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His look was thunderstruck "I never suspected you"

"Why would you have? I have received all ofto Muirwood The Medium wanted justice for all the dead mastons, for the dead of ed to the Alderis has been accusing the Alder he can to shelter me since then, to keep the secret hidden from the world That is my last secret Now you know more about me than anyone else"

She wanted to to confess her love, but found her feelings surged so intensely she could not find her voice She shook her head, trying not to cry She always cried in front of hi back at him, she said, "You look tired I will take the first watch"

"Should we light a fire?"

She shook her head "Not yet If the cold gets unbearable, I will light it This is a good shelter"

"Very well Then good night, Lia," he whispered, looking at her arht froer orb The darkness was thick and intense She could hear the sound of hi out on a blanket on the hard charcoal ground As the hispered outside, the groaning of the lihtfully, patiently, until she heard his breath come in an even, shallow measure He was asleep She knew the sound and it was coht about candlight – just a little Just enough to see hi her, his face relaxed – at peace The hint of a smile was on his mouth

Leaning over hi to the sound of his breath She touched his eyebroith the scar, as light as a butterfly "Good night, my Colvin," she whispered

CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN:

Grey-Rank

Colvin’s hand squeezed Lia’s shoulder and she caround was so black and then the events of the night returned Rolling on her back, she looked up at hih her rucksack until he withdreo Muirwood apples He looked at them both, chose one, and handed the more pock-marked one to her The one that would be sweetest

She accepted the apple as she sat up, brushing so have you been watching ht enough to see He should have woken her earlier

He did not answer, only gave her a smile that made her insides lurch

She raised the apple to her nose and srateful that their conversation was not just a drea It was as if a thousand butterflies battled inside her Opening her eyes, she bit into the fruit and it was as delicious as she anticipated "I never groeary of Muirwood apples," she said "I have eaten hundreds over my life They must be from Idumea"

Colvin raised his apple to his nose, his eyes scrutinizing hers as he s you enjoy them"

They ate in silence and then shook out their blankets and rolled thehtly They each pondered howEllowyn, and what dangers they would face Even with so h with silence, sneaking glances at each other as they stowed the blankets and slung the rucksacks over their shoulders

As Lia reached for the orb, a roar sounded in the woods that stopped her cold It was a keening sound, a sound that went straight down her spine and s in the Bearden Muir, she had never heard a beastinto the woods, his hand on his sword hilt "What sort of creature was it?" he muttered

Lia’s heart froze with fear The sound was enorrowl of bears and wolves She knew the piercing cries of elk that sounded sochild as well as the shrill noise of falcons and eagles This was sohing chuckle, like dogs on a hunt The throaty sound of soe animal

"I do not know it," Lia said "Best if we leave" She withdrew the orb and su a safe path off the irl in her ain, closer Her heart leapt with fear and the orb faltered for a moment Then the spindles showed the way