Only you and me know. I wont tell him. He brushed the snow off the old mans face. Raker was cooling fast.

Raven used his knife.

I am a physician. I have removed limbs. I am a soldier. I have seen some bloody battlefields. Nevertheless, I was queasy. Decapitating a dead man did not seem right.

Raven secured our grisly trophy inside his cloak. It did not bother him. Once, on the way to our part of town, I asked, Why did we go after him, anyway?

He did not answer immediately. Then, The Captains last letter said to get it over with if I had the chance.

As we neared the square, Raven said, Go upstairs. See if the spook is there. If hes not, send the soberest man after our wagon. You come back here.

Right. I sighed, hurried to our quarters. Anything for a little warmth.

The snow was a foot deep now. I was afraid my feet were permanently damaged.

Where the hell have you been? Elmo demanded when I stumbled through the doorway. Wheres Raven?

I looked around. No Soulcatcher. Goblin and One-Eye were back, dead to the world. Otto and Hagop were snoring like giants. Hows Otto?

Doing all right. Whatve you been up to?

I settled myself beside our fire, prized my boots off. My feet were blue and numb but not frozen. Soon they tingled painfully. My legs ached from all that walking through the snow, too. I told Elmo the whole story.

You killed him?

Raven said the Captain wants done with the project.

Yeah. I didnt figure Raven would go cut his throat.

Wheres Soulcatcher?

Hasnt been back. He grinned. Ill get the wagon Dont tell anybody else. Too many big mouths. He flung his cloak about his shoulders, stamped out.

My hands and feet felt halfway human. I scooted over and nabbed Ottos boots. He was about my size, and hi did not need them.

Out into the night again. Morning, almost. Dawn was due soon.

If I expected any remonstrance from Raven I was disappointed. He just looked at me. I think he actually shivered. I remember thinking, maybe he is human after all. Had to change my boots. Elmo is getting the wagon The rest of them are passed out.

Soulcatcher?

Not back yet.

Lets plant this seed. He strode into the swirling flakes. I hurried after him.

The snow had not collected on our trap. It sat then glowing gold. Water puddled beneath it and trickled away to become ice.

You think Soulcatcher will know when this thing get: discharged? I asked.

Its a good bet. Goblin and One-Eye, too.

The place could burn down around those two and they wouldnt turn over.

Nevertheless.... Sshh! Somebody out there. Go that way. He moved the other direction, circling.

What am I doing this for? I wondered as I skulked through the snow, weapon in hand. I ran into Raven. Set anything?