“I have two things on my mind,” Jerdine declared authoritatively. Her voice carried through the thin walls of the residence, unknowingly making my job easier. I ghosted over the worn wood tracking her by sound.

Adrolore paused before his pile of books catching the sound of his pages conversing nearby. A soft murmur, but enough to disturb. He could not be constantly harried.

Tobias dropped the heavy pack on the table before Kierda. She stepped back, eyes widening at the girth of it. Tobias suppressed his grin with practice. He wondered what she would think if she tried lifting it.

Melori grimaced as he passed the barrier enclosing the feedlot. Stench washed over him which, while foul, didn’t surprise him. The barrier had gleamed a sullen brown when he’d left the barracks this morning. Not the normal, vibrant red.

“You must be joking.” Darman rounded on Jadeen.

She stepped back, blinking at him. “Joking? About what?”

Darman gestured to the ridged case at her feet. “You cannot bring your pet along.”

“The bakery is that way.” The boy didn’t bother to look up from the shoes he polished, merely gestured up the street before I finished the shop’s name. I followed his directions, and, rounding the last corner, I whistled softly. Samina hadn’t even tried for plausible deniability.

“What can I say? He likes to play with words.” I brushed my hand over the harsh metal of the table, not raising my gaze to meet the inspectors. There was no good in doing that.

Water wrapped around Riz, flowing and sending him tumbling. His arms failed until one hand broke the surface. A hand which swiftly dropped again to strike the sea with the glove he still wore.