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THE TALE

OF THE

TWELVE COINS,

CONTINUED

“I TOOK HER TO ZMEYA’S CHAMBER, AND IT IS true what they say, that Zreat snake beneath her woman’s skin, but we did not trouble ourselvesall tea bush Deliverance was as siether, Immacolata and I”

Oubliette’s eyes ide “What happened to her? Why is she not with you now?”

Taglio grinned his feral grin and danced a lazy step or two “The first tale is free, the second must earn its way in the world”

“We have nothing to give you, I’m afraid,” I said sorrowfully “You s save blackberries and road dust”

“That is a tragedy true, h

“Where are you headed?” I asked

“Over hill and dale and hted hills and dales again—to Ajanabh, where we have heard artists of our caliber are welcomed,” thrummed the Manticore’s voice Grotteschi’s warm, spiced tone seeped into ed looks Perhaps we had not done with cities

“We cannot pay you for a song or a scene, but if you would accept company, ould travel with you,” I said nervously, overexcited as a groom

Taglio frowned “Much as we ht enjoy little ones, they are expensive to maintain”

I breathed deeply “We cannot pay for trifles, for songs and bells and flutes, but if you will take us in, that is a great enough thing to pay for”

Oubliette gripped ?” she hissed But I sas with new friends, and no more dank barracks, no more paper blankets I tweaked her tail a bit, as I did when she was