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"We’re ready, love," he said "Let’s go see what they’ve decided"

I didn’t knohat to think as Crihabout the caravan and the people who had acceptedme for just a couple of days Because of the price on my head, their lives and livelihood had been thrown into tur if they chose to disperse

But I found rass E squat thrusts with kettlebells, and Eblick was unconscious on his log, shiny with oil They were practicing, saather around Crion Except for Eblick, who remained asleep

"Master, we have decided," Torno said as he curled his kettlebells His clockwork dog begged at his feet "We will stay here and practice, try so weights, eh?"

"Not that I know of, old friend," Criminy said with a chuckle "But what of safety?"

"You don’t think a strong man can protect a bunch of little ladies?" Torno bellowed "Also, we are having the clockworks, and crossbows, and Mr Dregs And Eblick"

"What on earth can Eblick do?" I asked, stunned Unless a Copper tripped over hiine how he could possibly help

Sitting up, the lizard boy sleepily blinked his eyes He seereen than before, his limbs less rubbery The exercise and oil must have helped He turned to us and, with a placid sood news, reen-lipped s

29

My new dress didn’t fit nearly as well as e didn’t do as ain After Charlie Dregs had started staring athis chops, Criminy had shooed E, "Nothing flashy"

Eled "What’s the fun in that, eh?" she said, sliding her yellow-and-purple ar me off

My options were limited, without a seamstress around and with most of the costumes trampled or half-finished And thus, the unfashionable pumpkin dress with puffed shoulders and a ruffled placket that made me feel like Beth from Little Women instead of Mina froo, either, but at least it coveredholes

Honestly, I didn’t care what I looked like so long as we could get on the road to Manchester Now that I hadthe locket was the next step But it wasn’t just for my own selfish needs anymore I had to keep Cri Jonah Goodwill, no h Criminy’s, we set off toward the hideous city on the hill We left Peuard the caravan, but Uro was on my wrist, ready to be of service--if only I could reain on the endless e it had felt just a few days ago Noas like retracing my steps Except that this tiht to the ene for us, or ould be there, waiting for hiain "When you touched Tabitha?"

"Nothing of the future," I said "Just the her alone on the island to wait for us"

"I knohy he wants the locket, but I wish I knehat he wanted with you," Crihts were far away "Maybe there’s a way to find out"

"I guess if you found one of his underlings, I could glance hi for us in the city There’s another way, though I hate to ask you again, love, but could I have a drop of blood?"

"Just a drop? No proble outetically "We need to find a pool first"

Criminy reached into his coat and pulled out the same brass device he’d used to find Erris He fiddled with the dials and spun slowly in a circle, fixing his eye on the horizon Finally, he stopped, and I followed his gaze over the hills toward a thick wood bursting with bright green

"That’s not too bad, then," he muttered "Not entirely off course"