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Kip heard the words, but suddenly they lost , blew apart into irrelevance The art on one of the white cards was different than he’d re miniature portraits of all the cards, he sier: white, veined with black, with seven colorless geiven hi in Andross’s ear, Kip looked up quickly

"Hellfang," Andross Guile said "You’ve seen it Not the card The real one"

It was a shot right in Kip’s big soft sto about?"

"Hellfang is its other name Marrow Sucker The Blinder’s Knife You’ve seen it I’, but he realized the last part wasn’t to him Grinwoody said, "He junition" He ness in his voice

He’d been set up Andross Guile had been playing hiames all this time simply to lure Kip into a false sense of security, complacency Kip had played the White deck twice now, and the card had never coain so that Kip would be off guard when it did All that tiive an honest, startled reaction if he had seen the knife before It had all been a trap

"We’ll talk more, when you’re ready," Andross Guile said "I know your ive it to Gavin, itimate I want to knohere it is and what irl Think about it Not only will you get someone to warm your bed, which, face it, you have no hope of otherwise, but also a drafter’s contract is worth a lot of money over the course of her life Your tuition has been paid, but you have no other inco some scraps froar Otherwise, tendering her services is the only way you’ll be able to keep fro to find a sponsor yourself All for a few bits of inforardless If I learn it fro"

Kip was out of his depth Playing his wits against Andross Guile was like playing Nine Kings with only two cards against an expert with a full deck Kip’s cards were Ignorance and Stupidity Not winners

"I’ll see you in a week," Kip said "Have Teia’s papers ready I intend to win"

Chapter 50

As soon as Kip got out of sight, he ran He took the stairs down to his level and ran until he ithin sight of his barracks

There was aoutside the barracks "Hello, sir," he said as Kip approached

"Uh"

"I’ve been told to tell you that Lord Andross Guile wishes to reward you for your fine play You’ve been given your own roos have already been moved Would you like to follow nificent He’d just played a Scry and looked at Kip’s hand For one moment, Kip couldn’t help but adh all of Kip’s possessions than by helping hi a better roo he’d done all day He went upstairs--without o into the barracks and check to see if the dagger was still in the chest five beds down If they’d stolen it, it was already gone If it was still there, he’d only be tipping thee, but it did have a bed with new sheets and a warm blanket, a desk, a couple of chairs, and a smallto the outside There was a lock on the door The servant handed him a key Nice touch

The people most likely to steal from him doubtless already had a copy

"Thank you," Kip said "Tell Luxlord Guile I was left speechless by his generosity Tell him nice Scry"