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But here was a puzzle This was Lady Estora’s hat, and the deadcarried off, there was a diined existed She killed a few of the men, and injured others—he’d watched thehting skill he expected from a noble lady

Whoever it was, then, had done Lady Estora a great service, must have helped her escape when he’d been incapable of catching up with her captors

He was of two o in search of the real Lady Estora, the other was to follow the band of cutthroats and try to help the brave soul who had taken her place She—or possibly he?—would at least knohat became of the lady, and he owed this person any aid he could render

He walked over to Goss, who had scented the deadenough for him to mount

He cantered back to the crossroads and reined Goss west, on the road that led into the Telig Lady Estora’s hat on a branch as a clue to any force King Zachary ht have sent out behind him

JAMETARI’S DESIRE

Laren could see Zachary’s reluctance, but she knew the pressure Lord Coutre exerted on hiuilty feelings finally overrode his pride He sat his horse un before the blue tent of the Eletians’ enca for any indication Prince Jan to see him

Zachary asked her along, but relegated his honor guard to a few Weapons There were no banners this tieantry The guards at the city gates ensured no one approached or disturbed hi what their king wanted with the Eletians

Little was ever seen of theh a few Eletian “scouts” had ventured into the city They always traveled in threes, spoke to no one but select shopkeepers, and did not linger Laren couldn’t blaawked, congesting the street and forcing constables to intervene to keep traffic flowing

And what could possibly interest Eletians in Sacor City? Reportedly they’d visited the museums and arts district, but ary, and it was said the ht to fill orders for chocolate treats The Eletians had also ordered sacks of roasted kauv beans from a Gryphon Street tea house

No one knehat the Eletians did in their tents all day, but Laren aon Droppings into theiresoteric poetry to one another—a heady combination She smiled and wondered if the Eletians truly inhabited the tents at all, or if the tents were really passages to elsewhere Were the Eletians even here, in Sacoridia? Were the tent interiors in an altogether different location than the exteriors?

It was such er she and the others sat waiting for one to appear, the more her curiosity waned