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Big horse-draagons is rol in between there an the Palace

First the Tonton build a big platforher platforoin up to it They bring a massive chair from the Palace an use a pul ey an ropes to winch it up to the higher platforolden

With fancy carvin an studded al over with shiny stones

Jack says, Anybody sit in on that chair would have a fine view of proceedins below

D’you think they’re gonna go ahead with the cereh Pinch is dead?

It looks that way, he says

The Tonton wheel in two sets of stairs, one on each side of the big platforoes quiet fer a bit

Ike, Ash an Epona’s gone of with Eit in the first bit of our plan unnerway

Me an Jack got nuthin to do but wait An wait soest day of the year when it’s late enough to be dark but there’s stil soht Dark clouds scud across the sky The wind’s on the rise

I look up at the ht, I says

Almost midsurowin on onna come, I says Are they?

I don’t think we should count on ’eon’s rol in down the path from the stables to the platform The Tonton leap down They start unloadin it an carryin stu onto the platfors of sand Armloads of wood

They don’t look to be carryin no weapons, I says That’s strange An I thought you said there was dog patrols

They obviously ain’t expectin trouble tonight, says Jack But there’l be souards

There’s a rustle It’s Ike an Epona They’re back They crouch down beside us Ike’s grin flashes white in the gloom

There’s a rustle It’s Ike an Epona They’re back They crouch down beside us Ike’s grin flashes white in the gloom

Emmi an Tommo on their way to the ot of fine They’l wait fer us at the tire dump an hour’s ride north of here

Was Eood on a horse Did you--

She’s fine, Saba, says Ike Don’t worry

Yer sure they knohat they got a do? I says

I made Emmi repeat it three times, says Epona They wait fer us at the duht If we ain’t there by dawn, they take a big loop to the east an ive Hermes his head

An Ash? says Jack She’s at the stables?

Nearby, says Epona Wel out a sight They won’t have no idea she’s there She’l have the horses ready an waitin fer us Can I take a look what’s goin on down there?

I hand her the long-looker She trains it on the platform

What’s that they’re put in in the middle? Ike says, squintin

They’re spreadin out a circle of sand in theplatform, she says Looks like they’re makin a sandpit An they’re set in up a post in the middle of the circle

What, you er Tal er I wonder what that’s fer

Let me see, he says She hands hi moment, then lowers it He looks at ht size to tie a man to An a sandpit’s useful if you wanna make sure a fire don’t spread