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I could do all that, he thought Or I could give hiive this sniveler what for, and she could use cheering up

He grinned, showing all of his teeth "I wish you would reconsider," he suggested, his rin "If a member of one of those councils knew of this, you could find yourself in trouble"

Jebilu’s face twitched as he thought quickly; Briar wondered as going through that selfish brain "Here" The older h his robes until he found a purse in his sash Opening it, he counted out coins: three gold chao to Winding Circle and to cover her fees for a year or two If she spends it carefully she et a wardrobe out of it -- No," he interrupted himself, "people like that simply have no notion of econoold ones "Sheto Winding Circle," he told Briar, holding up a warning forefinger "My good nature may be is, or fancy clothes, or drink, she will get no more So" He tucked the purse away and crossed his hands over the bulge of his stomach "I have been e That this festering slug would judge a girl he’d not so ainst four years’ worth of barriers and controls, begging for hies of thisaround his flesh The vines in his hands rippled and twisted, looking for an exit The trees and flowers in the garden just outside begged to come in and shoever had hurt their friend

When the servant rapped on the door and opened it, Briar’s concentration snapped Give him to Rosethorn, he ordered himself She needs a bloorse than you do He slammed a lid on his power before it could escape, reminded the vines in his skin that they had no woody stems to support thearden Only when he’d done all that, hard and fast so his green friends and his poould re servant tell Jebilu, "-- required in the Pink Audience Cha," Jebilu replied, struggling to his feet "This pahan was leaving" He waddled out as quickly as his tiny feet would take him

The servant eyed Briar uncertainly "My lord pahan?" he inquired cautiously "Shall I bring your horse?"

"Why bother to ask?" Briar wanted to know "His royal roly-polyness just told you I was going" He strode out of the roo worse The servant, who looked as if he et Briar’s e started to fade When he could think, he realized he’d forgotten soer flared again, equaled by horror with himself Why hadn’t he taken it? He should have It had been a bribe, after all, for hi it did not ested, send Evvy to Winding Circle He could put it in his own purse Once he would have kept the coins without worry, and told hiht he was past these e, smashed into Roach, the Hajran street rat and convict he’d once been Even Briar Moss understood the value of e life hadn’t destroyed that for him! He could have kept it for Evvy, and be repaid for the bribes and the clothes

But he hadn’t taken it He’d left it there, so furious at the insult to Evvy that he’d refused to touch it Had he lost hiswhose honor had been offended! He would just walk back in there and take the money It would still be on the table unless someone entered that room Just a few steps Evvy would be better off, and he would be so the wall outside Jebilu’s palace roorip on hio back for the coins As he listened to the oranges’ praise of sun, soil, and the palace gardeners, Briar’s sizzling nerves cooled Plants had no concept ofmade plants crazy He petted their stems and leaves, and calmed down

When he heard the clop of hooves, he knew the servant had come with his horse It took Briar a h it the servant held the horse, gazing at his feet, as if well dressed boys talked to plants every day Briar gave hio home and have a chat with Rosethorn

He returned his horse to the stable, ood rubdown and an extra ration of oats Walking down the Street of Hares, Briar ondering if he ought to visit the souk when ot his attention

A girl sat on the roof of the home directly across frohbors had seen their daughters in trousers, not skirts, they would have beaten the rebellious girls and kept theot such folly Briar also doubted that any of their girls kne to twirl a dagger on one finger

He wandered idly to that side of the street, acting as if he hadn’t seen the watcher, and turned down the lane to the souk Yesterday he’d noticed ladders to the roofs along the lane; today he used one to clamber up to the road that Evvy used so freely