14/03/2026 16:37

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Therewas no predicting what Fletcher might feel driven to do. He stared down at his hand on the back of the gray cat, at the ring. She tried to think of what it had been like-what she had been like-whenshe had been the calm, rational head of the E. You were late.

You wonder who we are, clever girl? he whispered. He dropped into the seat beside her, glowering. He could choke downsome supper with her before he took her back over to the Strausses so hecould spend the rest of the night looking for Fletcher. Having by a ruse escaped from the Soga troops, he wasurged by his followers to flee to the eastern provinces, and thereraising an army, to march back to the attack of the Soga.