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Arlen tried to read the emotions in Jardir’s aura, but they were too co Jardir had wrestled with for years, and still not come to terms with It did little to ease his sense of betrayal, but there was ed?" he said

"I remembered your words," Jardir said "I watched from the wall as you led the Sharuht as the sun in your hands They shouted your name, and I knew then they would follow you The warriors would e Nie’s abyss if you asked it"

"Afraid I’d take your job?" Arlen asked "Never wanted it"

Jardir shook his head "I did not care about my job, Par’chin I cared about my people And yours Every man, woman, and child on Ala For they would all follow you once they saw the alagai bleed I saw it in lorious"

"Then what, Ah patience "What in the Core happened?"

"I told you, Par’chin," Jardir said "I reht to myself, Without hope of Heaven, what reason would you have to re humble before the Creator, what man could be trusted with such power? Nie corrupts what She cannot destroy, and it is only in our submission to Everaaped at him The truth of the words ritten on Jardir’s aura, but hisyou hold dear, willing to fight and die in the First War, but you’d betray ment in the sky?"

Jardir clenched a fist "I warn you, Par’chin …"

"Corespawn your warnings!" Arlen brought his fist down, the li with power The table exploded with the blow, collapsing in a spray of splinters Jardir leapt back fro down in a sharusahk stance

Arlen knew better than to attehting He’d fought dama before, and been lucky to escape with his life Jardir had studied for years with the clerics, learning their secrets Even nohen Arlen was faster and stronger than anyone alive, Jardir could take him like a boy to the woodshed Much as Arlen wanted to ained, and everything to lose

Jardir’s superior sharusahk skill was irrelevant in any event His understanding and control over his ht and unpracticed It would be some time before he was in full control of his abilities, and even then he could not ic a part of him, could do If he wanted to kill Jardir, he could

And dooht be able to make the croithout Jardir, but there wasn’t much chance he could escape Anoch Sun alive without help, and he’d never make it to themore insistent the closer he drew

Nie corrupts what she cannot destroy Words of faith, but there isdom in them all the same Every child had heard the proverb in the Canon that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely The Core offered absolute power, but Arlen dare not touch it He would lose himself, absorbed and burnt away like a match thrown into a Solstice bonfire

He breathed deeply to caluard up, but his aura showed he had no desire to fight They both kneas at stake

"I ht as I left you on the dunes, Par’chin," Jardir said "I threw you a waterskin and promised I would find you in the afterlife, and if I had not kept true and "

"Well it’s come early," Arlen said "Hope you’re ready for it"

Jardir looked at the sky as they exited the tower, trying to deduce where they were from the position of the stars South and west of Everam’s Bounty, but that told hireat city and the desert flats He e to find his way back on his own, but Evera it would take

He didn’t need to ask the Par’chin his purpose in leading them from the tower It ritten clearly on his aura,side by side against the alagai, as they had done so er and mistrust that lay between them still