I wanted to tell Croaker, old buddy, were only the Black Company. Were just a gang of misfits who cant make it in life except as hired swords. Sure, we got ourselves into an asskicking contest with some bizarro creeps now but there aint nobody going to care in a hundred years. We are entangled in an affair of honor because of promises we made and stuff like the Stranglers snatching your kid. But dont try to sell anybody on saving the world.

I was scared the Old Man might be developing a case of the big head, like Longshadow, Mogaba, the Howler, Kina, all the devils of our time. One of the Annalists duties is to remind the Captain that he is not a demigod. But I was out of practice. Hell, I could not deflate Uncle Doj when he got going.

I need an edge, Hagop, Croaker said. I need it bad. Tell me you found something. Anything.

I found Murgens turnip seeds.

Damnit...

The best suggestion they had was that we might try to trace the survivors of the Circle of Eighteen. Well. That was interesting.

Croaker stopped pacing. He looked at me as though I might be able to tell him something. I saw his focus fade. He was remembering the Battle at Charm.

The Circle of Eighteen raised huge rebel armies to pull Lady down. The culminating battle at Charm had been the bloodiest in recorded history.

The Circle did not win.

Croaker said, We killed Harden and Raker. Lady turned Whisper to Taken. That accounts for three.

A lot more just got lost when we whipped them, I observed. My we drew smiles from Otto, Hagop and the Old Man. I was maybe twelve at the time and had not yet even heard of the Black Company.

Hagop said, We were too damned thorough back then, boss. We went out looking for and flat could not find any Rebel veterans to interrogate. We couldnt even find names for seven of the Eighteen. But there were people at the Tower who were junior officers then who claimed they had witnessed the deaths of all of the Eighteen except one called Trinket, those who became Taken, and one of the ones whose names we couldnt find out.

Trinket. Croaker resumed pacing. He mused, I remember Trinket. But just the name. We were at the Stair of Tear. We got word that Trinket was surrounded. In the east. We were busy with Harden. I dont know if I even mentioned it in the Annals.

Ha! A chance to show off. You did. One sentence. Thats it, though. You said Whisper had taken Rust and Trinket was surrounded.

Whisper. Yes. Shed been Taken only a little while. He had been there to help set up the Taking. Thats one for Lady. She would know if there was anything between those two.

Trinket was female, Hagop told us. Whats Longshadow?

Croaker frowned.