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Abban looked at her, and sighed "If I will not put my master at risk for the sake of my family, whatmy question puts Jardir at no risk, I swear," Leesha said
"Perhaps it does, and perhaps not," Abban said
"I don’t understand this," Leesha said "You both claim Arlen was your friend"
Abban bowed "He was, mistress, and because it is so, I will tell you this et word to him, tell him to run to the end of the world and beyond, because that is how far Jardir will go to kill him"
"But why?" Leesha asked
"Because there can only be one Deliverer," Abban said, "and the Par’chin and Ahreed before, as to who it should be"
Abban went right to Jardir’s throne room from the Palace of Mirrors The moment Jardir saw the khaffit, he dis the two men alone
"She has left?" he asked
Abban nodded "Mistress Leesha has agreed to allowpost for the Hollow tribe It will help facilitate their integration, and give us valuable contacts in the North"
Jardir nodded "Well done"
"I will need uard the shipments, and the stores at the post," Abban said "Before, I had servants for such heavy duty Khaffit, perhaps, but fit men"
"Such men are all kha’Sharum now," Jardir said
Abban bowed "You see my difficulty No dal’Sharum will take orders from khaffit in any event, but if you would allow ard, it would be ed "I could make do with a hundred A pittance"
"No warrior, even a kha’Sharum, is a pittance, Abban," Jardir said
Abban bowed "I will pay their family stipends from er, then shrugged "Pick your hundred"
Abban bowed as deeply as his crutch allowed "Will your promises to the mistress of the Hollow tribe alter your plans?"
Jardir shook his head "My pro It is still my duty to unite the people of the Northland for Sharak Ka We will "
CHAPTER 33
A PROMISE KEPT
333 AR SUMMER
"WHY ALL THESE RAFTS, if there’s a perfectly good bridge?" Renna asked, gesturing toward the nameless collection of huts, too few to even be called a hamlet Each tiny structure had a raft out by the water, surrounded by wards staked into the bank of the Dividing