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It was a skull -- a very s Circle, Briar had studied anato He knew a human skull, however small, from a monkey’s

One by one, he picked up other bones thrown to the surface by the deodars’ surge A thigh bone, an arh that no tissue remained to keep them attached to one anther He also found a ball, and a silk scarf Who had buried a child’s re had the child been dead? Was this one of themore ordinary? Cemeteries, particularly the s up for new buildings, the bones placed elsewhere Or perhaps a servant’s child had died Briar knew that if he were dead he would rather be buried under trees than in Chammur’s hard sun

All the same, he didn’t order the plants to cover the bones, or the trees to open a hole so they could be tucked back into the earth Sorowing pines and draw a cypress oil protective circle around theers on his handkerchief and continue his walk

15

The stench of rotting rew as Briar approached the back of the house It was particularly strong in the corner where a stand of alreen thing on the grounds, were doing their best to outrace their proper growth, pitting slender trunks and roots against the wall It was giving way, pushing into the lane behind the house Inside the s trees, was a bloated, reeking body The clothes were blackened rags; a deep cut passed all the way around the neck, separating it into two parts The swelling was so great that it was iuess the sex of the body About a yard froone in decay that only scraps of skin clung to the bones A knotted cord hung around the neck

The stench of rotten flesh was so bad it made his stomach roll While he hadn’t been sure the child’s bones were a sign of al reasons why these newer bodies would be here, a dainty alardeners didn’t like the thought of walking on the dead when they did their work

Briar retreated froht into another pocket of stench, wafted into his nostrils by the mild breeze froest of Lady Zenadia’s gardens, he realized He wiped his sweaty forehead on his sleeve

Suddenly he froze His connection to Evvy pulsed: she was angry, furious A surge ofBriar without breath in his lungs He sent his power back, as if she were one of his foster-sisters, but it was no good She couldn’t even feel it, let alone use it Her ic was too different and notthat it was only because he had a little earth andmore than where she was

Fro stone It went on for a breath, then stopped A puff of dust rose in the air over the roof like sh their bond What he got back was savage satisfaction and a cale Whatever had taken place, she was pleased

A fresh series of ru to Briar The lady’s rasses on which he walked were not The mute had coht hand the boy slid a cloth bundle out of his kit, a special rasped a wrist knife

The bowstring settled around his neck, then wrenched cruelly tight, cutting off Briar’s air He tossed his suessed the ler’s cord The knife bit into his neck as it cut the bowstring -- Briar didn’t ain

He s bone crunch, then lunged away Turning to face his attacker, Briar coughed, his throat aching froripped knives in both hands

"How many of ‘eain "Did you like it? Did you have fun choking the thee his foot He didn’t even look at Briar

The second assailant didn’t try to be quiet Behind him Briar heard the hiss of a draord With his power he tapped the bundle he’d left between the mute’s feet, and faced the swordsleaht cast out here by indoor la closer to them Neither the man nor Briar risked a look to see what caused it

Instead the swordse of you, boy," he told Briar smoothly "I have reach and expertise"

Thea sound more animal than human He screamed a second time; the third cry broke off in the middle After that the only sounds were the rattle of branches growing rapidly, tearing flesh, and a sloet drip The swordsman could see it over Briar’s shoulder His eyes widened in horror

Briar didn’t turn He and Rosethorn had once defended Winding Circle froiven hiic to make the plants extra lethal A similar mix of seeds had been in the packet he’d tossed at the mute Now Briar told the swordso it took me and my three friends to work this bit" He had to raise his voice to be heard over the crunch of falling stone in the house "The trick is to h anybody on top of it" He grinned, showing teeth "I’ve learned a lot since then I can do it by myself"