Page 54 (1/2)

The mausoleum was on what passed for a hill on the property, and that here the now-tingling beacon wanted to go I’d rather just go directly for Sarad Nukpana, but the beacon hadn’t asked reed to help I was hardly surprised We were going after the very thing that he had been willing to torture Piaras for quite recently So I think I could be excused a healthy dose of skepticisood chance to kill us once and he didn’t take it That didn’t exactly earn hiirl had to take what she could get

I shot Mychael a look that I think fully conveyed the extent of s and received a bare nod for oblin prince and Priard and Riston The prince’s four guards would keep their distance while keeping watch A few people strolling in the gardens was one thing, but with Chigaru’s guards, we more closely resereed So far he was being the perfect gentle to holditself, and I held out as ood behavior as I did for the prince’s The tingling had resolved itself into a quiet hu, and was now content to wait until we got there

In a few minutes ould be surrounded by the dark, the da the Mal’Salin mausoleum, and would feel better about our destination if I knew etinto a cray to Mychael’s cousin, I removed the hat pins and ditched the hat under the nearest bush If I was going to die tonight, at least I’d die comfortable I kept the hat pins and tucked them into the top of my bodice in between it and the corset The s indown I looked up to find that I had Mychael’s complete and undivided attention Fro there naked

"So, how hness?" I asked, trying to shift attention to anyone butoblin prince looked puzzled "None All Mal’Salins are entoor"

I didn’t want to ask, but I had to "Then these people are…?"

He shrugged "They carandfather saw the ardens built around theinal owners were an old Mer since died out My family would often spend summers here When ere children,the crypts beneath the mausoleum"

Ick Piaras’s frozen expression told ht

"Crypts?" I looked from the prince to Mychael

"Yes, there is a saru told us both

Mychael said nothing I keptplenty--andwasn’t suitable for polite company Ocnus hadn’t mentioned catacombs Maybe he hadn’t known Maybe the little weasel had Since Mychael and I thought Ocnus had told us the truth, we had let hio His ship was probably halfway to wherever by now I hope he was seasick The only things worse than dead dusty bodies were dead dusty bodies in a dark tunnel The beacon continued to hum happily Apparently it didn’t care about Ocnus or dead bodies in a dark tunnel, dusty or otherwise

I heard a splash and the slap of soainst a muddy bank It wasn’t small, and it was entirely too close

"A soblin prince said cal "I believe that was a serpent dragon, what you ht"

Other Mermeian nobles kept ornamental fish Naturally, the Mal’Salins would be different

Piaras was incredulous "Your family keeps knuckers as pets?"

"They keep theer Like the teh, the serpents did not occupy it until my family acquired the house"

Who said only opposites attract?

We were alone No one had ood and bad I didn’t want anyone following us, but at the same time, I expected some kind of interference The complete lack of opposition made me more than a little jumpy Garadin’s spell preparation on the terrace paled in con of a Khrynsani teo airborne, but I didn’t want to inadvertently waste any on a waving tree branch The as up, so there were a lot of those My guard was also up, along with the tiny hairs on the back of ard rip on the throwing knife

"We’re in position and ready, sir," he reported to Mychael "Feroc and Hugh took out the wards around the outer garden walls They weren’t easy, but they weren’t difficult either--and no sign of an alaruards That has theht," Prith"

I knew the priht "He wants me here," I said "If you want someone in your house, leave the door open"

"Step into my parlor, said the spider to the fly," Garadin said

I shot him a look

"Sorry, I couldn’t resist"

"Try harder next time"