Read The Name of All Things online

Chapters (81)

1Apparently, Hamarratus (or Scandal to her friends) was a fireblood slave previously owned by Darzin D’Mon. Did you know Darzin had smuggled a fireblood out of Jorat? What an absolute idiot. Not related, but do you think you could raise Darzin from the dead? I’d like to kill him again.
2I assume this is an example of Joratese humor. “His woman.” Ha!
3Yeah, I thought it couldn’t possibly signify gender roles too at first. Easy mistake, right?
4Her real name’s Khaemezra, right? Not that I plan to run into her anytime soon …
5Yeah, okay. I was going to mock her for assuming it had to be Urthaenriel, but a Cornerstone can find another Cornerstone, so … fair point.
6Love the assumptions he’s making here. Yes, because all the Hellwarriors simply must be men. Oh, how I hate Quuros misogyny.
7Yeah, me too. And never mind that calling them the Eight Immortals hasn’t technically been accurate for a while. They still haven’t had to do this job in millennia. I bet they’re out of practice.
8Cheese. I know, I know, but they make it differently in Jorat. I’ve become quite fond of their version, honestly.
9No, not really. Tough luck, kid.
10You know, that’s a good point. Is there some sort of relationship between the eight original Quuros Royal Houses and the Eight Immortals you haven’t told me about?
1Q: How do you know the person you’re talking to isn’t Joratese?

A: If they don’t start telling you about their horses within fifteen minutes of meeting them, they’re not Joratese.
2Notice that Kihrin’s sheathed Urthaenriel here. By every account I’ve ever read, he shouldn’t be able to hear her if he’s not holding her drawn, but he still can.

So that’s terrifying. Is there some reason Kihrin can use this sword differently from anyone else?
3Nothing. Nothing will be left at all.
4Funny how she wasn’t in a hurry to spell out how defeating Morios benefits her.
5Literally, rice and vegetables. Not bad, though. Qown’s right: the chili sauce is key.
6I was surprised to learn that Mare is a term of affection, something like calling an older woman Auntie.
7After the Lonezh Hellmarch, so many people insisted on moving to larger cities—under the hilariously mistaken impression that they’d be safer—it triggered an economic crash. By the time the fools figured out they had no job skills anyone gave a damn about, a whole bunch had lost their farms.

Result? Bandits.
8Please. Qown should consider himself lucky if a fireblood only smacked him with a hoof. They’re omnivores: they have fangs.
1He doesn’t understand his relationship with Thurvishar D’Lorus at all, does he? Or did Thurvishar forget to mention to Kihrin that he intended to fashion an entire historical account of dubious accuracy out of Kihrin’s dialogues with that insane little mimic?
2Yeah, right. Luckily, the rest of Quur isn’t paying attention to Jorat’s rather remarkable social customs, or just how different they are from the rest of the empire. Consider that a good thing.
3Really, Kihrin? If Qown had been a Gryphon Man, did Kihrin honestly think the priest would have just admitted it? I think even Qown is more astute at espionage than that.
4This is the sort of situation where I find a good curse works wonders in convincing men to respect boundaries.
5She’s growing on me.
1Khorsal didn’t just muck about with centaurs and firebloods. Every horse in the Quuros Empire is descended from Joratese stock. Wouldn’t surprise me if gaining control of Khorsal’s herds was the real reason Kandor invaded. After all, Joratese horses aren’t just stronger, faster, and sturdier; they also don’t suffer from colic.

Khorsal really loved horses.
2That’s because no one appreciates the Joratese insistence that bad rulers step down or be overthrown. Rebellion is steeped in their blood. Consider: they’re the only dominion to overthrow their own god-king.
3I loathe this concept. All manner of garbage can be justified by saying they’re doing it for someone’s “own good.”
4In Jorat, that’s very nearly everyone.
1No, that was one of the religion’s core tenets: “Hey, did you know the gods are just wizards who are really good with spells? Maybe you shouldn’t worship them.” Seriously, I’m amazed the Vishai faith was ever legalized anywhere.
2But did you, Dorna? Did you really?
3Oh, well, that’s something it would have been helpful to know!
4Xaltorath’s making a snide reference to Kihrin here, right? Just as I recall from Thurvishar D’Lorus’s chronicle that when Xaltorath met Kihrin for the first time, the demon made a similar snide reference to Janel.
1I could stand to have a few more withered old gossips like that under my command.
2Sordid? Yes. Nonconsensual? No. He was just an idiot who Ninavis convinced to trade “favors” with her—apparently all a ruse so she could pick his pocket and escape.
3I think Ninavis has a point here. Sure, it’s not technically slavery, but what happens when someone doesn’t want to be “brought back into the fold”?
1My goodness, why would that be? Maybe because the Eight have been willfully perpetrating a fraud for millennia? The idea that Kihrin still “worships” Taja boggles my mind. He doesn’t seem that naïve.
2That’s because I was born in the west.
3You must admit her choice of words here is hilarious.
4I don’t think I’ll ever understand what Tamin thought he was accomplishing here.
5Not how I’d interpret that one.
1Why hate a sword when it’s more effective to hate the hand wielding it?
2I always thought it was funny that they’re called the Devoran Prophecies when they come from demons rather than the island of Devors.
3Warchild. Obviously, he has a ton of names, though. When you’re so scary gods and demons shudder at your mention, I guess you’ve earned them.
4Apparently, in Jorat, anyone who comes from the other side of the Dragonspires is a “foreigner.”
5Of course you can, silly girl. It’s just a game based on popularity instead of bloodlines.
6In hindsight, I really should have checked the backgrounds of all the baron’s people.
1The game’s called pagos. Popular in taverns all over Jorat, but a problem whenever bar fights break out.
1Oh, nonsense. It makes perfect sense. One doesn’t destroy a tool that might still prove useful. We’re not the only group playing this little game of “who controls the prophecies.” Let’s face it—everyone wants to make those four their special little puppets.
2There are eight contests, with two forms each contest can take, so sixteen different styles in total, which is why your richer Joratese nobles have a stable of athletes who specialize in particular fields.
3It’s not like he really cared about rules or anything.
4Demons are so melodramatic.
5I was so sick of Mereina by that point.
6Of course, I saved the puppy. I’m not a monster.
1Cute. Didn’t stop her, though, did it?
2I should think the ramifications to their souls would be especially important if they didn’t survive.
3They’d have run out of air in minutes if that were true … ah well. I suppose they figured it out.
4True, I wouldn’t have. Probably.
5It’s drawn to sentient minds within a certain range of its initial dispersal point, which might seem intelligent behavior if one didn’t know better. Nasty stuff.
6I have a theory on why this happens on the eastern side of the Dragonspires but not the western side, but I need to work out some of the details.
1Three thousand seven hundred eighty-five. I always count.
2Wait until she ends up in the Capital City. Trust me, it won’t be true then.
3Why yes, yes, it is. That might be a problem someday. Wouldn’t that just be a shame?
4Yes, thank you. I’m glad someone noticed.
5Technically, Tamin wasn’t baron at the time.
6Used to be literally that, as I understand it. This practice is a variant left over from the days when the “nobles” of Jorat were Quuros army officers—who’d been awarded lands in exchange for service.
7Oh, but I love this heresy. Think how close the Joratese are to rejecting the idea of nobility! Why, if they keep going like this, they might even decide that someone shouldn’t automatically be in charge just because their parents were.
8A little true? I’m sure you would have ordered me to target Mereina sooner or later …
9Well, it did make me smile.
10I want to argue this because it isn’t always the case, but fine, the point stands.
11Qown dear, all language is nothing but a set of symbols we’re agreed represent a specific result.
12I wouldn’t know. I was born in Quur.
1We almost had them too. It was so close.
2In hindsight, if I’d known these places existed, I’d have tracked down their locations. I didn’t know to ask.
3What do you know? Janel and I do agree on something.
4Fine. Nine dragons. Kihrin is right, after all.
5But not in this case.
6Kasmodeus thought if he just gathered enough souls, he could make himself another Xaltorath, but I’m definitely starting to think that was never going to work.
1Oh … I honestly hadn’t thought of it that way. Kihrin’s right: that is awkward. This is why I don’t like religion.

Well. One of many reasons.
2Honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me if this were true. I’m almost tempted to check.
3I checked. Hava was killed for being a witch. Ninavis probably would have been too if she’d been a normal soldier’s wife. And no, her daughter wasn’t a witch by anyone’s definition.
4Emperor Sandus couldn’t banish a demon? Oh, now that is interesting. That should be impossible because of the gaeshe binding all demons. Huh.
1I know Qown insists she’s sane, but reactions like this make me wonder.
2Interesting theory. Completely wrong, of course, but really quite plausible. You know, I think I’m glad she’s not on the demons’ side.
3So that’s how the Black Brotherhood knew Kihrin would be for sale that day.
1A thoroughly nasty concoction the Joratese make, by letting various plants decay and then distilling the sludge. Kind of like sassabim, but it tastes like moss.
2I will miss that about Jorat. Whenever I told people I didn’t like to run with anyone, stallion or mare, they actually believed me and stopped making overtures. It was nice.
3In case you ever wondered how a sexually uninhibited population isn’t crammed mountain to mountain with babies, they have a wildflower called kulma, which provides effective birth control. Yes, kulma as in the swamp. Guess where it grows?
4Again, it’s a good theory. Just completely wrong.
5Okay, she was wrong about the demons. But this? Yes, exactly right.
6Two words: bring it.
7Did grabbing a bucket and putting out the hearth fires with water not occur to him? I swear, stop someone from using a little magic, and suddenly, that’s all they can think about …
8No, no. Aeyan’arric accidentally stumbled out of Yor, tripped over the tavern, and then breathed all over it. Purely coincidental.
1A little presumptuous of Kihrin to assume that the only Thurvishar in the world just happens to be the one he knows. The fact he happens to be right is just going to make him even more insufferable.
2Ha. You’re an associate.
3Let’s be realistic here: any Royal House in the capital would give a dozen daughters for a handful of rusty, used nails.
4No, seriously, I’m bringing this up again. Did we know she could do this? And by we, I mean you.
5I’m not loving the fact they have a means to communicate over vast differences. That’s supposed to be our trick.
6He’s disappointed that the woman he saved is so happy to see him she starts kissing him? I know I’m hardly an expert on romance, but I don’t think it’s supposed to work like that.
7I wonder if Thaena actually used female pronouns for Xaltorath here or if this was just a modification Janel made when she told the story?
8And Gadrith could do this too. I think I shall refer to him as Nomed from now on, since he was basically a backward demon.
9I considered omitting this passage for fear of what it would do to your ego. In the end, I left it in, both for completeness and also because it’s nice to occasionally hear what the enemy says about you behind your back. You deserve a treat now and again.
10She didn’t even blink when told Kaen works for you and not the other way around. She’s either much smarter or much stupider than we’ve been giving her credit for, and other instances prove she’s not stupid. Be careful.
11Oh, good tip. Thanks, Thaena.
1Yes, I think so too. I wonder if Teraeth’s the jealous type. I’ll just write a note to myself for later, in case that proves useful …
2A quaint Joratese cultural artifact. If you’re perceived to have descended from Joras (as anyone from west of the Dragonspires would be), your magic is somehow acceptable. It allows them to ignore the dichotomy of hating magic, while still enjoying all the benefits of House D’Aramarin’s Gatekeepers. The hypocrisy is so blatant I’m almost not angry.
3Since she didn’t burn all her friends to a crisp, I suspect this isn’t true.
4Yes, I know. That was the whole damn point.
1I wonder what happened to Ash Flower? Did she make it out of the city, maybe in the company of some nice farmer or little girl?

Shut up.
2Oh, I’m going to remember that one. Let me make a note.
3Clearly, she’s never been to Tara-Moatassa in east Doltar. (Neither have I, but I’ve heard stories.)
1If I were Ninavis, I’d have given her my stamp of approval with my boot.
2Ha. I like this Relos Var fellow’s sarcasm. We should recruit him.
3Normally, I’d make a comment about not needing to spell out the obvious, but I’ve met Sir Oreth, so … carry on.
4This man makes my teeth ache.
1Too late. Remind me not to read Janel’s parts of this story right after eating.
1Nice of them to have retrieved that for her. Personally, I’d have left it.
2To think how this all might have turned out if he’d been just a little less observant.
3I’ll never tell.
4I do not! Oh, he meant Janel.
5Yeah, let’s make sure that never happens.
1I wondered if anyone was going to catch that.
2I’m reading this thirdhand, and even I know something about that lead bandit’s character. Janel needs to get over herself.
3My personal rule of thumb: when people are shooting you with crossbows, they mean to kill you. But then, I’m pedantic that way.
4If Ninavis is Diraxon (which would explain some things), this is a little pot-and-kettle of her. According to rumors I’ve heard, they’ve killed people in considerably more … creative ways.
5In my limited interactions with Janel, I’ve noticed she’s internalized her talismans. That makes her the third person I’ve met who can do that, and the other two are you and Gadrith (and Gadrith cheated by literally sewing them inside his body).

Just something to think about.
6One of the few times I agree with her. If there were any other way …
7Are Darzin, Kihrin, and I the only people who view Xaltorath as male aspected? (And yes, I know, energy beings don’t have gender, but demons almost always present themselves with a gender. It’s almost as if they view themselves as gendered … which, now that I write this down, seems strange. I need to do some research.)
8Cue the dramatic minstrel music.
9Oh, come on, I’m not that pale.
10I’m not telling. It makes me look smarter.
11What a daring rebel he is.
1Well it is nice to watch a professional work.
2And chat. And help her escape me. I’m not bitter, though.
3Oh, I wish it were that easy.

“Where is Janel Theranon right now?”

“At the corner of Valiant Boulevard and Triumph Street.”

“Great. Where’s that?”

“Where’s what?”

“Where is the corner of Valiant Boulevard and Triumph Street?”

“In the city of Atrine.”

Some questions just aren’t worth asking.
4That was abrupt. I’m offended on Janel’s behalf.
5Playing the Black Knight, obviously.
6I must go back to Jorat once the dust settles. All I need is an accomplice, a bushel of peony seeds, and a black goat.
7Thus proving Ninavis has never paid any attention to god-king tales about the vané.
1Blood and cinnamon? Yuck. That’s not how you convince people to attend church.
2I need to visit this place. Given the number of stairs they descended, this has to be under Lake Jorat. I want to see how he’s keeping back the water. Besides the obvious.
3Ah, the mind-set of the so-called Destined Hero. We need to stop so-and-so. Why? Because he’s … he’s … I mean, he’s a bad guy! Why? Because I don’t like him, that’s why.

Save me from fools and would-be “heroes.”
4Now that’s just rude.
5He is.
6He’s not.
7Good thing Qown hadn’t had a chance to tell her about the Name of All Things yet.
8It’s nice to be recognized, isn’t it?
9“Name a boon … no, not that one. Nor that one. Nope, not that one either. Okay, fine, I’ll tell you what boon I’m going to give you.”
1Oh yes, that’s how to combat stage fright: remind them exactly how many people are about to watch them fall on their face. Whose side is Dorna on, anyway?
2And the Joratese wonder why the rest of the empire considers them barely more civilized than Yorans.
3I could. I totally could.

Just saying.
4Sounds exhausting.
5And Father Zajhera said it’s young people who are dramatic. Ha!
1You and me both, friend.
2That was uncomfortable to read. Flattering? But really, I wouldn’t have thought Qown ran with mares.
3Melons? What is she talking about—oh. Never mind.
1Only because that’s hilarious. I’m not sure what’s funnier, that Janel was trying to semantic her way out of the situation or that Duke Xun was such a fool that it was working.
2Pfft. Joratese.
3Especially given that whole “Blood of Joras” thing they’re so fond of, but I suppose those people are expected to stay out of politics. I mean sports. Business? Whatever the hell tournaments are.
1In Janel’s defense, that was a magic situation. She must have thought she’d caught you out in a clever loophole: swordplay. Moderately clever of her to try to control the battlefield.

I almost feel bad for her.
2I do not have an accent.
3That was sarcasm, in case it wasn’t obvious.
4So pretty and so stupid. Somehow, he managed to miss the fact the guards all followed my orders. If that’s not the definition of a “stallion” in Joratese culture, I don’t know what is.
5So, so pretty. So, so stupid. Having met the rest of his family, I assume Oreth was dropped on his head as a baby. Repeatedly.
6Who’s a good puppy? Rebel is! Yes, she is!

Don’t judge me, damn it. She’s adorable.
7Almost anyone.
1Ah, come on. I’m with Janel on this one. You “looked like a librarian someone had forced into a gladiator match.” I would have thought I could take you in a sword fight too.
2And yet … Again, I’m not bitter.
3I both laugh and weep that the Eight never seem to stop and consider why you’re so good at that.
1I’m not on the wrong side. I just wish we had a different way to …

Well. You know my feelings on this. No need to waste ink repeating them.
2Given how Darzin D’Mon turned out, I’m glad Qown has “no talent” for the destructive side of healing magic. If he ever figures it out, it might just break him.
3I like Dorna. She’s smarter than she looks.
4Thank you! “Never believe you’re a stallion” indeed.
5You have no idea how tempted I was to leave Oreth there. Fucking idiot.
1Oh, I didn’t know they’d had a child. Hmm. Aroth’s oldest too. That could prove interesting.
2I suppose we should expect Taja would be very good at orchestrating events to ensure certain people would meet.
3Rebel has very strong opinions about her pillow.
4Like I would ever worship his god.
5And I’m not telling. I realize you already know, but there’s always a chance this might fall into the wrong hands.
6You see how well behaved I was here? I didn’t even turn his bones into acid. It’s not like they know about talismans in Jorat … it would have been so easy.
7Oh, save me from beautiful, spoiled little boys with daddy issues.
8Honestly, I’m glad he’s gone. I know Gadrith had his uses, but he was more trouble than he was worth.
9What? I didn’t write that. Qown did. I’m quite sure I don’t have an innocent drop of blood in my whole body.
10Pretty. Idiot.
11Oh. So this is what happened. I always wondered.
1Give her indigestion? Get caught in her teeth?
2Um … really? I mean, I’ve never heard you sing, but … you know what, just forget I said anything.
3That really doesn’t make any sense. But I checked with the Name of All Things out of an excess of curiosity. Xaltorath did indeed gaesh Janel. To what purpose? Your guess is as good as mine.
4I thought you’d want the nuance of their … encounter. Trust me when I say it was as uncomfortable for me to write as it likely was for you to read.
5I almost … almost … believe that. And no, Dorna isn’t Taja. I checked.
1I should probably make some sort of joke here, but I just can’t bring myself to do it.
1Well, he darn well does now, doesn’t he?
2We seriously underestimated her. Or at least I did. I rather suspect you didn’t. You helped make her this way, after all.
3Still don’t have a clue. Not going to ask the Name of All Things either. Sometimes one should leave a mystery alone.
4I probably wouldn’t have stopped her if she had.
5Of course it was Darzin. I’m glad he’s dead too.
6Yes, Janel, welcome to the fun world of being a woman, where it’s always like this and where we’re all quietly seething.
7Yes, yes, she was right. You know how I feel about the matter.
8It actually is good, which is incredibly annoying.
9I may not like royals, but at least Thurvishar and I will always be united in our mutual loathing of Darzin D’Mon.
10Wasn’t his mother High General Milligreest’s sister-in-law?
11I was sitting right there, and I never saw Thurvishar’s lips move. I have to assume he was using magic.
1Is it possible that we’re actually influencing her?
1Quite sure it wasn’t. That’s some comfort, I suppose.
2Funny coincidence there. She still is.
3Yes, but that’s because we’re right.
4Yes, because of course she told them everything. Lovely.
5I personally don’t think we should assume, but it does seem out of character for the man.
6I’m as concerned about this as Teraeth here, so I asked. Do you know what the stone told me? When I asked why Xaltorath wasn’t gaeshed by Grizzst? It said: You cannot gaesh something that does not exist. I have no idea what that means.
7Huh. You used to have that thing with Kandor, didn’t you? Do you think that’s why Thaena chose him in particular?
8I have to wonder who Thaena was punishing here—Emperor Kandor or the vané king Terindel? But I’m very curious why Teraeth remembers his past life. That’s not normal.
9I would damn well hope not.
10I’m so glad she edited that out so I wouldn’t have to.
11And grabby fingers and wicked tongue … the Eight sure do know how to pick their angels, don’t they?
12Seriously, don’t ever eat anything Wyrga gives you. Rules to live by.
13I don’t.
14I’ll buy that Quuros are decadent, greedy, and amoral, sure, but soft? Oh, you poor children.
1Ah, sweet girl. If only Duke Kaen’s ambitions were the only reason that was necessary.
1Yes, I would have thought so too …
1I take it back. I think Janel might be the jealous one.
2What? I know you could summon a kraken if you wanted to, but honestly … why? That doesn’t sound like you at all.
3I do kind of want to know how a dancer ends up as the Goddess of Magic. Really.
4Do we know who? This is just wild speculation on my part, but is it possible Xaltorath started out as a god-king? Maybe that’s the reason they didn’t “exist” when Grizzst gaeshed all the other demons? That said, I thought Grizzt’s original deal effectively gaeshed demons and their subsequent offspring in perpetuity, so I’m not sure how that would even be possible.
5He’s a mage. That means he’s a mage. Why didn’t anyone tell me the damn firebloods could become wizards?
1I think turning Darzin to sludge would have been more emotionally satisfying, but I suppose just confusing the hell out of him has its merits too.
1In hindsight, we really should have assumed they’d be working together.
2Or not dressed at all, apparently.
3And sometimes not even possible at all. I’m not convinced certain dragons can be killed, period.
1That’s honestly not a bad way to look at it. Still foolish, though.
2Because they’d rather have our enslavement, obviously.
1I assume Thurvishar had thought to bring her back as his bodyguard or the like one day. He is still royal, after all. There’s no way he helped her without some expectation of one day having her repay his “kindness.”
2Well, she isn’t lying, is she?
1Oh sure. He was so upset about the idea of Janel being involved with Teraeth, but doesn’t blink at the idea of her sleeping with another woman. Typical.
2It took me two days to put that list together. I had to enchant myself first so I wouldn’t need food, water, or sleep.
3Apparently, not a necessary skill for women in Yor. Although that’s not really so different from the rest of the empire either.
4Assuming they ever did. I bet the dreth do, though.
1The first mistake most people make is calling it a rebellion. If you do it right, it’s just called being ambitious.
2I’m forced to remind myself she never actually saw my cottage. She must think I actually lived in that sorry little room.
3I don’t remember this at all. I would never cry over some Joratese boy.
4Talk about being dramatic.
5Honestly, I’m with Janel on this one. Object lessons are one thing, but what Kaen did was just unnecessary.
6How long had Janel known who Tya was by this point? Oh right, Suless was just messing with her.
7Caless? God-queen of lust and whores? Not seeing the resemblance, personally.
8That means she’d been gaeshed for thousands of years. I’m almost sympathetic. Almost.
9Voral, you think? Or some other script. I should really find out.
10This is a major problem. Suless doesn’t sink her claws into someone without leaving wounds.
11 I tried to find out any information on this C’indrol, to see if I could verify this. That’s when I found out a really interesting little feature of the Name of All Things: it can’t see back before its own creation. I must therefore assume C’indrol died before the Cornerstones were created.
1Huh. You know, since worship often does generate tenyé, I wonder where it’s going in this case. After all, it can’t be going to Kihrin …
2Or suspected they were capable of spellcasting. How many firebloods are sorcerers? I wonder.
1Like I would make it that easy to remove.
2It’s like she’s wearing talismans all the time, and I’m really not sure she’s deliberately causing this effect.
3I honestly have no idea how to interpret that.
4She’s one to talk. At least I know where Janel gets it from now.
1He probably would have realized it earlier if he’d known Mithros was Khored.
2That boy does not understand sarcasm.
3He’d gone full paranoid by this point. I mean, he wasn’t wrong, but that’s beside the point.
4I suppose I should have expected that Qown had figured out who Wyrga really was, either because Janel told him or because we did make the little sneak good at spying, didn’t we?
5I bet she felt her gaesh break too right then.
6I’m not sure you were paying attention, but Veixizhau gave birth to a healthy daughter, whom Duke Kaen promptly ignored after taking the step of ordering Wyrga to stay away from them both.

Mother and daughter are missing too.
1Probably because Kihrin split Xaloma’s heart between himself and Janel, at least if Thurvishar D’Lorus’s book is to be believed. I have to assume that would have been a largely symbolic gesture. I think.
1I’m reasonably certain Duke Xun died with that first strike to his residence.
2I honestly have no idea why Thurvishar was so upset here. Did he think we’d lose the Name of All Things if I died?
3Absolutely, emphatically not. I’ve barely spoken to Thurvishar D’Lorus, let alone formed an amorous … it’s a ridiculous notion. I would sooner eat glass than become involved with a royal, under any circumstances.

And yes, I’m aware he’s not really royalty and that he was Sandus’s son—and that you were fond of Sandus for reasons that escape me. It’s still unthinkable.
1What Arasgon said: “Ride through into the city and lead as many people out as you can.”
2They did.
3I’m impressed, and I’ve known you for a long time.
4He must have cast a spell over the entire city that made anyone of Doltari ancestry glow. Which neatly circumvents the scrying protections provided by a Cornerstone.

I’m going to remember that trick.
5As if the Joratese care if people are married. I’m sure Star’s claim to inherit is entirely legitimate. Which is a problem, now that I think about it.
1Oh no, Scamp it is. It’s official now.
2Any chance we can keep her?
1This. This, Relos. She’s too damn much like you. Apparently, while you thought she was being sentimental about insisting on evacuating the city, she was using that as cover to move her own game pieces.
2Hey, sympathetic magic is handy.
1I find I’m curious too, but I know better than to ask.
2You know, I can only assume Qown managed it earlier because he’s improved his skills as a healer. You’re right; he really is quite talented.
3She got it right on the first guess too. I’m honestly proud of her.
4Huh. Suless taught her that? Then I’d be very surprised if that pulls tenyé from the ground. More likely it pulls tenyé from all unshielded living beings nearby. I wonder if Janel killed anyone.
5Did someone forget to tell the high lords those restrictions were enforced by a gaesh? Whoops.
1I’m guessing Khored had just figured out what really happened under the lake.

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