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‘You misunderstood me,’ Gamet replied ‘I simply cannot believe that your soldiers found hi’s solid, broad features ‘Aye, well, we’ve rounded up others in worse places, Fist It’s what comes of-’ he squinted up the street, ‘of broken hearts’
Fist The title still cla crowGamet frowned ‘The Adjunct has no time for broken-hearted soldiers, Commander’
‘It was unrealistic to arrive here expecting to stoke the fires of vengeance Can’t stoke cold ashes, though don’t take , I wish her the Lady’s luck’
‘Rather more is expected of you than that,’ Gamet said drily
The streets were virtually deserted at this time of day, the afternoon heat oppressive Of course, even at other times, Aren was not as it once had been Trade from the north had ceased Apart from Malazan warships and transports, and a few fisherboats, the harbour and river mouth were empty This was, Gamet reflected, a scarred populace
The squad was re-e-clad, feebly struggling old ing like grey strings, his skin patched and grey with filth Cursing at the stench, the soldiers of Blistig’s Aren Guard hurried their burden towards the cart’s bed
‘It was a miracle we found him at all,’ the commander said ‘I truly expected the old bastard to up and drown himself’
Momentarily unmindful of his new title, Gamet turned and spat onto the cobbles ‘This situation is conte Damn it, some semblance of military decorum-of control , Hood take me-should have been possible…’
The coathered at the back of the cart all turned at his words
Blistig stepped close to the Fist ‘You listen to rowled under his breath, a tre across his scarred cheeks, his eyes hard as iron ‘I stood on the damned wall and watchedAs did every one ofin circles like a castrated cat-that historian and those two Wickan children wailing with grief I watched-we all watched-as Coltaine and his Seventh were cut down before our very eyes And if that wasn’t enough, the High Fist then marched out his army and ordered theence concerning Mallick Rel being an agent of Sha’ik’s, my Guard would have died with them Military decorum? Go to Hood with yourat the commander’s tirade It was not the first time that he’d felt the snap of this man’s temper Since he had arrived with Adjunct Tavore’s retinue, and was given the liaison role that took hi with the survivors of the Chain of Dogs-both those who had come in with the historian Duiker, and those who had awaited thee beneath the ain Hearts not simply broken, but shattered, torn to pieces, tra the survivors-ions of untested recruits-was, to Ga more and more unrealistic with each day that passed
It was also clear that Blistig cared little that Gamet made daily reports to the Adjunct, and could reasonably expect his tirades to have been passed on to Tavore, in culpable detail The commander was doubly fortunate, therefore, that Ga extre personal observations to the ’s words trailed away, Gahed and approached the cart to look down on the drunken oldon its bed The soldiers backed away a step-as if the Fist carried a contagion ‘So,’ Gamet drawled, ‘this is Squint The man who killed Coltaine-’
‘Was a uards snapped
‘Clearly, Squint does not think so’
There was no reply to that Blistig arrived at the Fist’s side ‘All right,’ he said to his squad, ‘take hiet him cleaned up-and under lock and key’
‘Aye, sir’
Mo pulled away Gaetting yourself stripped of rank, shackled in irons, and sent back to Unta on the first ship, will not succeed, Commander Neither the Adjunct, nor I, care one whit for your fragile state We are preparing to fight a war, and for that you will be needed You and every one of your crumple-faced soldiers’