Orla inspected them shrewdly. “I’m not sure how you lot found out about those two items—Conley’s research on Lochmordra’s snare was supposed to be between him and me—but all you’re really saying is that Ansley has rare, valuable items in her shop. That’s probably true of good Apothecaries in every Wilderland, and Ansley is one of the best.”

“If what you said about the weeping tide is true—and I think it very well might be, Barclay,” Edwyn said, “then it sounds like whoever controls the weeping tide controls Lochmordra.”

“Do you think Ansley has some way to control it?” Cyril asked sharply.

“If she did, we would find evidence in her office,” Edwyn said.

The adults each exchanged grave looks. Barclay could tell that Orla was still unconvinced, but Runa, Edwyn, and Cyril did seem unsure.

Orla sighed. “I hate to think it, but… I do believe it’s worth some questions, at the very least.”

Ten minutes later they entered the Planty Shanty. Ansley was seated at the desk, her knitting needles clutched in her hands. She glanced up in surprise as they all filed inside. “Well, I don’t normally get this much business at this time of night. What can I help you with?”

“We understand you’ve been studying the weeping tide,” Orla said. “Would you mind showing us your experiments? We have a few questions.”

“Of course.” Ansley set down her knitting and walked over to her array of new glass tanks along the windows. Whereas they had once brimmed with different colors of algae, now they were only filled with the weeping tide. “I’ve made some fascinating discoveries. Though it will eat meat of any sort, it clearly prefers Beast meat—maybe because of their Lore. Each time I’ve fed it that, it grows maybe three, four times in size! I believe it stimulates—”

“Have you been testing this on the Sea?” Orla asked. “Or just here?”

“Well, I’ve gone out to the Sea a few times. If I performed all the tests in my office, there are factors that could skew the results. But don’t worry, I’ve been going out far into open water—wouldn’t want to cause a fright to any dockworkers—”

“You’ve been growing the weeping tide out at Sea?” Cyril asked tightly.

“Why, yes, I think it’s important we understand it….” She frowned, examining their faces. “Am I in some kind of trouble?”

Runa lightly touched the Polypop bells above the door, making them jingle. “These are rather rare items to treat like a trinket. Did you know that these are believed to be one of the six bonding items in Lochmordra’s snare?”

“I—I thought they made for a cute crafting project,” she stammered. “Why? What exactly are you accusing me of?”

“I think you ought to come with us,” Orla said.