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’Mancy? Oh, Emancipor Reese Where’s the cat, by the way?’

Buke barked a laugh ’Ran off -- just like all our horses and we had an even dozen of them after those stupid bandits attacked us Ran off, once I’d done prying its claws from Mancy’s back, which here it jumped when all the warrens broke loose’

Repairs coue or two of daylight reain rode to point, Cafal and Netok taking their places ranging on the flanks E retired within

Buke and Gruntle walked a few paces ahead of Keruli’s carriage, saying little for a long while, until the captain sighed heavily and glanced at his friend ’For what it’s worth, there’s people who don’t want to see you dead, Buke They see you wasting away inside, and they care enough so that it pains theood weapon, Gruntle, or at least it has been for a long tih If you choose to care, then you better s the pain I don’t give a damn, myself’

’Stonny-’

’Is worthherself up withsaved, anyway Tell her that’

’You tell her, Buke, and when she puts her fist in your face just remember that I warned you here and now You tell her -- I won’t deliver your es of self-pity’

’Back off, Gruntle I’d hurt you bad before you finished using those cutlasses on et one of your few re, it’s not just self-pity, is it? You’re not obsessed with the tragic deaths of your fauilt’s an endlessly rising tide, and that ego of yours is a levee and all you do is keep slapping fresh bricks on it The wall gets higher and higher, and you’re looking down on the world froht -- with a Hood-da ’If that’s the way you see it,’ he rasped, ’then why call inning to wonder He drew a deep breath, ed to cal time We’ve never crossed blades’ And you were in the habit of getting drunk for days on end, a habit you broke but one I haven’t Took the deaths of everyone you loved to do that, and I’ht take the same for me

Thank Hood the lass married that fat merchant

’Doesn’t sound like much, Gruntle’

We’re two of a kind, you bastard -- cut past your own ego and you’d see that fast enough But he said nothing

’Sun’s almost down,’ Buke observed after a time They’ll attack when it’s dark’

’How do you defend against them?’