Ch. 2, Page 12

"Allow me to stay behind," Gronan had said.

Captain Drake had looked at him curiously.  "You have never disobeyed my orders before, Gronan.  What makes you question them now?"

On Gronan's mind had been his distrust of Robilar.  This whole business of having spotted adventurers in the woods that no one else had observed just rang false to him and Gronan was sure that Robilar was up to something.  But Drake trusted Robilar too much for Gronan to bring up any of this without proof.  So instead Gronan talked tactics for awhile, ending with, "What Robilar saw could have been intended to draw us out of the fort so the fort could be attacked from the opposite side.  With your leave, I would reposition some of our remaining men there."

Drake nodded through it all.  "That seems a reasonable request," he had said at last.  "Granted."

But that was then.  Now Gronan came running up into the midst of Drake and his men, panting and out of breath.  Gronan fell forward onto his knees, while catching his breath, but Drake was impatient for an explantion...

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Ch. 2, Page 11

Despite Robilar's jest, there was grim business to be done before the looting -- men magically asleep who would not remain so long.  Tenser, who had never warmed to the task, was surprised with how cavalierly Robilar and Terik dispatched every brigand who was still alive.  But, of course, he should not have been surprised, as this had been exactly according to the plan they had fomented over the long months past.

Overhead, Luna and Celene watched what transpired from their orbits, without comment, as they continued their slow trek across the nighttime sky...

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