61

It's quite a sudden ask—but after one final assurance from Robin that your form will be safe in his hands, you agree to go along. Robin looks quite pleased; you get the feeling he was a little nervous to go on his own. As you set off, you think how nice it would be if you could make someone a little happier just by coming to his birthday party—but apart from that, you think it could be a good place to:

Robin said that everyone from the Town Hall would be there, but you have to wonder if that means half the town will be there as well. If so, it seems like too good an opportunity to miss—regardless of whatever else you could spend your time doing.

On the way to the house, you walk through a part of town you've never seen before. Like much of Silvertree, there are places for rent and foreclosed buildings, but the houses and offices you pass that aren't closed up start to look a little older, a little bigger, and a little more expensive than what you've seen elsewhere.

Finally, at the end of a quiet, clean street, you reach a small but comfortable-looking house with a pale stone path leading up to its door. Nothing about it is ostentatious, but from the outside alone, you can tell this is a pretty nice house. For someone who was once a Town Council Leader, it seems fitting.

You go to knock, but when you spot a note above the handle that tells you the door is already open, you let yourself in. The sound of music and chattering guests hits you right away, and you follow the noise down a short hallway into a busy living room that's almost as full of photos and books as it is of people, food, and party decorations. The atmosphere is a little more reserved than the party from the other night, but the people who notice you come in turn to smile at you all the same. One or two people give you a nod of recognition, but otherwise people don't seem to remember you. At the very least, you're a little relieved that the blurry picture in this morning's article didn't stick in people's minds. You're also pretty thankful that, from what you can tell, nobody who looks at you seems to have any idea about yesterday's incident at the crafts store.

Robin excuses himself for a moment to say hello to someone, and in spite of your obvious celebrity, you're not quite sure what to do other than stand where you are. A moment later, however you spot someone you definitely recognize. From over by an elegant upright piano, Rana—whom you met at yesterday's fair—catches sight of you and gives you a wave.

"Hi again," she says as she comes over to meet you. "There are so many people here! I hope I have this many friends when I'm 80. Are you here with Tobias as well?"

You tell Rana about Tobias's college visit. For a moment, her face seems to fall—but she catches herself and smiles.

"That's cool. I don't think I even know which college he's going to, now that I think of it. He really has kind of disappeared since we graduated. Do you know if he's been up to anything?"