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“Psst,” interrupted a little voice One of the Changelings that had been playing with green fire outside Bespoke’s shop whispered at them from an alley She had warm brown eyes and red hair and wore fifty or sixty paisley cravats tied into a long scarf that turned into a dress so the way

“I know,” she said “I knohere you can find the Spinster Givenice and I’ll tell you”

“We don’t have anything,” Tohed

But Scratch leapt forward, eager to please, to fix what he could fix His crank spun and his sky-blue voice played softly:

Hush little baby, don’t say a word

Daddy’s gonna buy you a bird…

“Oh, that is nice!” cried the redheaded girl, clapping her hands “Come on, then!” She took up Tamburlaine’s wooden hand in hers

“Where are we going?” said Tam shyly

“Don’t worry I’lanced down at their shoes “Sort of, anyway So I can show you our secrets I have to, actually It’d be cruel to let Changelings loose in the city all alone Like letting puppies play in a fox den We wouldn’t do that to you I stayed to collect you once you had your anchors” The shoes, again The urchin earing rose-colored shoes not so different froh she’d long ago outgrown the if I told you where I was taking you? I could say we’re headed to Atlantis by way of Interstate 5 and that’dyou to friends” She laughed a little “You knohat a friend is, right?”

“What’s your na out of her before they dashed off with another stranger

“Penny,” she said, and gave the, at your service”

INTERLUDE

THE GIRL WHO LOST OMAHA

In Which Events Have Consequences

Far away fro Her name is Susan Jane It’s a very Grown-Up name, and she’s never liked it very much, but then, Susan Jane is a Grown-Up I’ve not told you her name before now because most children who are not secretly trolls do not call their parents by their Grown-Up names But you have met her before