This was probably because it was so uncomfortable, the car cold and jammed with boxes and sacks, the crew working hard in the open air for most of the flight. The Mail airship was very unlike those sold to the Ledra elite, which were designed for the comfort of passengers, with warm stoves, glass windows, comfortable seats, tables for eating and drinking.

When they’d arrived at the Mail hangar that Sunday morning, only three people had been there, loading an airship car with sacks. When Hava had handed an envelope to one of them, the woman had barely glanced at it.

“From Quona Varana?” she’d said.

“Yes.”

“Climb in,” the woman had said. A moment later, that academy student Nev had arrived, her fox kit sleeping in a bag strapped across her front, its head craned back and its little nose sticking out. A moment after that, the Mail carriers had unhooked the dock lines and the ship had risen into the air.

The three passengers stood together, watching the coast of Winterkeep go by.

“Why exactly are you here?” Hava asked Nev.

Nev shrugged, her brown face expressionless. “Quona says I know things that put me in danger, though of course she hasn’t seen fit to tell me what’s actually going on.”

“So she’s exiling you to Torla’s Neck?”

“My family is there,” Nev said shortly. “I’m going home. You’re welcome to stay with us.”

“Oh. That’s very kind, thank you,” said Giddon.

“Do you know about Quona’s foxes?” said Hava.

“Hava,” said Giddon warningly, for they hadn’t discussed how much they were going to say about that to other people.

There was a long pause, during which Nev stared down at the little fox kit sleeping against her chest. “I’ve suspected she might have secret foxes,” she said. “Some of the fur on her clothing isn’t cat fur.”

“Really?” said Hava, surprised. “You can tell that?”

“She brings me to her attic sometimes, too,” said Nev, “where she has a balcony for visiting the silbercows. Have you been up there?”

“Yes.”

“Then I don’t need to describe it. Sometimes when we arrive, the doors in the walls are flapping, as if someone just left.”

“She has seven secret foxes,” said Hava, which made Nev’s eyebrows rise to her hairline and stay there for a while.

“So,” said Giddon quietly to Hava, when Nev had moved away. “We’re telling her everything, are we?”

“We’re going to need her help once we’re in Torla’s Neck.”

“How hard can it be to sneak into a house?”

“Listen, who’s going to be doing most of the sneaking? You or me? I want her help.”