“U-um—” I looked at Saba. A tear had broken free down her cheek and my breath faltered for an instant. But I led her toward the side of the church anyway. “Stay right here. I’ll be right back,” I told her, and raced back down the alley.

“She’s gone now,” I said to the door, which opened immediately.

He stormed up the stairs, snatching the key back from me and locking the chain without a word.

“Wait a second,” I demanded of his back as he left, “what was that all about?”

Jember turned on me, glaring as if I’d said something disrespectful. “Let me guess, that was the pottery you cut yourself on?”

He didn’t wait for an answer before leaving me alone in the alley.

So he knew. Of course he knew. He’d faced a hyena, that must’ve had a servant of its own.

It took me a moment before I could gather myself from all the emotion and go back to where Saba was waiting. She’d dried her tears, but still looked distressed.

I had too many questions, but decided it was better to go with the least insensitive, first. “Are you okay?”

She started to nod, but didn’t get very far, her eyes distant.

“Jember’s offered me the opportunity to learn how to make a better amulet. One that can withstand the power of the Evil Eye. So, if you could let Magnus know it might be a few days until I can come back … Saba?”

At her name she blinked, her gaze snapping to me as if waking from a dream. She gave me a sad smile and nodded.

“What happened?”

She shook her head. Paused. And then she took out a charcoal pencil, leaning on the stone wall of the church to write something. She folded the paper up and handed it to me. It had been her shopping list on one side, because I saw remnants of bullet points and items among the folds. But on the front, in darkly scribbled letters, were the words For Jember.

Her expression was so earnest, I decided to keep the rest of my questions to myself. They would keep until I saw her again. “I’ll get it to him.”

I could tell her grin didn’t come easily, and then she turned and walked toward where we’d left the coach.

CHAPTER 20

I held Jember’s amulet in my lap, shifting my eyes over it like reading a scroll. The basic markings to see through illusions. Ones to build up a shield.

But, even though this was one of his older amulets, it was still more advanced than mine. Most of it was a confusing array of strokes and dots. The color combinations of the wrapped threads didn’t make sense to me. There was no pattern to it.