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Julus Rotans was in his late forties, his figure still trim and military and his features pure Alitaeran He wore a white tabard eold chevrons Sister Ariel couldn’t make out any other details: the ed He didn’t reauntlets as he sat, and mercifully there were no open sores on his face, but Julus Rotans was a leper Worse, his strain of leprosy was the simplest kind to Heal Even Sister Ariel could do it--but it would take ic

"So, everyone’s here already," Julus Rotans said "I see No need to include the Lae’knaught in the planning, huh? Just throw us at the thickest part of the enean Gyre didn’t look perturbed "Overlord, I have wronged you," he said "Your representatives told me it was unfair and unwise--actually, I think the as ‘stupid’--for ive me I orried they would betray me That was unworthy of me, and it was indeed stupid"

The overlord’s eyes narroary Everyone else watched carefully

"Today, due to the terrain, your ht, but tonificant You have our only heavy cavalry, and you will indeed hold the center There have been ugly rumors that your men wish to withdraw and let ‘all these wytches’ kill each other" Logan sighed "I know you feel compelled to be here, Overlord Rotans, so I wish to drop the corant you the fifteen-year lease to the Cenarian lands for your use I hereby release you fro them at my service"

"What?" the overlord asked He wasn’t the only one incredulous at the table Without the Lae’knaught’s five thousand, the arer, and the overlord sat up, sure this was the teeth of the trap "I only ask that if you wish to withdraw froht, that you declare your intentions immediately so that we may kno much of an army ill have"

Overlord Rotans licked his lips "That’s all?" It was too fair a request for hi the are He still looked puzzled, so he hadn’t seen the teeth of Logan’s offer yet, and the da to accept the offer if Ariel didn’t do so

"I’m only a woman," Sister Ariel said, "but it seee in a few countries Let’s see Cenaria, of course, will feel betrayed Ceura too Oh, and I doubt the praetor would be ih one to lose Waeddryn and Modai may still send recruits; pity they’re so small"

"And their people so historically reluctant to die for the light of reason," Praetor Marcus said with some satisfaction

"And this is such a bad time to have trouble with recruitment," Sister Ariel said

"Why’s that?" Marcus asked, playing along

"Some superstition in Ezra’s Wood recently slew five thousand Lae’knaught"

Marcus whistled "That’s some superstition"

"You’re vile, all of you You’re the friends of darkness," Overlord Rotans said