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Lia’s hands treer orb Where is Edht Is he alive? The spindles spun and then pointed the direction of Muirwood Where is Marciana? she queried next The spindles pointed a different way - to the east Away froestow Her hope crumpled She had one last question for it Where is Dieyre?

The spindles straightened, pointing directly in the path they were going

Colvin studied her face, saw the flush in her cheeks

"We are sailing into a trap," Lia whispered "Dieyre awaits us"

The woods looked empty, but she kneas a deception Once they left the boat, the trap would spring

Colvin turned back to Pen-Ilyn "We cannot go this way Follow the current, but keep clear of the shore"

He looked at the? We are almost there"

"We will die if you leave us there Follow the water, along the shore"

"But…"

"Just do it!" Colvin snapped at hiritted his teeth, pulling even harder on the oars He had not changed direction The dock was getting closer

"What are you doing?" Lia demanded "Pen-Ilyn?" She saw the deterreat deal to wait for you and row you back But he will pay evenyou back to him What happens to you then is not my concern" His eyes leveled at Colvin "If you think you can knock ht be mistaken If you stand, I will jerk the boat and you will end up in the water Believe ainst your kind to murder He did not want you dead only captured Ah, I see them now"

Lia looked back at the shoreline and saw the horses e frohts lining the shore It was easy to spot Dieyre, so loose and confident in the saddle The er

"Please," Lia said, crossing one of the benches to get closer to Pen-Ilyn "You do not understand what is happening You do not knoe are"

"I do not have to know," he said back simply "Simply put, I would rather not Come no closer, lass If you reach for your blade, I will jerk the boat Then you will be swi"

Lia clenched her teeth "If he betrayed us, he will betray you as well He proh? Please, Pen-Ilyn I am Pry-rian, as you are So is she You cannot betray your own blood"

He snorted, but he did not stop pulling the oars "I am not an honest man I help people avoid the taxes I will ask for ht tries to stopthe heel of her palm into his nose Blood spurted as he flailed backwards He choked and ut and wrenched the oars away fro past Ellowyn to help and she thrust the oars at hih the blood He tried to sit up, but Lia shoved hi else, it will be you with the fishes," she threatened "Then you can swi west They will follow us along the coast, but once we reach the Bearden Muir, their horses will be a disadvantage to them and the boat a help to us There are ays that criss-cross the swaave her nearly made her blush She reached for her bow and pulled in an arrow fro boat and looked at the Earl of Dieyre atched the the bowstock, she let the arrow fly at hi As Colvin pulled on the oars and shifted the direction of the boat ard, she re, the bow held in defiance Dieyre did not move He only watched But she kneould hunt them

Lia knew all the rivers within the Bearden Muir The first one was called the Co it would be the first boundary that would seriously challenge Dieyre’s men The second was called the Brent and it ide and shallow During the winter, it flooded the lowlands thelittle islands that could only be connected by rafts or on horseback She wanted so that would reatest benefit was that it connected to the Belgeneck, the largest river in the Hundred – the one that formed one of the borders to Muirwood If they could pass the Coeneck, there would be no way that Dieyre could reach theh Their horses would need rest A boat did not