She took the sack from me, and at the next opportunity tossed it into an alley that reeked of garbage. I supposed someone would find it and consider the clothes a windfall.

When Lady Savony entered a dingy alchemist’s shop, Zaira hurried straight past it. I had no choice but to follow.

“She went in that shop.” I stopped myself from pointing.

“I know. But we can’t walk right in after her, idiot.”

Zaira took us around a corner, waited a moment, and then strolled us back past the shop again. She stopped a good distance beyond it to lean against a wall, take off her boot, and inspect it most thoroughly for stones. While she poked around, I wondered whether this alchemist was the source of the peppermint potion.

“Stop staring at the shop door, for love of the Graces,” Zaira grumbled.

Lady Savony didn’t tarry inside for long. Shortly after she emerged, two rough-looking men left the shop in the opposite direction, toward us—including one with a familiar broken nose.

“Keep your head down,” Zaira hissed. I stooped to check the sole of my boot, for lack of a better idea, my heart pounding. I didn’t dare breathe until they passed us by.

“I can guess where they’re going,” Zaira muttered. “I’d watch out for dark alleyways when you head home tonight. Come on, before we lose sight of her.”

Soon we were on our way to streets of less dubious character. Dinnertime was almost upon us, as my stomach reminded me; merchants and artisans crowded the streets, heading home or to their favorite hostelry. They hid us from Lady Savony, but also made it harder to keep her in sight.

The streets were in full shadow by the time Lady Savony stopped at the plain wooden door to a brick warehouse. She unlocked it and stepped inside, like a simple merchant going to inspect her goods.

Once the door closed behind her, Zaira stopped in the street. The warehouse had no windows in this wall, so we had no fear of being spotted.

“What do you suppose she’s doing in there?” I asked, shifting from foot to foot. As the sky darkened, I began to doubt the wisdom of being out in the city when armed scoundrels were looking for me. Zaira was a formidable ally, if she chose to be, but they’d had time to think of ways to deal with her.

Zaira frowned at the warehouse door. “I don’t know. When she leaves, we should go in and find out.”

“But how will we get in? It’s locked.”

Zaira lifted an eyebrow. Without a single word, she gave me to understand that even though my naiveté had ceased to astonish her long ago, I still found new ways to disappoint her.

My face warmed. “Very well, so you can get us in. But what if someone’s in there?”