“Yes!” Uncle Earn roared. “She’s a thirteenth child and a witch, and she’s put a curse on my house!”

“I take leave to doubt that, sir,” the policeman said politely. “She can’t be more than four or five, and that’s too young even for natural magic.”

“It is your duty to enforce the law,” Uncle Earn said. “Doubts or no. And the law—”

“—applies in this regard to persons aged ten and older, that being the age the courts have set as the youngest possible to a deliberate working,” the policeman said. He looked at me and winked. My mouth fell right open, and I could only stare at him as he went on. “If you wish to lodge a complaint against her guardians for lack of restraint, you’ll need a writ from the courthouse first.”

“That is an outrage!” Uncle Earn roared.

The policeman appeared unimpressed. “It is the law, sir, and if you’d been plainer about your business when you called me out here, you’d have saved us both some time and trouble. My duty is clear, and if you’ve no more to say, I’ll be about it. Evening, ma’am, sir.” He tipped his hat to Mama and Papa. “Young sir, young mistress.” He nodded at Lan and me. “My apologies for the interruption.” He turned and left without saying anything more to Uncle Earn, who stood sputtering.

“That appears to dispose of the law,” Papa observed. “Shall we settle this as a family now, Earn? What’s this about a curse?”

“She’s put a curse on my house,” Uncle Earn repeated. “My Marna saw her out back this morning, doing a working with string and feathers. She ran off, but Marna found this.” He held up a pink ribbon triumphantly.

I felt a wave of despair. Lan had given me that ribbon on our birthday, and I’d worn it constantly since then. Everyone knew it was mine, and knew how much I loved it. With that ribbon for evidence, no one would believe I hadn’t done a thing, no matter what I said.