‘They’re escorting Quick and Kalam – they’ve gone ahead. So, your dreaded meeting with Quick is still some time off, you’ll be glad to know.’ ‘Gone ahead. By warren? They shouldn’t be doing that, you know. Not now. Not here—’ ‘Why?’ ‘Well. Because.’ ‘For the first time in my career as a soldier of the Malazan Empire, I truly want to strangle a fellow soldier.’ ‘Sorry.’ ‘Stop saying that name!’ ‘It’s not a name. It’s a word.’ The sergeant’s battered hands clenched into fists.
