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Page 137
too many coincidences were piling up: Rhiannon's extended absence, Mallt's involvement, and the sudden contempt for Math.
With some difficulty Simon restrained himself from leaping out and grabbing Madog by the throat. He and Mallt would deny what they had said, and there was no way inside Aber that Simon could squeeze information out of either of themno, it was Madog alone he needed. Mallt had run away before. . . . Simon swallowed and ground his teeth. Before what? How had Madog ''dealt with" the witch? Was Rhiannon dead? Simon put a hand against the wall to steady himself.
Madog had stopped cursing and rubbing his leg, which showed spots and streaks of blood where Math's claws had gone in. Mallt had pressed her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing at Math's revenge, but she was sober when Madog looked at her. She knew a woman did not endear herself to a man by laughing at him, particularly when he had made a fool of himself.
"I will have to get rid of the familiar, too," Madog said, looking after Math.
For an instant the proof that Rhiannon was "the witch" to whom Mallt had referreda thing Simon had not completely believed despite his instinctive fearfroze him. He would have attacked Madog then, except that Madog said to Mallt that he needed to talk with her privately. Simon stood still and listened. In a private place, he could seize Madog and wring the truth from him where no one would ask questions.
Mallt nodded and smiled. She expected that Madog wanted to warn her to say nothing or perhaps tell her what he had done, and she agreed wholeheartedly that it would be wise to go where they could both speak freely without fear of being overheard. Madog was not too clever, and she wished to make her terms quite clear. Hints and circumlocutions might go right over his thick head or be too easily misinterpreted.

 
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