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.It seemed thathis forbearance would likely continue a little longer.Carly stood and walked over to where Xeras stood inthe window well.His heavy hand settled over Xeras s shoulder and squeezed.Look him in the eye and listen to what he says, Drin counseled.It has taken some doing but you arebeginning to lose him.Xeras felt his brow crease in a frown as he tried to push aside a lifetime of training never to let anyoneclose, never to trust anyone completely. I know I am no great exemplar of trustworthiness, Xeras said. But perhaps you will concede I amvery adept at suspicion, the giving and receiving thereof.If you want to be in a position of trust andfriendly commerce, you shouldn t& What is it exactly that is being planned, a snare, pit, giant net?Nothing good will come of it, and possible a great deal that is bad.People are more likely to listen calmlyto equals or those weaker than them& not their captors. The proposal was more in the nature of a stockade, Katinka explained. According to theobservation of our lighter-sleeping citizens, the plainsmen are moving along the smaller alleys that passbehind the houses on the main thoroughfare.Doing so frequently enough to represent a nightly occurrence,particularly on the south side nearer the gate.These are narrow passageways, and in some places, where thehouses adjoin each other, it would be possible to block them at each end.Wait, let me show you. She grabbed a handful of blotting dust from the mantle and sprinkled it on the table.Xeras was drawnback to the table by this demonstration, Carly by his side.Using her finger to sketch confident broad lines, Katinka said: Here is the main street, the gate andthe cliff face.On this side where we are, there is really only one way through for a party, or a man with ahorse or burden.But we know that a single plainsman, afoot and traveling light, can get through a numberof very perilous passes at least while the weather conditions still aren t too bad.Frozen fingers wouldmake such difficult paths well nigh impossible.They seem to pass through the town mainly using the firstalley on the other side of the main road.If this is us, they have been seen here, here and here prettyregularly. Xeras noted, quite reflexively, that all of the sightings were between the gate and the guildhouse.AndKassius had insisted on moving out of the big house to live in a suite of rooms at the back of thatguildhouse.They aren t going through town at all.Drin, as ever, had a fine grasp of the obvious.Xeras as ever is keeping his mouth shut when clearly it would make more sense to share what heknows.www.samhainpublishing.com 27 Emily VeingloryNow that was true.Xeras swayed back, keeping his eyes on the tabletop.This compulsion to keep hisown counsel, it made no sense.If Kassius was still in contact with the plainsmen, not only did the dukeneed to know, but it would help show that having his handsome face rearranged by an infant dragon was nomore than Kassius deserved.Yet Xeras s lip remained pressed together. If the one we catch thinks the worst of our intentions, Petry s ability to cause sleep will ensure noone comes to harm, Katinka concluded, although there was a slightly hesitant quality to this last statement.Xeras gestured vaguely with both hands.What would come to harm were their last slim hopes forpeace, but there seemed no point in saying so if even sensible Katinka had settled on this course ofmisguided action. What would I know, really, he said. The only thing I have been responsible for in myentire life is Drinia, and you can see how well that is going.The best I can offer is not to get involved, andthen you will have some chance of making this work. Are you not done with the self-pity yet? Parlen leaned back in his chair.Xeras turned to him. The only way to really experience self-pity is to wallow in it.So no, I m notdone with it yet.When I wake one day and discover I am, for example that I am you that is when Itransition smoothly into supercilious smugness and the world will become an orderly and benevolent placefilled with glazed fruit pies and fluffy little kittens. Parlen leaned back even farther so that his chair squeaked and his chest was thrust out.He folded hisarms and looked Xeras up and down calmly, with his bushy eyebrow raised at a skeptical angle. I have a palisade to construct, he said dismissively. I ll round up some of the town hotheads tohelp.It will take their minds off what Drinia did to Kassius.You know some of them are rather fond ofhim. But he didn t actually seem annoyed.More like he was putting Xeras on notice that his patience wascoming to an end.Xeras began to suspect that his time as Ballot s Keep was drawing to a close. Do you think Petry could cast a sleep-spell on himself? Xeras asked.Carly put a finger to his lips.They were crouched together inside a rough lean-to packed with pungentlogs of firewood.Petry and several other men were meant to be concealed on the other side of the alley
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