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He looked down at the grass

"Tell ly

He looked at her, his face burning with shaht not to let e He should never have trusted me, yet he did" He rubbed his eyes and stared back out over the lake "I would wander around the Abbey at night, stealing things A treat froood at keeping quiet, at skulking around in the dark At night, the grounds were ot older, I began to do worse things Spy on people I would break little pieces of theso that I could listen in on conversations I knehen all the learners were studying, and I would go through their belongings Sometimes I would steal from them I wondered if the Alderht ht I left Muirwood"

Lia saiting patiently for hirounds at night I knehat happened after dark I knehich learners stole away into the cemetary to kiss each other…and worse I knew the secret habits of the Abbey Who was brought in to see the Alderht to face punishment for their offenses" He closed his eyes "I knew ht for rew up in the kitchen You know that nearly everyone uses the e of the rear door and look in the s You and Soere little, but I would try and catch gliht, she was bathing" He shook his head, his face gri with shaood I had never seen hihts He knew all along what I was doing I thought I was being clever He would tell the Aldermaston, he said Worse, he would tell Martin…Martin – who I admired more than any man…who I loved as a father I was sick with sha I left with its scars on my face and in my soul…and hence my nickname" He clenched his hands into fists and trembled with the pent-up emotions "Of course, I turned the shame into accusation I could not live with myself It was the Aldermaston’s fault If he had let me train with Martin, then Jon would not have found ht about it, theabout the Abbey I left without co my years of service"

Lia felt pity for him She had never known No one had ever breathed the story, least of all Ailsa "Where did you go?"

"I wandered the Bearden Muir a little But I was good at sneaking around and stealing I went froers but oodonce and redom and then took it into my head to sell what I knew to the sheriffs I worked for Alrace the Aldermaston He hated Muirwood So did I Anytih the country, he would pay handsomely to know about it I did not care about what happened when I told I tried to ignore the whispers that they were being killed, one by one I knew the sheriff was a part of it and I hoped that so down Muirwood" His teeth clenched and he shook his head "Before Winterrowd, I was pretty good atto turn a profit Sell infor hunted Or to deliver a ed the Earl of Forshee…I knew I had soh I did not knoho it was He was not just ato gather in this Hundred I abandoned hiain But souer arrived to claione Oh, I was nearly killed for rounds but could not find where you had hidden him I was so afraid Jon would find me, I had to be very cautious So I went back to you, to trick you into revealing him Do you understand what the curse did to me? I could not speak! That was the way I earned my bread The way I deceived people I have spent a year not being able to speak The medallion was the only way I could communicate, but only those who used the Mediuhts"

"When we ri to killhis head violently "I knew you could freein the woods, the one you used to destroy Aluer, I knew you were powerful with the Mediuh to destroy the er When she discovered ’s army, she took control ofShe wantedyou to her I never wanted to hurt you, Lia Not when I kne much Martin cherished you I knew he did because he cried that night The night you were brought to him"