"That is a bit strange," says Johnny, taking a drink. Reckon I'd say the sum of what's going on in Excolo makes it sorta worrying, and even Samuel's been saying we should be careful, else it won't always be so easy here. Johnny catches my eye. "Maybe it's cause we're more open t'them?"

Wrinkle my nose a bit. Dunno that it is, frankly, seems like there's something else going on here, and I think about them maps in Boku's attic with all the red dots spiralling in on Excolo and getting denser and denser. Maybe I'd tell him 'bout that if his friend weren't here, but I don't reckon she knows 'bout the gods and stuff, or 'bout Johnny, so I don't. "Could be," I say. 'bout to say more when Ri snorts. "I bet it ain't the openness a the town they're after. It's that this is the most prosperous town with stuff that no one else's got but the cities."

Guess she reckons she knows better'n Johnny, by the way she's looking, and I ain't so sure I like that. Shrug a bit. "Could be a whole load of things. Excolo's handy for moving on come spring, with the river and the road. You're right 'bout there being stuff here that ain't in other places, mind," I say. doubt I mean the same stuff she does. "Why'd the Carnival stay?" I ask. Maybe they got the same reasons, and I'm sorta curious now I'm actually talking to one.