They had only been walking for a short while after the three offers when the street ahead seemed to be wrong in some way Lucian recognised too late.
Varn Thal's lower trade lanes were still busy with sellers and workers and ordinary passers-by trying to avoid making the wrong impression but some of the flow had changed - a cart that should have continued rolling stopped dead in the centre of the narrowest part and two men in plain coats paused their conversation when Lucian's group arrived. A woman selling dried fruits tidied her stall with sudden care and stepped back into a doorway.
Sera noticed too. "I do not like this."
"Neither do I," Istra said. "Keep walking. Do not stop for anyone."
They tried.
