ighheputhiheavyhandntheknee,neneailed

    hileannyedtditilethateeay:“friend,ethingverypatrnizinganduperirabutit,andintlerablynbbih

    hefelthtandalittleierand

    fring,heuldnteetheityinthevalleybelheanyn,butheuldeetherefletinfitlight,hekyabveitlikeabatikparaltheunlightedpartfthekyattheedgeftheparalhhardlyatraefblue

    hrfllutfthehueandtdtandingbehindhiafraidtapprahheghthaveneakedahuttdkn,ifhehadntuddenlylkeddwnandeenhihadw

    “hell,”heaid

    hetinedfrhrtjinhintheeraid

    tdundertdhiprtethedeitbeagainheileanddidntteeit

    hepathyhadtuedtlitadtitbeieditelfupaahealer

    hrenelaughedthefurhrtund,hahaandagainhaha,ditintialnte,adebythedwarf

    “yuuldleafri”tdaid

    “eraked,tuingtlkathi

    “letitg”

    hiiatienerheatinedfrhiitdeehatially

    hrbeyedhedidaprjbfquattingandhurthielfheatnuringhiknee

    “akinganattettbekind

    “nthing,td,nthing”

    heiletduldnthelpeeingallitannyingattribute,reignatin,kindline,andhulity

    theyatquietly,hrtreeinthehuetheradiblarefilledthetreet

    theyatfralngtiehrtartedttelltdthingbuthedidnteebletgetthehaquetin

    hibighandlefthilap,pittheyreinedtherefrant,thenlidunderhithighantlatertheyeerviedeaierfrant,butntfrlngtheytarted“heretheane,butathingtdeye,hetppedandtrappedhihandbetweenhiknee

    ittplie,ahehadfirtthught,butnualballet

    arttraagain,heeplded

    “frhritake”

    thehandtruggledtgetfree,buthrlaedhikneehutandheldthe

    “irry,”heaid

    “h,allright”

    “butie”

    “kaye”

    hetuedhiba

    fayetartedtingandherviepuredintthetreet

    “dreadabutareeferfivefeetlngnttldandntttrng,yullbehigh,butntfrlng,ifyureaviperavipaah”

    inteadfheruualinr

    “ihequeenfeverything,gttabehighbefreianateaandletitbe,ifyureaviperavipaah”

    “heingverypretty,”hraid

    “hedrunk”

    “idntknerplained“hedrinkinganae,butnreinehetartedthangarund”

    “”

    “ihinkingabutyuaidabutthelienetkeephiken”

    tdundertdheed

    “illreprtthethebardfhealthtrrw”

    hrthankedhitheninitedneplainingindetailelf391

    “butthatllnlygetridftheian,”tdaid“yullhavetthryurelf”

    “ybehellghhifriend”

    tdkneertagreethatheuldgnhping,butherefued

    “ntahaneyullhavetthrut”

    hraeptedthiile“ybe”

    “tellfayetdit,”tdaid

    “h,iant”

    “hehellntityurhue”

    “dntbedat,tddle”

    “allright,he,itdatyu”

    fayevieathrughthepenwindw

    “andhratgetdry,yuknwyurehigh,ifyureaviper”

    thetherhaizednthelatingit“vipaah”

    “tddle,”hrbegan,“if”

    “tpallingtddle,frhritake”

    hrdidntundertandhetktdhand

    “ididntannthingbakhall”

    tduldnttandhitrelingignalfaffetinhetrefreehajerk

    “h,but,tddle,i”

    “heawhre”

    heheardhrgrunt,thenheardhikneereakahetruggledthifeet

    fayevieapuringthrughtheiddlehahukyath

    “high,high,high,high,intandythenyukni,ifyureaviperavipaah”

    hapter23

    thephngraphheheldherverytight,nefhilegthrutbetiahehadarundherwainideh