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For one brief instant, no one's gaze was on me. I summoned the twilight in a terrified rush of breath. In the gloaming, I saw the first bandit's face turn back toward me, filled with bewilderment at my seeming disappearance.

"What the sodding hell?"

I dropped from the carriage, unslinging my bow. I'd kept it with me out of habit, accustomed to shooting for the pot as I travelled. Now I circled around behind him, nocking an arrow.

"I've an arrow aimed between your shoulder blades!" I said fiercely. "Drop your bedamned bow and go!"

The bandit whirled and pulled the trigger on his crossbow, loosing his bolt blindly in the general direction of my voice. It passed so close to me I felt its wind against my cheek. I swore and shot him in the thigh. He cried out involuntarily, dropping his crossbow to clutch at the shaft. I fitted another arrow to my string.

"Next time, I aim higher!" I called.

It was enough. The bandits fled into the hills, the one I'd shot hobbling as fast as he could and leaning on his companion. I waited until they were well out of range, then sighed and lowered my bow, releasing the twilight.

Theo was staring at me. "What…" He licked lips gone dry and swallowed hard. "How did you do that? Disappear?"

"It's only a small gift," I said softly. "Meant to conceal us at need from those who mean us harm."

He didn't answer.

I sighed again and went to check on Florette and Lydia. They were pale and fearful, clutching one another. For a mercy, the curtains were drawn and they'd seen nothing of what had transpired.

"What is it?" Lydia asked in a loud, trembling whisper. "Bandits? Are they gone?"

"Aye, my lady," I said. "Gone as gone can be." I showed her my bow. "They thought to rob us with knives. I scared them away."

Florette peered at me. "You?"

"Me," I agreed. "You were quite right to reprimand me for being foolish and boastful last night, my lady. They were after my purse."

She pursed her lips. "I daresay that's a lesson learned the hard way. Be grateful it wasn't worse, dear."

I thought about the breath of wind against my cheek as the bolt passed by me. "Believe me, I am."

When I thought to rejoin Theo in the driver's seat, he wouldn't meet my eyes. "I think it's best you take your place inside."

"Why?" I asked. "You were glad enough of my company before."

He gave me a reluctant sidelong glance. There was still desire in his gaze, but there was fear, too—and the fear was stronger than the desire.

"There's a limit to the amount of strangeness a man can be expected to endure, Moirin. You've just surpassed mine."

I flushed at the unexpected rejection, hurt and embarrassed. "As you will."

The remainder of our journey passed without incident. I suffocated in the coach and endured the cloistered company of Florette and Lydia, who insisted I tell them about the bandit attack in exacting detail. I obliged them by fabricating an account that grew more florid with each telling. They alternated between shivering with horrified relish and chiding me for such risky behavior.

"Those men could have been bent on heresy." Lydia said darkly.

"Heresy?" I echoed. I thought I knew the word—thanks to the reading Gillian and I had done, my vocabulary far exceeded my pronunciation—but I was confused.

"Rape and ravishment," Florette clarified. "There are bad men in this world, child. Even here."

"Oh, aye." I nodded. "It's a lucky thing I had my bow, isn't it?"

She gave me a stern look. "Don't say aye!"

I smiled. "Yes, my lady."

We passed one last night in a small wayfarers' inn, where they served a hearty rabbit stew that reminded me of home. Florette and Lydia pressed me to reveal my plans in the City of Elua and I did my best to deflect their questions with vague generalities.

"At the least, tell us you mean to visit a proper couturiere!" Florette said with asperity. "You're a stunning creature to be sure, but if that dress represents the best of your finery, it looks like you slept in a stable."

I cleared my throat. "Oh, yes.