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‘This isn’t the tiure out your petty little human squabbles on your own tireements are a natural part of anyone’s nature’ Lenk stepped in, eyes narrowed ‘Not just human You’d know that if you were two steps above an anirowled
‘As though you’ve never slurred hu!’
‘It says so that you’re concerned about what I do when I piss,’ she retorted, ‘but I don’t even want to think about that’ She turned away froet off this stupid boat’
They’re close to a fight, Gariath thought froonman observed his companions in silence as he had since they had left the island of Ktao Three days before that, he would have been eager for theer to see theood excuse to get up and join theht
If he was lucky, he ht have even accidentally killed one of the?’ Lenk spat back ‘You could always just fold your daain if you didn’t want to listen tothe boat’s tiny rudder It was far more pleasant company The rudder was constant, the rudder was quiet The rudder was going nowhere
‘Why couldn’t you just have said you didn’t kno to plot courses?’ Asper roared at Denaos ‘Why can’t you just be honest for once in your life?’
‘I’ll start when you do,’ Denaos replied
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
The hunificant hue as their throbbing, populous race They would be solved by yelling, like all huet that problem, rea had one probleht, in nua left
‘Because we shouldn’t be arguing,’ Kataria retorted ‘I shouldn’t feel the need to argue with you I shouldn’t feel the need to talk to you! I should want to keep being silent, but--’
‘But what?’ Lenk snapped back
‘But I’s had happened on Ktaes on them Fear and suspicion between the tall man and the tall woman Sweat and tension from the pointy-eared human and Lenk Desire oozed from the skinny one in such quantities as to threaten to choke him on its stink
‘It’s supposed to mean exactly what it does ot you all silent and keeping your pendant hidden?’
‘I’ve got it right here,’ Asper said, holding up the symbol of Talanas’ Phoenix in a manner that was less proof and
‘Today, you do, and you haven’t stopped rubbing it since you woke up’ Denaos’ brow rose as the colour faded from her face ‘With,’ he whispered, ‘your left hand’
‘Shut up, Denaos,’ she hissed
‘Not just accidentally, either’
‘Shut up!’
‘But you’re right-handed, which leads ain What happened in Irontide?’
‘She said,’ came Dreadaeleon’s soft voice accompanied by a flash of crimson in his scowl, ‘to shut up’
Their probleo His would not They would yell They would fight When they were tired of that, they would find new hua to yell at There never would be Grahta had told hii
You can’t co in his head, haunting hi eyes He did not forget theet the before they vanished
As Grahta had vanished into a place where Gariath could not follow
‘It’s not like this is exactly easy for me, either,’ Lenk snapped back
‘Ho is this not easy for you? What do you even do?’ Kataria snarled ‘Sit here and occasionally stare at ood for you to--’
‘Let Me Finish’ Her teeth were rattling in her skull now, grinding against each other with such ferocity that they ht shatter into powder ‘If you stare, if you speak to me, you’re still human You’re still what you are If I stare at you, if I speak to you, what am I?’
‘Same as you alere’
‘No, I’m not If I feel the need to stare at you, Lenk, if I want to talk to you, I’m not a shict anymore And the more I want to talk to you, the ain The more I want to feel likeme?’
‘No’ Her voice was a thunderous roar now, cutting across the sea ‘I can only do that by killing you’
The wind changed Gariath could se with it He heard them fall silent at the pointy-eared one’s voice, of course, saw their eyes turn to her, ith horror Noise and sight were sih Scent could never be disguised
An acrid stench of shock Sour, befouled fear And then, a brisk, crisp odour of hatred Fro from all the humans like pus from a boil, that most common scent of confusion
His interest lasted only as long as it took for hi such corunt of stupidity
‘What?’ Lenk asked
Whatever happened next was beyond Gariath’s interest He quietly turned his attentions to the sea The scent of salt was a reprieve fro the huain He closed his eyes, let his nostrils flare, drinking in the air, trying to find the scent that filled his nostrils when he held tailing pups in his ared Grahta not to go, begged to follow the pup
He sought the scent ofbut salt
He had tried, for days now he had tried Days had gone by, days would go by forever
And the Rhega’s probleo, he told hiht crossed his o, could not follow his people, the pups, into the afterlife But he could not stay here He could not re but the stink of …
His nostrils flickered Eyes widened slightly He turned his gaze out to the sea and saw the dredgespider herd scatter suddenly, ski shadows