Page 4 (2/2)

"I haven’t said an "I’m sure in your heads you’ve created every sort of speculation, from the likely and plausible to the wild and impossible What I have in mind is closer to the latter of those"

Tobias sat up straighter I already disliked hih there had been far more time for me to learn to dislike Roden

"I can’t deny there’s danger with my plan," Conner said "If we fail, there will be terrible consequences But if we succeed, the rewards are beyond your iination"

I wasn’t sure about that I could i rewards

"In the end, only one of you can be chosen I need the boy who proves himself to be the closest fit withand very specific"

Tobias raised his hand A sign that he’d been educated At the orphanage I came from, a person only raised a hand if he was about to hit someone with it "Sir, what is your plan?"

"Excellent question, Tobias, but it’s also a very secret plan So what I’d like to do first is offer any of you the chance to leave now You ret or cowardice I’ve been very up-front about both the danger and the rewards If you don’t feel that this is for you, then this is your opportunity to leave"

Roden looked at me I arched my eyebrows in response He wanted ht then, except for a nagging voice inSo I kept still

Latamer raised his hand Not because he’d been trained to, but because it had worked for Tobias "Sir, I think I’d like to leave I’m not fit to compete with these other boys, and frankly, I’reat rewards" Apparently, the nagging voice hadn’t visited Latamer’s head

"Certainly you on "Why don’t you get back in there and I’ll have Cregan drive you to the nearest town"

"Tonight?"

"The rest of us have ht now"

Lataetic sood-bye to him, and wondered, like I’m sure Roden and Tobias did, if it’d be smart to make the same choice Conner hadn’t said ould happen to the boys he didn’t pick for his plan Nor just how dangerous things et

Then I realized whatto tell on Where was Cregan?

I stood and yelled, "Lataave Lataon His eyes widened as he sahat I had sensed An arrohooshed pastand fell backward on the ground, dead

With a furious cry, I leapt toward Cregan, as still partially hidden in the shadows behind us, and tackled hian went for the knife at his waist, but one hand still held the bow he’d used to kill Lataot the knife first With an’s, I started to crawl off hied at an took a deep breath, then sat up and easily wrested the knife fro I don’t knohat I would’ve done with it if Mott hadn’t stoppeda taste of dirt into my mouth

Conner knelt beside me and lowered himself so that I could see his face His voice was eerily calet better, and I think he proved a good lesson for the rest of you Now you can get up and rejoin the other boys, or you can take a wagon ride with Latamer It’s your choice"