Part 6 (2/2)

”Oh. Right.” Tarli handed it over. ”I'd like to read it.”

They could hear his dragged duffel b.u.mp behind him all the way down the stairs.

Rakiel stared at Moran in amazement and disgust.

”Surely you're not admitting him?”

”He admitted himself.”

Rakiel laughed, a nasty noise. ”Are the knights as desperate as all that?”

Moran was looking down the stairs. ”The knights choose first for honor, and second for n.o.ble family.” It hadn't always been true.

”But you don't even know his father.” The cleric's lip curled. ”HE may not even know his father.”

”Then I'll judge the boy and not his family.”

Rakiel sniffed. ”It's insupportable. He's not only common, he's probably a b.a.s.t.a.r.d.”

”Not nearly as much as a cleric I could name,” Moran muttered, well beneath his breath.

Rakiel was ranting on. ”And so short. He hardly looks human. Do you suppose he's ...”

Moran, staring out the window, said absently, ”Loraine was very short.”

IT WAS THE HOTTEST SUMMER ANYONE COULD.

REMEMBER. ALL THE TRAVELERS WHO HAD TARPSPUT THEM UP AND WERE LYING UNDER THEM. THE.

OTHERS TRUDGED AS FAR AS THE CITY WALLS AND.

LAY IN THE NARROW MIDDAY SHADOWS.

ONLY MORAN RODE ON, A THIN, TIRED KNIGHT.

PULLING A CART THAT HELD A SWORD, A s.h.i.+ELD,.

AND A CORPSE. THE BODY HAD BEEN REVERENTLY.

WRAPPED IN A BLANKET. MORAN HAD KEPT IT.

COOL WITH WATER FROM HIS PRECIOUS TRAVEL.

RATION. HE Pa.s.sED THE OBELISK AT THE EDGE OF.

TOWN, GLANCED AT THE FINAL LINE ON IT:.

THE G.o.dS REWARD US IN THE GRACE OF OUR HOME.

HE TURNED AWAY.

MORAN RODE PAST THE NEARLY COMPLETED.

TEMPLE OF MISHAKAL. SEVERAL WANDERERS.

GAWKED AT IT, ALL OF THEM MORE IMPRESSED.

WITH THE STONEWORK THAN A SINGLE DUSTY.

KNIGHT OF SOLAMNIA.

HE KNOCKED AT A SHABBY WOODEN BUILDING.

ITS STONE REAR WALL WAS A SIDE WALL OF THE.

ENTRANCE GATE FOR THE STAIRCASE CALLED ”THE.

PATHS OF THE DEAD.” A YOUNG GIRL ANSWERED.

”I'M LOOKING FOR ALWYN THE GRAVER,” SAID.

MORAN.

”HE'S BOUGHT INTO HIS OWN WARES,” THE GIRL.

SAID SIMPLY. ”THE BUSINESS IS MINE NOW. I'M.

LORAINE.”.

MORAN LOOKED AT HER AND THOUGHT AT.

FIRST, ”NOTHING BUT A CHILD.” HE LOOKED AT.

HER EYES AND QUICKLY REALIZED THAT SHE WAS A.

WOMAN - JUST GROWN SHORTER THAN MOST.

LORAINE COULDN'T SEE OVER THE CART SIDES.

SHE CLIMBED ONE OF THE WHEELS, STARED IN,.

THEN GASPED AT THE SIGHT OF THE SWORD AND.

s.h.i.+ELD. ”WHO IS IT?” SHE WAS LIKE A CHILD AT A.

PUPPET SHOW, WAITING FOR THE NEXT SURPRISE.

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