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In silence

Because so terrible has happened

He lay down on his back, staring up at the slanted ceiling, feeling a strange, unnerving constriction in his throat And could hear, in the rush of his blood, a faint echo behind his heart A double beat Hunh hunh Huh huh Hunh hunh Huh huh …

Who are you? What are you waiting for? What do you ith , the cold haft of his spear in his right hand, its iron-shod butt striking sparks on the flagstones as he stepped away froe and halted beside Fear Opposite the five paces away, stood Tomad and Uruth Rhulad was nowhere to be seen

Nor, he realized, was Mayen

A glance revealed that Fear was scanning the welcoe in expression, but he strode towards Tomad

‘Mayen is in the forest with the other uarded by Theradas, and Midik and Rhulad’

‘My son’ Uruth stepped closer, eyes searching Fear’s visage ‘What did he do?’

Fear shook his head

‘They died without honour,’ Trull said ‘We could not see the hand that delivered that death, but it was… monstrous’

‘And the harvest?’ Tomad asked

‘It was taken, Father By that saer in Uruth’s eyes ‘This was no full unveiling This was a de’

Trull frowned ‘I do not understand, Mother There were shadows-’

‘And a darkness,’ Fear cut in ‘From the depths… darkness ’

She crossed her arms and looked away Trull had never seen Uruth so distressed

And in hi unease Fully three-fifths of the Tiste Edur ements from the riven warren of Kurald E Uruth’s sons, only Binadas walked the paths of sorcery Fear’s words had none the less triggered a recognition in Trull Every Tiste Edur understood his own, after all Caster of ’s sorcery was not Kurald Emurlahn’ He did not need their expressions to realize that he had been the last aivethem aloud,’ Uruth said ‘Fear, take Trull and Rhulad Go to the Stone Bowl-’

‘Stop this Now’ Tomad’s voice was hard, his expression dark ‘Fear Trull Return to the house and await me there Uruth, tend to the needs of the s A fallen warrior faces his first dusk a kin Propitiations ht she was going to object Instead, lips pressed into a line, she nodded and strode away

Fear beckoned Trull and they walked to the longhouse, leaving their father standing alone beside the canal