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Rake smiled, sipped wine ’Aye, an accurate summation’

There was silence, then, that stretched as the twowhile, Whiskeyjack slowly straightened in his chair, a quiet realization stealing through hi the wine in his goblet, ’Quick Ben has you curious’

Anomander Rake cocked his head ’Naturally,’ he replied, revealing faint surprise and questioning in his tone

’I first met him in Seven Cities … the Holy Desert Raraku, to beforward to refill both goblets, then settling back before continuing ’It’s so tale, so I hope you can be patient’

Rake half smiled his reply

’Good I think it will be worth it’ Whiskeyjack’s gaze wandered, found the lantern hanging froold fla wizard in the e an abortive rebellion that originated in Aren Delat and eleven otherarmy’s own sorcerers were htchill, Tayschrenn, A’Karonys, Tesor known for their brutal execution of the Emperor’s will Well, the city the Protector was holed up in was breached, the walls sundered, slaughter in the streets, the ripped us all Dassem struck down the Holy Protector -- Dassem and his band of followers he called his First Sword -- they chewed their way through the ene the death of theirof the army, fled Dasseuide was a local, a man recently recruited into our own Claw …’

Kalalistened with sweat Whiskeyjack watched as thebeneath the dusty, stained telaba

’They reht they’d split and force you to do the sa them, Commander The trail leads out, sir, out into Raraku’s heart’

’How far ahead?’ Whiskeyjack asked

’Half a day, no more And on foot’

The commander squinted out into the desert’s ochre haze Seventy soldiers rode at his back, a cobbled-together collection of ineers, infantry and cavalry; each from squads that had effectively ceased to exist Three years of sieges, set battles and pursuits for ed could be spared, and, if necessary, sacrificed