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The sound of sudden commotion in the house caused a lot of attention, except the two soldiers approaching were not deterred They were following the footprints closely,at the trampled leaves She could see their shadows and hear the crunch of their boots as they closed in on where she was hiding Her h the options Where were Colvin and Dieyre? How close were they behind her? Had they seen Marciana orse?

The co crashed and cracked

"He has a maston sword!" someone roared "He stabbed Kelton!"

"A maston?" shouted the other man The one she assumed was the leader With a voice full of hate and bitterness, he said savagely, "Fetch hied inside of her She felt strength and cal a voice just beyond the nest of witch hazel "I see her! Running with the children!"

There was no more ti from her crouch, Lia lifted her bow The first sentry was hardly five paces away from her when the arrow sank into his heart It nearly went all the way through hirunt, she had another arrow on the string The Daho up to try and ward off the blow as the second arrow loosed and he too cru in her ears, Lia drew another shaft fro

"Most people ebb and flow in torment between the fear of death and the hardship of life; they are unwilling to live, and yet they do not kno to die Rehearse death To say this is to tell a maston to rehearse his freedom A person who has learned how to die has unlearned how to be a slave to fear He is above, or at any rate, beyond the reach of all political powers"

- Gideon Penman of Muirwood Abbey

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR:

Distant Shores

The two knights had fallen without a sound Lia rushed across the clearing to the house in aofin close quarters Edmon was outnumbered She knew they would hack him down because he wore the sword of a maston – just as the sheriff’s men had killed his brother

"From the woods, an archer! A Pry-rian!" came a cry of alarm

Lia rounded the side of the house into a mass of soldiers, clustered near the door to witness the execution Lia could tell the leader – his hair was shocked with gray, his beard peppered with black He had the co and butchery Her next arrow brought him down

Complete chaos ensued

"Get her! Kill her!"

"No, it is the Abbey hunter!"

"Watch her bow!"

Two of the men broke and ran The rest raised their swords and rushed at her Lia sent another linting blades She had to run – there was no way to stand against sointo the et to Ed boots behind her and she whirled, ready to bring down the other knights she kneould be closing in behind her Before she loosed the arrow, she recognized Colvin and Dieyre Behind thee of the woods were sprawled on the ground Colvin charged like a crazed wolf, sword high in the hand, his eyes terrible with anger, his face contorted into a snarl

"Back to the woods!" he snapped at her as he rushed past, thrusting hi through the mass of bodies Dieyre’s look was equally fierce, his step just slightly behind as he too charged into the mass of men Lia backed away from the conflict, the sudden flail of bodies and spatter of blood For a ht likearound so fast and deadly, the surprised knights stuh they had more numbers Another ran and Lia shot him down before he could reach the horses

Then she ree thrust the ap in the doorway She nearly tripped over the corpse of the leader, and went inside, blackened with soot s wrist Edht above him with a naked sword

Lia raised the bow and felled hi the wounded one As she reached in the quiver, her fingers one, still attached to her saddle Furious, Lia screaladius