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When it was tied fro his fur cloak until it wrapped hiht sky, but said nothing

Trull crawled into the tent The air within was da maps of unknoorlds on the stretched, waxy fabric From outside came the steady footsteps of Theradas as he walked his rounds The sound followed Trull into sleep

Disjointed drea down atop a ry lust He stu to see that man’s face, to discover who it was – and instead he found hinizable, a sensation he had never experienced before, and it left hi on his knees in the wet loam, while from somewhere beyond he could hear her cries of pleasure, bestial and rhythmic

And desire rose within him Not for Mayen, but for what she had found, in her wild release, closing down into theA er becaed like a broken knife-tip in his chest, cutting with each ragged breath, and in his drea Mayen’s own voice, and he heard her laugh with recognition A laugh inviting him to join her world

Mayen, his brother’s betrothed A detached part of his mind reard Understanding the nature of this web, this sideways envy and his own burgeoning appetites

Edur s It was the reason betrothal and e followed at least a decade – often two – of full adulthood Edur woers far earlier in their lives It hispered, a the men, that they often made use of the Letherii slaves, but Trull doubted the truth of that It seemed inconceivable

The detached self was amused by that, as if derisive of Trull’s own naivete

He awoke chilled, ith doubts and confusion, and lay for a ti his breath plunawed at hi time before he realized what it was No footsteps

Trull scrahtened

It was Rhulad’s watch Near the dead fire, the hunched, bundled form of his brother, seated with hooded head bowed

Trull strode up to stand behind Rhulad Sudden rage took him with the realization that his brother slept He lifted his spear into both hands, then swung the butt end in a snapping motion that connected with the side of Rhulad’s head

Ato one side Rhulad loosed a piercing shriek as he sprawled on the hard-packed snow, then rolled onto his back, scrabbling for his sword

Trull’s spear-point was at his brother’s neck ‘You slept on your watch!’ he hissed

‘I did not!’