picture he had。
Pawnbroker was alone at the Lily。 Shed suggested； 〃How about I go get Goblin？〃 Pawnbroker smiled。 〃How about we just wait？〃
〃But。 。 。 。〃
〃Somebody will turn up。 We'll wait。 Let's go downstairs。
You。〃 He indicated Asa with his blade。 〃Don't get any funny ideas。〃
Shed said； 〃Be careful； Asa。 These are the guys Raven was scared of。〃
〃I will。 I heard enough from Raven。〃
〃That's a pity； too；〃 Pawnbroker said。 〃Croaker and Elmo aren't going to like that。 Down； gents。 Shed； just go on about your business。〃
〃Somebody's liable to recognize Asa；〃 Shed warned。
〃We'll take a chance。 Git。〃 Pawnbroker stood aside and allowed both men to pass。 Downstairs； he seated Asa at the shadowiest table and joined him； cleaning his nails with his knife。 Asa watched in fascination。 Seeing ghosts； Shed figured。
He could get away now if he wanted to sacrifice Asa。 They wanted Asa more than they wanted him。 If he just headed out through the kitchen； Pawnbroker would not e after him。
His sister…in…law came from the kitchen； a platter balanced on each hand。 〃When you get a minute； Sal。〃 And when she got the minute： 〃You think you and the kids could run the place for me for a few weeks？〃
〃Sure。 Why？〃 She looked puzzled。 But she glanced quickly into the shadows。
〃I might have to go somewhere for a while。 I'd feel better if I knew somebody in the family was running the place。 I don't really trust Lisa。〃
〃You haven't heard from her yet？〃
〃No。 You'd have thought she'd turn up when her father died； wouldn't you？〃
〃Maybe she's shacked up somewhere and hasn't heard yet。〃 Sal did not sound convinced。 In fact； Shed suspected； she thought he had something to do with the disappearance。 Way too many people had disappeared around him。 He was afraid she would do her sums and decide he had had something to do with Wally disappearing； too。
〃There's one rumor I heard said she got arrested。 Keep an eye out for Mom。 She's got good people taking care of her； but they need supervising。〃
〃Where are you going； Marron？〃
〃I don't know yet。〃 He was afraid it might be just a way up the hill； to the Enclosure。 If not that； then certainly somewhere； away from everything that had happened here。 Away from these merciless men and their even less merciful employers。 Have to talk to Asa about the Taken； Maybe Raven had told him something。
He wished he could get a moment with Asa to plan something。 The two of them making a break。 But not on the Tulwar ship。 Asa had mentioned that； damn him。 Some other ship； headed south。
What had bee of Raven's big new vessel？ And Darling？
He went over to the table。 〃Asa。 What happened to Darling？〃
Asa reddened。 He stared at his folded hands。 〃I don't know； Shed。 Honest。 I panicked。 I just ran for the first ship headed north。〃
Shed walked away； shaking his head in disgust。 Leaving the girl alone like that。 Asa hadn't changed much after
all。
The one called Goblin came through the door。 He began to beam at Asa before Pawnbroker said anything。 〃My； my； my； my； my；〃 he said。 〃Is this who I think it is； Pawn？〃
〃You got it。 The infamous Asa himself； home from the wars。 And does he have stories to tell。〃
Goblin seated himself opposite Asa。 He wore a big frog grin。 〃Such as？〃
〃Mainly； he claims Raven is dead。〃
Goblin's smile vanished。 In an eye's blink he became deadly serious。 He made Asa tell his story again while staring into a mug of wine。 When he finally looked up； he was subdued。 〃Better talk this over with Elmo and Croaker。 Good job； Pawnbroker。
〃I'll take him。 Keep your eye on friend Shed。〃
Shed winced。 In the back of his head had lain the small hope that both would leave with Asa。
His mind was made up。 He would flee at the first opportunity。 Get south； change his name； use his gold pieces to buy into an inn； behave himself so thoroughly nobody would notice him ever again。
Asa showed a spark of rebellion。 〃Who the hell do you guys think you are？ Suppose I don't want to go anywhere？〃
Goblin smiled nastily； muttered something under his breath。 Dark brown smoke drifted out of his mug； illuminated by a bloody inner glow。 Goblin stared at Asa。 Asa stared at the mug； unnerved。
The smoke coalesced； formed a small； headlike shape。 Points began glowing where eyes might be。 Goblin said； 〃My little friend wants you to argue。 He feeds on pain。 And he hasn't eaten for a long time。 I've had to keep a low profile in Juniper。''
Asa's eyes kept getting bigger。 So did Shed's。 Sorcery！ He had sensed it in the thing called the Taken； but that had not upset him much。 It had been removed； not experienced。 Something that had happened to Lisa； out of sight。 But this。 。 。 。
It was a minor sorcery； to be sure。 Some slight trick。 But it was sorcery in a city which saw none other than that involved in the slow growth of the black castle。 The dark arts hadn't gained any following in Juniper。
〃All right；〃 Asa said。 〃All right。〃 His voice was high and thin and squeaky； and he was trying to push his chair back。 Pawnbroker prevented him。
Goblin grinned。 〃I see Raven mentioned Goblin。 Good。 You'll behave。 e along。〃
Pawnbroker released Asa's chair。 The little man followed Goblin docilely。
Shed sidled over and looked into Goblin's mug。 Nothing。 He frowned。 Pawnbroker grinned。 〃Cute trick； eh？〃
〃Yeah。'' Shed took the mug to his sink。 When Pawnbroker was not looking； he dropped it into the trash。 He was more scared than ever。 How did he get away from a sorcerer？
His head filled with tales he had heard from southern sailors。 Bad business； wizards were。
He wanted to weep。
Chapter Thirty…Two： JUNIPER： VISITORS
Goblin brought me the man Asa； and insisted we wait for Elmo before questioning him。 He had sent someone to dig Elmo out of Duretile； where he was trying to placate Whisper。 Whisper was getting goosed by the Lady regular and taking it out on anyone handy。
Goblin was unsettled by what he had learned。 He did not play the usual game and try to make me guess what was going on。 He blurted； 〃Asa says him and Raven had a run…in with Bullock。 Raven is dead。 He lit out。 Darling is on her own down there。〃
Excitement？ Better believe it。 I was ready to put the little man to the question； then and there。 But I controlled
myself。
Elmo was a while showing up。 Goblin and I got damned antsy before he did； while Asa worked himself up for a stroke。
The wait proved worthwhile。 Elmo did not e alone。
The first hint was a faint but sour odor that seemed to e from the fireplace； where I'd had a small fire lighted。 Just in case； you know。 With a few iron rods set by； ready to be heated； so Asa could look them over and think； and maybe convince himself he ought not to leave anything out。
〃What's that smell？〃 somebody asked。 〃Croaker； you let that cat in again？〃
〃I kicked him out after he sprayed my boots；〃 I said。
〃Like halfway down the hill。 Maybe he got the firewood before he left。〃
The odor grew stronger。 It wasn't really obnoxious； just mildly irritating。 We took turns examining the firewood。 Nothing。
I was in the middle of a third search for the source when the fire caught my eye。 For a second I saw a face in the flames。
My heart nearly stopped。 For half a minute I was in a panic； nothing but the face's presence having registered。 I considered every evil that could happen： Taken watching； the Lady watching； the things from the black castle； maybe the Dominator himself peeking through our fire。 。 。 。 Then something calm； back in the far marches of mind； reiterated something I hadn't noticed because I had no reason to expect it。 The face in the flames had had only one eye。
〃One…Eye；〃 I said without thinking。 〃That little bastard is in Juniper。''
Goblin spun toward me； eyes wide。 He sniffed the air。 His famous grin split his face。 〃You're right； Croaker。 Absolutely right。 That stink is the little skunk himself。 Should have recognized it straight off。〃
I glanced at the fire。 The face did not reappear。
Goblin mused； 〃What would be a suitable wele？〃
〃Figure the Captain sent him？〃
〃Probably。 Be logical to send him or Silent ahead。〃
〃Do me a favor； Goblin。〃
〃What？〃
〃Don't give him no special wele。〃
Goblin looked deflated。 It had been a long time。 He did not want to miss an opportunity to refresh his acquaintance with One…Eye with a flash and a bang。
〃Look；〃 I said。 〃He's here on the sneak。 We don't want the Taken to know。 Why give them anything to sniff out？〃
Bad choice of words。 The smell was about to drive us outside。
〃Yeah；〃 Goblin grumbled。 〃Wish the Captain had sent
Silent。 I was all worked up for this。 Had him the biggest surprise of his life。〃
〃So get him later。 Meantime； why not clear this smell out？ Why not get his goat by just ignoring him？''
He thought about it。 His eyes gleamed。 〃Yeah；〃 he said； and I knew he had shaped my suggestion to his own warped sense of humor。
A fist hammered on the door。 It startled me even though I was expecting it。 One of the men let Elmo in。
One…Eye came in behind Elmo； grinning like a little bla