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RETREATING STEALTHILY, I cleared the copse Seeing no guards, I rushed back to the Cirque Du Freak, pausing neither for breath nor thought I reached the ca raced as fast as my powers allowed

The show had co in what used to be the church’s vestry, watching Rha in his red suit, and he’d rubbed blood along the scar down the left side of his face, drawing attention to it,him look more mysterious than usual

"Where have you been?" he snapped as I entered, panting "I have looked all over for you I thought I would have to perform alone Truska has your pirate costume ready If we hurry, we can-"

"Where’s Vancha?" I gasped

"Off sulking somewhere," Mr Crepsley chuckled "He still has not-"

"Larten," I interrupted He stopped, alerted to the danger by et the show We have to find Vancha Now!"

He asked no questions Telling a stagehand to inform Mr Tall of his withdrawal from the bill, he led me out to search for Vancha We found hi with the Little Person He was teaching Harkat how to throw shurikens Harkat was finding it difficult - his fingers were too large to easily grasp the small stars

"Look who it is," Vancha jeered as we entered "The king of the clowns and his head assistant How’s show business, boys?"

I pulled the flap of the tent closed and sunk to my haunches Vancha saw the serious expression in my eyes and put his shurikens away Quickly and calmly, I told them what had happened There was a pause when I finished, broken by Vancha, who let fly with a barbed stream of curses

"We shouldn’t have trusted her," he snarled "Witches are treacherous by nature She’s probably selling us out to the vampaneze even as we speak"

"I doubt that," Mr Crepsley said "Evanna would hardly require the aid of the vampaneze if she one over there to discuss frogs?" Vancha barked

"I do not knohat they are discussing, but I do not believe she is betraying us," Mr Crepsley said stubbornly

"Maybe we should ask Mr Tall," Harkat suggested "From what Darren says, he knohat Evanna is up to Perhaps he would tell us"

Vancha looked at Mr Crepsley "He’s your friend Should we try?"

Mr Crepsley shook his head "If Hibernius kneere in danger, and was capable of warning or aiding us, he would have"

"Very well," Vancha srimly "We’ll have to take them on ourselves" He stood and checked his supply of shurikens

"We’re going to fight the

"We’re hardly going to sit here and wait for them to attack!" Vancha replied "The element of surprise is vital While we have it, we must make use of it"

Mr Crepsley looked troubled "Perhaps they do not ht They could not have knoere co to do with us"

"Nonsense!" Vancha howled "They’re here to kill, and if we don’t strike first, they’ll be on us before-"

"I’m not so sure," I uard or nervous, as they would have been if they were preparing for a fight"

Vancha cursed soain "OK Let’s say they aren’t after us Perhaps it’s coincidence and they don’t knoe’re here" He leant forward "But they hen Evanna’s finished filling them in!"

"You think she’ll tell them about us?" I asked

"We’d be fools to chance it" He cleared his throat "In case you’ve forgotten, we’re at war I’ve nothing personal against our blood-cousins, but for the ti they’re our enemies, and we must show them no mercy Let’s say these va here So what? It’s our duty to engage them in battle and cut them down"

"That’s murder, not self-defence," Harkat said softly

"Aye," Vancha agreed "But would you rather we let theo on to murder some of our own? Our quest to find the Vampaneze Lord takes precedence over all else, but when the chance to cull a few stray vampaneze drops our e’d be fools - traitors! - not to seize it"

Mr Crepsley sighed "And Evanna? What if she takes the side of the vaht her too," Vancha sniffed

"You fancy your chances against her?" Mr Crepsley smiled thinly

"No But I know my duty" He stood, and this ti to kill vaed

Mr Crepsley looked at ht," I said slowly "If we let theo, and they kill vampires later, we’d be to bla - the Lord of the Vampaneze" Mr Crepsley and Vancha stared at me "We’re destined to cross paths with him, but I think we have to chase that destiny Maybe these vampaneze knohere he is or will be I doubt it’s coincidence that we’re here at the sa us to hiument," Vancha said

"Perhaps" Mr Crepsley didn’t sound convinced

"Remember Mr Tiny’s words?" I said "To follow our hearts? My heart says we should face these vampaneze"

"Mine too," Harkat said after a moment’s hesitation

"And ht you had no heart," Mr Crepsley muttered, then stood "But rees We will go"

Vancha grinned bloodthirstily and clapped Mr Crepsley on the back, then without further ado we stole away into the night

At the copse we made our plans

"We’ll close on thee "That ell make them think there are more of us"

"There are nine of the Evanna Hoe divide them up?"

"Two vampaneze for you, two for me, two for Harkat Darren takes the seventh and the servant - he’s probably a half-vampaneze or vampet, so he shouldn’t pose too much of a problem"