The man whirled and walked to the window, muttering beneath his breath. His broad shoulders hunched, as if he were suddenly under a tremendous burden. His breath came out in quick gasps. He counted on his fingers. “Even if Kiranrao doesn’t know, he will. Forced march through the woods. Cruithne territory. Three-day walk. Two with horses, but risk losing shoes or laming half of them. Speed does not make up for the risk. Three days then.”
Hettie shook her head. “You are not making sense.”
He gave an abrupt hand gesture to forestall more questions. “Impossible. Kiranrao is the element I cannot account for or predict. Down too many branches this can go. I cannot provide a probable guess yet. Does Kiranrao know you are here?” He looked at them, but it was hard to tell which of them he was gazing at.
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“You could say that,” Paedrin answered.
“Impossible,” he muttered. “We would make it to Drosta’s, but not back again alive. I will not go. Be gone. I do not have a price. It is not worth my time. Be gone!”
Annon held out his hands. Volkswagen cloth face mask “I did not understand what you were referring to. Why should Kiranrao matter in this?”
Erasmus coughed as he chuckled. “He has sought the treasure at Drosta’s lair for many years. There is a bounty for anyone who can lead him to it. He does not know that I know where it is.”
Hettie looked confused. “What purpose would he have in gaining more wealth? Why would it even interest him?”
Erasmus looked up, as if suddenly confused. “Who says that Drosta’s treasure has anything to do with wealth? There are a great many things in the world that no amount of coin will purchase. Drosta’s treasure is not in coin.”
How to purchase?
Annon looked at Hettie and she looked back at him. “We were led to believe that it was,” he said.
Erasmus chortled. “Led to believe. By Tyrus Paracelsus. Imagine that. I cannot believe that your uncle would want Drosta’s treasure in that villain’s hands. Volkswagen cloth face mask It was put there to safeguard it.”
“What?” Paedrin asked, stepping forward warily. “The treasure was put there?”
“Of course, you silly sheep-brained Bhikhu. If you are going to hide something of enormous value from a Romani or the Preachán, you do not leave it in Havenrook. You put it in a fortress among the Cruithne. I know of it because Tyrus wanted to be sure that the safeguards could not be breached. He had me test the defenses. I could not break them. He was satisfied that it was safe.”
“Do you know what Drosta’s treasure is?” Annon asked. Paedrin could tell by the look on his face that he was genuinely worried now. Hettie looked flummoxed.
