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"They’re traitors," Alucius had said, a little too loud froestured for hi he was far too drunk and not caring "Janus sent hter thousands for nothing Abandoned my friend to the Alpirans She did that, not Janus It was her"

The Meldenean gave a slow nod "We know," he said "But we’d like to know more"

They offered hi sober when he did so "Just tell , he discovered, was an absurdly easy occupation Few people ever seeaccepted an invitation to read poetry to a gaggle of arding the new trade routes their husbands had been obliged to forge since the war They saw a handsoly at his verse and proved very helpful when he asked for likely investment opportunities "Forto occupy him these days Peacetio to inns frequented by the Real the veterans who had been at Linesh with Vaelin, embittered cynics to a man and talkative when sufficiently full of ale Helove poeies for the funerals of richaccess to the wealthy and the powerful in the process His Meldenean contact was happy with his work and provided the pigeons to speed delivery of his intelligence, and the dagger should he ever face discovery

"I’er with distaste

"It’s for you," the Meldenean told hi fro week ca and his order to spy on Alornis, after which he found his enthusias with her di of betrayal less acute He continued to gather infor the birds off and knowing, should he include his notice of retirees, the Meldeneans were more likely to offer a blade than a pension As it turned out, the Volarians made such worries redundant

Alucius stood with Twenty-Seven some ten yards behind his father, who had positioned hihts "I to stand on his father’s left

Lakrhil Al Hestian nodded as the ship ca in its broad wake "Apparently it’s the sister ship to their Storet the na Council’s continued faith in his co more reinforcements than expected"

Alucius re monster that had sat in the harbour for days until General Tokrev sailed it off to Alltor, never to return Picking out details as its sister came closer, he was struck by the similarity between them; even for ships built to the sah the Volarians were a people greatly fond of uniformity

"Are your preparations complete?" he asked "All made ready to bleed Lord Vaelin’s arrunted "The Free Swords are lazy when not set to pillaging, and the Varitai little use in labour Give them a shovel and they just stare at it Still, it seems we’ll shortly have more hands to complete the task"

"Could you have held Marbellis? If you had had this much to ith?"

Lakrhil turned to him with a quizzical expression; it was an unspoken understanding that Marbellis was a subject neither of them wanted to discuss "No," he said There e of his intent, for he leaned closer, speaking softly "You don’t need to be here, Alucius And you’ve yet to produce a single useful word from the Aspects" His eyes flicked to Darnel "I can’t protect you forever"

Alucius’s gaze went to his stolen house, finding the balcony where he ate breakfast and counted the ships every ure leaning on the balustrade, her gaze fixed on Darnel, or rather Darnel’s horse "It’s all right," Alucius told his father "You won’t have to"

Darnel’s horse gave a loud snort, jerking and shaking its head "Easy now," the Fief Lord said, s his hand over its neck Alucius was relieved to see Darnel wore no ar cloak He reached for the dagger at the small of his back, concealed beneath his coat, his eyes intent on Darnel’s horse It snorted again, giving a loud whinny, eyes widening into panicked hter hold of the reins, pitching hireat warhorse wheeled around, lashing out with its hooves at the nearest of Darnel’s knights, the iron shoes ringing loud on theThe ani the reround, eyes wide in panic The horse stopped its assault on the knights and turned again, wild eyes fixing on Twenty-Seven before charging with a shrill scream The slave-elite’s expression remained as calm as ever as he atte fractionally too slow as the aniround, slack and senseless