Byerly gives a slightly demented wave of his hand and replies, "Would you believe that I made it? And here I've been accused of not having any creativity. Imagine if Grandmere Vorrutyer could see me now."

This is, it should be noted, By's very first kill. He'd really anticipated that he'd be rather good at killing someone - after all, he's been into and out of so many scrapes, and he's caused so much mischief, and he's even put people into a position before where they themselves would be killed. Not often, but it's happened. But as it turns out - no. Not really. He's not actually all that good at it at all. Really at all. It doesn't help that it happened the way it did - a grapple for a knife, and a stabbing, with enough blood that his gloves are wrapped up in that carpet with the body because they'll never be all right again. He rubs his bare hands, now, then shoves them back into his pockets.

Be smart, By. "I'm going to say," he says, "for your benefit, and my benefit, that that is just a rug. Help me get rid of this rug, Ivan."