she was content
to keep the bleakness and pain of her interior world to herself.
I supposed after a life as long as hers, as alone, as tormented when she was the
wife of the Dominator, coming out and petitioning the help of lesser beings
seemed pointless, though she was one of us maggots herself, now. More or less.
In defiance of all that was known by amateurs and experts alike, her lost powers
had been coming back for years. She was not the Lady who had built the empire up
north, so strong she kept ten like the Howler on leashes, as hounds to bay
before her and do her dark bidding, but she was strong enough to trouble Howler
and Longshadow and, I am sure, her sister Soulcatcher.
That was another wedge that had come between Croaker and Lady. The Old Man does
not trust the side of her that loves the darkness. She had been too intimate
with it for too long.
He fears losing her. I am afraid he is driving her away because he is not
dealing with his fears very well.
Lady was becoming the terror of all who resisted her advance, that was certain.
That advance was crueler than the earthquake wherever anyone fought back.
I found my Company brethren in the thick of the action everywhere, leading this
band or that. Their Nyueng Bao bodyguards stayed busy. Though they were weak
after years of being hunted down by Croaker and Lady, the Deceivers were aptly
named. Those who remained alive were the most skilled of their kind and they
shunned no opportunity to strike at the Company in honor of their goddess.
Though Mogaba had several thousand horsemen moving north they were not yet
involved in the fighting. Of Shadowlander forces in the regions being swamped
only Blade’s bunch had not been caught flatfooted. And Blade, after a couple of
brisk and for him very satisfactory encounters with regiments raised by Taglian
religious leaders, was making little effort to hold any territory. He was
falling back toward Charandaprash at a pace just fast enough to make certain our
forces did not get behind him.
His whole area of operations was becoming infested with the religious bands.
Ever since their falling out Croaker had been allowing the priests to go after
Blade virtually independent of the rest of the military. Blade hated priests and
never hid that fact. Working with the Shadowmaster gave him an opportunity to
express his hatred fully. In turn, the priesthoods were determined to silence
him forever.
The Old Man seemed perfectly happy to allow the priests, who had a strong
tradition of intrigue and interference in secular events, to spend their
treasure and energy and most devout followers trying to rid him of someone he
detested.
As he retreated Blade kept drawing those guys in and destroying them. For a
general with no formal training he did a great job of taking advantage of his
enemies’ blind spots.
All across the south forces from both sides drifted toward the Plain of
Charandaprash. The big show would take place there before much longer. Certainly
before winter turned.
I came and went with Smoke. Time passed, almost without meaning. The Old Man got
us onto the road again. I scarcely noticed. I was too busy with Smoke. Croaker
did not like me being in the wagon all the time but there was so much going on
so many places that he had to put up with it in order to get the information he
wanted. Though his attitude could shift with the breeze.
For a while I pretended to be sick, to give the crows and my in-laws a reason
for my being in the wagon all the time. Crows are stupid. They did not catch on.
But I think Uncle Doj got the idea there was something up almost before we
cleared Dejagore’s south gate.
Black Company GS 7 - She is Darkness
11
I was never a boozer or hophead. In this part of the world all the major
religions frown on alcohol so there is not a lot available though One-Eye never
has trouble finding the little there is. If none is
to keep the bleakness and pain of her interior world to herself.
I supposed after a life as long as hers, as alone, as tormented when she was the
wife of the Dominator, coming out and petitioning the help of lesser beings
seemed pointless, though she was one of us maggots herself, now. More or less.
In defiance of all that was known by amateurs and experts alike, her lost powers
had been coming back for years. She was not the Lady who had built the empire up
north, so strong she kept ten like the Howler on leashes, as hounds to bay
before her and do her dark bidding, but she was strong enough to trouble Howler
and Longshadow and, I am sure, her sister Soulcatcher.
That was another wedge that had come between Croaker and Lady. The Old Man does
not trust the side of her that loves the darkness. She had been too intimate
with it for too long.
He fears losing her. I am afraid he is driving her away because he is not
dealing with his fears very well.
Lady was becoming the terror of all who resisted her advance, that was certain.
That advance was crueler than the earthquake wherever anyone fought back.
I found my Company brethren in the thick of the action everywhere, leading this
band or that. Their Nyueng Bao bodyguards stayed busy. Though they were weak
after years of being hunted down by Croaker and Lady, the Deceivers were aptly
named. Those who remained alive were the most skilled of their kind and they
shunned no opportunity to strike at the Company in honor of their goddess.
Though Mogaba had several thousand horsemen moving north they were not yet
involved in the fighting. Of Shadowlander forces in the regions being swamped
only Blade’s bunch had not been caught flatfooted. And Blade, after a couple of
brisk and for him very satisfactory encounters with regiments raised by Taglian
religious leaders, was making little effort to hold any territory. He was
falling back toward Charandaprash at a pace just fast enough to make certain our
forces did not get behind him.
His whole area of operations was becoming infested with the religious bands.
Ever since their falling out Croaker had been allowing the priests to go after
Blade virtually independent of the rest of the military. Blade hated priests and
never hid that fact. Working with the Shadowmaster gave him an opportunity to
express his hatred fully. In turn, the priesthoods were determined to silence
him forever.
The Old Man seemed perfectly happy to allow the priests, who had a strong
tradition of intrigue and interference in secular events, to spend their
treasure and energy and most devout followers trying to rid him of someone he
detested.
As he retreated Blade kept drawing those guys in and destroying them. For a
general with no formal training he did a great job of taking advantage of his
enemies’ blind spots.
All across the south forces from both sides drifted toward the Plain of
Charandaprash. The big show would take place there before much longer. Certainly
before winter turned.
I came and went with Smoke. Time passed, almost without meaning. The Old Man got
us onto the road again. I scarcely noticed. I was too busy with Smoke. Croaker
did not like me being in the wagon all the time but there was so much going on
so many places that he had to put up with it in order to get the information he
wanted. Though his attitude could shift with the breeze.
For a while I pretended to be sick, to give the crows and my in-laws a reason
for my being in the wagon all the time. Crows are stupid. They did not catch on.
But I think Uncle Doj got the idea there was something up almost before we
cleared Dejagore’s south gate.
Black Company GS 7 - She is Darkness
11
I was never a boozer or hophead. In this part of the world all the major
religions frown on alcohol so there is not a lot available though One-Eye never
has trouble finding the little there is. If none is
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