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I thrust lared at Conner, then finally said, "I suppose Latamer won’t be much company now I’ll stay here"

"Excellent decision" Conner clapped a hand on my back as if ere old friends He nodded at Mott, who let o, then added, "I’m sure Latamer’s death is a shock to you, but it was important for you three to understand the seriousness of e are doing"

When I sat up, Cregan’s leg brushed roughly past on Normally, I’d have kicked him in return, but for the moment I was too stunned to think

"Bury hi, Tobias was pale and perfectly still Roden looked as if he was having trouble breathing My breathing wasn’t working any better It didn’t help that Mott had rudely pressed his knee into my back for the last couple of minutes

Conner’s se, I believe your question earlier e had thebefore we ate This is why So ouldn’t waste our food" His eyes passed over to Roden and Tobias "How about it, then? Does anybody else want to leave?"

Mott laid out a sack of fresh fruit and salted meat, but other than him and Conner, none of us touched it

"It’s your last chance until breakfast," Conner said "You’ll want to keep your strength up"

Roden shook his head at Conner He didn’t look like he could stomach a bite of food anyway Tobias had been nearly frozen since Lataone nu

Conner and Mott ate their meal while the rest of us sat Slowly, the shock wore off and we began to accept that as long as we did ere told, we’d live to see another ain

"We haveahead of us, so you’ll only hurt yourselves if you don’t eat"

Roden reached for the food first He handed it to me and then Tobias The piece ofan apple, even though I had no appetite for it I don’t think Tobias or Roden enjoyed their food much either A wave of nausea threatened me every time I looked in the direction where Latae, we’d all seen our share of violence and brutality I once saw an older boy start kicking a younger one just for rolling over onto his mattress It took five of us to stop him But Conner had told Latamer it would be safe to leave He baited Latae that Lata only for that purpose consuured out as happening even a few seconds earlier, could I have stopped it? Were any of the rest of us here as no more than a lesson to the others?

"Now that you’ve eaten, we can continue our conversation" Conner nodded at Tobias "Stand up I wish to get a general understanding of who each of you is"

Tobias stood stiffly His knees were rigid and he looked like he was about to be sick

"Tobias, you and an opponent are engaged in a sword battle It’s meant to be a battle to the death, but it’s also clear that he’s better than you are Do you fight on, knowing you’ll likely die, or stop the battle and beg for your opponent’sis accoh er for the next battle"

Conner nodded at Roden "What about you?"

Roden stood "Fight to the death, even if it’s hter, sir, and I will not live as a coward"

Tobias flinched at that, but he said nothing A slight se with his answer

"Have you been trained with a sword?" Conner asked

Roden shrugged "An old Carthyan soldier lives near e He used to have me do rounds with him, to keep up his skills"

"Did you ever win?"

"No, but --"