Can

slit our throats now and save the folk outside the trouble."
"I should have changed the name."
Harald looked straight at her.
"Want to keep that secret, child, need a new face too."
She looked blankly at him, startled by the excitement in his voice.
"What is it?"
"Think; it's a useful habit. Why do they want to take your mother's daughter?"
Comprehension. Harald spoke.
"Can't put pressure on a corpse, child. She's alive. Best news I've had the past year."
Kara spoke, slowly. "If we can't leave, what do we do?"
"Send for help. Stephen's a day's ride away. Times like this he'll be feeding fifty swords in his hall, maybe more."
"Lord Stephen, the King's man. Can we trust him?"
Harald looked amused. "If the King trusts him to show up with an army when and where he's told, His Majesty's more of a fool than I think. Yosef trusts him. I trust him. His people trust him not to get them killed if he can help it. You'll be all right."
"I'll go."
It was Hen in the doorway, his father behind him.
"I

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