Chapter ONE - Weebly

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apart from within. Scraps of timber were strewn over the rug on which she stood, and flecks of wood dust coated her skirt. Sephira stared at what he had done, her mouth agape. Ethan had already scraped his arm again, lest he need more blood to fight his way out of her house. “If you or your men go anywhere near Kannice or the Dowsing Rod, I’ll kill you all. I don’t care if I hang for your murder. I’ll rip you apart just like I did that table. Now call in Nigel. I’m ready to leave.” Sephira raised her eyes to his. At last, she called, “Nigel!” A moment later, the door opened. Nigel paused on the threshold, noted Ethan’s bloody arm and the mess in the middle of the common room, then entered the house, though he left the door wide open. “Give him his knife.” Nigel pulled the weapon from his coat pocket and took a step in Ethan’s direction. “Just leave it on the arm of that chair,” Ethan said, pointing with a bloodstained finger. Nigel glanced at Sephira, who hesitated, then
nodded. The big man did as Ethan had told him. “Now go stand with her.” The man crossed to Sephira. Ethan retrieved his knife and walked to the door. “Watch your back, Ethan,” Sephira said. “Don’t sleep. Don’t even blink.” He returned the blade to his belt, his hand trembling now, though with rage or with fear he couldn’t say. He glanced back at her once more and left the house, Uncle Reg stalking beside him.
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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
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“I doubt he or his family had any
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thinking about the boy, and how str
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“Yes, you could,” Ethan said, k
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asked. “Surely you could do for y
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gasp from his lips. He sat still fo
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Berson paying.” “Speaking of jo
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“She seen you since…?” Diver
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so, Diver responded. “It’s Gren
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courage he could find a way to keep
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Greenleaf hardly spared her a glanc
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doubled over, and the man drove his
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Chapter NINE The sheriff and his me
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killed a rat behind the hovel and a
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spot for a prison, set in the midst
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the stairs, Ethan thought he saw a
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door behind him. Hutchinson faced E
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“Yes, Your Honor,” Ethan said.
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who abused my family and me with su
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Matthews?” he asked. “Yes, sir.
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you’ll have to go to Sephira Pryc
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make it home without being seen. Th
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hitting him full in the chest. Nap
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Nap. “What does Sephira want with
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“Yes.” The man smiled. “Tha
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The man looked at him. “Yellow-ha
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Boston have t’ feel safe. They ha
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Daniel’s body. “Tha’ could be
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that bloodied alley. Mercy is weakn
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done. Mother never catches herself
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learning that she had been widowed,
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having this small role in their liv
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“You get it now?” the boy deman
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“Sephira killed him because she k
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“Why are you with him?” she ask
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memory lingered. When he dreamed of
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think they would be fine.” “But
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to the Dowser and see Kannice. He n
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their first encounter. The girl mar
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communicate through the girl, but a
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uildings. The breeze off the harbor
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murder.” “It is over, Kaille. A
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Chapter ELEVEN By the time he reach
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the nearest pew. Leaning back, he c
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“No. But another day would have h
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Before Pell could respond, Ethan he
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heavy-lidded eyes. He didn’t wait
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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
Page 307 and 308: did all they could to avoid notice.
Page 309 and 310: always went to Janna. Ethan followe
Page 311 and 312: toward the bar. “Well, you here,
Page 313 and 314: Ethan shook his head, knowing that
Page 315 and 316: he turned to look, it had vanished.
Page 317 and 318: dangerous extreme: killing spells.
Page 319 and 320: had stolen from a peddler. “It’
Page 321 and 322: “You do that,” she said without
Page 323 and 324: Chapter TWELVE Ethan stepped onto t
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Page 329 and 330: “You needed … you needed her
Page 331 and 332: daughter’s brooch and putting thi
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Page 335 and 336: and austere bastard swords that mig
Page 337 and 338: the room, Ethan could smell her per
Page 339 and 340: inquiry, but he managed to stop him
Page 341 and 342: comment away. She studied his face
Page 343 and 344: “Answer the question.” “I fou
Page 345 and 346: wouldn’t do for him to lose himse
Page 347 and 348: “No, I haven’t.” She started
Page 349: listening.” She shook her head sl
Page 353 and 354: hating him; as long as he insisted
Page 355 and 356: olled barrels, and others worked in
Page 357 and 358: paused to watch Ethan and his son,
Page 359 and 360: “You told me that you had no idea
Page 361 and 362: you, but later, when I told Abner,
Page 363 and 364: had nothing to do with her or her m
Page 365 and 366: watching, and Ethan thought they lo
Page 367 and 368: me work.” He took a step, intendi
Page 369 and 370: You find out what those spells did
Page 371 and 372: abroad in the city after dark if he
Page 373 and 374: tavern. But no one stopped him or o
Page 375 and 376: Chapter FOURTEEN Adams walked to wh
Page 377 and 378: “And this is Peter Darrow.” Oti
Page 379 and 380: cast our lot with that charlatan th
Page 381 and 382: he looked apoplectic. But it was Ad
Page 383 and 384: his rabble inflicted upon Thomas Hu
Page 385 and 386: need the support of laborers, wharf
Page 387 and 388: North Square. We had word that Mack
Page 389 and 390: pulling the trigger already. “Go
Page 391 and 392: “Hello, Ethan.” He knew that vo
Page 393 and 394: throwing off enough heat to warm Et
Page 395 and 396: instant, Ethan charged the first ma
Page 397 and 398: But before Ethan could get to his f
Page 399 and 400: 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
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Stephen Leigh, Lynn Flewelling, Car
Page 641 and 642:
TOR BOOKS BY D. B. JACKSON Thieftak
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This is a work of fiction. All of t
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