Haddar nodded and said, 'Of course, sir. My apologies, sir.'
Taennen dismissed them, the men all too glad to be on their way. He was not fond of the Chondathans either, but orders were orders, and, since the newcomers were already here and not going anywhere, inhospitality would only make things worse. Jhoqo knew what he was doing. They needed to trust their commander. He needed to trust his commander.
Taennen turned toward the stairway to his quarters but stopped when someone called his name from behind him. He turned to see Bascou coming toward him, his hand extended. His long, thick hair seemed cumbersome. Taennen could imagine a hundred ways to use that hair against an opponent in a light. It did not seem beneficial to a soldier. His plain dress also bespoke more stealth than battle prowess, and Taennen wondered at the tactics employed by the sellswords. He stuck out his arm and accepted the man's clasp, returning it with a small squeeze.
'Thank you, friend. Your help is appreciated,' Bascou said.
Taennen nodded, wondering at the man's accent. His vowels were stressed and accentuated, and his tongue rolled on his consonant combinations.
'I know this is a difficult situation for your men, needing help from outsiders,' Bascou said.
Taennen replied, 'Yes, it is hard for some.'
'I wonder, though, if your message was received by them,' the sellsword added, his lips parting in a smile that reminded Taennen of a teacher asking a question he knew a student could not answer correctly.
'They're good men. They'll come around.'
Bascou's smile widened as he said, 'Of course, of course. It is interesting to see how others lead, is it not? For instance, if one of my men had insulted you so,' Bascou said, waving his hands before his face as if to ward against that situation, 'I would have killed him and set an example for the rest of my men.'
Taennen felt uncertain whether he should laugh at the man's posturing or take him seriously. He chose to stare ahead, attempting to show no reaction whatsoever.
Bascou's smile went crooked as he let out a small chuckle. 'Very good, my friend,' he said, grasping Taennen's forearm. 'Thank you again.'
'Of course,' Taennen said, realizing he did not know by which title he should address the man. It did not matter, and he did not care. He wanted nothing so much as to be away from the man.
'I will see you in one bell's time at the front gate. It will be a pleasure to watch you at work,' Bascou said with a slight bow. 'It will be my honor to lead you into the wilds.'
It seemed Jhoqo had found time to inform Bascou that Taennen would be joining him.
'I understand that you will be picking our party yourself,' Bascou said.
'That's right.'
'Good. I look forward to meeting the men and women you trust with your life,' Bascou said.
'And your men? How many of them will be joining us?' Taennen asked.
'None,' Bascou said.
'Excuse me?'
'Jhoqo insisted that I lead only you and the Durpari. He believes it will lay a foundation of trust between us, a bridge, you know,' Bascou said. 'And that it will show me your legendary skills.'
'I see,' Taennen said. 'Very well. I will meet you at the front gate.' chapter Thirteen
After what felt like an eternity of sitting behind the rough stone blocks in the corner of the dark prison, Adeenya was well past doubting her decision, her mind mired in regret. When the Maquar's cleric had entered the room with a pair of guards and administered her healing power to the injured formian, Adeenya had been convinced her ruse was about to be discovered.
Since that time, Adeenya had sat with her ear pressed against the front wall of the small building waiting- hoping-to hear the guards outside step away from their duty for a moment so that she might sneak away from her mistake. Duty, the goal she had held loftiest her entire life, was to be her undoing. These guards would never shirk theirs, would never leave their posts. Yet that was what she had to wait for. To leave, to simply stand and walk out the door when no one was aware of her presence in the structure would surely cause suspicion, and Adeenya knew all too well that she carried too much of that on her shoulders since Loraica's death. Adding any more might mean she would leave Neversfall as a prisoner instead of a soldier, if she left at all.
She glanced over the piled stones to see the big formian,
Guk facing her direction despite his blindfold. The absurdity of their mutual inaction, their refusal to interact with one another while locked together in the small room, struck her. She sat cross-legged, her back stooped and sore, waiting. The same duty that trapped her-those loyal guards-would also foil any attempts by the supposed traitor. She could not get past the guards to get out, and the traitor would have a hard time getting in. Unless, of course, the guards were part of the betrayal. If there even was a traitor, she reminded herself. But there had to be. Khatib, the pendant, the attacks-there was too much incongruity there to deny as coincidence.
The door to the building creaked open. The midday sunlight, highlighting the sheen on the carapaces of the formians, was dimmer than she expected. She had been in the room longer than she had realized.
She heard boots scrape against the stone floor, but the door blocked her view of the newcomer. The door shut, and as her eyes adjusted to the utter dimness of the prison once again, she fought the nerves igniting her entire body. They screamed at her to spring from her hiding place and run for the door, ruined purpose of duty or not, for surely a foiled plan would be easier to live with than being caught by the room's newest visitor. To her surprise, it was Jhoqo.
Jhoqo latched the door shut behind him. His eyes seemed locked on the formian prisoners. A long time passed before he stepped toward them and offered a greeting. None of the formians responded or even acknowledged his presence. Jhoqo withdrew a short sword from his belt and, through the bars, poked the piles of food left for the prisoners on the floor. He seemed to be checking to ensure their adequacy or freshness. He did the same to the small troughs of water provided for the prisoners.
Jhoqo looked back at the creatures and knelt down. He scrutinized the smallest and spoke, 'You appear injured. How is this so?'
The silence after his deep voice was an enormous canyon, impossible to cross. He stood and hung his head with a sigh. 'I have come on the most important matter between us. That is, of course, what we can do with you,' Jhoqo said.
Again, no response came, and Adeenya leaned forward, anxious to hear more of the man's words. After keeping the information he had gathered about the formians from her, she wouldn't be surprised to find out he was still hiding more.
'I've come to leatn that you may have seen something during the attack on this place. Is that correct?' Jhoqo asked.
Guk gave no response.
Jhoqo shook his head. 'I cannot help you if you do not speak to me,' he said. Jhoqo swayed from one foot to the other for several quiet moments before turning to leave. His face was in a tight scowl as he approached the door.
Adeenya watched him through a small crack between some of the stones. His eyes drifted toward the piled rocks but did not tarry. He grasped the door handle and left the room. Adeenya shifted to place her ear on the wall again. She heard Jhoqo's voice as he spoke with the guards outside.
'Get some rest, soldiers. You've done well. I'll have your relief along shortly,' the man said.
The guards affirmed the orders. Adeenya heard feet shuffling as they all moved away from the door. If the shift-change was so close, then she had lost track of time by more than she'd suspected. She thought about taking the chance to slip out, but her plan might have a chance to succeed now. With no guards outside the cells, the traitor might make a move. Adeenya stretched her tired legs as well as she could and readied herself.
Chapter Thirteen
The sun was past its zenith for the day, but still it poured the midday heat down upon Taennen as he marched behind Bascou. The Maquar durir glanced back toward the fortress. Though it was still only a few hundred
