‘No, sir. Just another murder. Another woman-killer now stumbles through the everlasting Abyss. The mystery of how the bodies are moved continues to perplex us. We’ve gone nowhere in our investigation.’

‘And who is this woman you have brought to us?’

‘Rance, sir. From White Crag Pit. She has the makings of an officer, sir.’

Galar Baras grunted, and then faced her. ‘Rance. What think you? Shall I distribute the weapons and armour of the Hust to you and your fellow recruits?’

Her eyes narrowed on the commander. ‘It’s a conversation we cannot but overhear, sir,’ she said. ‘Those… things. What you suggest… I don’t know if any of us want to be part of that conversation.’

‘Not a conversation,’ Castegan said. ‘An argument. They’ll pluck at the worst in you. Think on that, Galar Baras! Think on these wretched murderers you would now arm! There will be chaos. Bloody chaos.’

Denar cleared his throat, glancing briefly at Kalakan, and then said, ‘Sir, it’s chaos already, and that’s building. We all spent years working, stumbling exhausted back to our bunks. Now we just march this way and that – at least, those willing to listen to us. Most of them, sir, just lie around bickering.’

Kalakan added, ‘We need more than just weapons, maybe. We need to be doing something. Anyway.’

Galar Baras nodded. ‘Well, consider this, then. It seems that Urusander is not interested in doing things the traditional way. He will not wait for spring. He will probably begin his march on Kharkanas before the month’s out.’

Faror Hend wondered at that, and then she said, ‘Forgive me, commander. But that would be foolish of him. The Wardens—’

Castegan cut her off with a harsh bark of laughter. ‘Then you’ve not heard. Ilgast Rend was given command by Calat Hustain and took your Wardens to Neret Sorr. There was a battle with Urusander’s Legion. Rend’s dead, the Wardens shattered.’

She stared at the man, unable to comprehend his news. Galar Baras stepped close and set a hand upon her shoulder. ‘Damn Castegan for his insensitivity, Faror. I would have spoken of it to you, once this meeting was done. I am sorry. The tale but just arrived, from a courier out of Kharkanas.’

‘This is the season of sordid ends,’ Castegan said, now pacing. ‘No time for sentimentality. I make my words hard and cruel, not out of malice, but to impress upon everyone here that niceties are an indulgence we can no longer afford. Galar – send that rider back to Kharkanas, with a message for Silchas Ruin. The effort here has failed. There is no Hust Legion. It’s dead. Gone. Exhort him to sue for peace.’

Faror backed away from Galar’s grip, until she felt the cold, wet tent wall at her back. Ilgast Rend… no! My friends— ‘Commander, what is the fate of Calat Hustain? He rode out to the Vitr with a company—’ Spinnock! You still live. Oh, feel my relief – woman, are you truly this shallow? ‘Captain Finarra Stone was sent to the Shake. Does she – has she learned of this?’ What, what am I to do now?