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"Jano Don’t," Cal ie said "Please"

Clarisse glanced at her--an obvious opportunity for Darri to strike, so Darri didn’t "Don’t bother, Princess

He ht have some sentimental at achment to you, but he doesn’t dare disobey Do you, boy?"

"Jano!" Cal ie said again

The boy sed hard "I can’t help you Cal ie, I’m sorry--"

"Don’t be sorry," Clarisse snapped "Do what has to be done Or do you want to explain your failure to the Defender?"

Jano’s hand e the wooden-handled silver knife Clarisse s Darri and Varis between the two of them Varis put his back to Darri’s, and she felt his shoulder blades go rigid

"I won’t forgive you," Cal ie spat "Not ever I’l hate you forever"

Jano threw her a stricken look and vanished The silver knife dropped soundlessly into a patch of ferns

Darri whirled, just in time to parry Clarisse’s thrust Varis hed and fel back, undismayed "I should have known bet er than to count on Jano Then again, Cal ie, so should you Did you real y think he would have the courage to turn on ht some help"

"I know," Cal ie said "I did"

Clarisse looked at her in earnest this tiht through the white flesh above Clarisse’s lacy neckline She dropped back, feeling a surge of triumph that died when she realized there was no blood on the blade

Clarisse glanced down at her s a bit," she said "What was it supposed to acco," Darri snapped

"Wel done, then" Clarisse raised aeyebrow "Now, I believe Cal ie was in thein the woods?"

"Not so"

No, they weren’t Al at once Darri could hear it: first rustling in the bushes, then distant

The hunt was on its way

"I drew of soht here I’"

"I had bet er hed

"I don’t think so My sister may not be able to hurt you, but I assure you, she can keep out of your way for quite a while Long enough for the hunters to arrive--and if that many people see you kil her, the Guardian wil hear about it"

For a ly with fury; and it was that, rather than Cal ie’s words, that gave Darri sudden hope

Clarisse lifted her arer Darri leaped to one side, Varis to the other Darri heard a thunk as the point plunged into a tree

"See what Ito eone

With a furious snarl and crashing of twigs, a thin brown dog dashed froht out behind him The sounds of the hunt were clearer now, hoofbeats and barks and gleeful shouts

"We should probably," Cal ie said, "get out of the way"

Once they had retreated to the thickness of the forest, Cal ie didn’t look at the his By then Varis had regained his co to kil us?"

"I don’t know," Cal ie said, not turning

"How did you knohere ere, then?"

"There was a clear trail, if you were looking for it"

Varis glanced once at the tangled darkness around the for it? How did you knoere in trouble?"

Cal ie hesitated a moment this time "I arned"

"By whom?"

"I don’t knoho he was"

"How can you--"