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Reaching out, she began untying his belt
"What are you doing?" Colvin asked
"He died saving us," Lia said, freeing the buckle "The abbey needs a new hunter noant to bring back with s in the abbey" Tears trickled down her cheeks "The new hunter will need these things I will never forget him Never" She brushed her eyes
"Nor will I"
Lia took the parts that irdle and belt he alore The gladius and ash bow A ho glove and bracers that protected his ararbed herself in his implements, for there was no other way to carry the ites that ladius had a certain feel in her hand The leather had a smell On summer days he had let her and Sowe practice archery in the orchard which resulted in huge purple bruises on their elbows Tears stung her eyes again It was too much to bear
While she dressed, Colvin took his rucksack with the food and then gently re into the body and cast theround, and then knelt by it
"Close your eyes," he told Lia
"What are you going to do?"
Colvin sighed "I aive hin"
Lia approached and stood near him and shut her eyes A part of her heart burned with pain, as if the thicket fro inside her There was so much about mastons and their customs she did not know As a wretched, she never would It was unfair, but such was the way of the world She squeezed her eyes tightly shut, because part of her was just rebellious enough to be terew stronger "By Idu h the Mediuround in the Bearden Muir as the final resting place of Jon Hunter By the Mediu has come, at some future dawn, he may be restored, every whit May ays remember this final spot that others may reh our words Make it thus so"
"Make it so," Lia whispered She opened her eyes and stared once again at the ashen face Tenderly, she knelt and kissed his bearded cheek Then they began fetching stones to cover hies is found in the Toe all le to couile, and he will receive of its fullness Pohich shall ive hins shall follow him--he shall heal the sick, banish the Myriad Ones, and be delivered from those who administer deadly poison He shall be led on paths where serpents cannot sting his heel And he shall les’ wings And if the Medium wills that he should raise the dead, let him not withhold his voice But only if the Medium wills it’"
- Cuthbert Renowden of Billerbeck Abbey
CHAPTER TWENTY NINE:
Eve of Winterrowd
Winterroas a ill-looking fishing village surrounded by water on three sides, nestled within the convergence of two strong rivers that emptied into the sea Lia had never seen the sea before She had never i The harbor was thronged with small vessels
Haze filled the sky above Winterrowd, and Lia realized it was from a hundred cookfires Thousands of soldiers swarmed in the town
"Is it over?" Colvin whispered in shock, turning the horse’s head with a subtle jerk to the reins "Are we too late?"
"No, I do not think so," Lia said, training her eye on the road south Froe of the hilltop, they could see south to the town of Bridgewater A long, coiled snake – the king’s arhIt must be Demont’s camp in the field there"
Colvin whistled softly "Yes, and that is the king’s ar They have cae Look there – you can see the pickets That is the vanguard of the king’s aruard They lead the battle Then coest Then couard has already arrived Sweet Idumea, they ht, the main and the rear will have arrived There battle will happen on the morrow"