he life still throbbing in Marron Shed。 〃So young。〃
She lifted the girl's chin。 〃Oh。 What eyes。 Fire and steel。 The Lady will love this one。〃
〃We keep the watch？〃 I asked； assuming she would confiscate the prisoner。
〃Of course。 There may be others。〃 She faced me。 〃No more will get through。 The margin is too narrow。 Whisper will forgive the latest。 But the next is your doom。〃
〃Yes； ma'am。 Only it's hard to do and not attract the attention of the locals。 We can't just go set up a roadblock。''
〃Why not？〃
I explained。 She had scouted the black castle and knew the lay of the land。 〃You're right。 For the moment。 But your pany will be here soon。 There'll be no need for secrecy then。〃
〃Yes； ma'am。〃
Feather took the girl's hand。 〃e；〃 she said。
I was amazed at how docilely our hellcat followed Feather。 I went outside and watched Feather's battered carpet rise and hurry toward Duretile。 One despairing cry floated in its wake。
I found Shed in the doorway when I turned to go inside。 I wanted to smack him for that； but controlled myself。
〃Who was that？〃 he asked。 '〃What was that？〃
〃Feather。 One of the Taken。 One of my bosses。〃
〃Sorceress？〃
〃One of the greatest。 Go sit。 Let's talk。 I need to know exactly what that girl knows about Raven and Darling。〃
Intense questioning convinced me that Lisa did not know enough to arouse Whisper's suspicions。 Unless she connected the name Raven with the man who had helped capture her years ago。
I continued grilling Shed till first light。 He practically begged to tell every filthy detail of his story。 He had a big need to confess。 Over ing days； when I sneaked down to the Buskin； he revealed everything recorded where he appears as the focal character。 I do not think I have met many men who disgusted me more。 Nastier men； yes。 I have encountered scores。 Greater villains e by the battalion。 Shed's leavening of self…pity and cowardice reduced him from those categories to an essentially pathetic level。
Poor dolt。 He was born to be used。
And yet。 。 。 。 There was one guttering spark in Matron Shed； reflected in his relationships with his mother； Raveo； Asa； Lisa； Sal； and Darling； that he noted but did not recognize himself。 He had a hidden streak of charity and decency。 It was the gradual growth of that spark； with its eventual impact upon the Black pany； which makes me feel obligated to record all the earlier noxious details about that frightened little man。
The morning following his capture； I rode into the city in Shed's wagon and allowed him to open the Iron Lily as usual。
During the morning I got Elmo and Goblin in for a conference。 Shed was unsettled when he discovered that we all knew one another。 Only through sheer luck had he not been taken earlier。
Poor fellow。 The grilling never ceased。 Poor us。 He could not tell us everything we wanted to know。
〃What are we going to do about the girl's father？〃 Elmo asked。
〃If there is a letter； we've got to grab it。〃 I replied。 〃We can't have anybody stirring up more problems。 Goblin； you take care of the papa。 He's even a little suspicious； see he has a heart attack。〃
Sourly； Goblin nodded。 He asked Shed for the father's whereabouts； departed。 And returned within half an hour。 〃A great tragedy。 He didn't have a letter。 She was bluffing。 But he did know too much that would e out under questioning。 This business is beginning to get to me。 Hunting Rebels was cleaner。 You knew who was who and where you stood。〃
〃I'd better get back up the hill。 The Taken might not be understanding about me being down here。 Elmo； better keep somebody in Shed's pocket。〃
〃Right。 Pawnbroker lives there from now on。 That clown takes a crap； he's holding his hand。〃
Goblin looked remote and thoughtful。 〃Raven buying a ship。 Imagine that。 What do you figure he was going to
do？〃
〃I think he wanted to head straight out to sea；〃 I said。 〃I hear there're islands out there； way out。 Maybe another continent。 A guy could hide pretty good out there。〃
I went back up the hill and loafed for two days； except to slip off and get everything I could out of Shed。 Not a damned thing happened。 Nobody else tried to make a delivery。 I guess Shed was the only fool in the body business。
Sometimes I looked at those grim black battlements and wondered。 They had taken a crack at Feather。 Somebody in there knew the Taken meant trouble。 How long before they realized they had been cut off and did something to get the meat supply moving again？
Chapter Thirty…One： JUNIPER： THE RETURN
Shed was still rattled two days after his capture。 Each time he looked across the mon room and saw one of those Black pany bastards； he started falling apart again。 He was living on borrowed time。 He was not sure what use they had for him； but he was sure that when he was used up； they would dump him with the garbage。 Some of his babysitters clearly thought him trash。 He could not refute their viewpoint in his own mind。
He was behind his counter； washing mugs； when Asa walked through the door。 He dropped a mug。
Asa met his eye for only an instant； sidled around the L and headed upstairs。 Shed took a deep breath and followed。 The man called Pawnbroker was a step behind when he reached the head of the stair； moving as silent as death。 He had a knife ready for business。
Shed stepped into what had been Raven's room。 Pawnbroker remained outside。 〃What the hell are you doing here； Asa？ The Inquisitors are after you。 About that Catabs business。 Bullock himself went south looking for you。〃
〃Easy； Shed。 I know。 He caught up with us。 It got hairy。 We left him cut up； but he'll mend。 And he'll e back looking for you。 I came to warn you。 You've got to get out of Juniper。〃
〃Oh； no；〃 Shed said softly。 Another tooth in the jaws of fate。 〃Been considering that anyway。〃 That would not
tell Pawnbroker anything he could not guess for himself。 〃Things have gotten rotten here。 I've started looking for a buyer。〃 Not true； but he would before day's end。
For some reason Asa's return restored his heart。 Maybe just because he felt he had an ally； somebody who shared his troubles。
Most of the story poured out。 Pawnbroker did not take exception。 He did not make an appearance。
Asa had changed。 He did not seem shocked。 Shed asked why not。
〃Because I spent so much time with Raven。 He told me stories that would curl your hair。 About the days before he came to Juniper。〃
〃How is he？〃
〃Dead。〃
〃Dead？〃 Shed gasped。
〃What？〃 Pawnbroker bulled through the doorway。 〃Did you say Raven was dead？〃
Asa looked at Pawnbroker； at Shed； at Pawnbroker again。 〃Shed； you bastard。 。 。 。〃
〃You shut up； Asa；〃 Shed snapped。 〃You haven't got the faintest what's happened while you were gone。 Pawnbroker is a friend。 Sort of。〃
〃Pawnbroker； eh？ Like from the Black pany？〃 Pawnbroker's eyebrows rose。 〃Raven been talking？〃
〃He had some tales about the old days。〃
〃Uh…huh。 Right； buddy。 That's me。 Let's get back to Raven being dead。〃
Asa looked at Shed。 Shed nodded。 〃Tell us。〃
〃Okay。 I don't really know what happened。 We were clearing out after our mix…up with Bullock。 Running。 His hired thugs caught us by surprise。 We're hiding in some woods outside of town when all of a sudden he starts screaming and jumping around。 It don't make no sense to me。〃 Asa shook his head。 His face was pale and sweaty。 〃Go on；〃 Shed urged gently。
〃Shed； I don't know。〃
〃What？〃 Pawnbroker demanded。
〃I don't know。 I didn't hang around。〃
Shed grimaced。 That was the Asa he knew。
〃You're a real buddy； fellow；〃 Pawnbroker said。
〃Look。 。 。 。〃
Shed motioned for silence。
Asa said； 〃Shed； you've got to get out of Juniper。 Fast。 Any day a ship could bring a letter from Bullock。〃
〃But。 。 。 。〃
〃It's better down there than we thought； Shed。 You got money； you're all right。 They don't care about the Catabs。 Think it was a big joke on the Custodians。 That's how Bullock found us。 Everybody was laughing about the raid。 There was even some guys talking about getting up an expedition to e clean them out。〃
〃How did anybody find out about the Catabs； Asa？ Only you and Raven knew。〃 Asa looked abashed。
〃Yeah。 Thought so。 Had to brag； didn't you？〃 He was confused and frightened and starting to take it out on Asa。 He did not know what to do。 He had to get out of Juniper； like Asa said。 But how to give his watchdogs the slip？ Especially when they knew he had to try？
〃There's a ship at the Tulwar dock that leaves for Meadenval in the morning； Shed。 I had the Captain hold passage for two。 Should I tell him you'll be there； too？〃
Pawnbroker stepped into position to block the doorway。 〃Neither one of you will be there。 Some friends of mine want to talk to you。〃
〃Shed； what is this？〃 Panic edged Asa's voice。 Shed looked at Pawnbroker。 The mercenary nodded。 Shed poured out most everything。 Asa did not understand。 Shed did not himself； because his chaperones had not told him everything； so there was some sense missing from the picture he had。
Pawnbroker was alone at the Lily。 Shed suggested； 〃How about I go get Goblin？