Ter said, dismounting. “More than I’ve ever seen.” Garan and his unit were waiting in one of the dips in the plain deep enough to conceal their horses, until all the scouts sweeping the surrounding territory returned. With Ter and Innor now back, only Asha and Lawr remained outstanding. They’re experienced scouts, Garan told himself, who know to be cautious—especially since Ter’s right, we’re seeing too much darkspawn sign for this country. “Anyone would think—” Keron began, then stopped, shaking his head. Best not to say it, Garan agreed silently, although he guessed they were all thinking it could be a sign the Wall was starting to fail. He rubbed at his rough growth of beard, aware that one of Sarus’s favorite observations was that the fact Derai Houses had to ride regular boundary patrols at all meant the Wall must have been failing for a long time. This mission, though, was no boundary patrol, and they were closer to the Jaransor side of the Gray Lands now, rather than the Wall.
