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‘Will you send me away then, Anomander?’
‘I mean to fight for you, Draconus.’
‘Yes, I see that.’
‘But, if you will leave here … take your Houseblades.’
‘How can I?’ Draconus demanded. ‘And how can you, who would stand in my place here, invite such a thing of me?’
Anomander replied, ‘I state what is possible, with no blame in attendance.’
‘Your brother, I think, has little understanding of you,’ observed Draconus. ‘Nor, it seems, of me.’
‘My brother?’
‘It does not matter. We are here, and neither intends to yield. You would fight in my name. I, therefore, shall fight in yours.’
They stood in silence then. Until, after a time, Draconus stirred. ‘I will join Ivis now.’
‘Fare you well, Draconus.’
Climbing astride his horse, Draconus hesitated, and then said, ‘And you, Anomander.’ He rode off to join his Houseblades.
The First Son fixed his attention once more on Urusander’s Legion. Soldiers had descended to help a staggering Hunn Raal make his way up the slope. ‘Kellaras.’
Startled, Kellaras dismounted and joined Anomander. ‘Milord.’
‘What did my brother do?’
‘He spoke to Draconus.’
‘And?’
‘He convinced him to flee.’
‘Flee?’
‘Draconus agreed. He understood the necessity, milord. But he would take his Houseblades into exile with him.’
‘Only to discover that they rode with me.’
‘Yes, milord.’
‘So, he would flee.’
‘In the name of love, milord, yes.’
‘To force upon him that choice, Kellaras, was unconscionable.’
‘Sir, we were desperate.’
Anomander turned sharply to Kellaras. ‘You were party to this? You added your weight to my brother’s entreaty?’
‘Milord, I was witness. That, and nothing more. Your brother has little interest in my counsel.’
‘Yet … ah, I see. Silchas led me here, after all.’ He studied Kellaras for a moment longer, and then faced the valley once more. ‘Very well.’
Very well? That and nothing more? ‘Milord? Shall I return to Lord Silchas Ruin? What message shall I convey to him?’
