Gaur-van leered broadly, “Nice,” he said. “Well, you have a good time, son. Bear-baiting it is t’day and they’ve got some whopper of a bear, from what I’ve heard. Make mincemeat of them dogs! Mind out for pickpockets, though. Don’t want ter lose your owl!”
“Oh, it’s safe,” said Yauva. “You have a good time yourself. Hope you make a bit of money.”
“Thanks, son. Do me best.” And he began his clamour with the bell.
Heads turned and Yauva made to leave, awkwardly aware of groups of staring people. As the young man trotted across the square, Gaur-van caught Val-zajjhak’s cold eye and nodded. He had felt the vraakhin’s work in his customer’s mind and now he had added his own.
“Old Gaur-van says there’s a real big bear at the pit today,” Yauva informed the vraakhin as he rejoined him. “Should
