Perplexed, he walked back to Lucius’s cabin, which was the last place he’d expect to find him on a sunny spring day. He could leave a note, but that’d do no good to a blind man. He had a last bit of money he owed Lucius, but he hated to leave it in the cabin when the old man wasn’t there.

He knocked loudly. There followed a spatter of barking, and then Dog’s solid body hit the door.

He must be here, Han thought. Lucius and Dog were always together.

“Hey, Dog,” he said, pushing open the cabin door. Dog was all over him, slapping his face with his long wet tongue, all in a dog frenzy of joy. “Where’s Lucius?” Han asked, feeling a twinge of worry.

His eyes adjusted to the dim light, and then he saw movement on the bed in the corner. “Lucius?”

There were no lamps, of course, but Han ripped the curtains open to admit some light into the room. The old man was sitting on his bed, curled up against the wall, cradling a bottle, sick or drunk or something.

Han glanced around the cabin. Dog’s water dish was empty, and his food dish too.

“Lucius? What’s the matter with you?”

“Who is it?” the old man quavered. Then his voice changed, grew shrill and defiant. “Cowards. Have you come for me too?”

“It’s me. Han,” Han said, hesitating in the doorway. “Don’t you know me?”

Lucius slung his arm over his face as if he could hide behind it. “Go away. I know the boy’s dead. I a’ready heard, so don’t try to fool me. You’ve got what you wanted, so leave me alone.”

Han crossed to Lucius and patted him awkwardly on the shoulder. The old man flinched away, clutching his bottle like a lifeline.

“What are you talking about? I’m not dead. You’re talking crazy.”

The old man opened his clouded eyes. “You don’t have it, do you? The jinxpiece. The boy hid it good, did he?” Lucius cackled. “Well, I don’t have it, if that’s what you’re after. Do your worst. You can torture me, but I can’t tell you what I don’t know.”

“Just stop it, Lucius,” Han said, losing patience. “I’m going to get you something to eat.”

If Lucius hadn’t fed Dog, chances were he hadn’t fed himself either. Han went out to the pump in the yard and filled a bucket with water. He brought it in and filled Dog’s water dish and dipped some into a cup for Lucius.

“Here,” he said, gently wresting the bottle out of Lucius’s hands. “Drink this instead.” He dug in his carry bag and pulled out a biscuit, pressing it into Lucius’s hand. When the old man just sat clutching it, Han broke off a piece and put it in his mouth.