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Back Bleak Seasons Save as PDF
Chapters (102)
  1. Title page
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I heard that, One-Eye grumbled. He and Goblin could have been playing some obscure dice game for all I could tell. I liked it better when they conjured big lights that went around smashing things and burning them up. Destruction I can understand.

Sahra seemed tired of lugging To Tan so I took him. She offered a grateful smile. It lit up the lookout.

One-Eye and Goblin paused to exchange glances amongst themselves and with Hagop.

What are you guys doing? I demanded.

We found out we were right.

Yeah? That might be a first. You were right about what?

About your head having been tampered with.

I shuddered to a sudden chill. That is not something anyone welcomes. Who did it? How?

How we havent been able to figure out for sure. It might have been managed several ways. Who and what are more interesting, anyway.

So give.

Who was Lady. And what was knowledge of the fact that she is out there.

Excuse me?

Its a little hard to tell from here, especially when we got tourists and their girlfriends traipsing through the workplace, but it looks like Lady and the Taglians are in charge out there. Their camp is on the other side of the hills, up the north road. The southerners we see patrolling are auxiliaries who report back to Lady.

Run through that again.

Goblin did so.

I said, You guys go ahead. Im just going to sit over here in the corner and think.

77

77

Uncle Doj and Thai Dei were back from wherever they had gone. They scowled at Sahra and me when we returned but neither said a word. Hong Tray still had her hold on the Kys. Thai Dei took his son. The little guy brightened immediately.

Uncle Doj told me, My people are not mushrooms, Standardbearer. They cannot endure this much longer. You Stone Soldiers have been generous to a fault and have given no provocation but even so there will be trouble eventually. A wounded animal will strike out at even the most loving master.

Well be out of here sooner than I planned. I was not in a good mood. I wanted to drag Lady across my lap and paddle her. Ive already given orders to start the process.

You sound angry.

I am angry. Lady used me in a political game with Mogaba with never a thought for the Companys welfare. She was no more real Company than he was.

Longo leaned in the doorway. You get the word about the catacombs flooding, Murgen?

Bucket told me. How soon is it going to be a problem?

Four or five days. Maybe more. Unless the leak gets a lot worse.

Well be gone. Your brothers and One-Eye are up in the big lookout. Go find out whats up.

Longo shrugged and went, grumbling about the climb.

I asked, Who speaks for the Nyueng Bao now?

We have not yet chosen, Uncle Doj replied.