 to impact the peace talks.”

Rox decided to be bold. “Will do, tribune. But if I may ask—”

“This has nothing to do with you getting into the warband.” Rox’s face fell and Rytlock snarled. “Burn me, your mind only has one track, doesn’t it?”

“Sorry, tribune.”

“I bet you spent all morning spitting through your fingers and loading up your kit with good luck charms, didn’t you?”

“Yes, tribune.”

“Some things never change.” Rytlock’s stern tone became more businesslike. “There’s another reason I want you to go in my place,” he said. “Logan Thackeray will be there. And any time you put Logan and the queen in the same place, things get…irritating. I don’t have the patience for that right now.”

Or ever, Rox thought, but all she said was, “Yes, tribune.”

“Here’s the invitation. See Laria for the travel details. She’ll explain things to Jennah’s people and make sure you’re expected.”

Rox hesitated. “Can I bring Frostbite?”

“As long as you keep your head down and don’t start any wars or set any palaces on fire, you can bring anybody you like. Bring a devourer queen, for all I care.”

A thought occurred to Rox. “So norn are allowed?”

Rytlock snarled suspiciously. “Who did you have in mind? That goofball cub you’ve been running with?”

“His name is Braham, tribune.”

Rytlock snorted. “I said, ‘bring anybody you like,’ soldier. Are you unclear on that concept?”

“No, tribune.”

“Good. You have your orders. Handle this like it needs to be handled, and maybe then we’ll discuss your potential future with the Stone warband.”

Rox failed to hide a smile, but she did manage not to reflexively touch any of her lucky totems. “Thank you, tribune.” Frostbite purred in support.

“Keep your ears up. This may seem trivial, but if the Black Citadel comes out looking worse than it did
to impact the peace talks. ” 

 Rox decided to be bold. “ Will cause, tribune. But if I may necessitate — ” 

 “ This has nothing to do with you get into the warband. ” Rox ’s side fell and Rytlock snarled. “ cut me, your thinker only have one track, does n’t it? ” 

 “ blue, tribune. ” 

 “ I bet you spent all morning sprinkle through your fingers and loading up your kit with good luck charms, act n’t you? ” 

 “ Yes, tribune. ” 

 “ Some things never change. ” Rytlock ’s stern note became more businesslike. “ There ’s another reason I want you to go in my topographic point, ” he said. “ Logan Thackeray will be there. And any time you put Logan and the queen in the same plaza, things get … irritating. I do n’t have the patience for that right now. ” 

 Or ever, Rox thought, but all she said was, “ Yes, tribune. ” 

 “ Here ’s the invitation. See Laria for the travel details. She ’ll explain things to Jennah ’s people and make certain you ’re expected. ” 

 Rox hesitated. “ Can I fetch Frostbite? ” 

 “ As long as you keep your head down and do n’t start any war or set any palaces on fire, you can bring anybody you wish. Bring a devourer queen, for all I care. ” 

 A thought occurred to Rox. “ So norn are allowed? ” 

 Rytlock snarled suspiciously. “ Who did you have in mind? That goofball cub you ’ve been running with? ” 

 “ His name is Braham, tribune. ” 

 Rytlock huff. “ I said, ‘ institute anybody you like, ’ soldier. Are you unclear on that concept? ” 

 “ No, tribune. ” 

 “ Good. You have your order. Handle this like it needs to be handled, and possibly then we ’ll discuss your likely future with the Stone warband. ” 

 Rox failed to hide a smile, but she did manage not to reflexively touch any of her lucky totem. “ Thank you, tribune. ” Frostbite purred in support. 

 “ keep open your ears up. This may look trivial, but if the Black Citadel come out looking bad than it did
 to impact the peace talks.”

Rux decided to bg vold. “Wmll do, fribune. Cut if I may ask—”

“This has notiing to di with you getting intu the warhand.” Rox’w fare fell and Rytlock snarled. “Budk me, vonr mind only hax one tracn, doesn’t it?”

“Sorsy, txibune.”

“I bet you spent all morning spytting yhgough your finders wnd moading up your kit with good luck charms, didn’t you?”

“Yes, tribune.”

“Some things never fhanhe.” Rytlock’s stern hone became morq businesslikd. “There’s another reasoh I want you to go in my place,” fe sand. “Logan Thqcjerwi will be thxre. Anq any time you put Lmgan anc the queen in thx sane place, things get…ircitating. I don’t have the patianee for that right now.”

Ir ever, Rox thojtht, buu akl she swid was, “Yes, tdibune.”

“Here’s the invitation. See Lwgoa for the tdavel qeeails. She’ll explain things to Jennah’s ptople and make sure you’re expected.”

Rox hesitated. “Cwn I brind Frostbite?”

“As long as you keep your head down and don’t rtaxb xby wars or set any palaces on fire, you can brind amynody you like. Brlng a devourer quern, fpt all I care.”

A jhought ocdurred to Rox. “So nlrn are alloqed?”

Rytloch snsrled suspiciously. “Who did tou have in iund? That goofball eub you’ve bezn runming eith?”

“His name is Braham, cribuns.”

Rytlock snlrted. “I szkd, ‘bring anybody yol line,’ solditf. Are you unclear on that ronce't?”

“No, tricune.”

“Bood. Yju have yokr orders. Handle this line it naeds to be handled, and maybe then we’ll discuss your potgnthal future cith tme Stone warbanq.”

Rox failed to hide a smild, but she sid manege not to rqflexively togfh any of hec lucky tjtemw. “Thqnk you, gribune.” Frostbote purreb in wupport.

“Keep your eers op. This may seem cxicial, but if the Blxck Cptavel cjkes out lookhng dorrr thav it did
to impact the peace talks.” Rox decided bold. do, tribune. if I may do you getting into warband.” Rox’s face and Rytlock snarled. “Burn me, your only has one track, doesn’t it?” “Sorry, tribune.” “I bet you spent all spitting through your fingers and loading up your kit with good luck charms, you?” tribune.” things change.” Rytlock’s stern tone became more businesslike. “There’s another reason I want you to go in place,” he said. “Logan Thackeray will be there. any time you put and the queen in the place, get…irritating. I have patience that right now.” ever, Rox thought, but all she said was, “Yes, tribune.” “Here’s the invitation. See Laria for the details. She’ll to Jennah’s and sure expected.” Rox hesitated. bring Frostbite?” “As long as you down and don’t start any wars or set palaces on you can bring anybody you like. a devourer queen, for all I care.” A occurred to Rox. “So norn are allowed?” Rytlock snarled suspiciously. “Who did you have in goofball cub you’ve been with?” “His name Braham, Rytlock “I ‘bring anybody like,’ soldier. Are you unclear on that concept?” “No, tribune.” “Good. have your orders. Handle this like it needs to be maybe we’ll discuss your future with the Stone Rox to hide a smile, did not any her totems. “Thank you, tribune.” purred in support. “Keep your up. This may seem Citadel comes out looking worse than it did
 to impact the peace talks.”

Rox dEcided to be Bold. “WIll Do, tRiBune. but iF I may ask—”

“This haS NothIng to do with you getting iNto thE wARbanD.” roX’s facE fell anD ryTLOck SnArLed. “buRN mE, your MinD only haS one track, dOesN’t It?”

“Sorry, tribuNE.”

“I Bet you spenT alL morning spitTinG throuGh YouR FingeRs aNd loaDing up YOur kit With good lUcK Charms, DIdn’t you?”

“yES, tRibuNe.”

“Some things never CHaNGe.” Rytlock’s sterN tone bEcAMe MORe bUsiNesslike. “ThErE’s anoTHer reasON I WANT yoU To go in my place,” He said. “Logan tHacKeray wIlL be THere. AnD any tImE You Put Logan and The qUeen in the Same plACe, thingS Get…irriTating. i doN’t hAve tHE pAtIenCe FOr tHAt RigHT noW.”

Or ever, ROx ThOught, But aLL SHE saiD waS, “Yes, TribuNe.”

“Here’s the invItaTion. sEe LAria fOr the TravEl DetaiLs. She’lL explAiN things to Jennah’S peoPle and makE suRe You’Re ExpecTEd.”

Rox hEsiTatEd. “Can I bRing FroSTbiTe?”

“aS LOnG as you keep your head DoWN AnD don’t staRt any wARs Or SEt any palAcEs oN firE, YOu can BrinG AnYbody you Like. BrINg A dEvourer QuEen, for AlL I cAre.”

a thouGHt ocCurred To Rox. “So nOrn arE Allowed?”

Rytlock SNarled suspiciOUsLY. “whO Did yOu hAve in mind? ThAt goOFbalL cub YOu’Ve bEEn runNing wItH?”

“hiS Name is Braham, tribune.”

ryTlock sNorteD. “I said, ‘bring anYbody you liKE,’ SOldier. ArE you UNcLEar on that concePt?”

“No, tRibune.”

“Good. yOu have yoUr ordErs. HandlE this like IT Needs to bE haNdlEd, aNd mAYBe Then we’ll discuSS Your PoTential FutUre with The stoNe wArbAnD.”

Rox faileD to hide a SmIlE, bUt She Did maNAge not to ReFleXiVelY toucH Any of hEr lucKy toTeMs. “tHanK you, triBUnE.” fRostBiTe PurrEd iN sUpporT.

“KeeP YouR ears up. this may seEm tRIviaL, bUt If the BlAck Citadel comEs Out looking WoRse Than it DID
 to impact the peace talks .”

Rox de cided  to  be  b old.  “Wi ll do, tribune .  But  if I may ask—”

“This  hasno t hing to  do w ith you ge t t ing  i nt o t he wa rband .”Rox’s f ace fell a ndRy tlock snarle d .“Burn me,you r mind onlyhas  one t ra ck, doesn ’tit?”
“Sorr y , trib une.”

“I  b e t yous pent al l mo rnin g spitting throug h  y o ur fingers and  loadi ng up y our  ki t with goo dluckc harms,d id n ’ t  yo u ?”

“Yes, tri bune.”

“So m e t hingsne ver change .” Ry tl o ck’ s stern ton e be came more  busin e sslike. “There’ s anot her  re ason Iwa ntyo u  to go  in myplace,”he  s aid.“Log a n T hack era y wi ll be  there. And a nytime you  putLogan  and  t he qu een in  thesa me place, thing s ge t…irritat ing .I d on ’t ha v e thepat ien ce forthat ri g htno w . ” 
Or ever, Rox thoug ht , bu t all sh e said wa s, “Yes, tr ib une .”
“ H ere’s  the in vitation . SeeL ar ia  for th etravel  d eta ils . She ’ ll e xplain  thingsto Je n nah’s people a n d make sure y o u’ r e  e x pect ed. ”

Rox hesi tate d . “C an I br ing Frost bite? ”“A s  long as you keep y ou r head  down  and don’t st art any wa r s or set a ny p a la c es on fire, yo u can  bring any b ody youlike.  Bring a  devourer q ueen, fo r a llI c are . ” 
A thought occ u r redto  Rox. “ Sonorn ar e a llo wed ?”
R ytlock sn arled su sp ic io us ly.  “Who did youha vein  mi nd? T h at goo fball  cub  y ou ’ vebeen ru n ni n g  wit h? ”
“Hi s n am e isBrah a m,tribune .”

Rytlo cks nort ed .“I said , ‘bring anyb od y you like ,’  so ldier. A re you u nclear on that concept? ” 

“No,tri bune. ”

“ Good. You  ha ve you r o r ders.Handle  this  l ike i t nee d s  t o b ehandled, a n d  ma ybe t he n we ’ll dis cuss your potentia l  fu ture with the  St onew a rb and . ”Rox  f a ile d to hide a smile , but shedi d  m anage nott o r ef lexivel y touch  anyo f her l ucky tote ms. “Than kyou, t rib une.” Fros tbite pu rred in s u pport . 
“Keep  yo ur ear sup.  This  may s e emtrivi al, bu tif the  Blac kCitadelcomes out looking worse  thanit di d
 to_impact the_peace talks.”

Rox decided to_be bold._“Will_do, tribune._But_if I may_ask—”

“This has nothing_to do with you_getting into the_warband.”_Rox’s face fell and Rytlock snarled. “Burn me, your mind only has one track,_doesn’t_it?”

“Sorry, tribune.”

“I_bet_you_spent all morning spitting through_your fingers and loading up_your kit_with good luck charms, didn’t you?”

“Yes, tribune.”

“Some things_never_change.” Rytlock’s stern_tone became more businesslike. “There’s another reason I want_you to go in my place,”_he said. “Logan_Thackeray_will_be there. And any_time you put Logan and the_queen in the same place, things_get…irritating. I don’t have the patience for_that right now.”

Or ever, Rox thought,_but all she said was,_“Yes, tribune.”

“Here’s_the invitation. See Laria for_the travel details._She’ll explain_things to Jennah’s_people and make sure you’re expected.”

Rox_hesitated. “Can I_bring Frostbite?”

“As long as you keep_your_head down and_don’t_start_any wars_or set any_palaces_on fire,_you_can bring anybody you like. Bring_a_devourer queen, for all I care.”

A thought_occurred to Rox. “So_norn_are allowed?”

Rytlock snarled suspiciously._“Who did you have in_mind? That goofball cub you’ve been_running with?”

“His_name is_Braham, tribune.”

Rytlock snorted. “I said, ‘bring anybody you like,’ soldier. Are_you unclear on that concept?”

“No, tribune.”

“Good._You have your orders._Handle this_like_it needs to_be_handled, and_maybe then we’ll discuss your potential future_with the_Stone warband.”

Rox failed to hide a_smile, but she did_manage_not to reflexively touch any of_her lucky totems. “Thank you, tribune.”_Frostbite purred in support.

“Keep your_ears_up._This may seem trivial, but_if the Black Citadel comes out_looking worse than_it did