“So I should forgive them?” Kell glared up at Lorzok. “Because they only did nine-tenths of the horrible thing they did to me?”
“I’m not saying that. Saeldian told Briona that we can’t succeed if we can’t trust each other. I know this can’t be easy. But you can’t even let them help you with your disguise. Are you capable of putting that all aside for tonight?”
Kell slumped against the doorjamb. “You’re right to ask.”
“I’m no expert in heisting,” Lorzok said. “But even though we both look extremely handsome right now, I imagine this is dangerous, and Saeldian might need to touch you. Or you might have to touch them. Can you do it?”
Rubbing against the doorway did help. It was like an itch. Maybe he’d always have a tree handy. “I have to.”
Lorzok nodded as he let it go. “I trust you.”
“Oh, the secret weapon,” Kell said. “Let’s go, we’ll be late.”
When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Verity popped out of the dining room and put her fists on her hips. “Everyone is late! Ma’s making paper potatoes, and I get mine first because I was here first.”
“And we’re getting ours last?” Lorzok asked. “That’s fair.”
But Verity shook her head. “Saeldian and Pa haven’t come down either.”
Serenity said, “They’re in the kitchen. Bastion’s frying the fish, and Saeldian’s fetching things for him. Sit down, boys.”
Kell hadn’t been a boy in ages, but he said, “Should I do anything first, Mrs. Righthoof?”
Serenity looked up from the potato she was slicing so thin, Kell could almost see through it. “Will you pour out water for everyone?”
Easy. Kell was filling the fourth cup when the scent of exquisitely seasoned, freshly fed trout announced Bastion’s imminentarrival, and behind him came Jubilee and Saeldian, bearing serving dishes.
“Seven-spice trout,” Bastion announced.
Verity wrinkled her nose. “Seven is too many flavors.”
“That’s why it’s good,” Saeldian said. “Maybe you’re old enough to like it now. Did you try looking at the candle and concentrating?”
“It’s too hard,” Verity said. “I can’t stop thinking thoughts.”
Saeldian set the smallest piece of fish onto Verity’s plate. “I said already, you have to forget to think thoughts.”
“That’s easy for you to say,” Wisdom joked.
“Brat. Oooh, I’m Wisdom!” Saeldian said in a mocking tone. “I’m an apprenticewizard,so you’ll just have toforgiveme for beingright.All the time! As if—”
“As if it’smyfault!” Verity and Jubilee shouted together, full of giggles.
Saeldian grinned, until they caught sight of Kell staring at them.
“You look lovely, Jubilee,” Serenity said over the bubbling rush of those thin potatoes boiling in a small cauldron of oil. “Why do you want to go covering up how nice you look with my old hat?”
“Ma,” Jubilee said, with too much patience, “I ought to be incognito. Look at Saeldian right now.”
“Ravishing, my dear, as always,” Serenity said. “I do like that beard on you, even if you don’t look like yourself.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Righthoof.”
Serenity emptied a wire basket of freshly fried potatoes into a bowl for Verity. “And you’re not getting out that easy, Jubilee. How do you expect to make a name for yourself if you’re always hiding who you really are?”
“Even if I didn’t have to be in disguise, they won’t see who I really am, Ma! They’ll see Bastion and Serenity’s little girl—”
“That is who you are.”
