PART THREE

Winter’s Bite

Hear the drums!

Hear the drums!

Beast or brother, I must end you

My queen has spoken. Her words are my thoughts

Brother or beast, it is all the same

Without my queen I have no eyes, no arms, no legs

No spirit

What use a blind soldier? What use a limbless ghost?

Hear the drums!

Hear the drums!

I must fight you whether you are beast or brother

Brother or beast

Or else betray myself

And go nameless into the long shadow

—ZINUZO OF QUAVERING REACH