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‘How can they, Hull Beddict, when they’re ed, looked down and seemed to study his hands ‘But in most ways our armour is indeed thick Impervious to nuances, blind to subtlety Which is e’re always so suspicious of subtle things, especially when exhibited by strangers, by outsiders’

‘We Letherii know our own ga fools-’

‘Which we are, in so oals clearly enough But we ignore the fact that every step we take towards them crushes someone, somewhere’

‘Even our own’

‘Yes, there is that’ He rose, and Seren Pedac was struck once e, broken ht of the Nerek But the answer rests with the Tiste Edur’

‘Very well’ She stepped back and turned round The children played on, amidst the lost shadows She listened to Hull walk away, the soft crackle of his

Very well

She e, onto the ates into the inner ward, where the noble-born Hiroth had their residences Just beyond thehouse Seren Pedac paused in the broad clearing just within the palisade wall No children in sight, only slaves busy with theirwith a wide assortment of weapons None spared the Acquitor any notice, at least not outwardly, though she was certain that her arrival had been surreptitiously observed and that her movements would be tracked

Two Letherii slaves alking nearby, carrying between the with mussels Seren approached

‘I would speak with an Edur lancing over

Seren turned

The Edur woman who strode towards her was flanked by attendants She looked young, but there was in truth no way of knowing Attractive, but that in itself was not unusual She wore a long robe, the wool dyedcuffs and brocade Her long, straight brown hair was unbound

‘Acquitor,’ she said in Edur, ‘are you lost?’

‘No, milady I would speak with you on behalf of the Nerek’

Thin brows arched above the heart-shaped face ‘With me?’

‘With an Edur,’ Seren replied