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d for the blood they have taken。〃 Cold fury rode his features as he spoke。 After a moment's pause he went on more calmly。 〃So。 For those ships to function best； there must be someone aboard each one who can at least receive my information。 Ideally； that one would also be able to relay to me detailed information as to what is going on aboard the ship。 You have seen； this day； how I am limited。 I can tell the thoughts of certain folk； yes； but I cannot direct them as to what they think about。 Sometimes； I am able to find one more susceptible to my Skill； and influence his thoughts。 But this is not the same thing as having a quick response to a direct question。
〃Have you ever considered sailing； FitzChivalry？〃
To say I was taken aback would be an understatement。 〃I 。。。 you have just reminded me that my ability with the Skill is erratic； sir。 And reminded me； yesterday； that in a fight； I am more a brawler than a swordsman； despite Hod's training…〃
〃And I now remind you that it is midwinter。 There are not many months until spring。 I have told you it is a possibility； no more than that。 I will be able to give you only the barest help with what you need to master by then。 I am afraid it is entirely up to you； FitzChivalry。 Can you； by spring； learn to control both your Skill and your blade？〃
〃As you said to me； my prince。 I cannot promise； but it will be my intention。〃
〃Fine。〃 Verity looked at me steadily for a long moment。 〃Will you begin today？〃
〃Today？ Today I have to hunt。 I dare not neglect that duty； even for this。〃
〃They need not exclude each other。 Take me with you； today。〃
I stared at him blankly for a moment； then nodded assent。 I had thought he would arise； to go and put on winter clothes and fetch a sword。 Instead； he reached out toward me and took hold of my forearm。
As his presence flowed into me it was instinct to struggle against him。 This was not like other times when he had shuffled through my thoughts as a man sorts scattered papers on a desk。 This was a true occupation of my mind。 I had not been so invaded since Galen had brutalized me。 I tried to jerk free of his grip； but it was like iron on my wrist。 Everything paused。 You have to trust me。 Do you？ I stood sweating and shuddering like a horse with a snake in its stall。
I don't know。
Think about it； he bade me。 He withdrew a trifle。
I could still sense him； waiting； but knew he was holding himself apart from my thoughts。 My mind raced frantically。 There were too many things to juggle。 This was a thing I must do if I wished to win myself free from a life as an assassin。 It was a chance to make all the secrets old secrets rather than an ongoing exclusion of Molly and her trust。 I had to take it。 But how could I do this； and keep secret from him Nighteyes and all that we shared？ I quested toward Nighteyes。 Our bond is a secret。 I must keep it so。 Today； then； I must hunt alone。 Do you understand？
No。 It is stupid and dangerous。 I shall be there； but you may trust me to be unseen and unknowable。
〃What did you do； just then？〃 It was Verity； speaking aloud。 His hand was on my wrist。 I looked down into his eyes。 There was no harshness to his question。 He asked it as I might ask it of a small child found carving on the woodwork。 I stood frozen inside myself。 I longed to unburden myself； to have one person in the world who knew all about me； everything that I was。
You already do； Nighteyes objected。
It was true。 And I could not endanger him。 〃You must trust me； also；〃 I found myself saying to my king…in…waiting。
And when he remained looking up at me consideringly； I asked； 〃My prince。 Do you？〃
〃Yes。〃 With one word； he gave me his trust； and with it his confidence that whatever I had been doing would not bring him harm。 It sounds a simple thing； but for a King…in…Waiting to permit his own assassin to keep secrets from him was a staggering act。 Years ago； his father had bought my loyalty； with a promise of food and shelter and education and a silver pin thrust into my shirtfront。 Verity's simple act of trust was suddenly more to me than any of these things。 The love I had always felt for him suddenly knew no bounds。 How could I not trust him？
He smiled sheepishly。 〃You can Skill； when you've heart to。〃 With no more than that； he entered my mind again。 As long as his hand was on my wrist； the joining of thoughts was effortless。 I felt his curiosity and tinge of woe at looking down at his own face through my eyes。 A looking glass is kinder。 I have aged。
With him ensconced in my mind； it would have been useless to deny the truth of what he said。 So； it was a necessary sacrifice。 I agreed。
He lifted his hand from my wrist。 For a moment I had dizzying double vision； looking at myself； looking at him； and then it settled。 He turned carefully to set his own eyes once more on the horizon； and then sealed that vision from me。 Without his touch； this clasping of minds was a different thing。 I left the room slowly and went down the stairs as if I were balancing a wineglass full to the brim。 Exactly。 And in both cases； it is easier to do if you do not look at it and think about it so heavily。 Just carry。
I went down to the kitchens； where I ate a solid breakfast and tried to behave normally。 Verity was right。 It was easier to maintain our contact if I didn't focus on it。 While everyone there was busied at other tasks； I managed to slip a plateful of biscuits into my carry sack。 〃Going hunting？〃 Cook asked me as she turned about。 I nodded。
〃Well； be careful。 What are you going after？〃
〃Wild boar；〃 I improvised。 〃Just to locate one； not to attempt a kill today。 I thought it might be a fine amusement during Winterfest。〃
〃For who？ Prince Verity？ You won't budge him out of the Keep； pet。 Keeps too much to his rooms these days； he does； and poor old King Shrewd hasn't taken a real meal with us in weeks。 I don't know why I keep cooking his favorites； when the tray es back as full as I sent it。 Now； Prince Regal； he might go； long as it didn't muss his curls。〃 There was a general clucking of laughter among the kitchen maids at that。 My cheeks burned at Cook's boldness。 Steady。 They don't know I'm here； boy。 And naught of what is said to you shall be held against them by me。 Don't betray us now。 I sensed Verity's amusement； and also his concern。 So I permitted myself a grin； thanked Cook for the pasty she insisted I take； and left the Keep kitchen。
Sooty was restive in her stall； more than eager for an outing。 Burrich passed by as I was saddling her。 His dark eyes took in my leathers and the tooled sheath and fine hilt of the sword。 He cleared his throat； but then stood silent。 I had never been able to decide exactly how much Burrich knew of my work。 At one time； in the Mountains； I had divulged my assassin's training to him。 But that had been before he took a blow on the head attempting to protect me。 When he recovered from it； he professed to have lost the memories of the day that preceded it。 But sometimes I wondered。 Perhaps it was his sage way of keeping a secret a secret； that it could not be discussed even by those who shared it。 〃Be careful；〃 he said at last； gruffly。 〃Don't you let that mare e to harm。〃
〃We'll be careful；〃 I promised him； and then led Sooty out past him。
Despite my errands it was still early morning； with just enough winter light to make it safe to canter。 I let Sooty out； allowing her to choose her pace and express her spirits； and letting her warm herself without allowing her to break a sweat。 There was broken cloud cover； and the sun was slipping through it to touch the trees and banked snow with glistening fingers。 I pulled Sooty in； pacing her。 We would be taking a roundabout way to get to the creek bed； I did not want to leave the trodden paths until we must。
Verity was with me every second。 It was not that we conversed； but he was privy to my internal dialogue。 He enjoyed the fresh morning air； Sooty's responsiveness； and the youth of my own body。 But the farther I went from the Keep； the more aware I became of keeping a grip on Verity。 From a touch he had initially imposed on me； the sharing had changed to a mutual effort more like clasping hands。 I wondered if I would be able to maintain it。 Don't think about it。 Just do it。 Even breathing bees a task if you pay attention to every breath。 I blinked my eyes； suddenly aware that he was now in his study； carrying on his normal morning tasks。 Like the humming of faraway bees； I was aware of Charim consulting with him about something。
I could detect no sign of Nighteyes。 I was trying not to think about him； nor look for him； a strenuous mental denial that was fully as demanding as keeping Verity's consciousness with me。 So quickly had I bee accustomed to reaching out for my wolf and finding him awaiting my touch that I felt isolated； and as unbalanced as if my favorite knife were missing from my belt。 The only image that could pletely displace him from my mind was Molly's； and that； too； was one I did not wish to dwell on。 Verity had not rebuked me for my actions of the night before； but I knew he regarded them as less than honorable。 I had an uneasy feeling that if I allowed myself time to truly consider all that had happened； I would agree with him。 Cowardly； I kept my mind reined away from that； too。
I realized I was putting most of my mental effort to not thinking。 I gave my head a shake and opened myself up to the day。 The road I was following was not well traveled。 It wound through the rolling hills behind Buckkeep； and far more sheep and goats trod it than men。 Several decades ago a lightning fire had cleared it of trees。 The first growth of trees on it was mostly birch and cottonwood； now standing bare but for snow burden。 This hilly country was ill…suited to farming； and served mostly as summer pasturage for grazing animals； but from time to time I would catch a whiff of wood smoke and see a trodden path leading from the road to a woodcutter's cottage； or a trapper's hut。 It was an area of small； isolated homesteads occupied by folk of humbler persuasions。
The road became narrower； and the trees changed as I entered an older part of the forest。 Here the dark evergreens still stood thick and crowded close to the road's edge。 Their trunks were immense； and beneath their spreading branches snow lay in uneven hummocks on the forest floor。 There was little underbrush。 Most of the year's snowfall was still up above； resting on those thickly needled limbs。 It was easy to turn Sooty aside from the trail here。 We traveled under the snowladen canopy through a grayish daylight。 The day seemed hushed in the dimness of the great trees。
You are seeking a specific place。 You have definite information as to where the Forged ones are？
They were seen on a certain creek bank； eating from a winter…killed deer。 Just yesterday。 I thought we could trail them from there。
Who saw them？
I hesitated。 A friend of mine。 He is shy of most folk。 But I have gained his confidence； and sometimes； when he sees odd things； he es to me and tells me。
Um。 I could sense Verity's reservations as he considered my reticence。 Well。 I shall ask no more。 Some secrets are necessary； I suppose。 I remember a little half…wit girl who used to e and sit at my mother's feet。 My mother kept her clothed and fed and gave her trinkets and sweets。 No one ever paid much attention to her。 But once I came upon them unawares； and heard her telling my mother about a man in a tavern who had been selling pretty necklaces and armbands。 Later that week the King's guard arrested Rife the highwayman in the very same tavern。 Quiet folk often know much。
Indeed。
We rode on in a panionable silence。 Occasionally I had to remind myself that Verity was not here in the flesh。 But I begin to wish I were。 It has been too long； boy； since I rode through these hills simply for the sake of riding。 My life has bee too heavy with purpose。 I cannot remember the last time I did something simply because I wanted to do it。
I was nodding to his thought when the scream shattered the forest quiet。 It wa