"Ever the diplomat, eh, Ibram?" smiled Dorden. "They once invited me to join the Imperial diplomatic officium," said Gaunt. "I told them to feth off."

Gaunt looked at Buzzel. "My Ghosts will fight to the last: harder, braver and stronger than any soldiers you have ever seen. But I will not see them wasted in the meatgrinder of a slow trench war. They have skills, and I'll have them use those skills."

"The Emperor protects," said Caffran. Larkin murmured something that Caffran didn't catch and hooked the little silver aquila he wore around his neck out so he could kiss it. "Sometimes," he said, "I don't think the Emperor's even watching."