Page 10 (1/2)

Frost nodded, his enthusiaslish, I believe Not as well known in modern times as the Sandman But the Dustman is Borderkind as well, and just as powerful"

"But he doesn’t go aroundout their eyes?" Oliver ventured

"No, he doesn’t" Wayland Smith smiled "That’s an excellent idea, Frost If the Dustman could be convinced to help--"

"Yeah," Oliver interrupted, "but how do I do that? How do I even find him?"

Blue Jay put his hand on Oliver’s shoulder "You sleep,to the legend, the Dustman is a nursery spirit Which means you’d need to be in a nursery, with a child," Wayland Smith said

Cheval Bayard seemed to notice Oliver for the very first ti face, alland at the tiested

"Why not?" Oliver said "It’s on the way I just wish there was a quicker way to get to Collette It’s a long trip back to the Truce Road"

Wayland S at them intently "But of course there’s a quicker way The Sandman’s castle doesn’t exist in only one location It’s in many places at once, all of the time In Euphrasia, both east and west, in Yucatazca, and beyond the Two Kingdoms as well There is a nearer Sandcastle, to the east, and a Winding Way that will take you there even more swiftly than an ordinary road"

Kitsune shifted in her chair, studying S Way Ordinary men--"

Wayland Smith arched an eyebrow "You’ve seen this with your own eyes, little cousin?"

"No But I have heard--"

"It is your best and fastest course, whether the Winding Way will take you there or not You kno to reach it, frohtfully

"Well, then," Sh the matter was settled And apparently it was, for Kitsune did not argue further

Oliver sat back and glanced around, pleased to have a plan, and to know that he was not going to be traveling alone after all He could not recall ever feeling as grateful to anyone as he did to Kitsune at that moment Yet when he looked at Blue Jay, and then at Frost, he felt a terrible loss

Frost had brought him into this, but purely by accident They had relied upon one another, entrusted each other with their lives They had beco to be difficult to say good-bye

"I just wanted to say--" he began

Coyote shouted and leaped onto the table The Borderkind were all in motion at once Chairs crashed over as they stood, ready to defend thes scraping the floor, and he reached to his waist, only to find that he’d left the sword in his room

At the end of the table, Chorti threw his arms up and bared his razor-blade teeth in a snarl as he flashed his claws, ready

But it wasn’t the wild man that Coyote was after The only one of thean to chatter in his terrible, guttural tongue The rangy Coyote dove at the frog, fur growing on the back of his neck, bristling along his ar as it beca tensed as though it was about to leap

Coyote struck it with his body, drove it down to the floor, and then thrust his snout into its fleshy neck He tore Tlatecuhtli’s throat out, spilling bright green ichor onto the floor, spraying his ?" Blue Jay cried

"Take hi The rip Coyote thrashed but could not free himself

"You idiots! Don’t you pay attention?" Coyote howled "The frogs Stop the to pull her away fro-thing’s sickly pale belly--vertical lips that disgorged a ser than his hand And then another And a third

They were headed for the door, others for the s Several hopped toward the darkening corners of the roo for an exit that way

"It’s a spy!" Oliver shouted "Don’t you understand? You can’t let theusting chaos

In the end, they thought they had ed to destroy all of the traitorous Borderkind’s spawn, but they were not certain Not certain at all Even if the Nagas had not ordered the, they would not have been able to risk reer

At dawn, they had to leave

Though he had slain Tlatecuhtli for theht well have spared them a confrontation with the Hunters, the rest of the Borderkind shunned Coyote as thedrew to a close He bid a so the others, and was the first to leave the tavern

Chorti and Cheval agreed to meet Frost and Blue Jay in the foyer of the inn at sunup, then departed Wayland Smith promised Kitsune and Oliver that he would return an hour before dawn to see them off, and then he also took his leave

At the bottoathered, perhaps for the last tian

Frost tilted his head, a sled features Outside, dusk had arrived, and it was a fading light that glearatitude now, Oliver," Frost said, and his blue-white, frozen diamond eyes narrowed "We are coh Comrades, come what o, we are brothers in arms"

Oliver could not speak The winter man was not one for sentiment, and he found himself absurdly touched by Frost’s words

Blue Jay clapped him on the shoulder "Until dawn, Oliver Sleep well"

"You, too"

"Blue Jay, a word, if you will," Frost said