Page 2713 -- CCXLIV.

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And Sermung was only one man. If Dozer took to the field, too--which was likely now that Morgunov had made a move--then Abolish would be able to divide and conquer more easily than ever. They could lure Sermung to one battlefield with one emperor while overwhelming another with the second.

The marshals were meant to be a safeguard against that, but with the way Morgunov's blasted machines had manhandled everyone, that strategy might no longer be viable. For the moment, at least.

So there was no doubt in Parson's mind.

Blacksong, in one form or another, was coming.

It was just a matter of holding on until then.


Chapter Two Hundred Forty-Four: 'Renewed anger...'
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Hector Goffe had never seen them this way.

Thus far during their stay at Warrenhold, the Rainlords had been frequently restless and frustrated. He saw it in their body language, in their apparent need to constantly be working on something, and he heard it in their voices, underpinning every word in every meeting. Rarely had it seemed like any of them could relax, but he had thought that, perhaps, they were beginning to. Perhaps, a little, they were warming to his home, this place of rest and safety.

But that was all gone now. So much so, in fact, that Hector began to wonder if it had been there in the first place, if he'd just been seeing what he wanted to see.

The news from Sair had them in a fury.

There were calls for immediate deployment of all their forces to retake the country. There were calls to march into Calthos and take Abolish by surprise. There were even calls to attack the Vanguard in order to locate and recover their captive kin.

But one thing, at least, was clear.

They didn't know what to do.