Page 59 (1/1)

"I’ve got to get you to a healer," he told Mai, helping her to stand on her good leg "And then I’ve got to get home Are there healers nearby?"

Mai shook her head "I only know the ones around home, our old territory," she said "Besides, I haven’t any coin Look, Pahan Briar, you’ve done enough I don’t want you losing her because they used me Go find her"

Briar smiled crookedly "If you knehat my teachers would do to me, if any of theest such a thing I can find Evvy if need be Let’s go"

In the house on the Street of Hares, Evvy found plenty to do with Briar away She practiced her letters until she got bored, then leafed through the book of stones they were using, gazing in wonder at the colored illustrations She couldn’t wait to read what stone each beautiful picture represented, and tried to guess their narew tireso with a round of hematite from her stone alphabet

Was that a noise on the roof? She listened sharply, but heard nothing Suddenly wary, she put the hematite piece back into its pocket, rolled up the stone alphabet, and took it into the pantry Once it was hidden, she eht into a hand covered with smelly cloth It covered her face She clawed at whoever held it, but the fu darkness into her

It was a long, hard trip to the Water temple, with plenty of stops to rest At last Briar was able to turn Mai over to the Water teive her the best of care, and assured Mai that there was no charge After she gave hioodbyes to Mai He was about to go when so made him ask, "What will you do after this? Go back to the Vipers?"

Mai, pale-faced and sweating, shook her head "That’s a joke I’s Nobody kno to act any more My sister’s been after me to work in her cook-shop I’ll try that instead"

"If you don’t mind?" snapped the healer appointed to care for Mai "The sooner I treat her, the better she’ll feel You can talk later"

Briar wasn’t sure they’d have a later to talk in From the look on her face, Mai felt the same way "Walk carefully with the Vipers," she told him "Keep an eye out for the lady’s mute and the swordsman Especially the et behind people"

Briar saluted her and strode out of the infire kit over his shoulder Once outside, he sorted through his ical ties Here were Tris, Daja, and Sandry, his connections to them stretched over so ical vision Here were his bonds to Rosethorn and to Dedicate Crane back at Winding Circle Crane’s, too, was thinned by distance And here was Evvy’s, strong and steady Right now she was closer physically than even Rosethorn -- but she was not in the north and east, where the house was Her tie led south of his present position, in the direction of the Vipers’ den The tie was also ith Evvy’s rage She wasn’t frightened or in pain, but she was definitely angry

That riasping for air, and panicked Everything was black around her, black and lightless Had she been caught in a cave-in? But she always knehen stone was about to give way …

She tried to feel in front of her with her hands, to find they were tied together behind her back Her feet were tied as well Vipers, she thought, panicky and livid at the saht her at last

"She’s awake," a female voice called "I saw her thrash"

"Good," drawled another voice, ive her water," a second female said "You know sleepy juice dries your mouth"

"Females -- so tender-hearted Leave the blindfold on," the ic with"

Hands helped Evvy to sit up She felt a cup at her lips Ignoring the pain in her hands and arratefully slurped water until her belly was full When she finished, hands lay her down on her side again

They had cootten tohow ive hiain, she proht never see hiet her out of this -- if he could

Is that what I’ve learned in four years? she wondered, gnawing her lower lip Somebody else will come and help? Nobody helps me

Except Pahan Briar She had never known anyone like him, had never heard of anyone like hi, not like the pahans of the souks and stories He knehat it was like to be poor and afraid She could see it in his eyes

Am I a lily-footed princess of the iht, re She had always felt sorry for them because they couldn’t run from trouble Well, now she couldn’t run away, either, but she hated to think that Pahan Briar would learn she hadn’t done soht the Vipers