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"What if the soldiers are there?" Sohispered

"Do not say anything I will answer them"

"What if they ask htened of thehtened of them!"

"Then it will not be difficult for you to show it, will it? If Pasqua asks where ent, I a to say ent to sneak a look at the soldiers Watch out for that branch" They both ducked

Walking the rest of the way through the orchard in silence, they gripped each others hands as thenow that the sun was up, and they couldsilhouette of the abbey kitchen ahead past the screen of oaks Lia’s heart raced

As they crossed the grass to the rear of the kitchen, two shapes eht Both held draords

"In the nauer, sheriff of Mendenhall, I bid you stand fast! Are you thein pain frorabbed each girl around the arm "Then his lordship, the noble sheriff, desires to speak with you both You will coo, over an Abbey that I will notand engraving He was a talented youngwith the Medium The learners of the Abbey disdained him due to jealousy and his lack of rank The Alderress however, convinced that his abilities would bring the Abbey great renown But the wretched desired one thing above all else By learning to read, he hoped to discover the identity of his forbearers Instead of studying the words of the ancient h the Abbey records, seeking the identity of his parentage The clues were sufficient in the Abbey history, and he determined the identity of his mother, who had been a helper in the Abbey and a wretched herself Abandoning his studies, he sought her at a neighboring village and forced her to reveal the identity of his father, who, he discovered, was a learner at the Abbey but never becaave hieance To this day, Aldermastons keep learners and helpers apart, and they refuse, cohtfully, to alloretcheds of any circues"

- Cuthbert Renowden of Billerbeck Abbey

CHAPTER NINE:

Al That was the first thing Lia noticed about him What hair he had was short and spiky, patchy across the dorass that had been trampled too er, his beard ray As the rear doors of the kitchen were thrust open by the soldiers gripping Lia and Sowe, he turned from his conversation with the Aldermaston and Pasqua, a satisfied smile on his face He looked pleasant, except for his eyes His eyes were like glea spoons in a box of silver

"You see, Aldermaston, I knew my men would find the Lia

"They were sneaking in the ," Lia said, yanking her ar at the man "We wanted to see the horses I told you we should not have gone," she snapped at Sohose co

There were four other soldiers in the kitchen too, searching every sack, looking around every barrel, and even poking their blades into the oven flues

"In all likelihood, it was the older girl’s suggestion to see the horses," the Aldermaston said "Now, let us conclude this unseeirls, sheriff, if they have seen a wounded knight, squire, or any other such person on the Abbey grounds and, more specifically, inside my kitchen Your accusation has already caused an inordinate amount of commotion at Muirwood I would prefer we end it"

The sheriff approached, his gait sraceful despite his size He approached Lia directly, and she met his quizzical expression with a look of defiance The expression on his face was unexpected He stared at her, at her face, with a strange look – a familiar look – a look that said e she did not understand

"I too would also like to end this farce as soon as possible If you would be so kind as to leave us, Alder the Aldermaston leave?