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promise . You don’t think I’d try a cheap trick like that, do you?”
    She didn’t respond as she handed him the horseshoe. He took it out of her hand and examined it. It was badly cracked, but she knew it could be fitted to the hoof to enable him to ride, at least as far as Middledale.
    Kara sheathed her weapon and took off her pack, settling by the fire across from him. She helped herself to some of the tea from the kettle. It was too bitter, by the taste of it brewed some time ago and kept over the fire too long. She gulped it down anyway, then took out two food rations and offered him one.
    He shook his head. “I already ate, thanks. Besides, I wouldn’t dream of depleting your supplies.”
    She smiled. “We’re traveling together now, remember? We can share.”
    He threw her another amused glance before returning back to his work on the horseshoe.
    “You are quite something, aren’t you?” he asked at length.
    Kara smiled, stretching out her legs. It felt good to relax her tired muscles after the last few days of crazy riding.
    “I try to be.”
    He raised his face to her. “Is there anything I can do to convince you to reconsider?”
    She shook her head. “No. The only thing that would convince me is reading Master Oden Lan’s letter and seeing with my own eyes that you have been recalled to the Guild for a reason unrelated to me.”
    For a brief moment his face lost its amused expression. His hand darted into the opening of his shirt to shove something deeper into the inner pocket. She caught a glimpse of the folded parchment, feeling a chill run down her spine. His expression told her so much more than words ever could. And now, she absolutely had to see what was in that letter and to understand how bad things really were for her and Mai.
    She finished her ration, then walked over to the edge of the glade and whistled through her teeth. After a short moment, her horse appeared from the direction of the brook. She patted it and took time to unsaddle and brush it, then brought her saddle and bedroll to the fireside.
    Mai was already lying down on the other side of the fire. As Kara settled down, he slowly relaxed into his bedroll.
    “Good night,” he said and closed his eyes.
    She sat for a while watching him. After a few minutes his breath became even, indicating that he was asleep. She waited a while, then got up to her feet and crept over to him. She used extra stealth to move smoothly, so that she would be all but invisible against the flickering firelight. As she approached, she filled herself with inner stillness to prevent him from sensing her presence, and leaned over, looking at his outstretched shape.
    The night was warm and he had no cover over him. His shirt, open down the front, revealed the upper part of his lean, muscular chest with a small star-shaped scar at its center. From this angle she could no longer see the parchment he had tucked inside, but she knew it was there, stashed into the deep inner pocket. If she could just reach in there without waking him up–
    She paused, looking down on him. He appeared fast asleep, his breath even, his body completely relaxed. His staff lay next to his hand, his long fingers resting over its black polished wood. If he woke up, he would be ready to instantly spring into action. But there was no reason to wake him. She was certain she could do what she needed without disturbing him, if she was careful enough.
    She crouched next to him, so that her body was parallel to his, weight spread along the ground. Supporting herself on one hand, so that she could stay in position without making any excessive movements, she carefully reached into the opening of his shirt. She moved slowly, so as not to disturb any of its silky folds as she reached further inside to the secret pocket against his body.
    She sensed a barely perceptible twitch of muscle and froze. She stayed still, but there was no more movement from him, his breath as even as before. After a long