Shekalane nudged Dravidian away from them. “Where is he ... this Valdus? Where are his soldiers?”
“Oh, they have left,” said the woman. “He said they were not interested in capturing territory, only in unseating a tyrant. In truth, I do not remember much of what he said. It seemed to me he spoke long but said nothing, as such men often do.”
“They left no garrison, no detail of soldiers?”
“Only bodies ... in a place where even the dirt is too poor to inter them.”
“Shekalane, look,” said Dravidian, peering upriver, and she followed his gaze to where a single column of smoke rose billowing beyond the village—in precisely the place where they’d left Jamais’ boat.
II | Sthulhu Returns
The cage, like Jamais’ boat, was completely destroyed. Dravidian had returned to it (while Shekalane scou
