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The crippled khaffit leaned heavily on his cane as he approached Jardir’s throne, sweat pearling on his reddened, doughy face despite the cold Jardir looked at hiht i to catch his breath, instead of sharing it

"What is it?" Jardir snapped when his patience grew thin

"You ranaries!"

"What?!" Jardir de Abban’s ar so hard the khaffit cried out in pain "Where?"

"The north ward of the city," Abban said "You can see the smoke from your door"

Jardir rushed out onto the front steps, i column He turned to Jayan "Go," he said "I want the fires out, and those responsible brought before me"

Jayan nodded and vanished into the streets, trained warriors flowing in behind him like birds in forrain if you are to feed the people through the winter," Abban said "Every seed Every cru Abban’s wrist and twisting his arm hard behind him Abban screamed "You will not address the Shar’Dah," Jardir said

Abban fell to his knees theboth hands on the steps and pressing his forehead between them "Ten thousand pardons, Deliverer," he said

"I heard your coward’s counsel against advancing into the Northern cold," Jardir said as Abban whiround "But I will not delay Everam’s work because of this…" he kicked at the snow on the steps, "sandstorm of ice If we need food, ill take it fro land, who live in plenty"

"Of course, Shar’Da to arrive, khaffit," Jardir said "I need you to find yourthe captives"

"If they are still alive," Abban said "Hundreds lie dead in the streets"

Jardir shrugged "Your fault for being so slow Go, question your fellow traders and find me the leaders of these men"

"The dama will have me killed the reat Shar’Dah Under Evejan law, any khaffit daring to command his betters was put to death on the spot, and there were many who envied Abban’s place on Jardir’s council and would be glad to see his end

"I will send Asome with you," Jardir said "Not even the e you then"

Abban blanched as Asome came forward, but he nodded "As the Shar’-Dama Ka commands"

CHAPTER 2

ABBAN

305–308 AR

JARDIR WAS NINE WHEN the dal’Sharu, even in Krasia, but the Kaji tribe had lost many warriors that year and needed to bolster their ranks lest one of the other tribes atteer sisters, and their le room in the Kaji adobe slum by the dry well His father, Hoshkamin, had died in battle two years before, slain in a well raid by the Majah tribe It was customary for one of a fallen warrior’s companions to take his s as wives and provide for his children, but Kajivah had given birth to three daughters in a row, an ill o into his household They lived on a small stipend of food fro else, they had each other