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"Spink’s family doesn’t What becomes of him?"

Captain Maw cleared his throat "I suspect he will be a Ranker He’ll enlist as a common soldier, for he will remain a soldier son And on the basis of his talents, he will rise Or not The military has always provided those alternate paths for men of talent and determination Not all officers are born of nobility Soh the ranks"

"At the cost of years of their lives Sir"

"That’s true That has always been true"

I sat there, no longer liking a ratulation on figuring out his puzzle, and a recommendation to a scout’s lieutenancy That was all he was offering me I’d be a leader without troops, an officer who rode alone I thought of Scout Vaxton and his rough ht of how my father had invited him to our table, but kept my mother and sisters away from his company That was my fate It was already determined that that was the best I could do I could not force them to keep me at the Acadeiven ht ranks of the old nobility feared that the king was becoo out now and tell what I know?"

He looked at me sadly "Now you sound like Tiber" He shook his head "You wouldn’t be believed, Burvelle It would sound pitiful, as if you were trying to make excuses for your own failure Go quietly, son There are worse things than being culled You’re leaving with an honorable discharge You don’t have to go hos You could leave here with a posting to one of the citadels in the east" He suddenly leaned toward ht Co and tell me that you’ve decided youdo want to be a scout I’ll see that your transfer papers are written up that way There will be noon them"

He waited for me to reply I could have thanked him I could have said I needed ti at all

Captain Maw spoke very softly "You are dismissed, Cadet Burvelle"

I heard it ashis words and walked out of his office, out of the engineering building, and into the cold of Dark Evening Tonight, in Old Thares, people caroused and celebrated the longest night of the year Toood wishes for the first lengthening day of the year Before the as out, Sirlofty and I would be on our way back to my family home All the years olden future he had proht of Carsina and tears pricked ive her

to a cavalla scout I suddenly kneould die childless, that the soldier son journals I sent home to my brother’s house would be a story that dribbled aith no ending at all

CHAPTER 21

Carnival

Carneston House was deserted An unhappy cadet corporal sat in Sergeant Rufet’s chair behind his desk Surely that was a punishht shift so that even our dour sergeant could partake of the pleasures of Dark Evening He gave ed past hiy to hurry up the steps All around me, the dormitory was unnaturally quiet

Upstairs, ns of a hasty departure No one had waited for ht of town freedoht for Nevare Burvelle I suspected that all the hire carriages would be gone froo, it was too late now But I was hungry I decided I’d leave the Acaderounds and walk to a nearby public house for a beer and sup Then I’d sio to sleep If I could

I took reatcoat from its hook, and as I thrust my arms down the sleeves, a folded bit of notepaper fell out I picked it up from the floor My na, blotted as if he’d done it hurriedly I unfolded it and stared at the horrible words that sealed , Nevare She sent reen by the Great Square so we could celebrate Dark Evening together I know I’o to her; it will seal your aunt’s opinion ofthe types of ned with a slopingS