Another stake out.

I returned to Castle Market on Saturday, despite Samuel’s protestations. He insists, and Angela backs him up, that I will not simply know a magician when I see one. I asked if they didn’t all carry wands and top hats, but he didn’t get it.

Norman came with me this time. I was less turned about than before, and found a whole fourth floor of shut down shops. Norman found a man who can tell us about the castle foundations, and arranged to meet again in the week. He asked if anyone else had shown interest in the foundations lately, but the man is proud of his work, so he told us that he has lots of enquiries every day- history groups and the like. We ate lunch in one of the cafes along the edge of the food market, and found ourselves pointing out strangers, asking each other if they might be wizards. Then we talked about what we preferred – wizard or sorcerer, warlock or magi. I think Norman and I have been too worried to talk to each other fully since a month back, and even before then I never really talked like myself. But with this new beard he’s like a new person in the house. It’s strange that a place as beaten down as the markets could bring out that levity.

We returned again today. This time Samuel came too, despite my protestations. We went through the place again, and ate lunch at another of the cafes. We left, as always, before the worst of the sorts you can find down there began to emerge. We saw no one, as Samuel predicted. And perhaps it is true that they’ve all moved on. I’ve no reason to doubt that, but a few hours of looking one place at a time isn’t proof of anything. I asked Samuel again why they attacked him and again got his half answers, so I guess the same resolution applies.