17
Harkell left Prince Jarand in a daze, amazed that he had survived the encounter and even more amazed that he had been reinstated, particularly at his previous rank. And now that he was reinstated, the looks that he encountered from soldiers and officers may have contained sympathy but most also contained unfeigned welcome.
When he entered the section designated for his company, The Royal Montrayan Guard, the cheers were deafening and he was surrounded by smiling faces and applause. Being the good officer he was, he thrust his personal concerns to the back of his mind and responded cordially to his men’s greetings.
In the midst of the noise, Sergeant Torgan leaned in and murmured, “I’ll head off now. By the way, did you know Saker and Biggin risked making themselves very unpopular by
