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"We were hoping it was a hoax," Doren added "No trick," Seth said loudly "I was asked to claim it on his behalf" He lowered his voice "Please don’t yell about ht," Newel said with a knoink He cupped a hand beside his mouth "We had better clear out of here before the dark master of this haunted abode returns!"

"You don’t have to oversell it, either," Seth whispered

"We brought you so through the contents He pulled out an oval shield about a yard tall "Heroes need proper equipment"

"Thanks," Seth said

"Ada over the shield "We fished it out of the same tar pit where we found the shirt of ed to the same careless adventurer," Newel speculated "Too h talent"

Seth hefted the shield It felt light, almost like a toy or a prop, but he knew that if it was er than steel and absolutely priceless "What a great gift"

"We were reserving it to trade for batteries," Newel explained "But in light of our new arrangement--well, investors need to protect their interests"

"It would be a shaenerator," Seth said

Doren nudged Newel "The shield isn’t all"

From his pack, Newel removed a sword in a battered leather scabbard Jewels adorned the golden hilt Newel presented it to Seth, who drew the sword It felt too light "This isn’t adaushed "We found just the naked blade The edge is keen The nipsies crafted the hilt, and we salvaged the scabbard from an old scrap heap"

"The nipsies couldn’t have made it just now?" Seth asked

"No," Newel chuckled "It took the another item for barter"

Seth belted on the scabbard and sheathed the sword "Why don’t you guys have armor?"

Newel snorted derisively "Slows us down We prefer to avoid injuries by not getting hit"

"What about the helmet?" Seth asked

Newel rapped the helood-luck chared

"Satyrs never wear ar his hands expressively "But years ago I was in a play, and the hel battle scene, a few of us were assailing a castle We had quite a set The main tower must have been fifteen feet tall, fashioned fro chunk of the battleed from atop the tower"

"Shoddy workmanship," Doren inserted

"Definitely not part of the rehearsed scene," Newel ehed

"Behold, the eneer skyward for dra the audience and focused on est laugh of the night," Doren chuckled

"Those ht have been my last words if not for this helmet," Newel said "Cumbersome or not, any object that lucky deserves to be worn in battle"

"Is that how the helot dented?" Seth asked

"Exactly," Newel confirmed

"Neouldn’t let anyone repair it," Doren said

"I’m surprised you weren’t injured," Seth said

"I was unconscious for almost two days," Newel clarified

"His understudy was elated," Doren said

Newel sive up the theater All everybody wanted from me thereafter was slapstick And trust me, with satyrs involved, slapstick hurts a lot"

"He came home from rehearsals ht a bow," Seth pointed out

"He’s a handy archer," Newel said "I prefer a sling"

Seth motioned for theot our assignment from Patton It will take us on quite a journey I think we should probably get Vanessa out of the Quiet Box to help us What do you guys say?"

"Absolutely," Newel affirmed "Best idea I’ve heard all day"

"I’ll second that," Doren said gladly Seth gave the satyrs a doubtful scowl "Wait a uys just think she’s pretty"

"I’ve been around a long time," Newel said "Vanessa Santoro is not just pretty"

"He’s right," Doren agreed "She’s walking dyna about her"

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