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The girl s for the candy Rojer was not a tall man, but even he could keep it from the child’s reach "Motley!" she cried "Motley! Motley! Motley!"

Rojer flipped her the candy Her squeal of glee brought the attention of the other children, looking at him expectantly

He did not disappoint More candies were already hidden in his hand He gave a stage laugh to cover a heavy heart as he spun, nily into the hands of each

Their families bled for him, and he repaid thereat goldwood desk His giant fist bird feather as he scrawled soly endless stack of papers slid before hi Thamos had appointed the baron’s secretary

"Rojer!" Gared cried, rising immediately to his feet as he entered the office

"My lord," the secretary began

"Rojer’s got important business, Emet Yu’ll have to come back later" Gared looather his papers and whisk out of the roo his back to the out a breath as if he had just escaped a reap of field demons "Thank the Creator Ready to throw that whole desk out the , I had to sign one reat heavy desk and theseveral feet away If anyone alive could do it, it was Gared Cutter

Rojer grinned He always felt safer around Gared "Always happy to provide an escape frorinned "You coency, I’ll thank you for it Drink?"

"Night, yes" Rojer had drained the skin, but as slow Gared had developed a taste for Angierian brandy, and kept a bottle in his office Rojer lasses He was quick, and Gared didn’t notice as he drained one and refilled it before bringing thelasses and drank Gared took only a pull, but Rojer shot his, ency, sure enough"

"Ay?" Gared asked "Sun’s up and nothing’s aflame, so it can’t be too bad Let’s have a pipe and talk about it, before we’re off to ood as gold?"

Rojer shot the next glass, filling a fourth before coreat desk Gared took the other, packing his pipe Gared Cutter wasn’t one to put a desk between him and anyone else

Rojer took the offered leaf and packed his own pipe "You recall how I met Leesha in the hospit?"

"Everyone knows that story," Gared said "Start of the tale of how you ue "Remember you asked who put lass "It was the duke’s herald with the golden voice"

Gared’s face darkened instantly, like a father finding his daughter with a black eye He balled a meaty fist "He’ll be lucky if all the Gatherers in the Hollow can stitch hiether when I’m done with him"

"Don’t be stupid," Rojer said "You’re the Baron of Cutter’s Hollow, not the bouncer at S like that lie," Gared said

Rojer looked at him "Jasin Goldentone is the duke’s herald, the representative of the ivy throne in the Hollow "Anything you say to hi you do to hiave Gared a look that set even theCutter aback "Do you have any idea what the duke would do to you--to the Hollow--if you beat his ripping herald to death?"

Gared’s brow furrowed "So we should get someone else to do it?"