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I felt a sharp tug on ht on the sharp end of a broken branch

Even before I had registered as happening, I fell

A heartbeat later, my boots landed on a lower branch, and Cried the tree, with tears squirting out of ain With one hand clinging to a branch, I felt one

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I opened my eyes and looked down

"Shit," I said softly

Criround The locket lay in a patch of grass, ruby side up and glinting in the azed up at me, Criminy’s eyes were more fierce and wild than they had been even when he faced the bludstag Everything in hilance

"Criminy, don’t"

"I promised," he said

And then he jumped

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My attention was pulled from Criminy’s leap by an odd noise, like a laer Whatever it was, it was getting louder, and fast I pushed a leafy branch aside but couldn’t see as co up the locket and tucking it into his waistcoat in one s like a cat’s as his gloveless claws sought purchase in the bark As his feet touched the first branch and propelled hied in the tree trunk and quivered

A three-wheeled vehicle skidded to a halt below us, a strange contraption that looked like a golf cart crossed with a sketch by Leonardo da Vinci A Copper in full uniforer seat, a large crossbow in his arh the air by Criht Cri like a squirrel As he stood, Goodwill’s next bolt rustled the leaves over Criminy’s head I was amazed that the old man was still conscious, and for a terrifiedhis body in my world wouldn’t kill him here Then we’d be in serious trouble

"I don’t knohat you’ve done," the old ish affectation forgotten "But I’ll kill you for it!"

"You have to get over the wall," Crirunted as his belly hit the branch by my boots He held out a hand to ers and shoved it down the tight neck ofhis hand to pull him up "You’re almost here We can do it"

He chuckled sadly and looked down

And that’s when I saw the crossbow bolt through his calf, pinning him to the heavy branch below

"You can do it, Letitia," he said "Just get over the wall and go to Antonin I’ll find a way I’ll find you again"

"You only have to last anotherto abandon him "The old man--"

And then I heard a thwack, and a crossbow bolt bloomed from his throat

Blood spattered over my face and my dress, but I was already in shock His eyes ith surprise He looked down at thewith his blud, then fell slowly backward It was al stopped his doard ing upside down by the arrow’s shaft

For only ain the breeze Then the arrow broke, and he fell to the ground with a nasty thud

Goodwill cackled in triumph

I took one last look at freedom over the wall Just a few more feet, and I would have been out of the orchard and on my way to the tailor’s shop But I couldn’t leave Crian to cli up, and the bark tore at loves to cliister the pain I swung down from the lowest branch and landed in the dirt beside Cri Goodwill, I rolled Criminy over so that he was on his back and cradled his head in h both sides of his neck When I saw that he was breathing, I started breathing again, too Maybe there was still tiirly?" Goodwill asked, and I could hear the slurring in his voice I couldn’t believe he wasn’t dead yet

"I told you to watch out for dark-haired strangers, Mr Grove," I said, led to aim his crossbow at me, I bent my head over Criminy and stroked his face with my bare hands I felt his lips twitch as he sue shot out and started licking the wound on my palm, I cradled his head and shook with sobs,over us both Whatever pleasure he could get from the blood, I hoped it would help make his last"All along"

"I knew enough to find you," I said "And I knew enough to kill you"

Goodwill flopped over, the crossbow in his hands shaking He was breathing heavily, sweating and shaking

Finally