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The ancient warrior bared his teeth in a silent snarl

’That will do,’ Brood ru’

Korlat could see Whiskeyjack now, standing near the broad, blunt bow of the lead barge He was helmed, in full arlittering The Barghast was clearly enjoying theon the heads of the throwing axes belted to his hips The standard-bearer, Artanthos, hovered in the background, arms crossed, a half-s the sweeps, shouting to one another as they guided the craft between the poles The e slipped froently down the approach

Korlat watched, her eyes on Whiskeyjack -- who had in turn seen her -- as the craft drew closer to the platforside the landing was muted Soldiers with lines poured from the side onto the platfores were each pulling towards the shore tothe muddy strand

Hetan appeared between her father and Whiskeyjack and pushed forward to leap onto the platfors almost buckled beneath her Orfantal rushed forward to offer a supporting ar past theht,’ Huh ’But if you value your life, Tiste Andii, leave the lass to her gravid ! We’ve hastened the day to Coral, yes?’ The Barghast warchief stepped onto the platfor

’Unless there’s another hundred barges upstrearowled, ’you’ve lost two-thirds of your forces No did that come to be?’

’Three clans carinning ’The rest elected to walk Our spirit gods were arant you, sourly so!’

’Well met, Warlord,’ Whiskeyjack said ’We’d not the watercraft to carry the entire force, alas Thus, Dujek Onearm decided to split the army-’

’And where in Hood’s name is he?’ Kallor demanded ’As if I need to ask,’ he added

Whiskeyjack shrugged ’The Black Moranth are taking them-’

’To Coral, yes,’ Kallor snapped ’To what end, Malazan? To conquer the city in the name of your empire?’

’I doubt that is possible,’ Whiskeyjack replied ’But if it were, would you so dearly resent arriving at a pacified Coral, Kallor? If your bloodlust needs appeasing-’

’I never thirst for long, Malazan,’ Kallor said, one gauntleted hand lifting towards the bastard sword strapped to his back

’It see Kallor, ’that there have been considerable changes to e had agreed was a sound plan Indeed,’ he continued, eyes shifting to the barge, ’that plan was clearly created with deceit in your ree,’ Whiskeyjack said ’Just as you had Moon’s Spawn and whatever Rake intended to do with it as your own private plan, we concluded that we’d best fashion so similar The precedent is yours, Warlord -- so I do not think you are in a position to voice corated, ’we had never intended Moon’s Spawn to launch a pre-ee over our presu we have held to has been towards a corees with you, Warlord As do I Tell et close to Coral?’

’She atteain’

’And she will likely be driven back once ence as to the preparations being ainst us If the Pannion Seer or his advisers have even a modicum of military acuity, they will have set up a trap for us -- so within sight of Coral’s walls Warlord, our Black Moranth have delivered Captain Paran and the Bridgeburners to within ten leagues of the city, to make a covert approach and so discover what the Pannions have devised But the Bridgeburners alone are not sufficient to counter those efforts, whatever they may be Thus, Dujek leads six thousand of the Host, delivered by the Black Moranth, with the intention of destroying whatever the Pannions have planned’

’And why in Hood’s name should we believe you?’ Kallor de but lie -- since the very beginning’