Morning comes early, as it always does. By the time the guests of the inn start to stir, the wizards have nearly finished their cleanup. Even the bathhouse has been repaired for anyone who wants a morning shower, though the water is somewhat limited. Heavenly breakfast smells waft out of the dining hall.

Yala wakes puffy-eyed but more energetic than before. She states that she's not hungry for breakfast and asks if Zaljan will do her hair.

In the morning, Edric gives Anthony a small round stone. "Overnight I enchanted this stone so that if you speak directly into it while thinking about Yala, your words will reach me wherever you are. Keep it safe. You need to make sure that Sparrow stays with you, and does not come back to the group. I don't think we can trust the voodoo man not to hurt him." With that, he hands the jar, containing Sparrow, to Anthony. "This jar is enchanted so that magic cannot penetrate into or out of it. It may prove useful to you at some point. Let Sparrow out when you've gotten a good distance away. We may send the ranger ahead to meet up with you, as well, if we can talk him into it."

Punchy wakes up without a hangover by virtue of still being drunk. He occupies the largest table in the inn's main room and demands foodstuffs and strong beer.

Zaljan gets to work on hair without comment. He didn't get much sleep last night, having spent most of it cleaning up the mess from his Mojo and the rest setting spirits to make sure no one else started any more trouble (at this inn, ever again. He went a little overboard; from now on, everyone staying in the inn should have the best night ever, and everything should go smoothly.)

There's a bloodcurdling scream from the back alley. Then more screams. Running footsteps can be heard coming down the hall.

Chamara, the bawdy and voluptuous emcee of the acting company, bursts into Yala's room and stares wild-eyed at Zaljan. "Where's that poncy duelist friend of yours?"

Taddeo had run through a set of morning exercises, eaten a light breakfast and was relaxing with a cup of tea and a book in the dining area. Despite cleaning up, he looked tired, but still pulled off a devilishly handsome weariness.

Zaljan thinks about that for a moment. Then he shrugs. "It mornin'. Maybe he havin' breakfast? What happen?"

In the courtyard, more shouting, and cries for someone to send a runner to the City Watch.


Chamara makes a strangled noise and storms toward the dining room.


"You!" Chamara screeches, appearing in the doorway. Other actresses surround her and pull her away, trying to calm her down.

One of the other women tiptoes in and sits across the table from Taddeo. "Sir?" she says shakily. "They say you were with Samara last night?"

Taddeo looks up, and places the book down in front of him.

"Yes, for part of the night. When the fire started, she ran out and I haven't seen her since. Why?"

He scoots the chair back and looks over the girl's shoulder at Chamara, before returning his attention to the girl who addressed him.

"I'd stay away from Chamara," she confides. "None of us agree, but she thinks you did it."


Apprentice wizards coming in from a long night's work have been edging closer to Punchy, spurred by tales from the two young wizards he met last night, which have now morphed into Punchy throwing them twenty feet in the air and breaking rocks apart with his hands. They look over at the commotion in the doorway with mild interest, but mostly continue speculating on who the powerful wizard Punchy knows could be.

Taddeo furrows his brow, and stands up.

"Did what? Did something happen to her?"

Outside, magically enhanced shouts and sirens announce the arrival of the City Watch, who are cordoning off the inn and arranging everyone inside into groups.

The apprentice wizards grumble at the sound of this. A few in the back panic and try to find a place to hide their bag of swampweed.

"What's happening?" Yala asks Zaljan worriedly.


The woman cowers as Taddeo stands. "I thought you knew," she whispers. "She was killed last night."

"Dunno," the voodoo man replies. He finishes a last brush, then gets up, offering a hand down to Yala. "We go see, ja?"

Then the two head downstairs to investigate the commotion.

Yala takes his hand and follows him to the lobby.

A human city watchman, whose chestplate proclaims him as "Evans," is sorting the loud, agitated crowd into groups. "Right this way, sir, over here, ma'am, just a few questions, over here, there we go--"

He sees Zaljan and frowns, huge mustache bristling. "Sir, would you please step into this room, here?" He indicates one of the hotel rooms that has apparently been converted into some kind of headquarters, with watchmen elbowing in and out.

"And you, little miss, into this line here." Evans points Yala towards a small knot of women clustered around a frazzled-looking watchman and an equally frazzled-looking wizard.

"I want to stay here," Yala says, tightening her grip on Zaljan's hand.

"Girl stay with me," Zaljan replies, glaring at the man through his voodoo mask. He grabs his medicine stick from his pouch, just in case.