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The man called himself Duke, and Rodin had been tracking him for months.
Duke was tall and thin, with sharp eyes set in a craggy face. He wore a heavy leather coat that Rodin knew concealed many weapons while providing protection, but the man’s throat was exposed, ready to feel the blade at Rodin’s hip.
But he’d have to deal with the man’s viscounts first.
That was what he called those closest to him, the two men and two women who accompanied him everywhere. A short woman led, the two men walked either side of Duke, and a bulky woman brought up the rear. They watched all directions, even the treetops and the ground.
The forest wasn’t dense here, grey clouds visible through leaves that were starting to change colour. The path passed a broken wall, then the remains of a small b
