“Why didn’t you make a fire dancer?” Han asked. “Like the one you lost?”

Dancer shrugged. “I didn’t have it to copy. I thought maybe the design fueled the function. I’m hoping to get some answers from Master Firesmith this summer.”

Han and Dancer both planned to spend the summer working with faculty mentors—Dancer with Firesmith and Han with Abelard. He’d also planned to increase his time with Crow. Not anymore.

“You do beautiful work, Dancer,” Han said. He weighed the intricate carving on his palm, turning it to catch the light. Magic aside, the workmanship and materials made it valuable. He went to give it back, and Dancer shook his head.

“Keep it,” he said. “I made it for you. I thought there might be times you’d want to hide the Waterlow amulet.”

The next morning, Han awoke to the slow stomp-stomp-stomp that meant Blevins was toiling up the stairs to the fourth floor. Han rolled off his bed and yanked on his breeches. Cat had stayed over with Dancer, and Han wanted to make sure there were no telltale signs in their makeshift common room. He dropped a cloth over Dancer’s metalsmithing tools just as Blevins’s head appeared above the threshold.

“Don’t know why they put fourth floors on buildings, indeed I don’t,” he gasped. “They should build more buildings, if you ask me, which nobody does.”

“Is there something you need?” Han asked, as Dancer joined them, closing his door behind him.

“You’re not using an open flame up here, are you?” Blevins demanded, eyeing Dancer’s worktable. “That’s not allowed.”

“No flames,” Dancer said.

“Hmmph.” Blevins eyed him balefully. “Well, there’s someone here to see you, Alister. Won’t give a name. A copperhead.” He slid a look at Dancer, like he might be to blame.

Dancer and Han looked at each other. Not many clan found their way to Oden’s Ford. “Well, why didn’t you send him up?” Han asked.

“It’s a girlie is why,” Blevins said. “Scary-looking, if you ask me.”

“But nobody does,” Dancer said.

“And she asked for me by name?” Han said.

“She called you by a different name at first. Then switched to Alister when I said there wasn’t no Hunts Alone here. You need to meet up with her down in the common room.” Blevins leaned closer. “I’d watch yourself, if I was you. If you’ve done her wrong, I’d go out the back door and keep running. I’ve heard that if you cross one of ’em, they’ll cut off your—”

“I’ll watch myself,” Han said. “Thank you.”

“I’ll come with you,” Dancer said.

They pushed past Blevins and clattered downstairs, leaving the dorm master to toil along behind them.