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“War is bad for trade, Captain,” Vaelin replied

“Ships came and went at their leave over the past month and now they sit empty with their crews imprisoned And yet the Falcon alone is permitted to sail…”

“We can’t be too careful,” Vaelin clapped hinance “Plenty of spies about When do you sail, Captain?”

“Another hour when the tide’s right”

“Then don’t allowresponse and nodded, walking up the gangplank to assail his creith a barrage of curse ridden orders

“Do you think he knows?” Frentis asked

“He suspects soetic sht arouse even more suspicion Sister Gilma’s orderlies told you what to look for?”

Frentis nodded “Swelling in the neck, sweats, dizziness and rashes on the ar within three days”

“Good You understand, brother, that if any of the crew, including yourself, shows signs of the Red Hand this ship cannot land in Varinshold, or anywhere else?”

Frentis nodded Vaelin could detect no fear or reluctance in hi spoke of only a basic and unshakeable trust, an aled boy who had pleaded for his support all those years ago in the Aspect’s rooed into a seasoned and fearfully skilled warrior ould never question his orders There were ti co He was a weapon to be used only with great care, for there was no sheathing hiret the necessity of this, brother,” he said “If there was any other course…”

“You never gave me that lesson,” Frentis said

Vaelin frowned “Lesson?”

“The throwing knife, you said you’d teachabout that”

“You’ve been taught uilt All the battles fought by this blindly trusting young man, the wounds suffered All the lives he had taken “You wanted to be a brother,” he said, failing to keep the guilt froht by you?”

To his surprise Frentis laughed “Do right by ?”

“One Eye scarred you The Tests hurt you You followed er and fear and a knife in an alley to leave ripped his shoulder “Now I have brothers ould die in my defence, as I would die for the, complete in its conviction “What is Faith, brother?”

“The Faith is all The Faith consumes us and frees us The Faith shapes my life, in this world and in the Beyond” As he spoke the words Vaelin was struck by the conviction in his own voice, the depth of his own belief He had seen so ods, yet the words came from his lips with absolute conviction I heardthe departure of the Red Falcon quickly took on a tenseVaelin went to speak to Sister Gilate So far the only new case had been the daughter’s maid, a woman of irl herself, aided by her youth, was suffering the syreat fortitude but was unlikely to live out the“Are you well?”

She would sive a sate and found she wasn’t there to greet him