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Hedge scowled ’Ha ha’

’I don’t think she’s kidding,’ Detoran said

’Fine,’ Hedge snapped ’I got a cusser waiting for it, and damned if I won’t make sure I take you all with me’

’Tea

Picker grunted ’All right, soldiers, let’s get out of here’

Paran and Silverfox stood apart froht with streaks of copper and bronze The last of the stars ithdrawing overhead, a cold, indifferent scatter surrendering to the warh the aardness of the hours just past, stretching interminable as a succession of pain and discomfort in Paran’s mind, emotional exhaustion had arrived, and with it a febrile cal that inner peace, knowing it to be nothing but an illusion, a pensively drawn breath within a storm

’Tattersail must be drawn forth’ He had indeed done that The firstof their eyes had unlocked every sharedwas an explosive curse for Paran A child I face a child, and so recoil at the thought of intirooman The woman is no uish that boiled within the man Another presence, entwined like wires of black iron through all that was Tattersail Nightchill, the sorceress, once lover to Bellurdan -- where she had led, the Thelo but an equal relationship, and noith Nightchill, had co presence Bitter, indeed With Tayschrenn with the Empress and the Malazan Empire and Hood knohat or who else She knows she was betrayed at the Enfilade at Pale Both her and, out there on the plain, Bellurdan Her mate

Silverfox spoke ’You need not fear the T’lan Imass’

He blinked, shook himself ’So you have explained Since you co, however, precisely what you plan with that undead ar?’

She sighed ’It is very siather for benediction Mine’

He faced her ’Why?’