gold leaf.” He pointed to the spot on his head where there should be a lump but wasn’t.

“Thank ye.”

He nodded. “Also, there are plenty of things you can jump off of to train your Ability. Probably best to steer clear of the only restricted structure in all of New Dawn.”

Perfidy looked back at the hut, which, to her relief, remained still and silent, the door firmly closed. She hoped Cainan was okay, but for the moment was happy he was so good at being quiet when he wanted to be. She pretended to be surprised it was there at all. “Oh, aye, yer right, o’ course. I was so caught up in trainin’ I didn’t even notice it there.”

Jereb’s eyes flicked from her to the hut and then back again, a rather tense, awkward moment seeming to hang between them. Then, with rather perfect timing, the tension was broken as Lady Brenner’s bright-yellow front door burst open and the woman stepped out. Perfidy was never so happy to see that woman’s steady glare fixed on her as she was now, even if her change in eye color—silver now—made her feel as though she was being skewered by the pointy end of twin blades.

“Do you have my mushrooms, girl?” she asked, her tone impressively haughty and clearly assuming that she had failed completely and miserably.

“Had to take my shoes off to count ’em all,” Perfidy said, “but I think so. Here, take a look fer yerself.” She clambered to her feet, praying the mushrooms hadn’t been crushed during her reckless dive from Cainan’s porch, and scurried past Jereb to where the woman stood with her hands on her hips. “Hold out yer hands so none o’ ’em spill.”

The woman blinked in surprise, and actually did as she was told without argument, cupping her hands to make a sort of bowl. Into which Perfidy emptied the contents of her satchel, all twelve large mushrooms spilling free in a random jumble of glowing stalks and lacy cups. A glow that had begun to diminish under dawn’s light, even as the woman’s shock grew as she stared wide-eyed at the haul. “You…” The woman trailed off, seemingly caught off guard for the first time since Perfidy had made her acquaintance. She quickly corrected that, of course, straightening up and muttering, “You’ve damaged one. This one, see? It’s missing one of its teardrops.”