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ryone does。 A tiny pinch of it sprinkled across the top of a sugar cake brings a merry giddiness to the heart。 Burrich had warned me that some dishonest horse traders fed their charges carris oil on their grain； for the purpose of winning a race； or to make a sick horse show well at an auction。 He had also warned me that a horse so treated was often never the same beast again。 If he survived。 I knew Chade had used it； on occasion； and I had seen him drop like a stone when the effects wore off。 Yet I did not hesitate。 Perhaps； I conceded briefly； perhaps Burrich was right about me。 The ecstasy of the Skill； or the frantic flush and heat of the hunt。 Did I taunt self…destruction； or did I desire it？ I did not worry about it for long。 The carris seed took me。 My strength was as the strength of ten； and my heart soared like an eagle。 I sprang to my feet。 I started for the door； then turned back。
I knelt before my dead king。 I lifted his knife； held it before my brow as I swore to him； 〃This blade shall take your vengeance。〃 I kissed his hand and left him there before the fire。
If I had thought the candles spitting blue sparks were unnerving； then the blue glow of the torches in the hall were otherworldly。 It was like looking down through still deep water。 I sprinted down the hall； giggling to myself。 Below； I could hear a clamor； with Wallace's voice raised shrill above the rest。 Blue flames and the Pocked Man； he was yammering。 Not as much time had passed as I had thought； and now time waited for me。 Light as the wind I darted down the hall。 I found a door that would open and slipped within。 I waited。 They took forever to e up the stairs； even longer to go past my door。 I let them reach the King's chamber； and when I heard the shouts of alarm begin； I sprang from my hiding place and dashed down the stairs。
Someone shouted after me as I fled； but no one gave chase。 I was to the bottom of the stairs before I heard someone finally give the order to catch me。 I laughed aloud。 As if they could！ Buckkeep Castle was a warren of back ways and servants' passages for a boy who had grown up there。 I knew where I was going； but I didn't go there directly。 Like a fox I ran； appearing briefly in the Great Hall； dashing across the cobbles of the washing courts； terrifying Cook with my frantic dash through her kitchens。 And always； always； the pale Skill fingers plucked and fingered me； not knowing at all that I was ing； ing； my dears； ing to find you。
Galen； born and raised in Farrow； had always hated the sea。 He feared it； I think； and so his chamber had been on the side of the Keep that faced the mountains。 After he had died； I had heard it had bee a shrine to him。 Serene had taken over his bedchamber； but kept his sitting room as a gathering place for the coterie。 I had never visited his rooms； but I knew the way。 I took the steps up like an arrow in flight； whisked down the hall past a couple in a heated embrace and stopped at a heavy door banded with iron。 But a thick door that is not properly barred is no barrier at all； and in moments this one swung open to my touch。
There was a semicircle of chairs set up around a tall table。 A fat candle burned in the center of it。 For focus； I imagined。 Only two of the chairs were occupied。 Justin and Serene sat side by side； hands clasped； eyes closed； heads lolled back in the throes of Skilling。 No Will。 I had hoped to find him here as well。
For the barest instant I looked at their faces。 Perspiration gleamed on them； and I was flattered that they put so much effort to breaking down my walls。 Their mouths twitched in small smiles； resisting the ecstasy of the Skill user； focusing on the object rather than on the pleasure of the pursuit。 I did not hesitate。 〃Surprise！〃 I said softly。 I jerked Serene's head back and pulled the King's blade across her exposed throat。 She jerked once； and I let her fall to the floor。 There was a remarkable amount of blood。
Justin leaped to his feet with a shriek and I braced myself for his onslaught。 He fooled me； though。 He fled squealing down the hall and I followed； knife in hand。 He sounded just like a pig； and he was incredibly fast。 No fox tricks for Justin； he favored the most direct route to the Great Hall； shrieking all the way。 I laughed as I ran。 Even now it seems to me incredible to recall that； but I cannot deny it。 Did he suppose Regal would draw sword to defend him？ Did he think； having killed my king； that anything in the world could stand between me and him？
In the Great Hall； musicians had been playing and folk dancing； but Justin's entrance put an end to that。 I had gained on him； so that there were scarce a score of steps between us when he caromed into one of the laden tables。 Folk were still standing shocked at his entrance when I leaped on him and pulled him down。 I punched the knife in and out of him half a dozen times before anyone thought they should interfere。 As Regal's Farrow…bred guards reached for me I flung his twitching body into them； found a table at my back； and leaped onto it。 I held up my dripping blade。 〃The King's knife！〃 I told them； and showed it 'round。 〃Taking blood in vengeance for the King's death。 That is all！〃
〃He's mad！〃 someone cried。 〃Verity's death has driven him mad！〃
〃Shrewd！〃 I cried in fury。 〃King Shrewd has fallen to treachery this night！〃
Regal's Inlander guards hit my table in a wave。 I had not thought there were that many of them。 We all went down in a wave of food and crockery。 Folk were screaming； but as many surged forward to witness as retreated in horror。 Hod would have been proud of me。 With the king's belt knife； I held off three men with short swords。 I danced； I leaped； I pirouetted。 I was much too fast for them and the cuts they did inflict on me caused me no pain。 I scored two good slashes on two of them； simply because they did not think I would dare lunge close enough to inflict them。
Somewhere back in the crowd； someone raised a cry。 〃Arms！ To the Bastard！ They are killing FitzChivalry！〃 A struggle began； but I could not see who was involved； nor give it any attention at all。 I stabbed one of the guards in the hand and he dropped his blade。 〃Shrewd！〃 someone cried above the din。 〃King Shrewd is slain！〃 By the sounds of the other struggle； more folk were being involved。 I could not look to see。 I heard another table crash to the floor； and a scream across the room。 Then Buckkeep's own guard came pouring into the room。 I heard Kerf's voice raised above the general din。 〃Separate them！ Quell it！ Try not to spill blood in the King's own hall！〃 I saw my attackers ringed； saw Blade's look of consternation as he saw me and then cried out over his shoulder； 〃It's FitzChivalry！ They're trying to take down the Fitz！〃
〃Separate them！ Disarm them！〃 Kerf butted heads with one of Regal's guards； dropping him。 Beyond him I saw knots of struggling break out as Buck guards fell on Regal's personal guard； battering blades down and demanding that swords be sheathed。 I had space for a breath； and could lift my eyes from my own struggle to see that； indeed； a great many folk had bee involved； and not just guards。 Fistfights had broken out among the guests as well。 It looked to bee both brawl and riot when suddenly Blade； one of our own guardsmen； shouldered between two of my attackers； sending them sprawling to the floor。 He leaped forward and confronted me。
〃Blade！〃 I greeted him with delight； thinking him an ally。 Then； as I noticed his defensive stance； I told him； 〃You know I would not draw blade against you！〃
〃I know that well； lad；〃 he told me sadly； and the old soldier flung himself forward to trap me in a bear hug。 I do not know who hit me on the back of the head； or with what。
CHAPTER THIRTY
Dungeons
IF A HOUNDSMAN suspects that a dog boy is using the Wit to defile and divert the hounds to his own ends； he should be watchful for these signs。 If the boy speaks not overmuch to his fellows； be wary。 If the hounds perk up before the boy is in sight； or whine before he has left； be watchful。 If a hound will leave off his snuffing for a bitch in season； or turn aside from a blood trail and lie quiet at the boy's word； be certain。 Let the boy be hanged； over water if possible； well away from the stables； and his body burned。 Let every hound he has trained be drowned； as well as all sired by defiled hounds。 A hound who has known the Wit use will neither fear nor respect any other master； but is sure to turn vicious when deprived of the Witted one。 A Witted boy cannot be trusted to beat an unruly hound； nor will he suffer his Wit hound to be sold away； or used as bear bait； no matter how old the dog。 A Wit boy will turn his master's hounds to his own purposes； and never has any true loyalty to his master； but only to his Wit hound。
I woke up sometime。 Of all the cruel jests fate had recently played on me； I decided that awakening was the cruelest。 I lay still and cataloged my various disforts。 The exhaustion from my carris…seed frenzy bined well with the exhaustion from my Skill battle with Justin and Serene。 I had taken some nasty sword cuts to my right forearm； and one to my left thigh that I recalled not at all。 None of them had been dressed； my sleeve and trousers were matted to my skin with dried blood。 Whoever had knocked me unconscious had made sure of his work with several more blows。 Other than that； I was fine。 I told myself this a number of times； ignoring the trembling in my left leg and arm。 I opened my eyes。
The room I was in was small and stone。 There was a pot in the corner。 When I finally decided I could move； I craned my head enough to see that there was a door； with a small barred window in it。 This was the light source； fed by a torch somewhere down a hallway outside。 Oh。 Yes。 The dungeons。 My curiosity satisfied； I closed my eyes again and slept。 Nose to tail； I rested safe in a deep den covered over by the blowing snow。 The illusion of safety was as much as Nighteyes could offer me。 So weak I was that even his thoughts to me seemed misty。 Safe。 That was as much as he could convey。
I awoke again。 I could tell time had passed by how much thirstier I was。 Other than that； everything was remarkably the same。 This time I determined that the bench I was lying on was also made of stone。 There was nothing between me and the stone save the clothes I wore。 〃Hey！〃 I called。 〃Guards！〃 There was no answer。 Everything seemed a bit vague。 After a time I could not recall if I had already cried out； or if I was summoning the strength to do so。 After a bit more time I decided I did not have the strength。 I went back to sleep。 I couldn't imagine doing anything else。
I awoke to Patience's voice arguing。 Whoever she was arguing with wasn't answering much； and wasn't giving in。 〃It's ridiculous。 What are you afraid I'll do？〃 A silence。 〃I've known him since he was a child。〃 Another silence。 〃He's hurt。 What possible damage can it do for me to at least look at his injuries？ You can hang him whole as easily as you can wounded； can't you？〃 Another silence。
After a time I decided I might be able to move。 I had a lot of bruises and scrapes I couldn't account for； probably gained on the journey between the Great Hall and here。 The worst part of moving was that it tugged my clothing against the scabbed over cuts。 I decided I could stand it。 For such a small room； it was a very long way from the bed to the door。 When I got there； I discovered I could just see out the little barred window。 What I could see was the stone wall on the opposite side of the narrow corridor。 I gripped the bars with my good left hand。
〃Patience？〃 I croaked。
〃Fitz？ Oh； Fitz； are you all right？〃
Such a question。 I started to laugh and coughed instead； finishing with the taste of blood in my mouth。 I didn't know what to say。 I wasn't fine； but it wasn't healthy for her to be too interested in me。 Even as fuddled as I was； I knew that。 〃I'm all right；〃 I croaked at last。
〃Oh； Fitz； the King is dead！〃 she called to me from down the hall。 The words tumbled from her in her haste to tell me all。 〃And Queen Kettricken is missing； and King…in…Wa