"You've got one chance to leave us alone," Cavilo says, keeping her tone sharp and defensive.

The shorter one laughs. "Now what kind of men would we be," he asks rhetorically, "if we left you all alone?"

His eyes roam speculatively from one to the other. "But we might," he adds, "if you're very nice to us first. That bracelet," pointing to the silvery one on Cavilo's wrist, "I'll have that, for starters."