Page 117 (1/2)

Bloody stories They were supposed to leave Mat alone Some he could trace back to the Band--like the story of a city full of the dead awakening But many of the people claimed that the stories had come from their uncle, or cousin, or nephew

Mat flicked Chet a copper The et hi He had a suspicion that those pictures of hi so quickly In the last tavern he had visited, someone had actually pulled out a copy of the sketch--folded and wrinkled--and shown it to hih

The hearthfire continued to crackle Low Caerooms and drinks for the transients could make a healthy profit So shanties had started to becorow into full inns

Wood was in high de So the Queen’s levy for clais for it Who would have thought? Men hanging for poaching trees? What next? Men hanging for stealing dirt?

Low Caes being enlarged A few years, and Low Caemlyn would be a city itself! They’d have to build another wall to close it in

The room smelled of dirt and sweat, but no more so than other taverns Spills were quickly cleaned up and the serving girls looked eager to have work One in particular gave hi soood for Talh to drink He felt like a fool wearing the scarf this way But it was too hot for a hooded cloak, and the beard had been torture Even with the scarf on his face, he did not stand out tooaround with his face obscured He explained that he had a bad scar he wanted to cover; others assumed he had a bounty on his head Both were actually true, unfortunately

He sat for a ti fla caused an uncoreater his reputation grew, the reat notoriety in killing the Prince of the Ravens Where had they gotten that naure joined him at the fire Lanky and bony, Noal looked like a scarecroho had dusted hio to town Despite his white hair and leathery face, Noal was as spry asa weapon, anyway Other ti parlor

"You’re quite the notableout his palms to the fire "When you stumbled across me in Ebou Dar, I had no idea what illustrious company I’d find myself in Give this a few more months and you’ll be more famous than Jain Farstrider"

Mat hunkered down farther into his chair

"Men always think it would be grand to be known in every tavern and every city," Noal said softly "But burn me if it isn’t just a headache"

"What do you know of it?"

"Jain corunted Thom arrived next He was dressed as aa blue outfit that was not too fine, but also not in disrepair He was clai to have come to Low Caemlyn to determine whether his master would be well advised to put a shopfront here

Tho hiswith a faint Murandian accent Mat had offered to cohed and said that he already had one worked out Fla hihly of himself "Ah, what a waste of my time this was! My master insists that I associate with such rabble as this! And here I find the worst of the lot"

Noal chuckled softly