What now? No excuse to be busy. Nowhere to sit but a that table.... Oh, shit!

The Limper removed his mask. He raised the tin cup....

I could not tear my gaze away.

His was the face of a dead man, of a mummy improperly preserved. His eyes were alive and baleful, yet directly beneath one was a patch of flesh which had rotted, Beneath his nose, at the right corner of his mouth, a square inch of lip was missing, revealing gum and yellowed teeth,

The Limper sipped tea, met my eye, and smiled.

I nearly dribbled down my leg.

I went to the window. There was some light out there now, and the snowfall was weakening, but I could not see the stone.

The stamp of boots sounded on the stair. Elmo and Raven shoved into the room. Elmo growled, Hey, Croaker, how the hell did you get rid of that... His words grew smaller as he recognized the Limper.

Raven gave me a questioning look. The Limper turned. I shrugged when his back was to me. Raven moved to one side, began removing his wet things.

Elmo got the idea. He went the other way, stripped beside the fire. Damn, its good to get out of those. Hows the boy, Otto?

Theres fresh tea, I said.

Otto replied, I hurt all over, Elmo,

The Limper peered at each of us, and at One-Eye and Goblin, who had yet to stir. So. Soulcatcher brings the Black Companys best His voice was a whisper, yet it filled the room. Where is he?

Raven ignored him. He donned dry breeches, sat beside Otto, double-checked my handiwork. Good job of stitching, Croaker.

I get plenty of practice with this outfit.

Elmo shrugged in response to the Limper. He drained his cup, poured tea all around, then filled the pot from one of the pitchers. He planted a boot in One-Eyes ribs while the Limper glared at Raven.

You! the Limper snapped. I havent forgotten what you did in Opal. Nor during the campaign in Forsberg.

Raven settled with his back against the_wall. He produced one of his more wicked knives and began cleaning his fingernails. He smiled. At the Limper, he smiled, and there was mockery in his eyes.

Didnt anything scare that man?

What did you do with the money? That wasnt Soulcatchers. The Lady gave it to me.

I took courage from Ravens defiance. Arent you supposed to be in Elm? The Lady ordered you out of the Salient.

Anger distorted that wretched face. A scar ran down his forehead and left cheek. It stood out. Supposedly it continued down his left breast. The blow had been struck by the White Rose herself.

The Limper rose. And that damned Raven said, Got the cards, Elmo? The table is free.