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"He has Well then Aha I'll show you my workshop" He led thehtly lit with fluorescent lights It was basically a blackse, anvil, chisels, specialized haeared for the a out plates froauntlets and other protective equiplanced at a shelf holding several helmets of various styles

"Where is the piece I left here?"

"A special headpiece like that deserves special treatment," Weebel said He went over to the suit of armor stand

ing in the corner, flipped up the visor and reached inside "This is a mass-produced item Aha I have them fabricated in China for the restaurant trade mostly"

He activated a switch inside the suit and a section of wall panel about four feet wide opened with a soft click to reveal a steel door He punched out a number on the combination keypad Behind the door was a room the size of a walk-in closet The walls were lined with shelves stacked ooden boxes of odd sizes, each marked with a number

Weebel picked out a tall square case, which he brought into the workshop He set it on a table and lifted out the Fauchard helht back to the portrait of Jules she had seen at the Fauchard chateau

"A remarkable piece Remarkable Aha" Weebel waved his hands over the hel into a crystal ball "I had ist look at it The iron used to make the steel was most unusual He believes it may have come from a meteorite"

Darnay smiled at Skye "That was Mademoiselle Labelle's theory Have you dated this piece?"

"Son features were innovative, as you pointed out I would place it in the fifteen hundreds, which is when the e of huht on It is possible that the metal itself is much older, and that the helmet was recast from an earlier one This dent is a proof mark apparently made to test the vulnerability of thethe projectile Not so ith this hole It could have been reat power, perhaps at a et practice" "What about the manufacturer?"

"The helmet is one of the finest pieces I've ever seen Look here on the inside Not a hammer dimple mark to be seen Even without the hallmark, I would know that there was only one arh-quality metal The Fauchard family" "What can you tell me about the manufacturer?" Skye said "The Fauchards were one of only three families that founded the

guild that became e know today as Spear Industries Each faed the metal, the other fashioned the actual arents traveling around Europe to sell their wares They ell connected politically as a result Normally they did not use their hallmark They believed that the quality of their are to see that they engraved their coat of arms into the crown of this piece The helnificance to the family"

"Madainal founding families," Skye said

Weebel's eyes did a quick flutter "You actually spoke to Madame Fauchard?" Skye nodded

uExtraordinary It is said she is a total recluse What was she like?" "A combination of a scorpion and a blackspider," Skye answered without hesitation "She said the eagle in the middle represents the Fauchards, who cae"

Weebel burst forth with a nervous laugh "Did she tell you that es were mostly forced to cement their power?"