Crow stiffened, his blue eyes brilliant against his pallor. “They’ve come after you? What do you mean?”

“They’ve been trying to kill me and take the amulet. I need to put a stop to it.”

Crow shook his head, a quick, dismissive movement. “No. I will not allow this,” he said, pounding his fist into his other hand. “I’ve finally found someone I believe I can work with, and I won’t let them…” He trailed off, as if belatedly recalling that Han was there. “We will stop them,” he said, his face hard and resolute. “I’ll show you a charm that will destroy them and never leave a trace to connect it with you.”

“No,” Han said, surprised that Crow would take his possible murder so hard. “That an’t what I want. I do that, I’ll be climbing the deadly nevergreen in no time.”

“You’ll what?” Crow stared at him.

“They’ll send me back home for hanging,” Han said. “Anyway, killing an’t all that impressive. Any fool can kill you if they want to make a name and don’t care what it costs. That’s why even smart streetlords go down, sooner or later.”

Han slid back his sleeves, finding that he liked the feel of the soft wool. “Killing is one way to handle a rival, but it also shows respect. It shows he’s important enough to have a chat with. A better way is to humble him. Make him look a fool. Show him that the price for coming after you is his reputation.”

Crow blinked at Han, looking as astonished as if one of the bricks in the wall had gotten up and given a pretty speech.

“I could hush that lot if I wanted to. I don’t need your help for that,” Han went on. “That’s one thing I’m good at. But I don’t want to. I just need to make them sorry they came after me, so they don’t try it again. So I can get on with my business.”

Crow furrowed his brow as if surprised that Han had plans of his own. “Your business? Which is?”

“My business,” Han repeated. He could keep secrets as well as Crow. “I want to use magic to scare off the Bayars. I want something nobody’s seen before, so I won’t be suspected nor expelled.”

“Hmmm,” Crow said, rubbing his chin and regarding Han with grudging respect.

“Don’t think too long, all right? I got to do something before they come after me again. Meantime, I need to keep them out of my room. I want something that won’t kill anybody, but will keep them out,” he repeated for emphasis. “Got anything like that?”

“Of course,” Crow said, rolling his eyes. “To clarify: Do you want to exclude specific people? Or everyone but you?”