For a moment they just looked at the glowing carving together, at the liquid gold tear dripping from its eye. Finally, Liya said quietly, "That spirit ain't wrong."

Yoshi looked at her questioningly.

"About blamin' the Cynn," Liya admitted, and then even more quietly, "'S just easy."

Yoshi didn't seem to know how to answer that. They just stood together silently for another long moment, before Vlad's voice caused them both to turn around.

"Hey, you kids." Vlad had separated out from the rest of the du Cuppra, who were now engrossed in conversation, and stood leaning against the table. "We should beat it before dark. You two ready to go?"

Vlad led them back through the pitch-black tunnels, seeming to know where he was going despite there being nothing visible outside the globular blue glow of the float in his hand. They walked without speaking for a while, before Liya broke the silence.

"Hey Vlad," she said. "'S that stuff y'all're doing illegal?"

"What?" Vlad responded, surprised, looking round at her.