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S portal Kallor drew a deep breath Adding years and years of renewed vigour He sat e of ambush Suitably explosive Suitably deadly

Whiskeyjack stepped out of the co up at the sweep of stars overhead It had been a long time since he’d felt so weary

He heard ered hand settled on his shoulder, the touch sending waves through hiood news for a change’

He grunted

’I see the worry in your eyes, Whiskeyjack It’s a long list, isn’t it? Your Bridgeburners, Silverfox, herblind So much rests on unknowns Does Capustan still hold, or has the city fallen? And what of Trotts? And Paran? Quick Ben?’

’I am aware of that list, Korlat,’ he rumbled

’Sorry I share theive ods below, it’s not even your world! Why are you yielding to its needs?’ He sighed loudly and shook his head, returning his gaze to the night sky ’That’s a question we asked often, early in the ca over a half-dozen of your kin A Moranth cusser had taken the the bodies They were cursing -- not finding anything of worth A few knotted strips of coloured cloth, a stream-polished pebble, plain weapons -- the kind you could pick up in any market in any city’ He was silent for a-- as the story of their lives? Their dreams, their aspirations? Would their kin miss them? The Mhybe oncethe Tiste Andii fallen … well, we did the sa with boots to the backside We buried your dead, Korlat Consigned their souls in the Malazan way …’

Her eyes were depthless as she studied him ’Why?’ she asked quietly

Whiskeyjack frowned ’Why did we bury them? Hood’s breath! We honour our eneht be But the Tiste Andii most of all They accepted prisoners Treated those that ounded They even accepted withdrawal -- not once e pursued after hightailing it from an unwinnable scrap’

’And did not the Bridgeburners return the favour, ti, so did the rest of Dujek Onearet nastier the longer they drag on,’ Whiskeyjack ot more … civilized Unspoken protocols …’

’Much of that was undone when you took Pale’