,instead,fafriendlysmileonhisfae.“youwantanything?”

harrystartled,jumpingevenmorewhentheountergirl(hannah?)ameoutofthebak,thebellonthedoortinkling.iwasnietoknowthatdraowasn’ttheonlyonefeelingthetensionintheair.“no.”hesrathedthebakofhisnek,ruffledhishairsoitfelldownoverhissar.hewasdueforahairutsoon.“notfromhere.”

theybounedfromstoretostore,afterthat,fromthebookstoretothedelitoevendukingintobinandburkesforsomereason(draohadthesneakingsuspiionthatharrywaseithertryingtoinludehispastisordoingsomedetetiveworkwhiledrao’sbakwasturned),untilfinallyndinginthequiddithsupplystore.

“iwantanewbroom.”harrysaid,runninghisfingersdownthehandleofthehatthemanagerhadleftforthemtosuspet,eyesing.draofiguredthisiswhathemusthavelookedlikebakintheapothearyshop.“deserveit,afterstyear,huh?”

“thenbuyit.”draowasn’tusedtolivingwithsomeonelikeharry,apersonwhohadfeltwhatitwastoneedtoonservemoney.indrao’shouse,ifyousawsomethingyouwanted,yougotit,nomattertheost.(eveniftheostwasn’tmoary.)“usesomeofyourprophetmoney.”

oneofthetrialsafterthewarenteredaroundtheprophetandallthefalsestoriestheyhadbeenprinting.theresultwasasiftheyhadturnedthewholebuildingupsidedownandshookit,untileveryorruptededitorsandwritershadfallenout,firedandwithoutanotherjobtoturnto.andharrygotalotofreparationmoneyforthethingstheyhadprintedabouthiminhisfifthyear.

harrylookedtemptedforamoment,butthenheputitbakandlookedaroundforthemanager,whoheeitherwantedtosaygoodbyetoorthank.he’salwaysunfailinglypolitetothepeoplew.“nah.wherewouldiflyit,anyways?”butthenhewasturningbaktoitagain,so