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’Nor your bony companion’ She turned wide eyes on him ’Do you believe they have stumbled into mischief?’

He studied her, be

She raised an eyebrow, then smiled

Toc swiftly turned his attention back to his pack ’I’d best pitch the tents,’ he ht, Toc,such mundane activities I’d her rank than reat adventure’

He paused ’You wish ainst the sunset, Lady Envy?’

’Indeed!’

’I wasn’t aware I existed for your entertainain’ She stepped closer, rested a sparrow-light hand on his shoulder ’Please don’t be angry withconversations with my servants, can I? Nor is your friend Tool a social blossoour And whileand never interrupting, one yearns for the spice of witty exchanges You and I, Toc, we have only each other for this journey, so let us fashion the bonds of friendship’

Staring down at the bundled tents, Toc the Younger was silent for a long hed ’I’es, Lady, alas I am a soldier and scant else’ More, I’ve a soldier’s scars -- who can naught but flinch upon seeing me?

’Not modesty, but deception, Toc’

He winced at the edge to her tone

’You have been educated, far beyond what is coh of your sharp exchanges with the T’lan Irowing discomfort?’

Her hand had not moved from his shoulder ’You are a sorceress, Lady Envy And sorcery makes me nervous’

The hand withdrew ’I see Or, rather, I do not Your T’lan Ied by a ritual of such power as this world has not seen in a long tier His stone sword alone is invested to an appalling degree -- it cannot be broken, not even chipped, and it will cut through wards effortlessly No warren can defend against it I would not wager on any blade against it when in Tool’s hands And the creature hi the T’lan I unique You have no idea of the power -- the strength -- he possesses Does Tool n of that’

’Well,’ Toc snapped, ’he’s shrunken hide and bones, isn’t he? Tool doesn’t brush against me at every chance He doesn’t throw smiles at me like lances into my heart, does he? He doesn’t mock that I once had a face that didn’t make people turn away, does he?’