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“The Order will ht if the regienerous, Arlyn As for the losses you can have your choice froeons plus any men you can recruit from the streets I daresay iment commanded by the famous Brother Vaelin” He chuckled ruefully “War is always an adventure to those who’ve never seen it”

Chapter 4

“No rapists, no eant Krelnik handed the Chief Gaoler the King’s order with the ss either Got to eon doesn’t dothe seal on the King’s order and briefly reading the contents “But ays endeavour to do the best for his Highness, especially since he’s sent the Realave Vaelin a s or ironic, it was difficult to tell under the grime He had initially taken the Chief Gaoler as a prisoner froarb and the dirt that covered his flesh, but the width of his girth and the extensive set of keys jangling at his belt bespoke his rank

The Royal Dungeons were a set of old, interconnected forts near the harbour that would have fallen into disuse with the construction of the city walls two centuries ago However, succeeding rulers had found their cavernous vaults an ideal storage space for the city’s criminal element The exact number of prisoners was apparently unknowable “They die so often, you can’t keep count,” the Chief Gaoler explained “Biggest and ht for the food, y’see”

Vaelin peered into the darkness beyond the solid iron grate secured over the entrance to the vaults, resisting the urge to hide his face in his cloak against the alive many to the Realm Guard?” he asked

“Depends on how troubled the times are When the Meldenean as on the place was alled as heat the four burly guards nearby to follow “Well, let’s see how rich the pickings are today”

The pickings consisted of a little under a hundred s and soiled with a thick layer of dirt, blood and filth They blinked in the sunlight, casting wary glances at the guards on the walls above thea loaded crossbow at the knot of prisoners

“This really the best you could do?” Sergeant Krelnik asked the Chief Gaoler sceptically

“Hanging day yesterday,” the eant Krelnik shook his head in stoic disgust and started whipping the men into line “Let’s have some order here, scuht” He continued to abuse them until they were arrayed in two uneven lines then turned to Vaelin, snapping off a salute “Recruits for your inspection, e to his ears He didn’t feel like a lord, he felt and looked like a brother of the Sixth Order He had no lands, no servants, no wealth and yet the King had proclaimed hieant Krelnik and walked along the line, finding it hard to ress Sohter than others, some were cleaner, some so thin and wasted it was reht And they all stank, a thick cloying stench he kneell These men stank of their own death

He continued down the line until so made him pause, one set of eyes that didn’t follow hiround He stopped and moved closer to the man He was taller thanflesh on his chest indicating a onceperiod ofhis forearm was the deep indentation of a badly healed scar

“Still cli?” Vaelin asked hi his eyes “On occasion, brother”

“What was it this time? Another sackful of spice?”

There was a faint tick of aard face “Silver Fro houses Would’vehave you been here?”

“Month or two Can’t really keep track of ti yesterday but the cart was full”