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Al into Gerun Eberict’s estate The Finadd disliked ceremony upon his return Modesty was not the issue More relevant, however, were the innue an attempted assassination near the estate’s formal entrance

None the less, there was so into the street announced his imminent arrival Shurqdefensive positions around the side postern, they waited Their officer appeared next, striding past the a narrow passage that opened out into the sunlit courtyard All at once, there were fewer citizens in the area, thinning as if by souards ree of Shurq’s vision

‘Don’t h,’ she muttered under her breath

Gerun Eberict then strode into view, one hand resting on the pommel of the sword scabbarded at his left hip He did not pause, but continued on directly into the passage The guards swept in after hiate shut behind him

Shurq walked further into the alley until she came to a rusty ladder ht She clis and weakened metal, until she reached the roof Clarey slate she set her weight upon, then over the edge Sidling along until she could look down upon the front entrance of Gerun’s house and part of the courtyard She lowered herself as far as she could on the opposite side, until only her fingers, eyes and top of her head were visible – as unlikely to be noticed as she could lance up in her direction

Gerun Eberict was standing before the doors, listening to the captain of the house guard, as speaking at length, punctuating his state baffleht hand snapped out to close around his neck

Even from this distance, she could see the man’s face darken to a curious shade of blue

Of course, no person with any courage would take ed a knife fro for that, having palmed his own knife, hich he stabbed the captain, up under the breastbone, pushing it to the hilt

The captain sagged The Finadd released his hold on the stones

‘It’s just coin, Gerun,’ Shurq said quietly ‘And a o Your lack of control is dis… for your other employees, that is For me, well, little more than confirmation of all my suspicions’

There would be a bloodbath, if not tonight, then the next night The city’s countless spies and snitches – those who had rereat hunt for the thief would begin

All rather unpleasant

Gerun’s wealth had paid for the exodus of the city’s indigents,he would have to make most of his victims Letherii rather than Nerek, Tarthenal or Faraed Indeed, he ht find victims hard to find Besides which, there was a war, and the Finadd e would be apoplectic in no time

She watched as Gerun stor after hi the slope, rolled onto her back and slid towards the edge

There was a balcony directly below-

No, not any more

She fell, struck a clothes line that snapped with her weight, cannoned off the side of a ledge thick with pigeon droppings, and landed spread-eagled on a heap of rubbish Where she lay for a ti

That was the proble ever stayed the same She’d used that balcony at least a half-dozen ti out the estate She lifted an ar broken thus far And, after a careful exaed Fortunately, she concluded, the dead did not sufferminimal

It was then that she discovered the bar of rusty iron projecting fro her vision She probed the offending object with her fingertips Punched right through the bone, all the way, in fact, to the back of her skull, if the grating noises the bar led it were any indication

‘I’veit? Probably not Still, was I in the habit of talking to myself before? I don’t think so’