“False, in that they are not Deathguard. Their ordination was done under false pretenses.
They were not chemically muled. They are whole men, and they are raising families in secret, in
violation of the Precepts of their office.”
Gebron spoke these words with his customary blandness, but I could tell that he intended
that I should be shocked by this. I cannot imagine why. The discipline of the Deathguard is hard,
and many who walk along their path find themselves unequal to it. That is the way of things. In
my time among their number, many had to be disciplined for violating the Precepts.
“So why tell me? Why not let Lord Avrankes deal with them? He is their commander-in-
chief.”
“Because the Deathguard in question are not merely weak. They are subversives. They
are sleeper agents of the Order of the Green Skull.”
The Order of the Green Skull is the paramilitary police arm of the Religious Vicariate. Its
members are ruthless zealots, but they do not take vows of celibacy. Indeed, they regard growing
their numbers via reproduction the best way to ensure loyalty.
“All the more reason,” I replied. “Let Avrankes and Kaieles settle the matter.”
“No, you fool,” he said, bland as ever. “That is precisely what we cannot do.”
I dropped my arms. I imagined three ways to kill him with my bare hands. “You dare to
call me fool?”
“Yes,” he said. “And I will do it again, until you understand yourself.”
“No man calls me fool.”
“I just did. And no doubt I will regret it, but doing things I regret is part of my service to
His Majesty. We cannot allow Avrankes and Kaieles to go to war.”
“Why cannot we?”