‘ “Who speaks little says a lot,” ’ Faradan Sort said, presumably quoting someone.
Kindly collected his reins. ‘It’s decided, then. Draw in the sergeants. Get them to straighten out their squads-Hood knows what Brys must be thinking right now, but I’m damned sure it’s not complimentary.’
As Kindly and the others rode away, Skanarow angled her mount in front of Ruthan’s, forcing him to halt. He squinted at her.
She surprised him with a grin and it transformed her face. ‘The old ones among my people say that sometimes you find a person with the roar of a sea squall in their eyes, and those ones, they say, have swum the deepest waters. In you, Ruthan Gudd, I now understand what they meant. But in you I see not a squall. I see a damned typhoon.’
He quickly looked away, ran fingers through his beard. ‘Just a spell of gas, Skanarow.’
She barked a laugh. ‘Have it your way, then. Avoid raw vegetables, Captain.’
He watched her ride off. Fisherfolk. You, Skanarow with the lovely smile, I need to avoid. Too bad.
Greymane, you always said that between the two of us I was the luckier one. Wrong, and if your ghost hearkens to its name, spare me any echo of laughter.
He paused, but all he could hear was the wind, and there was no humour in that moan.
‘Walk on, horse.’
Koryk looked a mess, trembling and wild-eyed, as he tottered back to the squad camp. Tarr frowned. ‘You remind me of a pathetic d’bayang addict, soldier.’
‘If paranoia comes with them shakes,’ said Cuttle, ‘he might as well be just that. Sit down, Koryk. There’s room in the wagon for ya come tomorrow.’
‘I was just sick,’ Koryk said in a weak growl. ‘I seen d’bayang addicts at the trader forts and I don’t like being compared to them. I made a vow, long ago, to never be that stupid. I was just sick. Give me a few days and I’ll be right enough to stick my fist in the next face gabbling about d’bayang.’
‘That sounds better,’ said Smiles. ‘Welcome back.’
Corabb appeared from a tent carrying Koryk’s weapon belt. ‘Honed and oiled your blade, Koryk. But it looks like the belt will need another notch. You need to get some meat back on your bones.’