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She tried to s the surge of fear squir in her stomach like a nest of serpents Where was Jon? She did not dare call out to him That would tell the sheriff exactly where they were

Colvin worked at the saddle straps and freed the second sword and scabbard that Maderos had given them He thrust it into her hands "You may need this"

"I do not kno to use a…"

"I knoill do rab you while I a it like a stick if youits bulk

"Heavy kills quicker," he snapped "You do not swing it in the scabbard If they coe You…" He stopped, as if hearing so around the way Jon left "Should we run?"

"How?" Colvin snorted "We need the horse If there was a haven elsewhere, the orb would have told us Trust the Medium, Lia Trust the Medium It will not fail us It will not Coed at the bridle

Lia re Maderos had said If you take the road, you will be captured Her thoughts brought his words perfectly, even the accent She had assumed that if they had taken the road, they would be captured on the road Now she understood it differently Their capture would happen after Or because of having taken the road

"Colvin," she said

A set of riders eed from the woods ahead of them, towards the direction of Winterrowd Three of the sheriff’swith anger The horses dripped foam from the bits, their flanks were lathered as well and bloody froed for the beasts

Colvin took a deep breath and unsheathed his sword Three against one

"Do not do this," Lia warned him

"I can kill three If the Medium helps me, I can do it"