:Don’t hold back with them,: Kantor said instantly. :You won’t be doing them any favors.: And when he still hesitated, Kantor added sharply. :There are barbarians in the North, pirates and slavers in the West, and bandits in the South. And they will probably face all three before they’re middle-aged, if they live that long. It will be one woman and one Companion out there, alone, and you have to prepare them for that.:

:Yes, I do see that.: It made him feel a little sick, but Kantor was right; they were Trainees, they would be Heralds, and he would do them no favors at all by going easy with them.

In fact, he might well kill them. Or worse. There was always the probability of an “or worse.” It was a simple fact that the probability was higher for a female.

:Or both,: Kantor added grimly. :They can’t be as strong as the boys; you’ll have to give them skill to make up for that. If anything, the girls will need your skills more than the boys.:

“Well, Trainees, I have a little surprise for you,” Dethor said cheerfully. He gestured at Alberich, who lingered near the door. “This is my new Second—and from now on, he’ll be putting you through your paces, while I watch.”

Alberich had no difficulty in keeping his face expressionless. This was no different than facing a line of new recruits. Even the ages weren’t that dissimilar; he guessed these youngsters to be between sixteen and eighteen years of age. He’d had recruits that young, although, since he’d been in the mounted troops, they’d all come from some background where they’d been riding since they could walk. And, mostly, the cavalry came from recruits rather than conscripts. He supposed Trainees probably fell under the same banner as recruits; surely he was the only Trainee who had ever felt as if he’d been conscripted against his will.

:Not exactly the only one, but very nearly,: Kantor said.

In their turn, they eyed him without any shame. Mostly with curiosity, although two of the boys had challenge in their eyes. Well, they’d soon see what he was made of.

They were the two oldest, he guessed. Definitely the two tallest. One very dark, muscular, and blocky, the other half a head taller, with brown hair and knowing eyes. Of the other four, the girls were a pretty creature, blue-eyed, with a smooth cap of brown hair cut no longer than her earlobes, and a smaller, lighter girl with blue eyes, a generous mouth, and blond hair done in a knot on the top of her head. The boys were both brown-haired, one of medium height and one short, both with grave faces.

But it was the first two that held Alberich’s attention.