AN: I think that in the first book after Conn wakes up and when Nevery gives him the robe, there should have been an explanation. I think that Conn would realize he owed Nevery an explanation after all that misunderstanding with Crowe and because Nevery came back for him. Anyway, this starts right when Nevery offers Conn the robe.

He handed it back to me. "It's for you boy," he said. "You're a student and an apprentice. You need a robe."

I stood there, not saying a word. Nevery looked down at me with his keen-gleam glance. He had been nosy before, asking about my past. But now, I think he had a right to know. I took a shaky breath to calm myself. "I think you need to know more about me before you decide to give me this," I said.

"You don't have to tell me boy." Nevery replied.

"I think you have a right to know."

Nevery nodded and began to walk, step step tap, step step tap, towards Heartsease.

"My mother's name was Black Maggie. She had black hair and black eyes. She taught me how to pick locks."

"I now this already, you told me boy," Nevery interrupted.

I shrugged, taking another deep, quavery breath. I had to start at the beginning to tell the story. "She taught me how to calm my breath and make my fingers still, no shaking, and she'd taught me how to lift a purse string from a pocket with a feather's touch."

I paused for a moment as Nevery opened the first gate towards Heartsease. He looked down at me from under the brim of his hat and said "You don't have to continue."

I shook my head and resumed my story. "My mother died. But she was killed dead. Crowe did it. He had her legs broken so she couldn't walk, and then she died. Then, Crowe took me and trained me in sneaking and spying. He persuaded me when I tried to refuse. But, I couldn't stay with him. He killed my mother. So, I ran away. Every once in a while, the minions would catch me, beat the fluff out of me and take me back. I kept getting away thought. I learned to fade into the shadows. I picked people's pockets and picked locks for burglars. I got better, but I still went hungry plenty of times. Crowe had a word out on me, but I managed to avoid the minions most of the time." I sighed, shivering slightly as I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to feel less hollow. I could feel the space that my locus magilacus had left echoing inside me. I blinked a few times and tried to not to think that I may be making myself a gutterboy again by telling my story.

"I wasn't like other kids, I couldn't work for the Underlord to get money. I couldn't be with any of them or they'd tell and I'd have to go back. And then I picked your pocket."

I took a deep, shaky breath and fell silent. I'd never told anyone about my past before, never spoken this much in one sitting to anyone.

The silence hung in the air for several moments. Nevery stopped walking when we got to the Heartsease gate. My bare toes felt the runes carved into the ground. I stared at them, looking at the wingèd crest.

Nevery put his finger underneath my chin and lifted my gaze to meet his. His eyes were unreadable. I tried not to feel my stomach dropping to the cold cobblestones. I'd have to leave Heartsease.

"Thank you for telling me this boy," Nevery said gruffly, "but my offer still stands. The robe is for you. You will find another locus stone."

It was like a ray of sunshine suddenly lit up the world and warmth returned to my body.

"Well boy?" he asked.

I nodded, very well indeed. He turned to the gate and spoke the opening spell. The gate creaked open and I was home.