The morning air was wet and cold as Azee crawled out from under the cart. Raindrops pattered down upon her head from the trees above, a miserable grey and cloudy sky just barely visible through the leaves.

Luke was already awake, struggling to light the remains of last night's campfire. For a moment, Luke was able to spark a tiny fire, but the flames sputtered and died as a stiff, cold breeze blew through trees.

He swore and glanced up at Azee, then looked back at the fire. With a disgusted grunt, he shoved the spark rune into his pocket. "It's useless. Not a damn thing is dry after the storm last night. All I'm doing here is wasting energy."

"Great... cold food for breakfast," Azee mumbled, padding over to the pack and searching for something to eat. She shivered as another breeze blew through the clearing before being drenched by a fresh cascade of rain, shaken loose from the tree leafs above.

"You know, I did offer you to sleep in my tent," Luke said as Azee shook herself off. "We'd both be warmer."

"No, thank you," Azee grumbled. Pulling a piece of salted meat out of the pack, Azee sat down and began chewing. "The last time I shared a bed with you it was a mistake."

"If you say so. You seemed to enjoy it well enough."

"I was drunk!"

"Drink often makes us act upon what's really in our hearts," Luke observed as he shuffled over and started digging through the pack.

"No, it makes us make incredibly bad decisions."

Luke shook his head. "Whatever you say."

Azee grumbled to herself as she took another bite of pork.

"Not to mention the coffee you gave me. You know what caffeine does to us."

"I was trying to spare you a nasty hangover."

"By giving me an aphrodisiac?!"

Before Luke could respond, his ears caught the sound of a cart rolling down the road a short distance away. Both Luke and Azee fell silent, waiting until the carriage had passed by.

"Look, I had no intention of trying anything," Luke said, withdrawing a piece of tack from the pack and sitting down on a log across from Azee. "If you regret it now, fine. But I must admit, It was nice to go back to the way things were."

"We didn't 'go back to the way things were'; we had sex, that's all."

"'That's all'? Come on, Azee, you know you can be angry at me and still admit you enjoyed it."

"Just shut up and leave me alone."

Luke sighed as Azee turned so she was sitting facing away from him. "Right, whatever you say."

The rest of breakfast was a quiet affair, with Azee doing her best to ignore Luke. After feeding the hound and packing up Luke's tent, they were back on the road, heading towards the home of Luke's friend, Eddie Johnsburg.

As the cart rattled along down the road, Azee sat in the back on a pile of straw, knees drawn up to her chin as she watched the trees pass by. The jangling of the chain attached to her collar grated on her nerves, as did the constant juddering and bumping. To make matters worse, the rain had returned in force, soaking through the thin canvas sheet she had draped over herself, leaving her cold and miserable.

"How much further until we reach this friend of yours?" Azee asked, trying to curl up into a tighter ball for warmth.

"We'll be there by tomorrow night," Luke replied. "Don't worry; once we're there, we can have a real meal and a bath."

"And I have to pretend to be your 'personal attendant' again; how delightful..." Azee muttered to herself.

A particularly hard jolt shook the cart as one of the wheels struck a pothole in the road.

As she opened her mouth to complain about the uncomfortable rode, Azee paused.

'At least it's better than walking,' Eloise's voice echoed in her head.

Azee's claws dug into the wood of the cart, and she took a deep breath, calming her frustration.

'Have to try and be strong,' She thought to herself. 'Have to try and be strong...'

***

It had been three days since they separated from Eloise just outside New Burleigh. They'd left the city in the dead of night to avoid any unwanted eyes. At a fork in the road, just outside the outskirts of the town, Eloise had stopped and stepped down from her cart.

"Well... this is where we part ways, I'm afraid," She said, taking a deep breath.

"What about your... guest? Hostage?" Luke shrugged. "Whatever he is, what about him?"

"I have them well in hand," Eloise replied, glancing back at her own cart.

"Surprised you didn't just kill him."

"Too valuable." Eloise's gaze turned hard. "For now at least."

"And you're still not going to tell us what exactly you're doing?"

"No, it would put both you and Azee in far too much danger. Besides, it's not like either of you could do much to stop it."

"And you can?"

Eloise paused for a moment. "I... don't know, maybe. But I have to try at least."

"Well... I can't say it's been fun." Luke replied, hopping down from his own cart. "In fact, you've been nothing but a colossal pain in my rear end. But... you did save Azee's life more than once... and mine. So... for what it's worth..." Luke extended a hand toward Eloise. "Travel safe, and may the Lord protect you.."

Eloise raised an eyebrow. "Well... thank you, Windhill, that's an unexpected sentiment coming from you."

"Oh don't mistake me." A wry smile crossed Luke's face. "I just don't want you getting caught and putting Azee or I in danger."

Eloise couldn't help but chuckle as she reached out and took Luke's hand. "Now that's the Windhill I know. By the way, I have something for you."

Luke paused as Eloise reached into her jacket and withdrew a small collection of papers bound in twine.

"Is that-"

"I destroyed the document you signed that says Azee is mine."

Luke's body felt numb as he reached out and took the papers from Eloise's hands. "So... Azee, she belongs-" Luke blinked in surprise as the words caught in his throat.

Quickly, he stashed the papers in the interior pocket of his jacket. "Thank you."

As Eloise stepped away from Luke, Azee jumped from the cart and hurried over. Eloise sighed as Azee wrapped her arms around her tightly.

"Please don't leave," Azee mumbled into Eloise's chest. "Please..."

"I have to, sweetheart. What I have to do... It's important."

"But... without you..."

Eloise put a finger under Azee's chin and lifted her face, looking her in the eye. "Windhill will do what he can to keep you safe, but I know you don't want to depend on him. So you're going to have to get stronger, even more than you've become already."

"I know..." Azee sighed, trying her best not to whimper as she spoke. "I'm.... I'm going to miss you..."

"I know." Eloise ran a hand over Azee's hair. "I promise, I wouldn't be leaving if-"

"-If it wasn't something important." Azee forced a smile. "I understand, Eloise... I really do... I just wish there was something we could do to help you."

"You can't." Eloise sighed as she stroked Azee's hair and held her close. "I promise you, as dangerous as this journey has been so far, what I have to do... you would die, and I can't let that happen. And as much as I detest Windhill, I don't want to see him killed either."

Azee couldn't help but chuckle as she squeezed Eloise. "You'd have to bring him back again."

"And that would be simply exhausting."

A shiver ran down Eloise's back as she gripped Azee tighter. "So many people have suffered because of me, because I didn't do what I should have when I had the chance. I can't let that happen again."

Burying her face in Eloise's chest again, Azee shook her head. "It's not your fault... And even if it was... I forgive you."

"I..." Eloise couldn't help but smile. "Thank you, Azee."

Eloise released Azee and stepped back. "Be careful, and be strong. I'll come and find you when my business is done."

"Feel free to take your time," Luke called out. "I'll make sure Azee is safe and get Chara back."

"You'd better." Eloise called back as she started toward her cart. After she climbed up onto the driver's bench, Eloise reached into the back. "Oh Azee, one last thing."

Azee paused and tilted her head as Eloise pulled a small, paper-wrapped package out from under her seat.

"Here, this is for you."

Stepping forward, Azee took the package from Eloise's hands and tore off the paper. Her eyes widened as she discovered the leather-bound book that Eloise and Shinra had given her.

"B-but this..."

"I'm not just handy with my knives." Eloise grinned. "Now, the glue may not be totally dry yet, so give it some time before you try and write anything in it.

"Thank you," Azee whispered, her lower lip trembling as she clutched the book against her chest.

"Just make sure and be careful with it, okay."

"I... I will, I promise..." Azee hurriedly wiped the tears out of her eyes as she forced a smile onto her face.

Eloise nodded, returning Azee's smile. "Well, so long, and be well."

***

Azee's thoughts were interrupted as the cart struck another large pothole in the road. She let out a yelp and the jolt made her bite the inside of her cheek. Before she could say anything, one of the travel bags, knocked loose by the pothole, rolled over the side of the cart.

Azee tried to reach out and grab the pack, but the chain around her neck held her tight. Her fingers brushed against the canvas momentarily before it landed in the mud with a gloopy splash.

"Luke, stop," she barked.

"What is it?" Luke demanded, glancing over his shoulder.

"One of the packs fell."

"Oh for... You're supposed to hold onto them!"

Azee bristled at Luke's tone. "And you're not supposed to hit every pothole between here and New Burleigh!"

Luke cursed as he drew the cart to a stop and hopped down into the mud. He cursed again as he picked up the pack, trying unsuccessfully to wipe off some filth.

"Lord, this mud stinks!"

"You're telling me." Azee pointed at her nose. "I smell far better than you can."

Arthur, the hound, gave a low grumble as he looked over his shoulder, the anger in both Luke and Azee's voices obvious.

"Well, that's just great," Luke snarled, heaving the pack back onto the cart. "Now my clothes aren't just soaked, they're covered in mud. Oh, and our food too! Thanks a bunch, Azee."

"I tried to catch it, but this bloody chain stopped me!"

"Here," Luke shoved the pack roughly into Azee's chest. "Why don't you do as you are told for once and hold onto the packs."

Azee glared at Luke, her lip curling back to reveal her teeth.

"Don't you dare bare your teeth at me," Luke snapped, his hand instinctively going for the gun on his belt.

"Or you'll what?" Azee snarled, her fur bristling as she threw off the canvas sheet. "You'll shoot me? If I die, you die, remember?"

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

"Oh, how could I forget! And you wanna talk about shooting people, need I remind you of this?!" Luke pulled open the collar of his shirt, revealing the scar on the side of his neck.

"You shot me, remember that? After all I've done for you, you shot me!"

Azee's mouth fell open as Luke strode angrily back around to the front of the cart and hopped into his seat. "W-what you've done for me! You... you've taken everything from me!"

"Oh come on Azee, that's hound shit and you know it!" Luke shot back, the cart beginning to roll again as he snapped the reins.

"Your family took me away from my mother, you took me away from my people by making me your little.... plaything! You even took my mind away from me after... after Hawk!"

"Took your mind? Seriously?" Luke looked over his shoulder. "Is that really what you believe? Azee, what I did was make certain you wouldn't try to hurt yourself!"

"By putting a control collar on my neck that tampered with my own thoughts!"

"A control collar I had made especially for you! I paid a small fortune so you would be as comfortable and free as possible!"

"You didn't ask me!" Azee roared, no longer caring whether there might be someone else in earshot.

"Because you were out of your mind!" Luke snapped. "Do you not remember what it was like? You couldn't sleep, you didn't eat! That collar was to help you!"

"No!" Azee shook her head. "It was to help you! You could have been there for me, talked to me like.... like I was a person! But instead, you just slapped a collar around my neck and figured everything was back to normal!"

"Oh, that is just... you know you really are a spoiled brat!" Luke snapped. "You think I had a choice? I made the only call I could, and I saved your life.

"I have to wear this thing because you just wanted the problem to disappear!"

"You killed Hawk, Azee, you killed him, and it was eating you alive!"

"No it wasn't!" Azee's eyes narrowed. "I'm glad I killed him, he deserved it! But you, you swore you'd protect me, that you'd look after me! But you weren't there when Hawk attacked me when I needed you most!"

Luke's throat went dry, his tongue frozen.

"You weren't there when your mother punished me or when she sent me to the Gallaways! I cried out for you, but you weren't there when they whipped and beat me!"

Azee took a shuddering breath. "But I forgave you. I forgave you because I knew it wasn't your fault! But Hawk? You knew he was dangerous, you knew what he had done to Lean, and Crane, and Bren, and Heer, but you kept him around anyway!"

"He-he was a fore, and it was harvest season! I... I couldn't just... get rid of him!"

"No!" Azee's voice was cold as ice as she glared at Luke. "No, you just didn't care. So long as he didn't touch anything that you held dear, you didn't care what he did! You say you 'couldn't get rid of him', well that didn't seem to matter to you after he attacked me!"

A low roll of thunder filled the heavy silence.

"You're right. I kept Hawk around," Luke said, at last, the coldness of his voice mirroring Azee's. "I needed him, I needed him because he was a damn good fore. If I had thought for a minute he was a danger to you, I'd have shot him myself."

"So you just didn't care about the others?"

"Of course I care! You, Fray, Keeli, Cane, Shep, I care about all of them!"

"That's only because they're your slaves!"

"Yes!" Luke bellowed, spinning around in his seat. Despite her anger, the rage in Luke's voice frightened Azee.

"Yes, they are my slaves! You keep reminding me of that like it is something I don't understand! I get it, I own slaves! So do half the people in this country!"

Luke pushed his hair out of his eyes as he glared at Azee. "I have a job to do, a family and a ranch to run, and that means living in reality, and the reality is this: in Halcyon, you and every other pelt are slaves! That's it. That is the way of things!"

"And isn't that convenient for you," Azee barked back, baring her teeth again.

Luke's eyes narrowed. "Convenient? Oh ho, you wanna know what's convenient? Everything you have, every bite of food, every sip of wine, every night you slept in a bed or sat by a fire, everything was because of me and what I do!"

"I didn't ask for any of that!"

"Houndshit! You never complained that I took you out of the fields, you never refused any food I offered, and you never seemed to mind sharing my bed! So long as your belly was full, your fur was brushed, and you had a soft pillow to sleep on, you didn't give a damn where those things came from!"

Azee's whole body shook, the sound of her own blood rushing in her ears threatening to overwhelm her. Her hands itched with the desire to strike with fists and claws.

"You live like a princess compared to the rest of your kind, and that didn't matter to you until I made a decision that you didn't like. And yet, somehow, somehow, you still have the nerve to criticise me?" Luke scoffed and turned back around in his seat. "Acting like you're better than me, you really are insane."

"How.... how dare you..."

"And the best part? You're a coward." Luke glanced over his shoulder. 'Yeah, that's right, a coward! You act like you are so upset that I sold Chara, but you never once bothered to ask me why."

"I- You-" Azee was so angry that her words stuck in her throat.

"So why do you not ask? I'll tell you why, because you know that I had every right to do as I did! I have always acted in your best interests, even then, and you just can't bring yourself to admit it!"

Azee snarled, grabbing Luke by the collar and spinning him back around. "All I wanted was to be with Chara! To be with my sister, my family! And you took her away, you sold her while I watched. You put her in a cage like she was some kind of an animal and sold her to someone you didn't even know!"

Azee's grip tightened as she leaned closer, her nose less than an inch from Luke's. "You want to know something else, the only reason I didn't pick up your own gun and kill you was because of this collar. Now we have to trek across tyrant-knows how much of this miserable country, to look for her! I don't even know if she is alive!"

She leaned a little closer, her eyes glaring right into Luke's. "But you had better hope she is still alive, or I really will kill you this time."

Luke met Azee's gaze, glaring straight back at her, his hand on his gun. "Then why don't you just go ahead, Azee, do it, kill me."

Azee's hands shook as she gritted her teeth, her mind racing. A peel of thunder split the sky as she released her grip on Luke and pushed him away.

"I still need you," She sighed. Defeated, she dropped back onto the pile of straw.

"You're damn right you still need me." Luke brushed off and straightened his jacket. "You've always needed me, and I have always looked after you. The sooner you can admit that the sooner we can stop this insanity and go back to our lives."

"Go.... go back?"

"Yes, go back."

Azee blinked, her mouth falling open. "W-wait, do you... do you honestly think that we're just going to... go back to normal?"

"Of course we will. What, are you going to go and sleep in the barn to teach me a lesson?"

"I... you..."

Luke took a deep breath, looking up at the sky. "Look... you're frustrated, and I'm frustrated. We're both tired, wet, cold, and sick of this miserable little trip."

"Luke... you sold my sister. I will never, ever forgive you for that."

"I made a mistake, I understand that. But we'll get her back and-"

"No."

"No?"

"No, Luke, no." Azee shook her head. "I don't know what I'm going to do once we find Chara. But you and I, we're done."

Luke turned around in his seat. "Azee, come on, you can't-"

"You told me, at the hotel, that you loved me." Azee's voice shook as she spoke. "Truth is... I loved you too."

"You... you do?"

Despite everything, despite all of your... Your failures and mistakes, I still loved you." Azee's ears drooped, the anger draining from her voice as she looked down at her hands. "But when you sold my sister... you killed that in me. Luke, you killed the part of me that loved you."

Azee raised her head, meeting Luke's gaze as tears streamed down her cheeks. "Luke... I hate you."

A horrible cold filled Luke's chest, as if someone had driven an icicle straight through his heart.

"Azee... you... you don't mean that."

"Yes, I do. I hate you. And the moment I get Chara back, the moment she is safe and I can get away from you, you're never going to see me again."

"Azee, come on-"

"I would rather die than return to the Ranch with you."

A thousand words flew through Luke's mind, but not one would leave his throat. The cold sincerity in Azee's voice filled him with a terrible certainty, she meant what she had said.

Without another word, Azee turned away, pulled the canvas blanket over herself, and lay down on the straw. Unseen tears rolled down her cheeks as she silently cried.

***

"Alright... three.... two... one!"

With a loud clatter, all six gallows trap doors swung open. The sound of rope creaking filled the air as half a dozen nooses went taught around six large sacks of potatoes.

A smile worked its way across Dallet's face as he watched the sacks gently sway back and forth. "Excellent work Duke."

Duke nodded, gesturing at the gallows. "We can open all six at the same time, or one at a time. The mechanism can support over a ton, so it don't matter how heavy the pelts are, there will be no malfunctions."

"This will certainly put the fear of the Lord back into the hearts of anyone who would be disloyal." Dallet glanced sideways at Duke. "Now all we need are some 'customers'."

"Already on that sir. Got a handful of troublesome pelts my lads have had their eyes on for a few days. Soon as I give the word, they'll grab 'em, then we hang them. We just need to let the final coat of varnish set. And speaking of-" Duke gestured to a small group of slaves waiting nearby with buckets and brushes. "Alright, get that last coat on."

Immediately the slaves moved to obey, working feverishly to remove the sacks of potatoes and apply the thick, sticky varnish to the timber.

"Excellent." Dallet nodded, folding his hands behind his back as the slaves worked. Their near-frantic pace and the nervous glances at the nooses made their fear obvious. There was not a hint of resistance nor trace of stalling, only swift obedience and cowing fear.

"You know, Chief, I've been thinking..." Dallet glanced at Duke as he spoke. "When my partner and I first rode into the town, it was just another swamp-infested backwater, a pointless little burg all but forgotten by the Lord."

With a satisfied sigh, Dallet looked around, his eyes drifting over the gallows, the new statue of the Lord, and the Chapter House, in the final stages of its repair. "But now, thanks to your efforts and mine, Lillyvale is once more a place worthy of the Lord's love. I can feel her smiling at us."

"It was your example that inspired all of this. I can only hope that the Lord is pleased with our efforts," Duke replied, bowing his head. "We work for her glory alone."

"Yes... yes indeed."

As Dallet and Duke spoke, another agent jogged up to them. "Chief, Mister Baskerville!"

"What is it?" Dallet asked.

"Agent Alyard has returned sir."

"Jace is back?"

"Yes sir. He's just stabling his hound now."

"Excellent," Dallet gestured for Duke to follow him. "Shall we go and greet him properly? I'm sure he'll also want to congratulate you on your hard work."

***

As the slaves worked quickly to paint the gallows, standing beneath a lamppost on the other side of the street was Emmet Glenn. He watched the work from under the brim of his wide hat, smoke from a cigarette curling around his face.

"Looks like we are just about ready to go," Allec said quietly, walking beside Emmet and snapping a newspaper open.

"Mhmmm. Your lady friend ready?"

"She's at the Hathaway estate, ready to receive our 'package'."

"Good." Emmet nodded, dropping his cigarette and crushing it with his foot. "And you're ready for your part?"

Allec nodded. "All set. One flick of a spark rune and half the bloody docks will go up in smoke."

Emmet's cheek twitched. "I said it was to be something small."

"Yeah, but then I got to thinkin-"

"That's supposed to be my job!" Emmet hissed. After a moment, he took a deep breath and nodded. "Right, fine, so what's the deal?"

"Got some 'friends' down there."

"Friends?"

"Yeah, the kinda friends who would be more than happy to take the chance to make a run for it if the Order were distracted and unable to give chase."

"Friends that could identify you if they were caught?"

"I doubt it. Miss Hathaway will give me an albi, say I was at her estate all day. Besides, they're escaped slaves, who'd believe them anyways?"

"You make a fair point." Emmet placed his hand in his pockets and jerked his head. "Alright come on, let's get some coffee. Gonna be a long night."

"Right."

As they strode down the street, Emmet glanced sideways at Allec. "So, I figure I should ask, why're you here?"

"Me? I'm helping Miss Hathaway."

"Well, the thing is, I get why the lady is doing this. She's doing it for some sorta redemption. As fer me, at the end of the day, I'm doing this fer money, an' cause I hate the Order. But you? You I just can't seem figure."

"The Hathaway's were always good to me..." Allec answered after a few moments. "I suppose I feel like I owe them."

"I've seen enough sunrises to know when a man's speaking the truth, an' when he's just spittin' out the words he figures are right."

Arriving in the main town square, Allec and Emmet made their way to one of the stands selling coffee. Moments later, both were holding steaming cups and sitting on a bench, watching the crowd.

Emmet took a gulp of his coffee before glancing over at Allec again. "So come on, out with it."

"Is this a matter of trust?" Allec asked, turning his cup around and around in his hand.

"I trust you just fine lad, wouldn't be here otherwise. That being said, if this all goes wrong we're the ones who'll find ourselves on those gallows, not the lapine. I want to know why this is worth that risk."

Allec was quiet for a moment, staring out into the crowd.

"I bin going around tending to hounds since I were fifteen," he said at last. "An' I've seen a lot of folks being kinder to their hounds than they are to their slaves."

Allec gestured at a young lapine woman walking by, following behind her master and carrying a pair of heavy baskets. Her wrists and ankles were ringed with scars, and her back was crisscrossed with whipping marks, both old and recent.

"If I were brought out to someone's farm, and I saw their hound looking like that, I'd lay the bastard out and get a pat on the back fer it when I went out drinkin later." Allec shook his head as the Lapine and her master vanished back amongst the crowd. "But that man walks down the street without a trace of shame fer what he's done to that girl." He shook his head. "It ain't right."

"So yer an abolitionist?"

Allec shook his head again. "Nah, nothin' like that. I don't figure I can change everything. I just... Miss Hathaway is doing what she can to add a little bit of kindness back into the world, and I figure that's a good thing."

"Can't say I disagree."

"I may not be able to do anything that really matters... but it'll matter to her, and it'll matter to the boy. I don't know... maybe that's enough."

Emmett nodded, a narrow smile crossing his face. "It may be at that." He raised his cup. "To small things."

Allec chuckled and tapped his cup against Emmet's. "And to those they matter to."

***

As a slave led his hound away, Jace heaved his saddle over his shoulder and turned to leave the stable. As he stepped through the stable door, he was greeted by both Dallet and Duke.

"Welcome back." Dallet nodded at Jace as his face split into a grin. "How was Red Lake?"

"How did you know I was at Red Lake," Jace asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Come on now, what kind of partner would I be if I didn't ask around about you."

"Your concern is appreciated." Jace shifted the saddle on his shoulder and set off for the rear entrance of the Chapter House.

With a quiet chuckle, Dallet strode alongside Jace. "And, how is old Nick? Still playing with his pets?"

"He's got a new one, a vulpine this time. Reddest fur you ever did see, a real sweet thing."

"New one eh, very nice."

"I also spoke with the Bishop. He's given us leave to stay here in Flinton Valley until his visit."

A pair of agents standing and smoking by the back door snapped to attention as they noticed Jace, Dallet and Duke approaching.

"And when will the Bishop be gracing us with his presence?" Duke asked.

"There are a few stops he intends to make before he arrives. He said to expect him within two to three weeks."

"That's wonderful news! I take it you've noticed the work we've done on the Chapter House?" Duke nodded as one of the agents held the door for the trio. "Our efforts are nearly complete."

"Yes, I had noticed," Jace replied, paying little mind to Duke's question.

"We've been working tirelessly to make Lillyvale a shining example of Halcyon's greatness. The new statue of the lord will be completed within the week, as will the repairs and upgrades to the Chapter house. We've also managed to recruit some promising new agents, and-"

"I am sure the Bishop will be impressed."

Jace came to a stop in front of the door to his office and withdrew a key from his pocket. "Now, if you will excuse us chief, I wish to have a word with Agent Baskerville in private."

"O-of course."

"Good. Agent Baskerville, if you please."

Duke watched, a look of confusion upon his face as both Dallet and Jace stepped through the door and closed it behind them.

***

"You know, you shouldn't be so hard on the poor kid." Dallet laughed as he sat in a chair and propped his feet on Jace's desk. "He's been working hard to impress us."

"If there is one thing I cannot stand, it is a shiner," Jace replied, hanging up his saddle and hat.

"Shiner?"

"What we called boys like Duke in the militia, the sort who would shine up their boots and armour in the hopes of getting recognised, rather than focussing on actually learning something." With his saddle stowed, Jace set about pouring himself a glass of water. "Sad thing was, all that glinting armour and shiny boots made them real tempting targets for enemy sharpshooters."

"He's young and eager to please, I'd rather that than the dozy grazer-patty that used to run this place."

"He's fanatical."

Dallet laughed out loud. "You used to say the same thing about me."

"I still say the same thing about you."

"Yeah, so I've heard." Dallet leaned back in his chair. "Fanaticism is useful, it gets results."

"It gets people killed."

"Like I said, results."

"Fanaticism has its place, I do not deny that, but it makes people sloppy."

Dallet swung his heels off Jace's desk and returned to his feet. "Come on old timer, you have to see it. When we first showed up here the Chapter house was falling apart, and the Chief was more interested in fucking a pelt than he was in maintaining order! Not to mention the rebel group that we uncovered and destroyed."

"That was not fanaticism, that was service."

"I don't see the difference."

"Yes, I know." Jace suppressed a sigh as he poured himself another glass of water. "Speaking of the rebel, is he still alive?"

"Alive, and cooperating."

Jace paused. "Really?"

"Mhmm. It seems I finally broke him." Jace shrugged. "Not that his information is all that useful, but he's told us a great deal about his rebel cell."

"Hmmm..." Jace was quiet for a time, before stepping around his desk and sitting down. "Just make sure you keep a watch on him, the Bishop is keen to watch his execution when he arrives."

"Don't worry, I'll make sure there is enough left of him to put on a good show."

***

END OF CHAPTER 37