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She nods her head in either mock reverence or assent and slips away I’m surprised at how easily I’m rid of her, and I wonder how many times sirens have stolen into the temple I come here daily, of course, and the Council doesn’t seem to have as much control over Maire as they should

I’htens o right back up the nave and leave the temple, but of course I don’t I make my way to the third pew and sit down I bow my head as if in prayer and reach a hand underneath the seat At first I feel nothing, and then there it is, a thick cloth bag taped to the bottom of the pew It’s heavy I think I knohat’s inside by the feel of it Lots of small, solid pieces

Money

Bay leftthe bag--it’s a simple one, the kind thatbooks--and walk out of the te with more than I had when I came in, but I don’t think anyone has really paid attention tothat Maire may have told them all not to see me, that she whispered some incantation when I first caal, as is the little god of Efraet toand duivenelse wrapped in brown tissue paper

I count the olden coin There are five hundred and seven of theether, a set all of it? She couldn’t have won sowhen I didn’t know?

Is this enough to buy an air tank that could get s until Josiah mentioned it earlier I’ve known about the vials of flavored air, of course, but do those sellers have other, more secret wares?

I take care not to rip the brown tissue paper surrounding the second part of the gift, just in case Bay has senton the paper Instead the wrapping holds a smooth shell A seashell, rare and hard to cos to both the Above and the Below The ani our ocean floors and the Above’s sandy shores The shell’s colors are beautiful--dappled greenish-blue and brown like the colors of the Divide

"You’re the only person in the world whose favorite color is brown," Bay used to tease me

"That can’t be true," I said "It’s le other person whose favorite color is brown," Bay said

"Maybe not in Atlantia," I said She understood what I meant

"Maybe Above," she said