At my last day before the trial with the Masters, I decided to pay Devi a visit. After all the threats Dragan had made I hoped she was the one who'd stolen the Lackless box and I could persuade her to bring it back to Meluan Alveron. If I couldn't persuade her, I hoped to steal it from her myself. After all, I was half a Lackless myself and the Lackless family had once sworn to keep the box safe.

I felt hollow from the inside as I walked to her shop. A silence was within me where my music had been and it felt like my heart had been torn out of my chest. I couldn't hope to best Devi in sympathy anymore, which was even worse considering I was most likely running into an argument with her.

"Kvothe?" Devi asked. "What happened?"

"I'm in trouble."

"That's no news. A customer has told me of your diving skills. Are you here to call in an other favour? Hoping that I can influence the master's vote on your behalf?"

"Can you actually do that?" I asked.

"I might be able to blackmail master Mandrag on a thing or two. But other than that, no."

I thought of it. But Master Mandrag was most likely on my side anyway, so it wouldn't be any use to antagonise him. "Devi, can I get out of that mess without being lashed to death or hanged?"

"Not if you want to keep the Chancellor alive," said Devi bluntly. "His vote counts double. You have to expect Brandeur's vote against you, too."

"Maybe with the new master of languages..." I said. I knew only of three masters that would support me: Awyl, Elxa Dal and Kilvin. But with a tie the decision would be the Chancellor's. Hemme again, that arrogant sadist. "...maybe Master Rhianna will support me."

"Maybe. But she's Brandeur's former giller," Devi said. "She's new and her position is shaky. If she is clever and wants to stay, she'll vote against you. Why do I feel as if you only visited me because you wanted that information?"

I smiled at her "Devi, I'm here because of your abundant charm."

"Oh, I thought you'd ask me for the Lackless box," said Devi sweetly, opening a drawer of her desk and putting a wooden small box on the table. "After all, you promised me your help with it. Nice rings by the way. I know of the fashions at Severen's court. But aren't ten a bit... overdone?"

I didn't answer. I stared at the box. Until this point I had only suspected Devi, but to see the stolen goods in her hands felt twice harder. What was even worse, I knew I wouldn't be able to read the story knots on its surface, but I had just recently met someone who might. Bast.

"There, there," said Devi, "a penny for your thoughts."

"Devi, you have to give it back," I said flatly.

"Why should I? I like it where it is." Devi patted the box on her desk. "And I like secrets."

I decided to reveal a bit of the story I'd heard from Bast. Though I would have to mix it with some lies, as I didn't want my Lackless blood becoming public. As I knew my luck, such a deed would only end in more misfortune; more people interested in my death than I had already.

"Once," I said thus, "it belonged to the Lackless family. They broke a promise. The box was cursed for it."

"Why keep something cursed?" Devi countered.

I didn't answer.

"Kvothe, Kvothe. You are in my debt. Even more than you know. I turned that soldier Dragan from your threshold, when he came to ask me for your place of living."

"He's free again?" I muttered.

"Free and angry," said Devi, "But I don't want to talk about him. I want to talk about the Lackless box. You have an idea about it, I saw it in your eyes."

I grabbed the box and stood.

"I know whom you stole it from," I said coldly, "I will return it to the rightful owner."

Devi sprang up and forced the box back on the table again. I struggled against her surprising strength. The knowledge of the Ketan was right behind my temples, after all. But it failed me. A girl that wasn't even as high as my chest could put me into a checkmate position. You'd thing I had grown used to it after Celean, but no. It stung at my pride.

"If you steal the Lockless box," Devi said calmly, "I'll break Ison."

"You won't," I said, even if I wasn't so sure about that. Devi retreated from the desk, satisfied that I hadn't moved a muscle. "I will break it right now," she said, taking out the lute from one of her cupboards, "If you don't tell me how to get that box open."

"But-"

Devi lifted the lute above her head, aiming at her massive desk.

"Wait!" I cried, "you've won. I'll get my friend here. He's the only one I know of that might be able to help!"

"Then you'd better hurry, Kvothe. I will leave this shop at midday. And if you haven't shown up by then, I will blackmail Mandrag into voting against you no matter what it costs."

My temper flashed.

"If I had a sword with me," I fumed, "you would not live till midday."

As I left before I could say anything worse, Devi said softly: "But if you had a sword with you, you wouldn't have entered."