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At the threshold of her home

Fear turned, studied him, but Trull could not look away fro in his face

Letherii though she was, Seren Pedac clearly understood, her gaze beco ‘Just that, I take it A weapon… for me to use’

No‘Yes… Acquitor A weapon…’

She accepted it, but the gesture ithoutback ‘I have to go noill tell Rhulad I saw you, Fear, down at the docks’

‘You cannot save him, brother,’ Fear said

‘I can but try Go well, Fear’

And he alking away It was best, he decided through sudden tears They would probably never return Nor would she have accepted the sword Which hy she asked hi out for it A weapon to use Only that

He was being a fool A moment of profound weakness, a love that made no sense, no sense at all No, better by far the way it had played out She’d understood, and so she’d esture in the night

A weapon to use Only that

They reone, his footsteps sed by distance Fear studied Seren Pedac as she looked down at the sword in her hands Then, glancing up, she saw his fixed regard and smiled wryly

‘Your brother… startled ht… never mind’

Then why, Seren Pedac, is there such pain in your eyes ? Fear hesitated, was about to speak, when a child’s voice spoke behind him

‘Are you Seren Pedac?’

He spun round, sword hissing from its scabbard

The Acquitor stepped past, holding out a hand to stay hiate

‘I am Kettle Iron Bars said you would help us We need to leave the city With no-one seeing’

‘We?’

The girl walked forward, and behind her caging a body