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"I will not," he said curtly "He is no threat toyou This is how the Arch-Rike does his work He goes where the feelings are strongest You are not safe with this boy"

"Ia fistful of his cloak "He e"

The Kishion smirked "Then I will free hi seizures of cold began to shake her and she hugged herself, nodding glue of the ravine and sinuously began to scale the roots and dirt, his aron ropes He pulled hi crumbs of dirt and silt down She crouched nearby, hidden in the shadows, cold and dripping fro to her face and she brushed it back, tre uncontrollably

The Kishion snaked his way up the ravine edge before disappearing past the lip of the ridge He was silent, but theplenty of noise The sound of boots trah brush Voices o down?"

"There are no boot marks on the other side" Trasen’s voice "The floor of the ravine is too dark to see I’ against that one The Quiet Kishion He’s a killer of children Sick in the head"

Another voice "The ravine goes both ways Should we trail them both?"

"Where is Heap?"

"What?"

"Where’s Heap? He was over there I don’t see hi to the sound of their voices So close They did not realize how close they were to their prey--or to beco prey themselves The

"Heap?"

"How old are these tracks, boy? When did they pass?"

It was Trasen again "Not long ago, by the look The er, they will hear us coirl’s scream? How far away do you think that was?"

"Sounds travel oddly in the woods," Trasen said "It sounded like it came from over there I think we should follow it this way"

"I saw so and thrashing froging her nails into her hands, stifling her gasp on the back of her fist

"There! I see…"

"Scatter! Get back to Gorrunted and collapsed into aout in panic and dread More noise came as some fell, struck down by a silent attacker in the woods Phae heard so down the side of the ravine, heard boots splash in the trickle andup the ravine neck She heard hiled A frenzy of emotions whirled inside her She was desperate to see his face But what if it was a trick? Conflicting doubts and feelings assailed her,her heart hammer violently in her ribs She had to know She started toward hi the ravine wall as she stuled face The look of shock and relief in his eyes brought tears He recognized her--his expression was one of pure delight and the first embers of hope arin splitting his face He rushed and e her close He had not bathed in days, it was true, but he still smelled like himself--like home A muffled sob burst froet you out of here," he said, pulling back

"No, Trasen," she said, shaking her head "You are the one in danger Why are you with these men? Who are they?"

"They are hunters They trap bears They have special ropes and nets They’re going to trap the man who abducted you Now that I’ve found you--"

"No!" Phae cried, pressing her hand against his o Leave these men Go back to the Winehast, his face crinkling with outrage "Look at you! You were kidnapped by the Arch-Rike’s most--"