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Teligmar! Now the small mountains Estora had seen made sense, and she finally had an idea of where she was As for who Karigan expected to see? She did not explain

“Naturally I was suspicious of the note,” Karigan said, “so I al and I arrived well before dawn We scouted the area out, and expecting possible trouble, we established this as our hiding spot We then returned to the crossroads on foot and hid ourselves and waited The rest you know” She paused, deep in thought “I’ve no idea what ga played, or what part Lord Mirwell has in it, but it is clear to me Mirwellton is no safe haven for you We will have to find refuge for you elsewhere”

Karigan hardly finished her sentence when Condor whickered, followed by the sound of rocks clacking outside Karigan leaped to her feet, sword bared, and faced the cave entrance

Estora rose, not sure what to do Was this Sarge or one of histo reclaim her? Had they been found already? She wilted back to her rock in relief when a young ainst the rock wall breathing hard, his hair tousled Estora relaxed even an sheathed her saber

“Where have you been?” Karigan derieved and happy to see him

The young al, entered the cave and found a rock of his own to sit on “Up a tree,” he said “Hiding”

“Were you followed?”

Fergal shook his head He looked dazed, and to Estora’s erous work “I made sure,” he said “No one followed” Then he looked at his hands “I–I killed that man”

Estora’s heart went out to him No wonder he looked dazed Lost even

“I know,” Karigan said “I saw hiet free of those men”

He looked up, as if noticing Estora for the first time He started to rise from his rock “M–my lady—”

“Sit, Rider,” she said And she herself rose and took his young hands into hers and said, “Thank you Thank you for your help”

Karigan cleared her throat “Fergal Duff, meet your future queen”

Fergal’s , but Estora siave his hands a squeeze, and returned to her seat Only then did Karigan sit again herself

“What happened,” Karigan asked, “after you killed the man?”

Fergal sed hard “I caught his horse and tied it to a tree so it wouldn’t run off and alert the others Like you told me

“And then,” he said, “I got my knife out…out of the body” He squeezed his hands into fists “I was going to hurry back, but as I was starting to make my way, more men joined the two at the crossroads They talked a bit, and one of theet out of there, really I did, but when they realized so, they were all over the place There wasn’t anywhere to hide, except in a tree No one thinks to look up Once they found the dead man, they searched all around, and I snuck away”