A Malazan Book of the Fallen Collection 2

whole system was its own private enterprise, exclusionary and corrupt. Despite the Cull, it persists, right here in this army.'
    'Besides,' Gamet nodded, 'those sergeants are most useful right where they are.'
    'Aye. So cease your selfish sulking, old man, and step back in line.'
    The back of Gamet's gloved hand struck Blistig's face hard enough to break his nose and send him pitching backward off the rump of his horse.
    He heard another horse reining in nearby and turned to see the Adjunct, a cloud of dust rolling out from under her mount's stamping hoofs. She was staring at him.
    Spitting blood, Blistig slowly climbed to his feet.
    Grimacing, Gamet walked his horse over to where the Adjunct waited. 'I am ready,' he said, 'to return to duty, Adjunct.'
    One brow arched slightly. 'Very good. I feel the need to advise you, however, to give vent to your disagreements with your fellow Fists in more private locations in the future.'
    Gamet glanced back. Blistig was busy dusting himself off, but there was a grim smile on his bloodied face.
    The bastard. Even so, I owe him a free shot at me, don't I?
    'Inform Keneb,' the Adjunct said.
    Gamet nodded. 'With your leave, Adjunct, I'd like another word with Fist Blistig.'
    'Less dramatic than the last one, I would hope, Fist Gamet.'
    'We'll see, Adjunct.'
    'Oh?'
    'Depends on how patient he is, I suppose.'
    'Be on your way then, Fist.'
    'Aye, Adjunct.'
     
    Strings and a few other sergeants had climbed up onto a hill – everyone else being busy with breaking camp and preparing for the march – for a clearer view of the collapsed Whirlwind Wall. Sheets of dust were still cascading down, though the freshening wind was quickly tearing through them.
    'Not even a whimper,' Gesler sighed behind him.
    'The goddess withdrew, is my guess,' Strings said. 'I would bet the Adjunct didn't even draw her sword.'
    'Then why raise the wall in the first place?' Borduke wondered.
    Strings shrugged. 'Who can say? There are other things going on here in Raraku, things we know nothing about. The world didn't sit still during the months we spent marching here.'
    'It was there to keep the Claw out,' Gesler pronounced. 'Both Sha'ik and her goddess want this battle. They want it clean. Soldier against soldier, mage against mage, commander against commander.'
    'Too bad for them,' Strings muttered.
    'So you've been hinting at. Out with it, Fid.'
    'Just a hunch, Gesler. I get those sometimes. They've been infiltrated. That's what I saw from Bottle's divination. The night before the battle, that oasis will get hairy. Wish I could be there to see it. Damn, wish I could be there to help.'
    'We'll have our turn being busy, I think,' Gesler muttered.
    The last sergeant who had accompanied them sighed, then said in a rasp, 'Moak thinks we won't be busy. Unless the new captain does something stupid. The Adjunct's going to do something unexpected. We may not get a fight at all.'
    Strings coughed. 'Where does Moak get all this, Tugg?'
    'Squatting over the latrine, is my guess,' Borduke grunted, then spat.
    The heavy infantry sergeant shrugged. 'Moak knows things, that's all.'
    'And how many times does he get it wrong?' Gesler asked, clearing his throat.
    'Hard to say. He says so many things I can't remember them all. He's been right plenty of times, I think. I'm sure of it, in fact. Almost sure.' Tugg faced Strings. 'He says you were in Onearm's Host. And the Empress wants your head on a spike, because you've been outlawed.' The man then turned to Gesler. 'And he says you and your corporal, Stormy, are Old Guard. Underage marines serving Dassem Ultor, or maybe Cartheron Crust or his brother Urko. That you were the ones who brought that old Quon dromon into Aren Harbour with all the wounded from the Chain of Dogs. And you, Borduke, you once threw a noble-born officer off a cliff, near Karashimesh, only they couldn't prove it, of course.'
    The three other men stared at Tugg, saying nothing.
    Tugg rubbed his neck. 'Well, that's what he says, anyway.'
    'Amazing how wrong he got it all,' Gesler said drily.
    'And I take it he's been spreading these tales around?' Strings asked.
    'Oh no. Just me and Sobelone. He told us to keep our mouths shut.' Tugg blinked, then added, 'But not with you, obviously, since you already know. I was just making conversation. Just being friendly. Amazing how that Whirlwind Wall just collapsed like that, isn't it?'
    Horns sounded in the distance.
    'Time to march,' Gesler muttered, 'praise Hood