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Heavens, even her usually conservative aunts had raptures over their visits, delighting over gifts of flowers and scarves and candies The two , and everyone in the clan loved and respected the attitude of Sacoridia toward such pairings, but so long as the couples lived as productive and law-abiding citizens, their presence appeared to be er community

The difference with Trudy was that Karigan had never been approached—propositioned—before Even just thinking about it caused warmth to creep into her cheeks

As if Trudy kne she disconcerted Karigan, she laughed softly “You should see your expression”

“I’d rather not, thank you” Karigan could only guess Did she look like a deer staring down a hunter’s arrow?

“If anything,” Trudy said, lad of your life and your wonderful father You know, it could’ve been you on the streets as easily as ods allotted us different fates But they didn’t, and here we are crossing paths anyway”

The two left room thirteen, and paused in the corridor

“Remember,” Trudy said, “if you want old is alelcome”

As Trudy strode down the corridor, laughter trickled back to Karigan In so her squiriven herabout the gods and how different her life was from those orked in the Golden Rudder, and it made her thankful for her father—truly thankful for the kind of man he was despite his taste for brothels, and even thankful she was a Green Rider when she could have been destined for a far less savory existence

She did not blarounds, like Trudy’s, had forced them into the “trade” She decided the blame lay on those who used brothels After all, without demand, there’d be no brothels It was one of the first tenants of an learned from her father

Ironically, her father was one who helped create deive hie it

The next , Silva, Rona, and Zem stood in the courtyard between the stable and the inn for Karigan’s and Fergal’s leave-taking Fergal said little to Karigan over breakfast, but she assumed he intended to continue the journey ith her and not return to Sacor City As they led their horses from the stable, Silva stepped forward

“Rean dear, you are alelcome beneath my roof”

“Thank you,” she replied in a subdued tone, though she knew she would never willingly find herself this close to the Golden Rudder again But Silva had been very generous and kind, expecting nothing in return for room and board “I…I appreciate your help”

Silva sed and the Riders were leading their horses out of the courtyard when an upstairs gableflung open It was Trudy, and she waved a handkerchief at them

“Good-bye, Karigan! Thank you for the wonderful tihter issued from behind her and she slammed theshut

Karigan’s —nothing happened”