The Limper scowled. The tension level was rising fast. He snapped, I want that money. Its mine. Your choice is to cooperate or not. I dont think youll enjoy it if you dont.

You want it, you go get it, Raven said. Catch Raker. Chop off his head. Take it to the stone. That ought to be easy for the Limper. Raker is only a bandit. What chance would he stand against the Limper?

I thought the Taken would explode. He did not. For an instant he was baffled.

He was not off balance long. All right. If you want it the hard way. His smile was wide and cruel.

The tension was near the snapping point.

A shadow moved in the open doorway. A lean, dark figure appeared, stared at the Limpers back. I sighed in relief.

The Limper spun. For a moment the air seemed to crackle between the Taken.

From the corner of one eye I noted that Goblin was sitting up. His fingers were dancing in complex rhythms. One-Eye, facing the wall, was whispering into his bedroll. Raven reversed his knife for a throw. Elmo got a grip on the tea pot, ready to fling hot water.

There was no missile within grabbing distance of me.

What the hell could I contribute? A chronicle of die blowup afterward, if I survived?

Soulcatcher made a tiny gesture, stepped around the Limper, deposited himself in his usual chair. He flung a toe out, hooked one of the chairs away from the table, put his feet up. He stared at the Limper, his fingers steepled before his mouth. The Lady sent a message. In case I ran into you. She wants to see you. Soulcatcher used only one voice throughout. A hard female voice. She wants to ask you about the uprising in Elm.

The Limper jerked. One hand, extended over the table, twitched nervously. Uprising? In Elm?

Rebels attacked the palace and barracks.

The Limpers leathery face lost color. The twitching of his hand became more pronounced.

Soulcatcher said, She wants to know why you werent there to head them off.

The Limper stayed about three seconds more, In that time his face became grotesque. Seldom have I seen such naked fear. Then he spun and fled.

Raven flipped his knife. It stuck in the doorframe. The Limper did not notice.

Soulcatcher laughed. This was not the laugh of earlier days, but a deep, harsh, solid, vindictive laughter. He rose, turned to the window. Ah. Someone has claimed our prize? When did that happen?

Elmo masked his response by going to close the door. Raven said, Toss me my knife, Elmo. I eased up beside Soulcatcher, looked out. The snowfall had ceased. The stone was visible. Cold, unglowing, with an inch of white on top.

I dont know. I hoped I sounded sincere. The snow was heavy all night. Last time I looked-before he showed up-I couldnt see a thing. Maybe Id better go down there.