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I suppose I wanted my life to be always this simple and plete。 I tried to ignore things I knew were dangerous。 The continued fine weather； I told myself； would assure Verity a fine start to his journey。 I put from my mind whether there would be any end…of…season raids from the Red…Ships while we were so unprotected。 I avoided； too； Regal and the sudden round of social occasions that filled Buckkeep with his followers and kept the torches burning late every night in the Great Hall。 Serene and Justin were also much more in evidence about Buckkeep。 I never entered a room where they were but that I felt the arrows of their dislike。 I began to avoid the mon rooms in the evenings； where I must either encounter them； or Regal's guests who had e to swell our winter court。
Verity had not been gone more than two days before I heard rumors that the true purpose of his quest was to seek the Elderlings。 I could not blame these on Regal。 Those Verity had hand…chosen had known of their true mission。 Burrich had ferreted it out for himself。 If he could； so could another； and noise it about。 But when I overheard two pantry boys laughing about 〃King Wisdom's folly； and Prince Verity's myth；〃 I suspected the ridicule was Regal's doing。 Verity's Skilling had made him too much the recluse。 Folk wondered what he did so long alone in his tower。 That is； they knew he Skilled； but that was too tame a topic for gossip。 His preoccupied stare； his odd hours for eating and rest； his silent ghosting through the castle while other folks were abed were all grist for this mill。 Had he lost his mind； and set out on a madman's errand？ Speculation began to grow； and Regal gave it fertile ground。 He found excuses and reasons for all sorts of banquets and gatherings of his nobles。 King Shrewd was seldom well enough to be present and Kettricken did not enjoy the pany of the witty knaves that Regal cultivated。 I knew enough to stay away。 I had only myself and Chade to grumble to about the cost of these parties when Regal had insisted that there were scarcely funds for Verity's expedition。 Chade only shook his head。
The old man had bee more closemouthed of late； even with me。 I had the unfortable feeling that Chade kept a secret from me。 Secrets in themselves were nothing new。 The old assassin was stuffed full of secrets。 I simply could not be rid of the feeling that this secret somehow touched on me directly。 I could not ask him outright； but I watched him。 His worktable showed signs of heavy use when I was not about。 Even stranger； all messes associated with that work had been cleaned meticulously away whenever he summoned me。 This was bizarre。 For years I had tidied after him and his 〃cooking。〃 Now for him to straighten up after himself seemed either a sharp rebuke to me or a concealment of whatever he had been doing。
Unable to resist； I watched him whenever I could。 I learned nothing of his secret； but saw much that I had previously missed。 Chade was getting old。 The stiffness cold weather brought to his joints no longer yielded to the cozy evenings before his hearth。 He was Shrewd's elder half brother； bastard as I was； and despite his stiffness； he still seemed the younger of the two。 But he held scrolls farther from his nose when he read now and avoided reaching for anything over his head。 To watch these changes in him was as painful as to know he kept a secret from me。
Twenty…three days after Verity left； I came back from a dawn hunt with Nighteyes to find the Keep abuzz。 The feeling was that of a stirred ant nest； but with none of their purposefulness。 I went straight to Cook Sara and asked her what had happened。 The kitchen of any keep is the heart of the rumor mill； second only to the guardroom。 At Buckkeep； the kitchen gossip was usually more accurate。
〃A rider e in； his horse near to dead。 Said there's been a raid up at Ferry。 The whole city near gone from the fires they set。 Seventy folk Forged。 How many dead； there's not telling yet。 And more will die； made homeless in this cold。 Three shiploads of Raiders； the boy said。 He went straight to Prince Regal； he did； and reported。 Prince Regal sent him here to be fed； he's in the guardroom now； asleep。〃 She lowered her voice。 〃That boy came all this way on his own。 Got fresh horses in towns he went through； ing down the coast road； but wouldn't let no one else carry his message for him。 He told me that every leg of the way； he kept expecting to find help ing； to hear from someone that they already knew and that ships had been sent out。 But there was nothing。〃
〃From Ferry？ Then it's been at least five days since it happened。 Why weren't the signal tower fires lit？〃 I demanded。 〃Or the message birds sent to Gull and Sealbay？ King…in…Waiting Verity left a patrol ship in that area。 The patrol ship should have been able to see the light from Gull or Ferry。 And there's a coterie member； Will； at Red Tower。 He should have seen the signal fires。 He should have sent word back here； to Serene。 How could it be that no word was received here； how could we know nothing at all of this？〃
Cook lowered her voice even more； gave the dough she was kneading a meaningful thump。 〃Boy said the signal fires were lit； at Ferry and at Ice Town。 He says the birds were sent to Gull。 The ship never came。〃
〃Then why didn't we know？〃 I took a deep shuddering breath； set aside my useless anger。 Within me； I felt a faint stirring of concern from Verity。 Too faint。 The Skill bond was fading； just when I wished it strong。 〃Well； I suppose' it's no good asking that just now。 What has Regal done？ Sent out the Rurisk？ I wish I'd been here to go with them。〃
Cook snorted and paused to throttle the dough a bit。 〃Go now； then； for you won't be late。 Nothing's been done； no one sent that I've heard。 No one sent； no one is being sent。 No one。
〃You know I've no tongue for gossip； Fitz； but what was whispered was that Prince Regal did know of it。 When the boy came in； oh； the Prince was so kind； so full of sympathy as to make the ladies' hearts melt。 A meal； a new coat； a small purse for his troubles。 But he told the boy it was too late now。 The Raiders would be long gone。 No sense to send a ship out now； or soldiers。〃
〃Too late to fight Raiders； perhaps。 But what of those burned out in Ferry？ A contingent of workers to help repair houses； some wagons of food 。。。
〃Says there's no coin for it。〃 Cook bit each word off separately。 She began to break her dough into rolls and to slap each one down to rise。 〃Says the treasury was drained to build ships and man them。 Said Verity took what little was left for this expedition to find Elderlings。〃 A world of disdain on that last word。 Cook paused to wipe her hands on her apron。 〃Then he said he was very sorry。 Very truly sorry。〃
A cold fury uncoiled inside me。 I patted Cook's shoulder and assured her that everything would be all right。 Like a man in a daze； I left the kitchen and went to Verity's study。 Outside the study； I paused； groping。 One clear glimpse of Verity's intent。 In the back of a drawer； I would find an antique emerald necklace； the stones set in gold。 It had been his mother's； mother's。 It would be enough to hire men； and buy grain to send with them。 I pushed open the study door； and halted。
Verity was an untidy man； and he had packed hastily。 Charim had gone with him； he had not been here to clean up after him。 But this was no act of either of them。 To another man's eyes； probably little would have seemed amiss。 But I saw the room both as myself and as Verity。 It had been gone through。 Whoever had done it had either not cared if it was detected； or had not known Verity well。 Every drawer was neatly shut； every cupboard closed。 The chair was pushed up close to the table。 It was all too tidy。 Without much hope； I went to the drawer and opened it。 I pulled it pletely open and peered into the back corner。 Perhaps Verity's own untidiness had saved it。 I would not have looked for an emerald necklace under a jumble that included an old spur； a broken belt buckle； and a piece of antler partly worked into a knife haft。 But it was there； wrapped up in a scrap of homespun。 There were several other small but valuable items to be removed from the room。 As I gathered them I was puzzled。 If these had not been taken； what had been the goal of the search？ If not minor valuables； then what？
Methodically； I sorted out a dozen vellum maps； and then began to remove several others from the wall。 As I was carefully rolling one of them Kettricken entered silently。 My Wit had made me aware of her before she had even touched the door； so I glanced up to meet her eyes without surprise。 I stood firm before the surge of Verity's emotion that rushed through me。 The sight of her seemed to strengthen him within me。 She was lovely； pale and slender in a robe of soft blue wool。 I caught my breath and looked aside。 She looked at me quizzically。
〃Verity wanted these put away while he was gone。 Damp can harm them； and this room is seldom heated when he is not here；〃 I explained as I finished rolling the map。
She nodded。 〃It seems so empty and cold in here without him。 Not just the cold hearth。 There is