t mean? There was no way that he had not seen the

errible possibility jumped to her mind. Did

rstand what was happening. Caine had seemed so frightene

have to fear from her? She was nobody, just anoth

unning to the Royal Guard. The authorities of Belgrave ignored the crime-infested pool where Vix lived,

out, then? Vix felt like she was mi

her moment. His coin purse was still hidden beneath her shirt. She h

chased after him. 'Curse him! Curse

ade his escape onto Taggar Road, a much busier thorough

ing Vix a thoroughly disgusted look as they skirted past

in the direction Caine had gone. She was lucky; the people in the street gave her a wide

to the neat, sunny streets of the Silver Quarter. In the distance, the Lord's castle and

she was liable to run into some guards. They would not think twice about locking her up for 'loitering

. Vix stood there for a moment, breathing hard. S

at if he discovered his purse was missing? 'Some pickpocket I wo

was standing only fifty feet away, nearly obscured by the bustling crowd. He glanced ar

acted jumped as one, startled by the sudden movement, as though Vix were some wild beast

tching crowd. This way led to the Wharfs, if she recalled. It was a

is head down, as though battling a powerful wind blowing from the other side of the street. V

say when she caught him, whether questions

and opened her mou

eled into him and smashed him against the brick of the opposite wall.

rised grunt of pain, his attackers seized him by his arms

somewhere behind Vix, It had

h shock. She skidded around the corner of the alley. One of the Longscarves was standi

age of the body in the barn assailed h

st like a silver thread. Vix twisted desperately. She felt the impact of the knife thump into he

was no pain. Glancing back, she saw

of Vix's arms. A loud rip split the air. The silver dinnerware inside the bag came spilling out of a

dull eyes shining with

f's boots thudded past her head. Vix tucked herself into a ball instincti

of her again as though through an old, groaning organ, full of discorda

sappeared. Caine was leaning against the wall of the alleyway. He had a fat lip and a cut on his cheek w

ath had passed her by. Muted colors swam and grew before her eyes, the dirty alley transforming into a verdant paradise. The smokey air of

sively, and she barely manag

tumbled closer to Caine. "Hey," she said hoarsely, "you all right? Those poxy, d

The whites of his eyes were swallowing the lovely green, diminishing them to pinpricks. He emitted a choked, h

up like ice water. Then she remembered the knife of the Longsca

away wet, stained a rusty red. "Caine," she whispered. "Oh gods. Those god

hers. "Just stay with me, Caine. Chin up, just calm down, calm dow

n.

comprehensible babble. The alleyway was dark and dirty and ordina

he sat facing him, wanting more than anything to be far awa

yer. But she gave it her best, for his sake. Reverently, she asked for his soul to be accepte

a phantom pain where the Longscarf's knife should have hit her moments before. But then h

the swirling patterns of its fabric. Then, at last, she opened it. It was comp

ile. Then the tears began