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To this, Spink htened his grip about Trist’s neck and one of his shoulders The sripped his orists to lock them around Trist’s neck and shoulder while Trist heaved and bucked beneath hiainst the floor and he kicked over two chairs as he struggled Every time Trist tried to pull a knee under himself to come back to his feet, Spink kicked it out from under him Both their faces were red

No bloere struck, save for a few flailing and forceless ones by Trist Watching Spink get a hold on him and then immobilize him reminded me of a battle I had once witnessed between a weasel and a cat Despite the difference in size, the weasel had quickly dispatched the cat before I could intervene Now Spink, despite his s hi out of wind; we heard hiize," he panted, and then, when Trist only cursed at hiize Not just for the ink but for the naht"

"Let him up!" Oron cried in a voice shrill as a wo forward as if to atte Spink off I stepped between them and him

"Leave them alone, Oron," I advised hiue us all year" Then I stood where I was to be sure he did so For an instant I half feared that he’d lift a hand to le on the floor of our study roo all nine of us, for Caleb had stepped forward to back Oron while Nate and Kort were rallying behind ht anyone Fortunately, Oron stepped back, glowering at me

"Don’t fret about it, Oron," Caleb sneered at me "Trist will finish him in a minute See if he don’t"

Trist thrashed about ht, set his jaw, and held on as grihter the arm around Trist’s throat Trist’s face went redder, his eyes bulged, and he gasped out a foul nahtened relentlessly, and then, "I give I give," Trist wheezed

Spink relaxed his grip, but not co breath before he spoke "Apologize," he commanded him

Trist was very still for a er breath I thought it was a trick and that he would resurudging voice

"Then apologize," Spink suggested calmly

"I just did!" Trist spoke into the floor, clearly furious that Spink continued to pin hinity pained him more than the choke hold

"Say the words," Spink replied doggedly

Trist’s chest heaved, and he clenched his fists When he spoke, it was only words with no sincerity behind the you Let ize to Gord, too," Spink persisted

"Where is Gord?" Rory suddenly asked I had been so caught up in the dra the coone!" Oron exclaione to report us, I’m sure of it That treacherous bastard!"

In the stunned silence that followed his accusation, we heard boot steps co hastily up the staircase It sounded likeanother world, Spink freed Trist and they both leaped back to their places at the study table The rest of us followed their example In less than two seconds ere all apparently busy at our studies Scattered pages and dropped books had been restored Save for Trist’s reddened face and ruht puffiness on the left side of Spink’s jae lookedhaplessly at the spilled ink and ruined book when Corporal Dent and our freckledon here?" Dent deot all the way into the chamber We made a fair show of innocence as we lifted our heads and stared at him in perplexity

"Corporal?" Trist asked hiave a furious look to our erstwhile lared around at us "There was an altercation here!" he asserted

"That was my fault, Corporal," Spink said earnestly He looked as if butter would not melt in his mouth "I’ve made a bit of a mess Knocked over my ink; fortunately, it’s only my own book and work that I’ve ruined"