Weysh changed and brought his face close to the thug’s, even though he smelled like an outhouse. He didn’t say a word as he punched the man hard in the stomach, but smiled as he curled up, moaning and wheezing.

“Weysh,” Zui said without conviction. She shook her head as she and Harth helped the women to the ground.

“If he didn’t do it, I would have,” Harth said behind him. “Shit eater,” he spat at the thug. “Are you two ladies—there’s a dagger protruding from your shoulder, mam’selle!”

“Yes, I know,” Yenni’s friend groaned.

“Harth, find the peacekeepers. These two need to get to a healing hospice.”

“Right,” said Harth. He changed and took off.

“And stop struggling!” Zui shouted suddenly at thieves. “If you break my body bind I’ll have no choice but to eat you.”

The thieves went still. Weysh loped over to Yenni’s side and took her hand in both of his. “Lovely?” He felt as helpless as a child. Byen, he could smell her blood! Had she been stabbed?

“I’m fine,” she said and attempted to push herself upright, but Zui gently held her down. “How is Diedre?” Yenni asked, and Weysh clenched his teeth at the weak breathiness of her voice.

“I’ll live,” her friend replied from on the ground beside her, but her eyes were closed and she was breathing hard through her pain.

“Thank you, Diedre, for saving me,” said Yenni.

Weysh glanced between the two of them. Looked back at the thieves and the blood-soaked alley. “What on Byen’s hallowed soil happened here?” he cried.

Yenni briefly recounted how she’d ended up in a dark and secluded alley in the pub district and been attacked.

“Four against one and you did this much damage?” A bubble of pride swelled through the haze of Weysh’s rage, fear, and disgust. “That’s my girl.”

“I’m not your anything,” she muttered, but to Weysh it seemed quite halfhearted.

“But, lovely, if you needed to find Augustin that badly, why didn’t you simply ask me to sniff him out for you?”

“I did not think of that,” she admitted. A sinking feeling took hold of Weysh’s insides. She didn’t ask him because she didn’t trust him. It didn’t even occur to her that he could help her.

Suddenly Yenni attempted to sit up again.

“You should rest, Yenni Ajani. Relax until the peacekeepers arrive and take you to a healer,” said Zui.

“I have no time to visit a healer,” she replied, fighting off Zui’s gentle hand. “One of the thieves escaped with all my money. I have to find him!”

“En? What do you mean someone has all your money?” Weysh asked Yenni.