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Once beyond Aren Way’s battered gate and the abandoned ruins of a se, they could now see the Seti and Wickan outriders on their flanks-a coin at any time, now that the army had left the walls of Aren behind Most of the tribes had, if the ruotten the truces they had won froht but sleep restless beneath the surface of such peoples

The landscape ahead and to either side was sun-blasted and broken, a place where even wild goats grew lean and listless The -dead cities were visible on every horizon Ancient raised roads, now es

Strings wiped sweat from his brow ‘Green as we are, it’s about ti the th Motion ceased, and the shouts of the water crews rose into the dusty air as they scra about and studied his squad-they were already on the ground, sitting or sprawled, their long-sleeved undershirts darkened with sweat

A Gesler’s and Borduke’s squads, the reaction to the rest-halt had been identical, and Borduke’s ht and clearly unused to the ar That squad’s healer, a quiet, s towards his a carnivorous srasslands are driven to dust by the herds, when the earth underfoot clicks like breaking metal’

‘Hood take you,’ Ss for a reason’

‘Aye,’ the Seti half-blood replied, ‘only the tough survive There are tribes aplenty out there-they’ve left enough sign in passing’

‘You have seen that, have you?’ Strings said ‘Good You’re now the squad’s scout’

Koryk’s white grin broadened ‘If you insist, Sergeant’

‘Unless it’s night,’ Strings added ‘Then it’ll be S his warren is suitable’

Bottle scowled, then nodded ‘Well enough, Sergeant’

‘So what’s Cuttle’s role, then?’ S around like a beached porpoise?’

Beached porpoise? Grew up by the sea, did you ? Strings glanced over at the veteran soldier The man was asleep I used to do that, back in the days when nothing was expected ofI s replied, ‘is keeping the rest of you alive when I’m not close by’

‘Then why isn’t he the corporal?’ Serent set to her petite features