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"I thought you didn’t like gangs," Briar said The three slowed to look at his wares He kept his eyes on them If anyone tried to steal a tree, they would soon feel as if they carried the fully grown version, but he didn’t want trouble so early in the day

"I don’t, but they’re the best, if you do like ‘eain "Are you joining them?"

"Me?" Briar asked, startled "Why in Mila’s naed"

"I e -- I don’t need protection But you’d be safer if you were ganged up, at least till you ly "Those Cauts looked really safe towars," he objected "You have to keep other gangs off your ground That doesn’t happen often … " He fell silent, re had battled to chase off another gang, or to add to their territory As he started to count the fights, he realized they’d coht "Why didn’t your local gang ever recruit you?" he asked, changing the subject "Don’t you have gangs in Princes’ Heights?"

"My squat’s in Crusher ground," she said, propping her head on her hands "Tunnelers had it for aaround again lately"

"And neither gang tried to swear you?" he asked

To his surprise Evvy nodded "Lots of times They just can’t seem to find my squat" She smiled crookedly "I used to think they was stupid, but …" She fell silent

"But?" Briar prodded

"I think the rock -- Princes’ Heights -- hides my place," she said abruptly She paused, then asked, "What was your gang’s sign?"

For some reason Briar looked at his hands, at the riot of vines and leaves that had eaten his jailhouse X’s That wasn’t what she ht arm I lost mine, the last time they arrested s anyher a silver dav "I’d like some pears and rye bread" He pulled two cups from his satchel "Get juice or tea or water, in these And whatever you want for yourself"

Evvy juleefully and accepted the cups "I like being here with you," she told Briar "We’re practically respectable and all" She trotted away, a cup hanging froht wryly, going back to work on hisThat’s ood for me, and not one whitfood purchases and Briar’s cup of water, three e-students and their teacher had come to look at Briar’s trees Evvy listened as they talked to Briar about i as the conversation went on Finally Briar sent her to polish stones for Nahies who came by Most could sense the power in the trees; all asked about Briar’s education The h to keep the him with questions When a lull finally came, he didn’t welcome it: he was in the middle of another bout of houn a letter to Sandry when a er hipcord lean and plainly dressed with black and silver hair pulled tightly back from his face His weapons were not so plain: their sheaths were black leather, but after years with Daja the metalsmith, Briar could tell the ood There was a cold watchfulness in the uessed

"My lady Zenadia doa Attaneh would have speech with you, shopkeeper," the man said harshly His voice was a rusty croak, as if he seldom used it

Briar looked beyond thehi by the lines around her large, well-made-up eyes, she was older, in her fifties or thereabouts Her clothes spoke softly of real money: her blouse and skirts were discreet lavender silk, embroidered with silver thread; her sari was cloth-of-silver heauzy veils on her face and hair She wore a round, green stone drop between her eyebrows -- Briar, who still struggled with different bindi, as the stones were called, couldn’t renified She wore the tiniest hint of roseh to refresh the air around her

At her back stood a black-skinned mountain in tan linen The cloth strained over rolls of fat and y look of a eunuch His eyes were a strange shade of gray that contrasted with his black skin: they were the emptiest eyes that Briar had ever seen He carried a double-headed ax thrust through a brown sash

"I was ad your trees" Lady Zenadia’s voice was deep and lovely, unmuffled by her thin face-veil "They are beautiful How did you get the his heart, then his forehead, in the approved easternon people had never bothered hireat deal of tending and patience, my lady," he answered From her clothes, jewels, and servants, she could afford his prices "It’s an art, with each tree shaped to a particular forically to draw certain qualities or luck to a home"