“I mean, don’t get me wrong,” Eruka goes on, worrying at the hem of her dress with her fingers as she tries to put words around what’s on her mind.

“The Carnival’s been all kinds of places and gotten into trouble before, but not like this. Not with someone coming after us. If I’d just known...” She trails off, looking unhappy, then tries to change the subject with a short laugh.

“So, ah, what did you sign up for anyway? Hopefully something good.”