Chapter ONE - Weebly

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“I’m not sure this is the time for indulging your curiosity. Please answer my question: When did they bring her?” “It was close to midnight, I believe.” “Had she been dead for long?” The minister glanced at the girl before quickly averting his eyes again. He stood a few paces from the table, and his hands trembled. “You mistake me for a physician, Mister Kaille. I couldn’t tell you.” “Then you have no idea how she died?” Ethan asked. Pell licked his lips. “None at all.” “Forgive me, Mister Pell,” Ethan said. “But this can’t be the first time you’ve seen a corpse.” “Of course not,” the young man said, his voice unsteady. “And yet, you seem shaken by the sight of her.” The man hesitated, his eyes now fixed on the girl. “She’s about my age. And the men who brought her said that she had been murdered. I’ve seen the dead before, but never anyone who was … killed in that way.”
“I understand,” Ethan said. “I’m going to uncover her. I want to see if I can learn something of how she died. All right?” Pell nodded. Ethan pulled back the sheet to reveal the girl’s body. She was dressed in a pale silk gown—a soft shade of yellow, although it was hard to tell in the dim light. Her petticoats were darker—perhaps green—and she wore a stomacher of white silk. Ethan bent closer, examining the exposed skin of her shoulders and chest, searching for any marks that might explain her death. “Bring me that sconce,” Ethan said, gesturing vaguely at an iron tree in the far corner of the chamber. Pell retrieved it and brought it to Ethan, setting it beside him so that the glow of the candles illuminated the girl. Even in the better light, Ethan saw no stab wounds, no dried blood, no obvious bruises. He searched her limbs, checked her clothing for rents or cuts in the fabric. At last he rolled her onto her side to examine her back. Nothing. He wasn’t surprised; this was why Berson had
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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
Page 39 and 40: At last, as he continued to walk up
Page 41 and 42: Chapter THREE The Dowsing Rod was o
Page 43 and 44: Ethan had to laugh. The evening mis
Page 45 and 46: “We’re paid through a few round
Page 47 and 48: only for an instant. “Is he … d
Page 49 and 50: He smiled, as did she. Then she loo
Page 51 and 52: Diver’s cheeks reddened. He was a
Page 53 and 54: can’t sell any of it the usual wa
Page 55 and 56: “I have for years. Why should it
Page 57 and 58: efore.” Diver got up again, eager
Page 59 and 60: a part of him would always long for
Page 61 and 62: “You say it went well with Corbet
Page 63 and 64: Kannice giggled. “I’m glad to h
Page 65 and 66: disgusted. “Not tha’ we know,
Page 67 and 68: Chapter FOUR Soon after the men lef
Page 69 and 70: Ethan could tell that Kannice was w
Page 71 and 72: He reached for his shirt. “All ri
Page 73 and 74: “You understand, sir, that I’m
Page 75 and 76: change at all. “It’s no’ my p
Page 77 and 78: The stranger looked genuinely surpr
Page 79 and 80: to me?” “I thought you weren’
Page 81 and 82: She straightened, her eyes meeting
Page 83 and 84: Church of England. Its congregation
Page 85 and 86: natural wood. Given the chapel’s
Page 87 and 88: still uncertain, and so when a figu
Page 89: dark hair. A powdered wig sat on th
Page 93 and 94: “No.” “Perhaps she wasn’t m
Page 95 and 96: don’t you? You just don’t want
Page 97 and 98: “You can learn those things?”
Page 99 and 100: serene; she couldn’t have known w
Page 101 and 102: murderer’s conjuring had struck h
Page 103 and 104: ared his arm, and laid the blade ag
Page 105 and 106: that.” Bett stared at the dead gi
Page 107 and 108: me something more about the spell i
Page 109 and 110: Ethan had thought, for at last Bett
Page 111 and 112: He threw his hands wide. “I don
Page 113 and 114: efore. What did you expect?” “I
Page 115 and 116: half expected her to gloat at the a
Page 117 and 118: She stopped at that and regarded hi
Page 119 and 120: shirt, the sleeves of which he had
Page 121 and 122: told, the diminutive cooper worried
Page 123 and 124: Before he could clear his vision or
Page 125 and 126: kindness. God knew they could be al
Page 127 and 128: But her sex remained her greatest w
Page 129 and 130: safe. And by dint of having forged
Page 131 and 132: Ethan wanted to challenge her on th
Page 133 and 134: not sure I’d tell you if I did, b
Page 135 and 136: important clients and ruin my reput
Page 137 and 138: him. “But we both know that you
Page 139 and 140: 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
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with dark purple bruises. Seeing Et
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Ethan had finally finished his tale
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“That sounded stranger coming out
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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
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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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