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.Jhoqo brought the noise to an end with a wave of his hands and spoke again, "Before we return to our duties, Ineed to inform you that, due to the last attack on Neversfall and the loss of our brothers and sisters these barbarians have caused, I sent word for reinforcements.The further loss of our beloved terir today only convinces me that I was right to do so."The thought that Jhoqo had not informed him of these reinforcements flittered through Taennen's mind, but it did not gain purchase in that roiling place.Help was coming.He was ready to accept it and found himself surprised that Jhoqo was as well.Normally very stubborn, Jhoqo had always said that his troops could handle anything and never needed help."It will take more Maquar and Durpari forces some time to get here, but the noble rajah of Estagund and the estimable chakas of Durpar have seen fit to provide us with trusted help from a wandering troop that has served the government of Estagund before," Jhoqo said.Murmurs whipped through the gathered crowd, and many eyebrows arched.Several of the Durpari moved closer to the gathered Maquar, having overheard the man's words.Jhoqo nodded, waving his hands in the air, and said, "I know, friends.I know.I, too, wish we could simply wait for our Southern brethren, but we do not have that luxury.Our duty to protect this citadel is at stake, and we must never shirk our duty.Fear not—the soldiers they are sending us have a long relationship with the South and will aid us in our struggles.But now, my friends, we must say goodbye and return to our duties.There is much to be done."With those words, he set his torch to the pyre.A brand of straw ignited a bundle of sticks, and soon the flames quickly spread to the full structure.The heat rose rapidly in the warm air, causing sweat to bead on Taennen's brow.He watched the yellow-orange monster devour the wood, butstill he had not looked at the body it was about to consume.He forced his eyes to move to her and drank in the sight of his friend.Her skin was lighter, her cheeks sharp, as though she had lost a great deal of weight.Taennen tossed his torch into the straw and stepped off the crate, wishing he'd had the chance to say goodbye in private.Jhoqo's arm found his shoulder, and the man whispered, "Go back to your quarters.We shall talk in the morning."The fog of absolute sorrow had thinned, but Taennen knew he needed to rest.He would need his strength to find the killer of his friend and to protect the others who had followed him to Neversfall.As he lay down, he murmured a prayer of protection and caring to the Adama.He had not heard the prayer in many years, let alone invoked it.Like most Maquar, Taennen had come to pray for order and the law of the rajah at the end of each day.Order was a fine thing, but what Taennen wanted was justice and safety.His fellow soldiers needed aid, and he would do his best to be it.chapter efeuer)faennen woke to the smell of fowl cooked with dried dates, the sweet and tart aromas, and the smell of roasting meat permeating the air.The dish basked in a thread of sunshine that crept into the room from the small high window.Taennen rolled out of bed, grasped the plate, and opened the door.He made it almost five steps before thinking of Loraica, but he did not stop or falter when he did.The image of her face in his mind helped to drive his step.He would avenge her.Outside, the sun had already baked away the morning mist.Half a dozen soldiers from both forces milled around the courtyard, listening to one of their fellows who gestured excitedly but spoke in hushed tones.The troops nodded their agreement or made clear their dissent with hissed objections.The speaker was a Durpari, one of the men Taennen had led to the wall during the last attack.He was a fine archer, and by the look of things, the same could be said of his oratory skills.Taennen walked toward the gathering, and the Durpari archer stopped speaking and greeted Taennen with a salute from some distance away, while motioning for the others to disperse."Hold there, men," Taennen said, returning the salute, his dish still in his hand
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