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.All just as Yulwei said.'They are in earnest.''Ah, but so are you.' Cosca stood up beside the parapet, started to fiddlewith his belt.A moment later, Glokta heard the sound of his piss spatteringagainst the base of the wall, far below.The mercenary grinned over hisshoulder, thin hair fluttering in the salt wind.'Everyone's in lots ofearnest.I must speak to Magister Eider.I'd say I'll be getting my battlemoney soon.''I think so.' Glokta slowly lowered his eye-glass.'And earning it too.'Page 95 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlThe Blind Lead the Blind« ^ »The First of the Magi lay twisted on his back in the cart, wedged between awater barrel and a sack of horse feed, a coil of rope for his pillow.Logenhad never seen him look so old, and thin, and weak.His breath came shallow,his skin was pale and blotchy, drawn tight over his bones and beaded withsweat.From time to time he'd twitch, and squirm, and mutter strange words,his eyelids flickering like a man trapped in a bad dream.'What happened?'Quai stared down.'Whenever you use the Art, you borrow from the Other Side,and what is borrowed has to be repaid.There are risks, even for a master.Toseek to change the world with a thought& the arrogance of it.' The corners ofhis mouth twitched up into a smile.'Borrow too often, perhaps, one time youtouch the world below, and leave a piece of yourself behind& ''Behind?' muttered Logen, peering down at the twitching old man.He didn'tmuch like the way Quai was talking.It was no smiling matter, as far as hecould see, to be stuck out in the middle of nowhere without a clue where theywere going.'Just think,' whispered the apprentice.'The First of the Magi himself,helpless as a baby.' He laid his hand gently on Bayaz' chest.'He clings on tolife by a thread.I could reach out now, with this weak hand& and kill him.'Logen frowned.'Why would you want to do that?'Quai looked up, and smiled his sickly smile.'Why would anyone? I was merelysaying.' And he snatched his hand away.'How long will he stay like this?'The apprentice sat back in the cart and stared up at the sky.'There's nosaying.Maybe hours.Maybe forever.''Forever?' Logen ground his teeth.'Where does that leave us? You have anyidea where we're going? Or why? Or what we do when we get there? Should weturn back?''No.' Quai's face was sharp as a blade.Sharper than Logen would ever haveexpected from him.'We have enemies behind us.To turn back now would be moredangerous than to continue.We carry on.'Logen winced, and rubbed at his eyes.He felt tired, and sore, and sick.Hewished he'd asked Bayaz his plans when he'd had the chance.He wished he'dnever left the North, if it came to that.He could have sought out a reckoningwith Bethod, and died in a place he knew, at the hands of men that he at leastunderstood.Logen had no wish to lead.The time was he'd hungered after fame, and glory,and respect, but the winning of them had been costly, and they'd proved to behollow prizes.Men had put their faith in him, and he'd led them by a painfuland a bloody route straight back to the mud.There was no ambition in him anymore.He was cursed when it came to making decisions.He took his hands away and looked around him.Bayaz still lay muttering in hisfevered sleep.Quai was gazing carelessly up at the clouds.Luthar wasstanding with his back to the others, staring down the gorge.Ferro wassitting on a rock, cleaning her bow with a rag, and scowling.Longfoot hadreappeared, predictably, just as the danger ended, and was standing not faraway, looking pleased with himself.Logen grimaced, and gave a long sigh.There was no help for it.There was no one else.'Alright, we head for this bridge, at Aulcus, then we see.''Not a good idea,' tutted Longfoot, wandering up to the cart and peering in.'Not a good idea in the least.I warned our employer of that before his&mishap.The city is deserted, destroyed, ruined.A blighted, and a broken, anda dangerous place.The bridge may still stand, but according to rumour ''Aulcus was the plan, and I reckon we'll stick with it.'Longfoot carried on as though he hadn't spoken.'I think, perhaps, that itwould be best if we headed back towards Calcis.We are still less than halfwayto our ultimate destination, and have ample food and water for the returnPage 96 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmljourney.With some luck ''You were paid to go all the way?''Well, er, indeed I was, but ''Aulcus.'The Navigator blinked.'Well, yes, I see that you are decided.Decisiveness,and boldness, and vigour, it would seem, are among your talents, but caution,and wisdom, and experience, if I may say, are among mine, and I am in no doubtwhatsoever that ''Aulcus,' growled Logen.Longfoot paused with his mouth half open.Then he snapped it shut.'Very well.We will follow the road back onto the plains, and head westward to the threelakes.Aulcus is at their head, but the journey is still a long and dangerousone, especially with winter well upon us.There should be ''Good.' Logen turned away before the Navigator had the chance to say anythingmore.That was the easy part.He sucked his teeth, and walked over to Ferro.'Bayaz is& ' he struggled for the right word.'Out.We don't know how longfor.'She nodded.'We going on?''Er& I reckon& that's the plan.''Alright.' She got up from her rock and slung the bow over her shoulder.'Bestget moving then.'Easier than he'd expected.Too easy, perhaps.He wondered if she was thinkingof sneaking off again.He was considering it himself, truth be told.'I don'teven know where we're going.'She snorted.'I've never known where I was going.You ask me, it's animprovement, you in charge.' She walked off towards the horses.'I nevertrusted that bald bastard.'And that only left Luthar.He was standing with his back to the others,shoulders slumped, thoroughly miserable-looking.Logen could see the muscleson the side of his head working as he stared at the ground.'You alright?'Luthar hardly seemed to hear him.'I wanted to fight.I wanted to, and I knewhow to, and I had my hand on my steels.' He slapped angrily at the hilt of oneof his swords.'I was helpless as a fucking baby! Why couldn't I move?''That it? By the dead, boy, that happens to some men the first time!''It does?''More than you'd believe.At least you didn't shit yourself.'Luthar raised his eyebrows.'That happens?''More than you'd believe.''Did you freeze up, the first time?'Logen frowned.'No.Killing comes too easy to me.Always has done.Believe me,you're the lucky one.''Unless I'm killed for doing nothing.''Well,' Logen had to admit, 'there is that.' Luthar's head dropped even lower,and Logen clapped him on the arm.'But you didn't get killed! Cheer up, boy,you're lucky! You're still alive, aren't you?' He gave a miserable nod.Logenslid his arm round his shoulder and guided him back towards the horses.'Thenyou've got the chance to do better next time.''Next time?''Course.Doing better next time.That's what life is.'Logen climbed back into the saddle, stiff and sore.Stiff from all the riding,sore from the fight in the gorge.Some bit of rock had cracked him on theback, that and he'd got a good punch on the side of his head.Could have beena lot worse.He looked round at the others.They were all mounted up, staring at him.Fourfaces, as different as could be, but all with the same expression, more orless.Waiting for his say
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