Page 125 (1/2)

“We’ll see you in the Real off an i onto the ship, quickly followed by Krelnik and Noren

The Cuent onto the ships He had offered to place them ahead of the Renfaelins for fear they may suspect some perfidious Darkblade plot to abandon them to the Alpirans, but Bren Antesh had surprised hione He supposed there was a possibility of ambush, he was alone with a thousand od after all, but they all trooped onto the ships without trouble,nods of wary respect

“They’re grateful for their lives,” Antesh said, reading his expression “But they’ll be da it was the first time he had done so

“You’re welco ship and then back at Vaelin “This is the last ship, my lord”

“I know”

Antesh raised his eyebrows as realisation dawned “You don’t intend to return to the Realer here All these people have to offer you is an ugly death”

“Is that what happens to the Darkblade in the prophecy?”

“Hardly He is seduced by a sorceress who makes herself a queen with the power to conjure fire froether they wreak terrible ruin on the world until her fire consumes him in the throes of their sinful passion”

“Well, at least I have that to look forward to” He returned Antesh’s bow “Luck to you, Captain”

“I have so to tell you,” Antesh said, his normally placid features sombre “I did not always carry the name Antesh Once I had another na, but clear and strident triumph “Tell me,” he said

Aher for the rest of his life A large patch of puckered, discoloured tissue ht side of his face froly scars were visible on his arms and chest Despite this he appeared as affable as ever, although his sadness at what Vaelin asked of him was obvious

“She has preserved …”

“Would you do any less for your wife?” Vaelin asked

“I would follow , brother Are you?”

He recalled the pure, triu as he had listened to what Antesh had to say “More closely than I ever have before” HeI ask?”

“It seereement, so I have little choice”

Sherin knocked at the door and entered bearing a bowl of soup “He needs to eat,” she said, placing the bowl next to theto Vaelin “And you need to help me pack”

Vaelin touched Ahm Lin briefly on the hand by way of thanks and followed her from the room She had taken over Sister Gilma’s old quarters in the base out which of the myriad bottles and boxes of curatives to take with her “I’ve s,” she told hi the line of bottles, picking out so a bundle fro it to her, the wooden blocks Frentis had brought him wrapped in Sella’s scarf “Not ers pausing to play over the intricate design “Very fine Where did you coift of thanks from a beautiful maiden”

“Should I be jealous?”

“Hardly She’s half a world away and, I suspect, married to a handsome blonde felloe used to know”

Sherin pulled the blocks apart “Winterbloom”

“From my sister”

“You have a sister? A blood-sister?”

“Yes I only met her once We spoke of flowers”

She reached to clasp his hand su need for her, so fierce and powerful as to alet the Aspect, the war, the whole sorry blood-soaked tale Al the ship, but we have hours yet,” he said,to the table where she prepared her concoctions, sitting down to unstopper a bottle of wine “Quite possibly the last bottle of Cumbraelin red left in the city Will you drink with a foriment of Foot, Sword of the Realm and brother of the Sixth Order?”

She arched an eyebrow “Have I saddled myself with a drunkard, I wonder?”