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"I wonder the sarowl "You are not the only one who has been kept in the dark"

"All right," Oliver said "Let’s go ask those questions, then"

He dressed quickly, grateful once again for the new clothes Coyote had supplied Hunyadi’s sword hung at his hip and he was surprised how quickly he had becoht and sway

Oliver opened the door and led Kitsune into the hall He went to the next room and rapped on the door

"Blue Jay won’t be there," Kitsune said "We were supposed to ether they went down the stairs Oliver quickened his pace, anger rising With all that they had been through together, the idea that Frost had been keeping secrets was infuriating His father had been horribly murdered His relationship with Julianna was in sha plans ruined His life was in constant peril Collette was in the hands of a e to try to save them, but he’d been less than completely successful If there were reasons behind all of this, Oliver deserved to knohat they were Hell, Kitsune deserved to know

His boots pounded the wooden steps Out thein the stairwell he saw the gorge spreading out below, coends traveled bridges and ladders; store awnings were unfurling; soods were unloaded All of that, he caught in a glance What was going on in Twillig’s Gorge mattered not at all Not now

"Frost!" he shouted as he reached the bottoan

His hands curled into fists He wasn’t listening Two govern to kill the Borderkind had set their sights on hi secrets? The time to be quiet was over

"Frost, where the hell are you?" he shouted

Behind the front counter, the innkeeper shot him a dark look and crossed his aruests nored hi the air, then went toward the tavern Oliver followed, but she stopped at the door, peering inside

"They’re gone," she growled When she turned, he saw the wildness had returned to her eyes The fox-woman bit off the words "Chorti, Cheval Bayard, Blue Jay, and Frost Just this one"

Kitsune slipped past hi his hand, electric to the touch She darted toward the front of the inn again and leaped up onto the counter The innkeeper snapped an angry curse and raised a finger to adrabbed hio?"

"Letat the man "When did Frost and the others leave?"

The innkeeper whimpered, but he opened his mouth to answer Before he could, however, another voice spoke up from the front door

"You’ve missed them by half an hour, I’m afraid"

Oliver and Kitsune both twisted round Wayland S stick in his hand If he had just entered, the door had made not a creak

S his eyes "You chose your path, fox"

All of the anger and tension went out of Kitsune Oliver watched in a her cloak fall around her, and bowed her head in deference

"As you say, uncle"

Wayland Sht that there are spies in the gorge There’s no telling how as did not order you to leave, you risk danger from myriad sources every moment you remain Even if there were no conspiracy, no Hunters, have you forgotten the price on your head? Word is spreading You ought to--"

Oliver snorted "You’ve got to be fucking kidding uy Frost was talking to, right?"

The fox-woan, as though to adht in his grip Oliver raised it, pointing the tip at the old Borderkind in punctuation

"Kitsune heard your little chat with Frost this h with secrets The Falconer was after endary want us dead You’re going to tell me what it’s all about, or I swear to God, I’ll take your fucking head off!"

"Oliver," Kitsune whispered "Don’t"

He stared at her "Don’t? My father had his eyes ripped out by the fucking Sand has my sister Come on, Kit, don’t you think I deserve to knohy?"

Wayland Sripped the fox-head of his stick and glanced at the innkeeper So about the look drew Oliver’s attention, and he saw that the innkeeper was looking back and forth between the to work out a puzzle

"Noait a moment," the man behind the counter whispered He pointed to S to keep it so quiet You clever prick"

Slance at Oliver "See what you’ve done?"

Then Wayland S the stick with its heavy, carved head, and brought it doith a sickening crack on the innkeeper’s skull

The ered back, crashed into the wall, and slid to the floor, unrasp "Oh, Christ What the hell did you do?"

Kitsune stepped up, fur brushing hiritted his teeth "Not without the truth"

"You’ll die here, then," Sray "You’ve said too much I killed the man for your own safety, but there’s a chance others overhear us even now And you cannot kno uessed, or who else he will tell to save his own skin Word will spread, the truth will out, and it will come to you eventually It’s safest for you if you do not know"

"Bullshit! If it concernsto tellthe walking stick warily Howht someone with such uncanny speed, not at close quarters

Wayland Smith removed his hat and set it on the counter Even as the bri Oliver raised the sword, parried his attack, then darted the blade forward Kitsune cried out, but Oliver could not hear her over his ol of rage All of his betrayal and fear went into his attack and he twisted inside Sh his shoulder, puncturing flesh and grinding against bone