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said, without ever taking his eyes off the roof.
    “Is it that obvious?” she asked.
    “A little mischief looks good on you.”
    “Well, I didn’t do anything but avoid some unpleasant people as I was searching for you.”
    “Me?” Mansel asked. “What do you need me for? Did Zollin break something he can’t fix?”
    “No, but we’re both in town. We wanted to see you and Quinn.”
    “Buy me an ale and you can see me all you want. We’re finished here.”
    “It’s a nice roof,” Brianna said.
    “Of course it is,” Mansel said. “Strong, too. We’re just waiting for the owner to approve.”
    “When you’re finished, you can meet us at the Inn.”
    Mansel grunted and Brianna turned away. She was anxious to get off the streets and avoid any more unpleasant confrontations. Mansel had said she liked mischief, and that was true to a certain extent. She didn’t like being bored, but she wasn’t looking for trouble. If there was a glow to her looks, it came from her excitement to be traveling again. That’s what she was looking forward to most. And her reception in the alley made her realize they couldn’t leave soon enough.

Chapter 4
    The market in Brighton’s Gate stood on the foundation of the old Gateway Inn, which had been in the process of being rebuilt when Bartoom had destroyed the town. The owner had left the Great Valley, and the large foundation was now covered with small booths where merchants sold their wares. Since most of the shops in the town had been destroyed by the dragon’s attack, the market was the best place for Zollin to find what he needed. His first stop was at a leatherworker’s booth.
    “Horace,” Zollin said happily as he approached the older man sitting at a table carving designs into a piece of leather that would eventually become a saddle. “Is it ready?”
    “Of course, of course,” the man named Horace said. “I have it here.”
    He lifted a large bundle and set it on top of a display table. Zollin moved forward and inspected what was essentially a large set of saddlebags. The bags were much too big to be carried by a horse, and the leather was stiff but sturdy. The straps between the bags were much longer than normal as well. And the large flaps that covered the bags were edged with several long leather thongs that would be used to tie the bags closed.
    “What do you think?” Horace asked.
    “They’re perfect,” Zollin said. “Thank you so much.”
    “It’s the least I could do,” the leather worker said. “You saved our Rodicka. I don’t know what we’d have done without you.”
    “It was my pleasure, and we are even,” Zollin said, sticking out his hand.
    Horace shook it heartily, and Zollin tucked the oversized saddle bags under his arm. His next stop was the bakery. Zollin knew how to bake bread, but he didn’t have the patience for it. He had healed several people in the village during the past year, and had bartered for various goods in the process. From the bakery he picked up three dozen small, hard loaves for their trip.
    He was buying salted meat from another vendor when a small crowd started to form behind him. Many of the townsfolk preferred to keep their distance from Zollin, at least until someone sick was brought to him. When Zollin turned around he found a desperate looking father holding a small child in his arms. The baby was covered in bright red bumps and his breathing was labored. The crowd leaned in close to see what Zollin would do.
    “Please sir, help us,” the father said.
    “I will, don’t worry,” Zollin said.
    “We’ve no money to pay you,” said the mother, who was wringing her hands nervously from behind her husband.
    “What do you do?” Zollin asked.
    “I’m a cobbler by trade,” the man said.
    “And I sew,” his wife added.
    “Okay, perhaps new boots then,” Zollin said. “And maybe some baby clothes?”
    Murmuring broke out in the crowd that had gathered to see the wizard heal the sick child. Zollin