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"Been like this all night?" Selia asked, frowning

"Ay," Jeph said

Selia sighed and put her hands on her knees, pushing to her feet She took the knife, and then turned and ushered everyone out of the roo the door

"Seen this before, after de "Survivors getoff into the air"

"Will she get better?" Ilain asked

"Sometimes they snap out of it in a few days," Selia said "Soed "Won’t lie to you, Ilain Bales This is the worst thing ever happened in Tibbet’s Brook as far back as I can recall I’ve been Speaker on and off for thirty years, and seen a great many folk die before their tier That kind of thing may happen in the Free Cities, but not here"

"Renna couldn’t have…!" Ilain choked, and Selia took her shoulders, gentling her

"That’s why I was hoping to talk to her first, dear, and get the story frolanced at Raddock "The Fishers have co for blood, and they won’t be satisfied without it, or a good explanation"

"We got reason," Raddock growled "It’s our kin dead"

"Case you ent noticed,at him

"All the more reason to want justice," Raddock said

Selia hissed, and everyone fell silent She held the bloody knife out to Tender Harral

"Tender, if you’d be so kind as to wrap this and hide it in your robes till we get to town, I’d be grateful" Harral nodded, reaching for it

"What in the Core you think you’re doing?" Raddock shouted, snatching the knife before the Tender could take it "The whole town’s got a right to see this!" he said, waving it around

Selia grabbed his wrist, and Raddock, outweighing her twice over, laughed until she drove her heel down on his instep He howled in pain, letting go of the knife to clutch his foot Selia caught it before it could hit the floor

"Use your head, Lawry!" she snapped "That knife’s evidence and all have a right to see it, but not with two dozen ht The Tender ent gonna steal it"

Ilain fetched a cloth, and Selia wrapped the knife, giving it to the Tender, who stowed it safely in his robes She gathered her skirts and strode outside, back arched and head up high as she faced the gathered ered their spears

"She’s in no condition to talk," Selia said

"We’re not looking to talk!" Garric shouted, and the Fishers all nodded their assent

"I don’t care what you’re looking to do," Selia said "No one’s doing anything until the town council meets on this"

"The council?" Garric asked "This ent so attack! She murdered my son!"