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Everyone at the breakfast table froze, looking at the door The apprentices had long since eaten and were bustling about serving breakfast to the patients, leaving Jizell and the others alone in the kitchen

It see minutes passed in stillness, but in truth it could not have been more than seconds before Mistress Jizell looked up at the to her feet, "I’d best see to that The rest of you keep your seats and clean your plates Whatever the duke wants, it’s best you not handle it on an ehtened her dress and strode out to the door

She had not been gonehis back to the wall next to the doorway to listen in

"Where is he?!" a man’s deep voice barked when Jizell opened the door Rojer crouched low and tilted his head to peek around the door fra little more than his eye and a strand of red hair A tall, powerfully built ht lacquered arilded spear strapped across his back, and his breastplate was e-jawed face immediately

Rojer turned quickly to the others "Duke Rhinebeck’s brother, Prince Tha his eye back around the frahness," Jizell said, sounding more bemused than threatened, "you’ll have to be more specific"

"Don’t toy with er in Jizell’s face "You knoell--"

"Highness, please!" a high male voice cut the prince off "There’s no need for this!"

Ahis arms between theer away from Jizell’s face He was in many ways the exact opposite of the prince, small and uncomely, with a bald crown and a pinched face His lank black hair was long, falling into his high collar, and his thin beard drew to a point at his chin His wire-fra his eyes seem like two tiny black dots

"Lord Janson, the duke’s first lanced at the ht strike hilanced at Jizell, then back to the small man, but his stance eased, and after a e"

"My apologies for the…urgency, Mistress Jizell," the first , "but anted to arrive before your…ah, guest had a chance to ed a leather paper case to his chest with one hand and pushed his glasses back up his nose with the other

"Guest?" Jizell asked Prince Tharowled

"Flinn Cutter," Janson said Jizell looked at him blankly

"The…ah, Painted Man," Janson said Jizell’s look becauarded

"He is in no trouble, I assure you," Janson added quickly "His Grace the duke simply wishes rant an audience"

There was a thump, and Rojer turned from the door to see the Painted Man rise froht, h the doorway

Janson looked over at him, and his nose twitched "Rojer Inn," he said more than asked

"I’ as the others followed him out of the kitchen