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With that, the Shadow Master left through theSilas stared at the folded paper It couldn’t have been hin to help his ever-growing obsession with Mara He couldn’t explain to himself exactly where the obsession came from It wasn’t sexual attraction He was sure of that If anything, it seemed Mara had awoken some deep paternal instinct Perhaps the kick up the arse he needed tofor years Go here, kill, go there, kill, repeat, repeat, repeat Paper in hand, he felt nervous for soover He unfolded the letter

Mara stood at the back of the line of hooded boys They waited in front of two huge wooden doors in another outdoor yard that he hadn’t seen before Two Shadows stood on each side of the line, and two more stood by the doors Mara watched the black horses as they ate froht of them, all shiny and muscly Joseph, Eliot, and Balin were in front of him He’d followed them here to join the six others Mara didn’t like the way the hood stopped hi sideways properly Stupid hood

A Shadoalked along the line collecting the boys’ blades, while another handed out small pieces of wood carved to look just like a blade The doors were pulled open by the Shadows, and a thick ap The floor quickly disappeared

Mara watched his feet disappear, then his shins, knees, thighs, sto it, and it quickly covered him completely Joseph’s dark outline was the only person he could see

“Forwards,” a Shadow in the mist said

Joseph disappeared into the white Mara hurried to catch him up, then stayed on his heels

“Stop,” the Shadow said

The doors creaked behind Mara and clattered shut

“Forwards,” caain

They walked through the mist until it started to thin out Mara could see the shapes of trees We’re outside Me back The horrible smell that had sent him to sleep

The line of boys came back into view one by one as they continued He was cold, and thehis clothes wet

“Line up,” a Shadow from behind said

Mara followed Joseph’s lead as the boys lined up shoulder to shoulder to face two Shadows Mara wanted to look along the line to see the other boy’s faces, but he couldn’t He’d probably get punished if he leant out

He could hear the crunch of footsteps and turned his head slightly to see a Shadoalking along the line with a bucket Each boy dipped their wooden blade into it Mara dipped his Whatever was in the bucket covered the ith soers It was sticky and passed onto his thumb when he rubbed at it He tried to wipe it off on his trousers, but it just stained theers near his nose Doesn’t s

“Scatter,” a Shadow said