said Lewan. “I don’t understand. How can I help you?” “What I am about to tell you, Lewan, you cannot speak of to anyone else. Not Ulaan.” Talieth approached as she spoke, bringing the full bearing of her station down upon Lewan. He had to force himself not to cower. “Not to any of the servants or anyone else in Sentinelspire. Do you understand?” Lewan nodded, too intimidated to speak. “You have lived in the Endless Wastes most of your life, have you not?” she said. “Since I was twelve. Before that, I lived in a small village. In Murghôm.” “Murghôm?” Talieth smiled. “I thought you had the look of them. Your master has raised you since …” “Raiders attacked my village,” said Lewan, and he left it at that. Those were memories he preferred not to uproot. “Your parents?” said Talieth. Lewan looked away and clenched his jaw. His mother’s face in that last moment kept trying to come up, but he pushed the image away. He took in a deep breath through his nose, willing himself not to cry, then said, “Berun and his master saved me.”
