Vel waved. “Hello.”

“—would be escorting two fugitives of the crown, would it not?”

“Yes.” Brella’s gaze was unswerving. “It would.”

“So we should accept, without explanation, why a seamster—”

“Seamstress,” James coughed. Vel beamed at him.

“—and brewer are traveling with two people who are worth a thousand crowns each—”

James choked. “How much?”

“—without even so much as an excuse. Even a transparently fake one, for my benefit.”

“Indeed.” Brella smiled. Scratch couldn’t understand how Lollie didn’t shiver under the malice of it. “We’d also like a meal if you would be so kind.”

For her part, Lollie didn’t hesitate. “Anything for an old friend. You don’t mind saying hello to the family, do you? Come out, everyone!”

Brella groaned. “No, don’t call everyone—”

But it was too late. Figures, a dozen or so at first glance, melted out of the landscape, emerging from behind boulders and the trunks of trees. A few, one of whom carried an unsettlingly large, loaded crossbow, jumped down from high branches. Most were young. Scratch placed the oldest—Lollie—at around her own twenty-five years, while the youngest hovered near eight or nine. Many wore green handkerchiefs tied around their throats, the two tails popping merrily from open collars.

As the Shaes greeted the throng, it immediately became clear that Brella’s impatience had just been for show. She smiled as she opened her arms to the merry band of child criminals, smoothing down cowlicks and stroking cheeks, receiving what was no less than adoration from the raggedy crew.

Feeling a bit disregarded, Scratch sought out James, who stood beside Vel under the shade of a large maple tree. A rangy long-haired teenager chatted with them, wiggling with excitement.

James leaned toward the girl. “You’re good at making what, my dear?”

“Pokies!” She pulled a long brown object out of her satchel and handed it to James. “Well that’s what we call ’em at least. They’re just thick branches I whittle into a point. The trick is, don’t make ’em too smooth. You wanna leave some splinters in there. Three coppers a pop, and I’ll throw in a fresh chipmunk hide.”

“Lovely, but I’m all set on weapons and dead animals. Scratch, darling?” James held out a hand. Scratch eyed it until he dropped it back to his side. “This is Ylla. One of the Tree Grabbers.”

“Tree Snatchers.” Ylla rolled her eyes. “Boy, for a rich man you sure aren’t that quick.”

“That’s enough, Ylla.” Lollie appeared, laying a slender arm over the teen’s shoulders. “Be nice to our guests.”

Scratch compressed her jaw. “We don’t plan to stay. We’re on a bit of a timeline.”

“Don’t be silly.” Lollie smiled widely, but her icy eyes brooked no argument.  “You’ll spend the night with us. We’ve got a camp nearby. Don’t we, Brella?”