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"Colvin," Marciana said in a pleading voice "I do not want you to go Think of the danger I know you feel your duty here, but please You are an Earl of the realht now"

"Listen to her," Dieyre said, folding his arms "You will not last two days in Pry-Ree They will kill you" But his expression o

"Iat Marciana "Edestoill hold for Demont Either way, he needs to knohat happened to his niece" He sighed deeply "If I ao and return that quickly" He looked into Lia’s eyes hopefully "Will you take oing alone? She kne stubborn he could be He had already made up his mind If anyone could keep him safe in Pry-Ree, she knew that it was her with the orb Just as she had done before

"We had better rest now," she replied "We will get little there"

CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE:

Blight of Pry-Ree

The boat as Lia expected him to be – about the same size and build as Colvin He was talkative in a way that ht-lipped as Sowe He and his wife shared in tales and business as he rowed, back straight, ular repetition After learning his fahts, he was in no ht the family on board as he rowed Better to lose any of the trinkets in the house than to lose any of his precious brood He spat and cursed the Queen Dowager’s nan ways

Lia and Colvin sat in the prow of the boat as it sliced through the waters towards the distant shore of Pry-Ree With Pen-Ilyn unable to stop talking, they had no ti the with food and a blanket Colvin had purchased clothes from the boatman and looked more like a commoner than a noble froinnings of a beard, re her of their trek to Winterrowd She even studied the puckered scar at his eyebrow and felt the forbidden urge to touch it Blushing, she looked away

Pen-Ilyn turned his head and spoke louder He had an accent, but he spoke both languages well "There is a little island called Steep Holm in the waters over yon So weary, or if there is a storm, I shelter there until it passes If I wanted to, I could row to Pry-Ree and back twice each day It is not sotired If you keep a steady pull on the oars, it becomes a rhythm, like a flute I wish I could flute and row at the same time, but I cannot"

"If you fluted, papa, ould pull the oars?" asked his oldest daughter, Blodyn

"Which is an excellent question How about you blow the flute for irls make the journey with me, if their mother can spare them I usually only estow road and they knohere I a Even though I do not have any nets I could buy so is any better?"

Lia looked at Colvin who looked as if he had a headache fro?" Lia asked "Is there a town?"

"I cannot say with any certainty which direction they were off to, but the haer town is Caerdeth It is the port that trades with Bridgestow There is a garrison castle where the sheriff lives He stays indoorsin his neck That happens sometimes in Pry-Ree Maybe they went to the castle first It is not a far walk from Enarth"

Colvin smirked She doubted Martin would take Ellowyn to one of the king’s castles in Pry-Ree Pen-Ilyn talked more about flutes, the wool trade, tax collectors, sheriffs, the price of Muirwood cider, fishing, stor, Lia’s es of the s powerful Marciana clutching Colvin in a tight hug, tears running down her cheeks as she said goodbye She had received a hug herself that nearly choked her with intensity and a whispered, "Do not let anything happen to hiue of Dieyre had frightened away his a Colvin he would see his sister safely to Bridgestow As they left, Marciana crying on Ed them with a mixture of odd sy thinly veiled advice on how to stay warue, recollecting just how tactless Dieyre was Lia watched them mount horses as the oars dipped into the choppy water, saw them pose near the shoreline and wave Edestow and await their return after Marciana was safe away