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At least this tantruh Nola worried that Kiras furious enough to go after her The other three would protect her, she assured herself If there was tih there was hardly roo a screa the dinner tray that was sitting on top Then he kicked the cup and bowl out of his way

"It is difficult to find a good househ that could be che cause of Kirwyn's ire

For a o for his throat, but he quickly ca to do with Halig taking a step forward

"Maybe," said Alan, che peace while ere occupied outside"

Nobody pointed out that Brinna supposedly couldn't take more than a step or tithout aid Nor that if Brinna had had a ht on their heels, which surely one of theoose chase after the old woman

Kirwyn only said to Alan, "Out Out of my house You are useless, you always have been, you alill be - find eed three-year-old, down the hall toward the silversmith's shop

He turned back at the doorway to his father's rooer that old witch out of here, too!"

As always the itch was alh to make Nola's mind shut down in panic She was barely aware of Kirwyn sla the door A moment later they heard him slam the door between the bedroom and the shop, too And then, faintly, the outside door

Calvin looked at Halig with raised eyebrows but wasn't going to say anything in front of outsiders And at least they weren't looking at her To Alan, who appeared ready to cru him, Galvin said, "Don't leave We need you here until the matter of this murder is settled"

Nola didn't wait for Alan's relief to settle in She flung herself onto the floor saying, "And I'h his tone indicated he suspected talking to her was useless, he asked her, "Do you know anything about Innis's death?"

Nola tugged at her hair in horror "Innis is dead?" she cried And she rocked back and forth,loudly to make a nuisance of herself "Oh, poor ive the useful, so she asked, "Has anyone told Kirwyn yet? Firstbirth to me, and now Master Innis They always say death comes in threes Who'll be next? Ohhh" She shuddered and put her hands up to cover her head

Galvin asked Alan, "Do you knohere she lives?"

Alan had knelt down beside her "No," he said

Nola howled louder She hoped she was giving the it was tiht she was Brinna "Where'sasked Alan, "I don't suppose there's any chance you knohere her daughter lives, either?"

"Mada that noise"

"I'm always noisy indoors," Nola shouted

"If you don't stop," Galvin said, "we'll put you outdoors"

Far fro for

"Noisy!" Nola leaned forward to shout at hi, who quickly interpreted ic, Galvin rabbed her legs Nola went ahead and screa let go and uessed was in response to an I-didn't-say-to-hurt-her glare from Galvin

Lest they beco, Nola yelled at Halig, "Don't you beco !" She started screa took her legs again

They picked her up, gently, and brought her outdoors As soon as they were out in the courtyard, she stopped screa to look pleased with herself though her ankle still throbbed

She let Galvin and Halig set her down on the bench under the walnut tree

"Can you fetch her so to eat?" Galvin said to Alan "She doesn't look like she eats near enough"

Alan nodded

"And then try to find the daughter," He stooped down to put himself on a level with her "And you," he said, "behave yourself, or Master Kirill fetch the istrate"

Nola covered her mouth with both hands, as she had seen her ave a sement that nearly broke Nola's heart She had hoped that they would throw the crazy old woman out, and had not anticipated that they would take care with her Galvin had told Halig that she seemed kind - well, he had said Brinna, but he meant Nola-as-Brinna He, also, had see to iht to keep fro a handful of hair from off his head so that she would be able to, soain

But she couldn't take even one She couldn't risk hi that with the time he had helped Brinna up froer on a hair and pulled it loose

"And you and I," he was celling Halig, "will go in search of the elusive Brinna"