This is partly why I’d needed Phélan. If I’d shown up alone with Fi in tow, I’d be seen as a dilettante, a role I’d already adopted for Drevan’s benefit. With Phélan at my back, we made a decent show of strength. Thetai Sarra Antha might be new to the selkie-trade, but she wasn’t weak and she wasn’t unconnected.
I saw most of this register in Paulan’s eyes, though with a shade of something else I couldn’t place. I hoped we hadn’t made a misstep.
‘Better put her somewhere out of sight for now,’ Paulan recommended. ‘Show’s about to start.’
‘Wouldn’t be polite to upstage the competition,’ I grinned. I took hold of Fionn’s arm and towed her away, over to a more or less empty corner.
‘If you could do that cool shadow trick,’ I asked Phélan. ‘That’d be handy.’
‘Can’t. Too much light in here
