"Hi, Luke," she says t'him, shakin' his hand. "Pleased to meetcha. And the salon does okay, market day's a good one. And yeah new people tends to mean new customers. and apparently new residents." She's drinkin' somethin' that makes my nose twitch, 'cause it smells off, but I guess it can't be worse fer you than anythin' else they'd serve.

"Busy with us too," Luke answers t'us both. "You'd reckon folks'd be gearing up for winter, never mind moving around the place, but I guess they reckon they'll have a better chance of it in town than on the road." I nod, 'cause I bet lots 'a the new folks 'r plannin' on winterin' here instead 'a gettin' holed up in a smaller town. There's lots 'a places that are pretty strange 'n bad fer outsiders. Excolo's more dangerous 'n any 'a them I think, but not on the outside. "Ain't the same in Oakridge, mind," he says, "or the other towns on the route I been through. They ain't got the same thing with new folks. 's just Excolo."

Huh. I take another drink 'a my beer. "That is a bit strange," I say, tryin' t'catch Luke's eye as I do. I know there's some stuff goin' on with the Carnival, but I know Luke know's some 'a what's happenin' here. "Maybe it's cause we're more open t'them?" I'm pretty sure that ain't it. I hope it's not the Adversary that's drawin' folks.