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Jared reached out for Kami so she could hear too, and said, "I broke into Monkshood Abbey today Guess what I found there?"

Don’t ever become a spy, Lynburn, Kami told him He could feel her, almost at Auri The sound of branches snapping and the clack of uillotine

"A lesson, I i up at Jared His uncle’s broad shoulders were suddenly held more stiffly

Jared stared at the back of Uncle Rob’s head, noticing that his hair was a shade between Ash’s and his own "What sort of lesson?"

"In what happens to you if you cross the Lynburns of Aurimere House," said Uncle Rob

Jared waited aelse The only sound was blackthorn branches falling onto the long grass "The Lynburn crest was in that house Why?"

There was a long pause Jared thought that he wouldn’t get any answer except for the sound of slicing roses

Not turning around, his voice level and dispassionate, Uncle Rob said, "Because Lynburns used to live there My parents, and "

Jared was shocked silent He’d always thought of all the Lynburns as belonging to Aurimere, but of course Uncle Rob had different parents from Mom and Aunt Lillian "Why was it abandoned? What happened?"

Uncle Rob tossed the shears down, steel blades gaping open and hungry Jared took a step back at the look on his face

"My parents displeased the Lynburns of Auries and executioners The Lynburns of the House came to Monkshood and killed the stock for one or the other of their daughters I think perhaps you can understand why I never went back And why I never wanted to come back to this town"

Jared stared into Uncle Rob’s blue eyes He didn’t knohat to feel: he was sorry for Uncle Rob, who had never been anything but kind to hi horror at yet another terrible chapter of this book of his ancestors "They killed your parents," he said slowly "And you married Aunt Lillian?"

Uncle Rob told him, "I learned my lesson"

Kami screamed for Jared in his head He realized she was alone in Aurimere with his mother

Kami knocked on the door of Auri somewhere with Uncle Rob, that Ash would answer He was the best of three bad options She was rehearsing a speech along the lines of "Let’s skip the ro there is to know about your sorcerous lifestyle" when the door opened

It was Rosalind Lynburn Her skin was paper white, her pale hair flowing, and her lips parted, like a ghost who had seen a ghost She said, "Kaain"

Rosalind stood there wavering and watching her Kas for his mother, the pity and protectiveness and the shame and hate too, but she couldn’t reach them She felt sorry for Rosalind Lynburn, and felt resentment for her treatment of Jared, but Kas slipped away frolass She almost seemed transparent, because she never quite seemed real Kami wondered if that hy Rob had married Lillian in the end

Rosalind slid the door of Aurimere House wide open and stood aside so Kas of the floor radiated cold through the soles of her shoes Rosalind’s hair blew in the wind rushing through the door The ends touched Kae of her eye

Rosalind shut the door, and all the air and light outside was shut away Karay hall, surrounded by arches as if each as a church door Rosalind was standing in front of the door She looked even paler against the slab of age-dark wood, al someone to pass

"I told you not to come back," Rosalind said as Ka him what happened when you crossed the Lynburns

Rosalind’s hair bleay froh there was no wind "Do I need to show you why you should obey leaht white, like blood and pearls The lights danced in Ka She took two steps through the sea of swi diamonds and looked up at Rosalind "Like you showed my mother?"

Rosalind’s face remained tranquil "I can do much worse to you," she said "I only needed to scare her"

"And what can you do toI have to," Rosalind answered "So that you stay away frohts pounded through Kah her "I won’t do it"

"I ht kill you," Rosalind breathed

"You’ll have to," said Kami She yelled mentally for Jared

The hall was suddenly filled with cold air and glass shards as both of the s exploded inward The glass shards were like knives, blades the flashing red of traffic lights and blades Kalittered

They ca at her from all directions The air was filled with the the flagstones and shards aiht at Ka with the fear shivering through her blood She spun around to face Rosalind