<blockquote>“St Vier.” The scholar spoke, as if he was testing the sound of the name to see if he liked it. We all drew in our breath. No one had ever seen the swordsman lose his temper. But if anyone could do it, it was probably this kid.
“St Vier,” he said again, long and low this time. Like a lord on the Hill, with all the time in the world, which, unlike the rest of us, they actually have. I happen to know this because I did some work up there once. But just once.
The swordsman finally turned his head. “Yes?”
“You’re very good at killing people.”
“Thank you.” Whatever you say about St Vier, he had very good manners. He wasn’t from Riverside originally, but except for that fact, the swordsman fit right in.</blockquote>
