What was he supposed to do? Kill her? Avoid her and let her blab stories about the crypt opening? It was unlikely, but someone might open the crypt to check it out. And what would they do when they saw Kylar was gone?

“Kylar, I know you’re there. Take me with you.”

Staying invisible, Kylar asked, “Have you ever killed anyone, Blue?”

She gasped and swallowed, looking for the source of the voice. “No,” she whispered.

“Do you want to kill people?”

“I’d kill Dag Tarkus. He kicked Piggy in the stomach for stealing and the next day he died.”

“What if I told you that to be my apprentice you’d have to kill a dozen kids like Piggy? What if I told you you had to kill your whole guild?”

Blue started crying.

“You just want out, don’t you?”

She nodded her head.

“Then I need you to do two things, Blue. First, never—ever—speak about this. If you tell anyone, bad people will find out, and they’ll kill lots of good people. You understand? You can’t even tell your best friend.”

Blue nodded. “I got no friends, not after Piggy died.”

“Go to the corner of Verdun and Gar. I’ll meet you in an hour.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

Blue left and Kylar closed the crypt. He found a safe house and loaded up everything he needed, including Retribution, which he had left before he killed the queen, knowing his weapons would be confiscated. He wrote a note to Rimbold Drake, first explaining about the laundress he’d maimed and asking Drake to pay restitution, and then explaining what the Wolf told Kylar he’d cost the Drakes. He grabbed several bags of gold and a few poisons and changes of clothing, took a cloak and pulled the hood over his face.

He found Blue sitting at the intersection. She scrambled to her feet.

“Inside that house lives a good man, Blue. He was poisoned and nearly died during the coup, and the Khalidorans killed his wife and two of his daughters. He’s the best man I know, and I think he might need you as much as you need him. In my note, I’ve asked him to raise you. He’ll give you the only chance you’ll ever have to make something of yourself. But it won’t be easy. If you go in this house, you stay until you walk out a lady. Is that what you want?”

“A lady?” Blue asked, her face lit with impossible yearning.

“Say it.”

“I want to be somebody. I want to be a lady.”