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"Yes," the man said iing screen near the brazier and Lia walked to it and discovered several other garown She carefully withdrew the first da screen so it could dry by the fire Sweat ran down her cheeks

"Will you answerhis attention back "Will you please explain to ain why you will not marry the Lord Earl? Do you not care for hi

"You think hi for you? There are irl fro orders theine that? Being forced to er was forced to iven a choice! A chance for wealth A chance for power A chance to have children ill love you and adore you To be afor that? To be a ine holding that son or daughter in your ar its first cry?" The voice was ers she had never experienced before She slahts away because they distracted and ensnared They wove through the s But the threads were not pure in their intent

"He can give that to you," the man continued, his voice barely a whisper "Even joys and pleasures you do not coine holding the child Suckling his? Your baby Your own Will you not accept Lord Dieyre’s offer of , just a promise that you hen you reach Dahos for you hier a prisoner of the Crown He is not in rebellion against the throne, but a cha and an enemy of the usurper, Garen Demont You know this to be true He is the only one who can save you and thus save your brother Can you be so selfish?"

Lia looked at Marciana’s eyes She was tortured, exhausted, and weak How long had she been captive, living in the Stews, unable to knohat happened to those she loved? The air was perfu Lia was sure the cider had been treated with other herbs or had been allowed to spoil and strengthen its flavor The s with deftness and cruelty

"I ah She was begging

"Then drink the cider," caolden cup and offered it to her His back was to Lia as she started towards him stealthily

"Water," she pleaded

"Just a sip, to quench your thirst," he pro up the chalice

Lia pushed the dirk blade into his back She knew right where to stab, right where his air would spill out The fabric slit Blood bloo His neck jerked around, his silver eyes burning into hers, sending her into a daze of panicked emotions as he died In that instant, she could see into his frenzied thoughts, full of terror because the Myriad Ones would leave his body now

He slumped to the floor and Lia let him fall She lowered the shawl

Marciana looked at her, puzzled, confused Then her eyes widened with shock and horror "The kishion," she hissed "Behind you!"

Lia heard the body swing down from the rafters and fall like a sure-footed cat The kishion blocked the doorway leading out She realized, too late, that the man in the black cassock was not the kishion after all She realized also that her gladius was still in the basket

CHAPTER SEVEN:

Broken

"Oh Lia, he will kill us both!" Marciana whispered "He has not left me since Muirwood"

The hunter is patient The prey is careless Lia sed, trying to contain her fear She wished again, pointlessly, that Kieran ith her Herfor a way to shift the balance

"Stay behind ers in his hands He had the same dead eyes she had seen before, a s A scar ran down his left cheek His eyes were blue, his hair cropped short There was soed quality of his chin that told her he had survived hts and killed many – even women