“If Augustin is not here now, is a good chance he will be,” said Diedre as her eyes trailed the woman who’d greeted them. “Is a reason this place is so popular, an’ is not the beef pie.” She smiled slightly, a similar smile to those of the boys they’d met outside. “I always did want to come here.”

Before Yenni could ask why, Diedre had already taken her gently by the wrist. Yenni let her friend direct her to one of the very few tables left at the back of the pub, and eventually the pretty woman who’d greeted them glided up to their table, her face aglow with a warm smile.

“All right, loves, sorry for the wait,” she said as she tucked stray strands of hair behind her ear. “My name is Celeste and it’s my pleasure to serve you. Today’s special is our famous beef and potato pie, with a pint of paradis blond and a strawberry tart for dessert. Will that do for you?”

“Ah yes, that will be fine, thank you,” said Yenni. She liked the beef and potato pie at the academy well enough. She wasn’t sure what the other two things were, though strawberry sounded familiar.

Diedre ordered the same. As they waited for their food, Yenni kept jumping up every time someone entered the pub to see if it was Captain Augustin. Eventually, her eyes fell on two Creshen men at the table across from her, who watched her with interest. She glared at them until they laughed and went back to their own conversation.

“You have got to relax yourself, Yenni Ajani,” said Diedre.

“I can’t, Diedre. I don’t have much time. Tomorrow is my last day here. I must find a way to stay.”

“I know, I know, mams. An’ believe me, I want you to stay, but you’re ridin’ yourself to hell and takin’ me along with you. Come. Relax. Fill your belly, an’ if is no sign of Augustin by the time we finish, we’ll check every pub in the district until we find him. Good?”

Yenni sighed. “All right.”

Soon Celeste was back and placed their meals on their table. “Five duvvies each,” she said.

“Oh, of course.” Yenni took off her satchel and reached inside, finding the same one-hundred duvvy note from before. This is likely too much, she thought, remembering the comments of the tram operator. She pulled out all her money and started going through it, trying to find something smaller.

“Oh my,” breathed Celeste, blinking her large blue eyes.

Diedre glanced up from her own bag and her mouth fell open. “Watch’Ahmighty! Mams!” she hissed, and gestured frantically at the money. “But why it is you have all that bank on you at once? Put it away!”

“Bank? I don’t understand.”