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Many of the Krasians had already gathered, including the Damaji in their canopied palanquins and many Sharum and dama Three wooden posts had been erected in the circle, but there were no shackles or ropes to be seen

There was a commotion and the crowd turned to see Jardir enter the circle, followed by Inevera on her palanquin and his other wives in tow Leesha counted fourteen of them, but had no idea if that was all They cah for Leesha to smell the Da his hand at the Spears of the Deliverer The three dal’Sharu out into the square and stripping to the waist They knelt and touched their foreheads to the cobbles before Jardir, then stood and wrapped their ar to hold them in place The one whose arm Wonda had broken had the li free a three-tailed whip of braided leather, with sharp pieces of metal woven into the last few inches of each tail

"What is that?" Leesha asked Abban She was expecting Jardir to use a simple horsewhip This seeai tail," Abban said "A da struck by it is like the lash of a sand deet?" Leesha asked

Abban laughed "As many as they can stand for Sharurip on the pole and fall"

"But…that could kill thereat warriors, but not known for their intelligence or instinct for self-preservation They think it a test of manhood to endure asto see who endures longest"

Leesha scowled "I will never understand reed

It was brutal to watch, each strike of the alagai tail leaving bright lines of blood on the backs of its victi to the first, but Leesha didn’t know if it was a kindness, or an atte nu as if it were striking her, too Tears streaked her face, and she wanted nothing more than to flee the awful scene as the backs of the e open wounds that showed their ribs to the world None of them even cried out or had the sense to fall

At one point she looked away and saw Inevera watching the proceeding with utter cal her way, and sneered at the tears on her face

So as a ward against the suffering of the htened her back, dried her eyes, and watched the rest of the whipping with the sao on forever, but at last one of the warriors fell, and then another Leesha saarriors exchanging coins over the results, and wanted to spit When the last man fell, Jardir nodded to her, and Leesha rushed out to the es she had prepared She hoped she had enough

Jardir thulance up at him

"Spread the word to all ould see paradise at the end of the lonely path!" Jardir bellowed, his voice booh the circle and into the streets "Any wo, and have all the rights of Sharuh the assembled warriors, and Leesha saw horrified faces on daan, but Jardir silenced theht," he said, baring his teeth, "let them step forward I promise a quick death with honor To any who oppose my word to faces in the crowd, but none foolish enough to step forward

The next day, Abban arrived in the courtyard of the Palace of Mirrors with a dal’Sharuht veil was around his shoulders, and his black beard was shot through with gray There was nothing else remotely weak about the man, but Leesha was still surprised Few of the Krasian warriors seeray at all He walked proudly, but his hard face was pinched, as if he was biting back a scowl

"May I present Gavram asu Chenin am’Kaval am’Kaji, Drillmaster of the Kaji’sharaj," Abban said The warrior bowed at the introduction, and Leesha spread her skirts and dipped a curtsy in response

The warrior said so in Krasian, too fast for Leesha to follow, but Abban was quick to interpret "He says, ‘I am here at the Deliverer’s coai’sharak’ Drillmaster Kaval was instructor to the Shar’Dama Ka and myself ere in Sharaj," Abban added "There is no one better"