Kindly reached up and wiped the sweat from his brow. ‘There is wisdom, Faradan. The wisdom that comes with knowing – right to the very core of your soul – just how fragile life really is. You earn that wisdom when you take someone else’s life.’
‘And what about the ones who don’t think twice about it? Wisdom? Hardly. More like … a growing taste for it. That dark rush of pleasure that’s so … addictive.’ She looked away. I know. I stood the Wall .
Lostara pointed. ‘There’s a runner coming … for one of us.’
They waited until the thin, round-faced soldier arrived. A soldier with mutilated hands. He saluted with the right one and proffered Kindly a wax tablet with the other. ‘Compl’ments of Lieutenant Master-Sergeant Quartermaster Pores, sir.’
Kindly took the tablet and studied it. ‘Soldier,’ he said.
‘Sir?’
‘The sun’s heat has melted the wax. I do hope you committed the message to memory.’
‘Sir, I have.’
‘Let’s hear it.’
‘Sir, the missive was private.’
‘From Pores? I really don’t have time for this. We’re past all the duelling. Spit it out, soldier.’
‘Sir. To quote: “Private missive, from Lieutenant Master-Sergeant Field Quartermaster Pores, to Fist Kindly. Warmest salutations and congratulations on your promotion, sir. As one might observe from your advancement and, indeed, mine, cream doth rise, etc. In as much as I am ever delighted in corresponding with you, discussing all manner of subjects in all possible idioms, alas, this subject is rather more official in nature. In short, we are faced with a crisis of the highest order. Accordingly, I humbly seek your advice and would suggest we arrange a most private meeting at the earliest convenience. Yours affectionately, Pores.”’ The soldier then saluted again and said, ‘I’m t’wait yer answer, sir.’
In the bemused silence that followed, Faradan Sort narrowed her eyes on the soldier. ‘You were heavy infantry, weren’t you?’
‘Corporal Himble Thrup, Fist.’
‘How stands the rank and file, soldier?’
‘Standin’ true, Fist.’
‘Do the enlisted say much about the Adjunct, soldier? Off the record here.’
The watery eyes flicked momentarily to her, then away again. ‘Occasionally, sir.’
‘And what do they say?’
‘Not much, sir. Mostly, it’s all them rumours.’
‘You discuss them.’