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Back Bleak Seasons Save as PDF
Chapters (102)
  1. Title page
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Mogaba nodded. He did not seem pleased with himself, though. And that surprised me. I had thought him too self-centered to entertain moral doubts.

Go. Conquer the world, General. Ill enjoy helping you. But you have to crush the Black Company first. You have to stop the Taglians. Because you will have nothing if I fall. Will the Strangler be much help, really?

He could be. He talks big about his goddess getting involved but I wont count on that. Ive never seen the gods actually take a hand in mortal affairs.

Odd. Mogabas god was Narayans goddess, more or less. Had Mogaba lost his faith? Maybe Dejagore had scarred him deeply, too.

Use them up. Leave none over to turn on us later. In my imagination the Shadowmaster was always this huge stinking devil incarnate, a colorful lunatic the magnitude of the worst Taken back in the north. But the real Longshadow was just a mean-spirited old man blessed with too much power.

He told Mogaba, If this becomes the Year of the Skulls I want it to be our year. Not theirs.

Understood. What do you think of the child?

Longshadow grunted uncomfortably.

Spooky, right? A thousand years old. Her mother in miniature, only worse. More intense, with a deeper darkness inside.

He could be right. The kid definitely looked weird and evil from my ghosts eye view.

The Shadowmaster mused, We may have to hurry her into the embrace of her goddess.

Mogaba shrugged. He turned to go. Anyone else you want to see alone?

Howler. Wait!

What?

Where is the Lance of Passion?

Wherever Croaker is, I imagine. Or the Standardbearer. Thats still that serpent Murgen, I believe.

I love you too, Mogaba.

We must take possession. Might that not be a task for the Deceivers? Even destroying the Black Company may not be enough in the long run. And one other thing for the Deceivers. Have them find out why Senjak wants all that bamboo.

Bamboo?

Was there an echo?

She has been stripping the Taglian territories for months. Wherever her soldiers go they loot bamboo.

That is curious. I will find out. I followed Mogaba for a moment. Once he was clear of the parapet he muttered, Bamboo. I have to humor a lunatic.

I tried to travel south of Overlook. Smoke went only a short way before he balked. Well.

I would find out sooner than I wanted, I supposed. After we settled Longshadow and Overlook the plain was next on the list of obstacles blocking our path to Khatovar.

52

52

I returned to the chamber with Smoke and our stinky pet Strangler. I was hungry and thirsty but also so excited I shook. I had not uncovered much of resounding import, but, gods! The potential!

I drank from the pitcher, cleared my throat, lifted the corner of the cloth covering the prisoner. You in there? Want a drink? Want to tell me? He was asleep. Be that way.