A Game of Thrones 4-Book Bundle

he keeps his gold. The way you always do.”
    The innkeep suddenly remembered something in the kitchen. The locals were leaving too, and the girls were gone. The only sound in the common room was the faint crackling of the fire in the hearth.
We should go too
, Arya knew.
    â€œIf you’re looking for Ser, you come too late,” Polliver said. “He was at Harrenhal, but now he’s not. The queen sent for him.” He wore three blades on his belt, Arya saw; a longsword on his left hip, and on his right a dagger and a slimmer blade, too long to be a dirk and too short to be a sword. “King Joffrey’s dead, you know,” he added. “Poisoned at his own wedding feast.”
    Arya edged farther into the room.
Joffrey’s dead
. She could almost see him, with his blond curls and his mean smile and his fat soft lips.
Joffrey’s dead!
She knew it ought to make her happy, but somehow she still felt empty inside. Joffrey was dead, but if Robb was dead too, what did it matter?
    â€œSo much for my brave brothers of the Kingsguard.” The Hound gave a snort of contempt. “Who killed him?”
    â€œThe Imp, it’s thought. Him and his little wife.”
    â€œWhat wife?”
    â€œI forgot, you’ve been hiding under a rock. The northern girl. Winterfell’s daughter. We heard she killed the king with a spell, and afterward changed into a wolf with big leather wings like a bat, and flew out a tower window. But she left the dwarf behind and Cersei means to have his head.”
    That’s stupid
, Arya thought.
Sansa only knows songs, not spells, and she’d never marry the Imp
.
    The Hound sat on the bench closest to the door. His mouth twitched, but only the burned side. “She ought to dip him in wildfire and cook him. Or tickle him till the moon turns black.” He raised his wine cup and drained it straightaway.
    He’s one of them
, Arya thought when she saw that. She bit her lip so hard she tasted blood.
He’s just like they are. I should kill him when he sleeps
.
    â€œSo Gregor took Harrenhal?” Sandor said.
    â€œDidn’t require much taking,” said Polliver. “The sellswords fled as soon as they knew we were coming, all but a few. One of the cooks opened a postern gate for us, to get back at Hoat for cutting off his foot.” He chuckled. “We kept him to cook for us, a couple wenches to warm our beds, and put all the rest to the sword.”
    â€œ
All
the rest?” Arya blurted out.
    â€œWell, Ser kept Hoat to pass the time.”
    Sandor said, “The Blackfish is still in Riverrun?”
    â€œNot for long,” said Polliver. “He’s under siege. Old Frey’s going to hang Edmure Tully unless he yields the castle. The only real fighting’s around Raventree. Blackwoods and Brackens. The Brackens are ours now.”
    The Hound poured a cup of wine for Arya and another for himself, and drank it down while staring at the hearthfire. “The little bird flew away, did she? Well, bloody good for her. She shit on the Imp’s head and flew off.”
    â€œThey’ll find her,” said Polliver. “If it takes half the gold in Casterly Rock.”
    â€œA pretty girl, I hear,” said the Tickler. “Honey sweet.” He smacked his lips and smiled.
    â€œAnd courteous,” the Hound agreed. “A proper little lady. Not like her bloody sister.”
    â€œThey found her too,” said Polliver. “The sister. She’s for Bolton’s bastard, I hear.”
    Arya sipped her wine so they could not see her mouth. She didn’t understand what Polliver was talking about.
Sansa has no other sister
. Sandor Clegane laughed aloud.
    â€œWhat’s so bloody funny?” asked Polliver.
    The Hound never flicked an eye at Arya. “If I’d wanted you to know, I’d have told you. Are there ships at Saltpans?”
    â€œSaltpans? How should I know? The traders are back at Maidenpool, I heard. Randyll Tarly took the castle and locked Mooton in a tower cell. I haven’t heard shit about Saltpans.”
    The Tickler leaned forward. “Would you put to sea without bidding farewell to your brother?” It gave Arya chills to hear him ask a question. “Ser would sooner you returned to Harrenhal with us, Sandor. I bet he would. Or King’s Landing . . .”
    â€œBugger that. Bugger him. Bugger you.”
    The Tickler shrugged, straightened, and