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True nods He looks interested In the problem, or in me?

It doesn’tood for so If not for this, you can use it for your fish" I reach for one of the buckets aear on the shelves and dump the leaves inside "There," I say "For you"

True looks shocked "Where did you get those?"

I flush Does he think I’m a thief? I suppose I am "From the trees by the temple," I say

For some reason that answer seems to satisfy True "I’ll help you," he says, "but you have to promise me that you won’t try this before it’s safe You can’t do what you did with the eels and juht in"

"I promise I’ll wait until it’s safe"

"I can’t tell if you’re lying" He sounds as if this surprises hi," I say I’et him to believe me And I have lied to him before

True set you a key for the locks without it looking like a trick?" His face lights up "Maybe we could rig one of the fish to bring it to you in the water"

I like this idea "Yes," I say "I’ll have to hold etis just the beginning," True says "You still have to h all of thebetter at avoiding them," I say True doesn’t know that I can move the fish and eels That, if I have to, I can tell the fish with the key to glide right into my palm "I can do it"

"I know you can," True says

"So you’ll help me?"

"Of course"

"Thank you, True" Relief and exhaustion settle over et what I need and to buy a stall for you, too This is the beginning, for both of us"

True nods "I’ll get to work on it," he says "Right now"

"Thank you," I say again I wish I could stay and help hi bays to report for work

I’m almost at the door when True says my name

"Rio"

I look back "You could buy the locks, and we could alter them," True says "That would save time"

I shake my head "No," I say "It has to be you who makes them"

"Why?"

"Because I trust you," I say "If you make the locks, I know they’ll work" I’ve been afraid of s, but I feel no fear about this I know that both True and his creations are good, and I’ the locks to do--to come undone so that I can live I trust my voice