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It did not seem fair they would e back at me so soon。 I listened。 It wasn't Regal。 But anyone ing down here meant something to do with me。 A deep voice； rumbling along in a rambling way。 The guards replying briefly； in hostile tones。 Another voice； interceding； reasoning。 The rumbling again； getting louder； and the belligerence plain。 Suddenly a shout。
〃You're going to die； Fitz！ Hanged over water； and your body burned！ 〃
Burrich's voice。 A strange mix of anger and threat and pain。
〃Get him out of here。〃 One of the guards； speaking loud and plain now。 She was obviously an Inlander。
〃I will； I will。〃 I knew that voice。 Blade。 〃He's just had a bit too much to drink； that's all。 It's always been a problem with him。 And he had the boy as his apprentice down there in the stables for years。 Everyone's saying he should have known about it； did know about it and didn't do anything； maybe。〃
〃Yessss。〃 Burrich drew out the angry affirmation。 〃And I'm out of a job now； bastard！ No more buck's crest for me！ Well； by El's ass； it hardly matters。 Horses are gone。 Best damn horses I ever trained； gone inland now； given over to fools！ Dogs are gone； hawks are gone！ All that're left are the scrubs and a couple mules。 Don't have one horse I'd admit to owning！〃 His voice was growing closer。 There was madness in it。
I scrabbled up the door； clung to the bars to see。 I couldn't see the guard post； but their shadows were on the wall。 Burrich's shadow was attempting to e down the hall while the guards and Blade tried to drag him back。
〃Wait。 Now； just wait a minute；〃 Burrich remonstrated drunkenly。 〃Wait。 Look。 I only want to talk to him。 That's all。〃 The cluster of people surged down the hall； halted again。 The guards were between Burrich and my door。 Blade was clinging to Burrich's arm。 He still showed the marks from the brawl； and one of his arms was in a sling。 He could do little to stop Burrich。
〃Just get mine in before Regal gets his。 That's all。 That's all。〃 Burrich's voice was deep and slurry with drink。 〃e on。 Just for a minute。 What's it going to matter anyway？ He's good as dead。〃 Another pause。 〃Look。 I'll make it worth your while。 Look here。〃
The guards were exchanging glances。
〃Uh； Blade； you got any coin left？〃 Burrich was digging through his pouch； then snorted with disgust and upended it over his hand。 Coins fell in a shower； spilling past his fingers。 〃Here； here。〃 There was the chink and rattle of coins dropped and rolling on the stone floor of the passageway and he flung his arms wide in a gesture of largesse。
〃Hey； he doesn't mean it； Burrich； you don't bribe guards like that； you're going to get yourself tossed in a cell； too。〃 Blade stooped hastily； making apologies as he hurried to gather up the spilled coins。 The guards stooped alongside him and I saw a hand make a furtive trip from floor to pocket。
Suddenly Burrich's face peered in my window。 For a moment we stood eye to eye at the barred window。 Grief and outrage battled in his face。 His eyes were webbed red from his drinking； and his breath was strong with it。 The fabric of his shirt showed ragged where the buck crest had been torn from it。 He glared at me； then； as he looked at me； his eyes widened in shock。 For a moment our gaze held； and I thought something of understanding and farewell passed between us。 Then he leaned back and spat full in my face。
〃That； for you；〃 he snarled。 〃That for my life； which you took from me。 All the hours； all the days I spent upon you。
Better that you had lain down and died amongst the beasts before you let this e to pass。 They're going to hang you； boy。 Regal's having the gallows built； over water； like the old wisdom says。 They'll hang you； then cut you up and burn you down to bones。 Nothing left to bury。 He's probably afraid the dogs would dig you up again。 You'd like that； hey； boy？ Buried like a bone； for some dog to dig up later？ Better to just lie down and die right where you are。〃
I had recoiled from him when he spat at me。 Now I stood back from my door； swaying on my feet while he gripped the bars and stared in at me； his eyes wide and bright with madness and drink。
〃You're so good with the Wit； they say。 Why don't you change into a rat and scuttle out of there？ Huh？〃 He leaned his forehead against the bars and peered in at me。 Almost pensively； he said； 〃Better that than to hang； whelp。 Change into a beast and run off with your tail between your legs。 If you can 。。。 I heard you can 。。。 they say you can turn into a wolf。 Well； unless you can； you're going to hang。 Hang by your neck； choking and kicking 。。。〃 His voice trailed off。 His dark eyes locked with mine。 They were teary with drink。 〃Better to lie down and die right there than hang。〃 Suddenly he seemed full of fury。 〃Maybe I'll help you lie down and die！〃 he threatened through gritted teeth。 〃Better you die my way than Regal's！ 〃 He began to wrest at the bars； shaking the door back and forth against its locks。
The guards were instantly on him； one to an arm； tugging and cursing while he ignored them。 Old Blade jigged up and down behind them； saying； 〃Give it up； e on； Burrich； you had your say； e on； man； before there's real trouble。〃
They did not pry him loose； but he gave it up suddenly； just dropping his arms to his sides。 It caught the guards by surprise and they both stumbled back。 I clutched at the barred window。
〃Burrich。〃 It was hard to make my mouth form words。 〃I never meant to hurt you。 I'm sorry。〃 I took a breath； tried to find some words to end some of the torment in his eyes。 〃No one should blame you。 You did the best with me you could。〃
He shook his head at me； his face contorting with grief and anger。 〃Lie down and die； boy。 Just lie down and die。〃 He turned and walked away from me。 Blade was walking backward； apologizing a hundred times over to the two flustered guards who followed him up the corridor。 I watched them go； and then watched Burrich's shadow go lurching off； while Blade's stayed a bit to mollify the guards。
I swiped at the spittle on my swollen face and went slowly back to my stone bench。 I sat a long time； remembering。 From the beginning he had warned me off the Wit。 The first dog that I had ever bonded to； he had mercilessly taken from me。 I had fought him for that dog； repelled at him with every bit of strength I had； and he had just deflected it back at me。 So hard I had not even attempted to repel anyone for years after that。 And when he had relented； ignoring if not accepting my bond with the wolf； it had rebounded onto him。 The Wit。 All those times he had warned me； and all those times I had been so sure I knew what I was doing。
You did。
Nighteyes。 I acknowledged him。 I had no spirit to do more than that。
e with me。 e with me and we will hunt。 I can take you far from all of this。
In a while； perhaps； I put him off。 I did not have the strength to deal with him。
I sat a long time； actually。 My encounter with Burrich hurt as badly as the beating had。 I tried to think of one person in my life that I had not failed； had not disappointed。 I could think of no one。
I glanced down at Brawndy's cloak。 I was cold enough to want it； but too sore to pick it up。 A pebble on the floor beside it caught my eye。 It puzzled me。 I had looked at this floor long enough to know there were no loose dark pebbles in my cell。
Curiosity is a disturbingly strong force。 Finally； I leaned way over and picked up the cloak； and the pebble next to it。 It took some time to get the cloak around me。 Then I examined my pebble。 It wasn't a pebble。 It was dark and wet。 A wad of something？ Leaves。 A pellet of wadded leaves。 A pellet that had stung my chin when Burrich spat at me？ Cautiously I held it up to the fickle light that wandered in the barred window。
Something white secured the outer leaf。 I picked it loose。 What had caught my eye was the white end of a porcupine quill； while the black barbed tip had secured the leaf wrapping。 Unfolded； the leaf revealed a sticky brown wad。 I lifted it to my nose and sniffed it cautiously。 A mixture of herbs； but one dominated。 I recognized the scent queasily。 Carryme。 A Mountain herb。 A powerful painkiller and sedative； sometimes used to mercifully extinguish life。 Kettricken had used it when she had tried to kill me in the Mountains。
e with me。
Not just now。
This was Burrich's parting gift to me？ A merciful end？ I thought over what he had said。 Better to just lie down and die。 This； from the man who had taught me the fight wasn't over until you had won it？ The contradiction was too sharp。
Heart of the Pack says you should e with me。 Now。 Tonight。 Lie down； he says。 Be a bone for the dogs to dig up later； he says。 I could feel the effort Nighteyes was putting into relaying this message。
I was silent； thinking。
He took the quill from my lip； Brother。 I think we can trust him。 e with me； now； tonight。
I considered the three things that lay in my hand。 The leaf； the quill； the pellet。 I rewrapped the pellet in the leaf； secured it with the quill again。
I