Chapter ONE - Weebly

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former betrothed, stood at the corner, flanked by Pitch and Shelly. Ethan had no idea what the boy was doing here or how he had found them, but he could not allow Marielle’s child to come to harm. Yellow-hair appeared to sense this, like a wolf smelling fear in its prey. His eyes flicked in Ethan’s direction, and there was a grin on his lips. Both dogs growled deep in their throats, their hackles rising. “Don’t even think about it,” Ethan said, his voice low. This had to be done carefully. Neither Holin nor his sister knew that Ethan was a conjurer and Elli would have his head if they found out. Worse, she would forbid them to see Ethan again. “Leave us now,” he told Sephira’s man. “Or I swear I won’t care at all what happens to me.” Fear flashed in the man’s dark eyes. But his grin returned quickly, even as he put the pistol back in his pocket. “Fine, Kaille.” He looked at the boy again and chuckled. “But ya better give a thought t’ Miss Pryce’s message.” He nodded toward the alley where lay
Daniel’s body. “Tha’ could be you.” He smiled at Holin and started back the way he and Ethan had come. Ethan stood silently, his forearm itching, his blade hand shaking. He wanted to feel hot blood running over his skin. He wanted to draw upon the power coursing through his body and reduce the smug bastard to a pile of ash. But he merely stood there, feeling utterly helpless as he watched Sephira’s man walk away.
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The author and publisher have provi
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Contents Title Page Dedication A Pl
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Historical Note Acknowledgments Tor
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light of day, but the sky over Bost
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and glinting off the dagger he carr
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“I was hired by Ezra Corbett to r
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the dead. Folter wouldn’t be able
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The pup gasped and doubled up. “W
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“I’ll give you one day, Daniel,
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jus’ … I wouldn’ tell anyone.
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Only two weeks before, such a rabbl
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He was a short, round man whose clo
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coins. Ethan tensed. “Is that so?
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felt the pulse of a spell, the air
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knew only of the mutiny and Ethan
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and trotted up to him. Shelly and P
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“Care t’ join us?” the man as
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At last, as he continued to walk up
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Chapter THREE The Dowsing Rod was o
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Ethan had to laugh. The evening mis
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“We’re paid through a few round
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only for an instant. “Is he … d
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He smiled, as did she. Then she loo
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Diver’s cheeks reddened. He was a
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can’t sell any of it the usual wa
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“I have for years. Why should it
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efore.” Diver got up again, eager
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a part of him would always long for
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“You say it went well with Corbet
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Kannice giggled. “I’m glad to h
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disgusted. “Not tha’ we know,
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Chapter FOUR Soon after the men lef
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Ethan could tell that Kannice was w
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He reached for his shirt. “All ri
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“You understand, sir, that I’m
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change at all. “It’s no’ my p
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The stranger looked genuinely surpr
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to me?” “I thought you weren’
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She straightened, her eyes meeting
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Church of England. Its congregation
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natural wood. Given the chapel’s
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still uncertain, and so when a figu
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dark hair. A powdered wig sat on th
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“I understand,” Ethan said. “
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“No.” “Perhaps she wasn’t m
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don’t you? You just don’t want
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“You can learn those things?”
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serene; she couldn’t have known w
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murderer’s conjuring had struck h
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ared his arm, and laid the blade ag
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that.” Bett stared at the dead gi
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me something more about the spell i
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Ethan had thought, for at last Bett
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He threw his hands wide. “I don
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efore. What did you expect?” “I
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half expected her to gloat at the a
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She stopped at that and regarded hi
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shirt, the sleeves of which he had
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told, the diminutive cooper worried
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Before he could clear his vision or
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kindness. God knew they could be al
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But her sex remained her greatest w
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safe. And by dint of having forged
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Ethan wanted to challenge her on th
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not sure I’d tell you if I did, b
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important clients and ruin my reput
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him. “But we both know that you
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position. His head spun a bit, but
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done before had impressed the old m
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The cooper glanced doubtfully at th
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Uncle Reg appeared, took one look a
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those around it, and it was modest
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Even in the wealthiest households,
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Missus Berson, and your younger dau
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“There weren’t any others, even
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probably wouldn’t be asking such
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The merchant rubbed a hand over his
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sensation some years back.” “It
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woman in the city to be talking abo
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cheek. “It was oval,” she said
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“By Cyrus Derne,” Ethan said.
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Chapter SEVEN Like the Bersons, the
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off with a stronger sheriff and a c
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head slowly, his expression grim.
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“Aye,” Ethan said, fighting to
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elaborate black cockades, and both
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“That’s fine, sir. Thank you. A
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overhead. “Occasionally, yes. I
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“Sir?” “Looking for betrayal
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had the chance. And to be honest I
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hope you’ll let me know.” “Of
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Berson and Derne, and even Sephira
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and her men charging at him. The gi
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She didn’t walk quickly, and in t
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ooch is all that matters. And I can
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illusion—or hers—for several mi
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the conjurer wasn’t using Ethan
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“Lux ex cruore evocatus!” Light
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The minister looked away, gently to
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y the men who found him. Mister Tro
Page 205 and 206: “I doubt he or his family had any
Page 207 and 208: thinking about the boy, and how str
Page 209 and 210: “Yes, you could,” Ethan said, k
Page 211 and 212: asked. “Surely you could do for y
Page 213 and 214: gasp from his lips. He sat still fo
Page 215 and 216: Berson paying.” “Speaking of jo
Page 217 and 218: “She seen you since…?” Diver
Page 219 and 220: so, Diver responded. “It’s Gren
Page 221 and 222: courage he could find a way to keep
Page 223 and 224: Greenleaf hardly spared her a glanc
Page 225 and 226: doubled over, and the man drove his
Page 227 and 228: Chapter NINE The sheriff and his me
Page 229 and 230: killed a rat behind the hovel and a
Page 231 and 232: spot for a prison, set in the midst
Page 233 and 234: the stairs, Ethan thought he saw a
Page 235 and 236: door behind him. Hutchinson faced E
Page 237 and 238: “Yes, Your Honor,” Ethan said.
Page 239 and 240: who abused my family and me with su
Page 241 and 242: Matthews?” he asked. “Yes, sir.
Page 243 and 244: you’ll have to go to Sephira Pryc
Page 245 and 246: make it home without being seen. Th
Page 247 and 248: hitting him full in the chest. Nap
Page 249 and 250: Nap. “What does Sephira want with
Page 251 and 252: “Yes.” The man smiled. “Tha
Page 253 and 254: The man looked at him. “Yellow-ha
Page 255: Boston have t’ feel safe. They ha
Page 259 and 260: that bloodied alley. Mercy is weakn
Page 261 and 262: done. Mother never catches herself
Page 263 and 264: learning that she had been widowed,
Page 265 and 266: having this small role in their liv
Page 267 and 268: “You get it now?” the boy deman
Page 269 and 270: “Sephira killed him because she k
Page 271 and 272: “Why are you with him?” she ask
Page 273 and 274: memory lingered. When he dreamed of
Page 275 and 276: think they would be fine.” “But
Page 277 and 278: to the Dowser and see Kannice. He n
Page 279 and 280: their first encounter. The girl mar
Page 281 and 282: communicate through the girl, but a
Page 283 and 284: uildings. The breeze off the harbor
Page 285 and 286: murder.” “It is over, Kaille. A
Page 287 and 288: Chapter ELEVEN By the time he reach
Page 289 and 290: the nearest pew. Leaning back, he c
Page 291 and 292: “No. But another day would have h
Page 293 and 294: Before Pell could respond, Ethan he
Page 295 and 296: heavy-lidded eyes. He didn’t wait
Page 297 and 298: Caner halted, as did Ethan. “I le
Page 299 and 300: with dark purple bruises. Seeing Et
Page 301 and 302: Ethan had finally finished his tale
Page 303 and 304: “That sounded stranger coming out
Page 305 and 306: eeches, one fist wrapped around Jen
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did all they could to avoid notice.
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always went to Janna. Ethan followe
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toward the bar. “Well, you here,
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Ethan shook his head, knowing that
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he turned to look, it had vanished.
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dangerous extreme: killing spells.
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had stolen from a peddler. “It’
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“You do that,” she said without
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Chapter TWELVE Ethan stepped onto t
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a casting would do anything, destro
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another explaining this to someone
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“You needed … you needed her
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daughter’s brooch and putting thi
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etter than Sephira Pryce deserved.
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and austere bastard swords that mig
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the room, Ethan could smell her per
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inquiry, but he managed to stop him
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comment away. She studied his face
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“Answer the question.” “I fou
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wouldn’t do for him to lose himse
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“No, I haven’t.” She started
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listening.” She shook her head sl
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nodded. The big man did as Ethan ha
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hating him; as long as he insisted
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olled barrels, and others worked in
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paused to watch Ethan and his son,
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“You told me that you had no idea
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you, but later, when I told Abner,
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had nothing to do with her or her m
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watching, and Ethan thought they lo
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me work.” He took a step, intendi
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You find out what those spells did
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abroad in the city after dark if he
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tavern. But no one stopped him or o
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Chapter FOURTEEN Adams walked to wh
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“And this is Peter Darrow.” Oti
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cast our lot with that charlatan th
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he looked apoplectic. But it was Ad
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his rabble inflicted upon Thomas Hu
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need the support of laborers, wharf
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North Square. We had word that Mack
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pulling the trigger already. “Go
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“Hello, Ethan.” He knew that vo
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throwing off enough heat to warm Et
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instant, Ethan charged the first ma
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But before Ethan could get to his f
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them, conjured— The phrasing slow
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with blood than I can with grass.
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that struck him dumb. He couldn’t
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sheriff had apologized for meddling
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Chapter FIFTEEN Conjurers in the Am
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hearing what Greenleaf said, though
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I have your blade please?” Ethan
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Before long they reached the chapel
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“Does the bullet wound hurt much?
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Greenleaf shifted his weight from o
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pointedly. He eyed Ethan again. “
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Mister Caner and I just lied to She
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The door opened onto a comfortable
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Ethan stared at him, his mouth hang
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me for asking.” “It’s all rig
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of agreement between Thomas Hutchin
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“Did you feel a spell?” Ethan a
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freedom. And here he was, scared of
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A few moments later, Kannice arrive
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“Some.” A lot, actually. “I
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himself hadn’t thought to ask. Ka
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conjurer is after me.” “You’r
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the blood draining from his face. A
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“You didn’t listen,” Anna sai
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daughter.” She shook her head.
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would shatter. Red-hot iron flowed
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cruore evocatum! Conjured from bloo
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You’ll watch the boy die, and the
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Strange, isn’t it? There should b
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was sorry. The words caught in his
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Ethan turned his attention back to
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They should fit you. Get yourself c
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“Who?” she asked, as if intent
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He was sure she would object, that
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Ethan and Elli shared a look. “Al
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her was something else entirely.
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stepped once more into the rain and
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Nor was he done taking risks. He st
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want to go home. So I thought I’d
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ack, and get away myself, but … b
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the conjurer broken through his war
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His boots were still damp, but they
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I’m safe?” “If I have to.”
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As Ethan approached the Derne house
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“He’s not afraid of you. No one
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stepped aside, revealing the last p
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Brower laughed. “Don’t be ridic
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stock in this, thinking it the bitt
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know tha’—” “I’m investig
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Mackintosh’s swagger fell away. H
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interests at heart, but he’s done
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ut to dissemble, at least until he
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had no doubt that they could convin
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Chapter EIGHTEEN As much as he didn
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seemed agitated. Ethan expected the
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“As close to a daughter as I’m
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so simple that Ethan laughed out lo
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light…” Ethan shook his head.
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of him. But he couldn’t remember
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“What did you say?” the rector
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asked. “I believe so. This girl,
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Mister Kaille,” he finally said,
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Chapter NINETEEN Ethan was more eag
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the middle of the afternoon the wha
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usiness with the merchant? He watch
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At the north end of Ship Street, th
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have said that this was a finding s
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hear the old man hiss, like a feral
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as a prisoner had inured him to pai
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imagine before you die!” He had m
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across the lane, heading north, awa
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crashing heavily on his maimed hand
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Chapter TWENTY Consciousness came t
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them that he could use to fuel a sp
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Ethan nodded. Anna glanced to the s
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would go to all that trouble. Anna
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Here is a man I could work with, a
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naïve to a fault, and Otis is wors
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streets near Mackintosh’s mob. Sh
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actually. You’ll hardly feel a th
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was rough enough to have scraped hi
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hired to do this. What he wants or
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Chapter TWENTY-ONE Darrow came forw
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Mackintosh’s frown deepened. “Y
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ing. “I think he’s tryin’ t
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Ethan saw the image of Stephen Gree
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him! Bu’ you haven’ touched him
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had sent to keep watch on Darrow; S
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all of this unfold. Now, though, he
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vanished from Darrow’s face, leav
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alarmed. “You shouldn’t have co
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Then he looked at Darrow, and there
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more real than any he had conjured
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three men addled. It also hammered
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cordwainer backed away from the man
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“Do you understand now?” he ask
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head leaned to one side, his neck b
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thoughts clouded by the throbbing p
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“He killed Jennifer Berson and th
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toy.” “We didn’t know, Ebenez
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talents to his shattered knee. By t
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Mackintosh glared. “Wha’s tha
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will always be welcomed as a friend
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“His body. He was a witch, wasn
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walk, shoulders hunched, hands in t
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His anger began to sluice away, tho
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“Peter Darrow.” “Darrow?” D
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Berson had just turned to close the
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whatever you pay me should reflect
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Chapter TWENTY-FOUR As Ethan neared
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happened. I found him out front thi
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stopping him from going this day, r
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where Hutchinson sat alone, gazing
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Hutchinson again. “He was what so
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purposes by dark means.” Hutchins
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“Is it beautiful?” Kannice aske
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friend?” she repeated. “I’ll
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need to be more careful?” Ethan a
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Historical Note Historical fiction
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Acknowledgments I’ve written hist
Page 639 and 640:
Stephen Leigh, Lynn Flewelling, Car
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TOR BOOKS BY D. B. JACKSON Thieftak
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This is a work of fiction. All of t
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