Tadg snickered. “I actually think she’d like that last one.”

Viola groaned. Since Barclay knew the past day had been hard for her, he didn’t say anything. Not when she ushered them into a clothing store to buy waterproof socks made of Jabershark hide. Or the Maritime Merchants of Munsey, who sold everything from astrolabes to wooden chests filled with fool’s gold. Or even the Draconis Emporium, to buy a dragon-grade nail clipper for Mitzi’s claws.

The whole morning, they avoided Cyril’s apprentices. Barclay caught a glimpse of them in a store selling Beast toys. (SCRATCHPROOF! FIREPROOF! WATERPROOF! TOXIC SLUDGE–PROOF! claimed the sign.) Then he saw them coming out of a bakery, carrying humongous golden pastries that made his mouth water. Once, they passed the other group on the street. Everyone averted their eyes.

“Ooh,” Viola cooed, just as it was nearing lunchtime. “They have a Fillitot’s! We have to—”

“How can you have any kritters left?” Barclay asked, exasperated.

Viola paused. “Hm, I suppose we could stop by the Argentisaurus Bank before…”

And that was how Barclay was dragged to the Lore Keeper bank, where Viola convinced him to open a meager savings account of four kritters.

“That was nearly all the kritters I have,” Barclay complained. He glanced at Tadg, who was usually the one in the foul mood. “Aren’t you tired of this?”

In response, Tadg held up the assortment of purchases he’d made, including three new cable-knit sweaters and a pack of hexagonal champion cards. Each one depicted a famous Dooling player or their Beast, and they were popular collector’s items among young Lore Keepers.

“In case you forgot, all my stuff was destroyed,” Tadg said, which shut Barclay up.

“Why is that one shiny?” Yasha said, studying Tadg’s champion card of Sanjit Varma. The only thing Yasha had bought was a weird, frosty silver stone he called Starglass. He claimed it had some kind of light Lore properties and that it was very rare. Barclay just thought it looked like junk.

“Because it’s a special edition. I haggled with the shopkeeper for it,” Tadg said proudly, though Barclay would’ve described it as bullying, as the shopkeeper had been reduced to tears. “Don’t you collect champion cards?”

“I don’t play games,” Yasha answered flatly.

“Champion cards are not just a game—”

“How about we go into Fillitot’s?” Barclay suggested, pointing at the gaudy red-and-yellow-striped store that he’d spotted yesterday. Beast treats seemed to be something they could all agree on. Inside was every type of delicacy, from Gluppyfish liver snacks to rare-cooked Watermoose steaks and jelly taffy flavored like apple, hazelnut, or squid.

While Viola wandered to the displays of sugared fruits for Mitzi, the three boys made for the section labeled CARNIVORE. The treats came in all sorts of designs, including bones and fish. There were even ones shaped like brains.