The space around Raven
and the Guide contracts sharply, making their discomfort much more
intimate. Outside, the shouting continues.
“You horrible shower
of useless rock, what are you doing out of formation. You've been
told about disobeying orders and consequences. You should both be
ground up for dust. There's not enough dust in this castle, you ask
me. What on earth have we come to, I ask you? Army of trolls? An
army of disobedient trolls. And for what. To guard the precious
imposters. What will he think of next.”
“Well you know his
lordship,” says a calmer, quieter voice, “He's not been himself,
not since that ball. Something happened to him that night, I've
never seen such a thing.”
“You're not wrong,”
says the first voice quietly, before the volume returns, “Right you
two, let's have your pathetic excuse for your disobedience, then
you've new orders."
