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Mr Starling quivered, setting his jowls a-jiggle "Yes, yes, of course it is, and I would not want an a questions indiscried to not reveal Karigan’s true identity Let thean was really the professor’s frail, mad niece This little he could do So very little, but it was so

"My family," Luke said "What of ers, if that is orries you No, I do not have any new ones to show you" Mr Starling paused thoughtfully "Must be hard for a farrier to ithout all his fingers In any case, if you continue to cooperate, he’ll keep what’s left, and he and the rest of your family will remain safe Can’t say the same for the rest of your associates in Mill City, however"

Luke bowed his head He didn’t want to know the particulars He could guess

"That’s right," Mr Starling continued "Justice will be ht, and the feeble rebellion squashed"

Was it true? Luke wondered Had everyone been caught?

"Carry on, Mr Mayforte," the Inquisitor said

Luke hesitated "You will go easy on therave, won’t you?"

"Go easy on the "Harlowe has fomented rebellion I can see you are fond of hio easy on hihter increased Luke’s misery, but back in Mill City, with the corpses of his lads at his feet, he’d been given an ultimatum: if he did not deliver Cade to Dr Silk in Gosshahters, his son, would all be imprisoned, and probably worse Luke did not care what happened to hi Cade or his fa about the planned rebellion, but so far his betrayal had kept his family safe Under house arrest, yes, but safe

"What about Miss Goodgrave?"

Mr Starling shrugged "None of my business Dr Silk is interested in her, that’s all I know You are excused"

As Luke left, the Inquisitor reached across the table for his cold, uneaten an had to pretend that she was a boy and there was nothing between her and Cade, she enjoyed sitting beneath the ainst the tree trunk He lay on the shady grass with his hands behind his head, gazing at the interwoven branches above, or perhaps daydrea leaves Their silence was comfortable, more comfortable, actually, than it had ever been before