Of course the first thing Vex noticed coming into the cafe was the stuffed bear. How could she miss it? It was bigger than Trinket. Vex had been talking to Trinket all his life, long before she could understand his responses, and she knew how easy it could be to talk to him, and other people felt the same. So the fact River was talking to the giant toy didn't see all that odd.

She nodded back in greeting, considered a moment, well maybe not quite that long, and then she had to give in to the question that was puzzling her. "Where in the world did you find a bear that size, darling?" she asked, voice pitched low so as not to disturb Elaina.