Chapter Seventeen

The dwarven barracks were austere. Ten chambers, with a large bath chamber on one end, and room to spread bedrolls upon the floor. Mariene regarded it with satisfaction. “This will do the troops nicely,” he declared. He and Ruelke oversaw the movement of the soldiers into the caves.

The servants, bards, and other camp followers were left to fend for themselves in the main cavern, making beds out of what they could unpack from the wagons.

I was guided deeper, to where a series of chambers connected - an audience room, a bedroom, and a bathroom. Ashara made a bed for her and Mesandre in the audience room, against a wall, and then laid the bed in the bed chamber with the rugs and blankets that Aurien and I used, before departing to oversee the unpacking of our clothing.

“There will be a feast tonight,” Aurien told me as we examined the rooms. “You will be expected to attend.”

“Mmm,” I wanted not