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And at precisely that moment, the moment when she realized the Mediu to bottle up, she saw the Alderaze up the ladder, and their eyes ht, she knehat he was thinking How a young girl just past her ninth nameday could understand a world-wise and world-weary Aldermaston did notNot the washed out graves and linens left behind It was knowing that she, a wretched of Muirwood, knehat had happened That it was a nition of her intrusion was shared then by Pasqua and Jon Hunter

"I ought to blister your backside, you rude little child!" Pasqua said, striding over to the loft ladder as Lia scra but a teeny mouse, all anxious for bits of cheese A rat is rabbed her scrawny ar at the Alder Pasqua and Jon Hunter She tried to tug her arht to read I want to be a learner"

Pasqua slapped her for that, a stinging blow "You evil little thing! Are you threatening the Alderer,Ungrateful, selfish…"

"Let her go, Pasqua, you are not helping," the Alderaze burned into Lia’s eyes "While I aht to read You greatly misunderstand your position here" The eyes narrowed "Five hundred loaves Tonight The food will help offer distraction" He turned to leave, but stopped and gave her one last look A sharp, threatening look "They would not believe such a story even if you told the his stock of pale white hair

Jon Hunter plucked a twig out of his hair and gave Lia another look – one that pro if she ever said a word to anyone – then followed the Alder She knehat those felt like too

Pasqua kept her and Sowe up all night, and by dawn their shoulders and fingers throbbed fro of loaves But Lia was not too exhausted, the next s fro it to a stout length of string, she wore it around her neck and hid it beneath her clothes

She never took it off

CHAPTER TWO:

Knight-Maston

Four years passed The Aldermaston was true to his word and Lia was true to hers She never told anyone about the floating stone, or the alcove she and Sowe had discovered in the hillside, or the ce outside reo Instead of sleeping in the loft with Sowe, she tried to get comfortable on the floor near the oven where it arrounds, and even the thick stone wall thrules in the roof, and the plunk plunking on the mats kept her awake She was not certain ould be worse, grabbing a few pots to catch the water and listening to the deep blooping sound or craainst her ears to ainst the double doors, and for athe news of the landslide She sat up fast enough to graze her head against the planks of the trestle table nearby The sound was loud, like when Getmin or Ribbs shoved a barrel full of beans into place She heard a fehispers and curses just outside the door, which meant it was likely a pair of learners Sorounds, but feere courageous enough to brave the Aldermaston’s personal kitchen On quiet bare feet, she padded over and grabbed a skillet fros, a wide flat one made of iron A heavy wallop on the head was usually all it took to scare away a learner

"Here we are," a man’s voice whispered "Easy there, lad Letstill Let me see if the kitchen is open"

The handle rattled and shook

"Locked Won’t be able to cross the river again if I stay here h the crack and struggled against the crossbar,Lia skip back and aith shock Learners did not carry daggers!