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Jaina s tone grew frosty； again； she tightly gripped the staff。 What do you mean？ Can men and women not be
equals in your world？
Of course not。 Nor would I say； he added quickly before Jaina could interrupt； that they are unequal any more
than I would say that an insect and a flopletely different purposes。
Grateful for the opening； Jaina said the same thing to Thrall that she had said to Antonidas when as a brash young
woman she had insisted on being his apprentice。 Back then； the archmage had said to her； It is no more
women s nature to bee wizards than it is a dog s nature to pose an aria。
As then； she now said to Thrall： Is not what separates us from animals that we can change our nature？ After all；
there are those who would argue that an orc s nature was to be a slave。 Then Jaina shook her head。 However；
there are many who think as you do。 It is why women have to work twice as hard to achieve the same position as a
man which is why I trust Lorena more than any of my other colonels。 She will learn the truth。
At that； Thrall threw his massive head back and laughed heartily。 You are a fine woman； Jaina Proudmoore。 You
remind me how much I still have to learn about humans； despite having been raised by them。
Given who raised you； I d say that was more because you were raised by them。
Thrall nodded。 A fine point。 Have your female colonel investigate the matter。 We will speak again when she is
done。 He moved toward the rope ladder that still dangled from the hovering airship。
Thrall。 He stopped and turned to face her。 She gave him as encouraging a look as she could。 We will not let this
alliance fail。
Again； he nodded。 No； we shall not。 With that； he climbed the rope。
Jaina； for her part； muttered an incantation in a language known only to mages； then took a deep breath。 Her
stomach felt as if it were being sucked out through her nose； as the butte； the airship； Thrall； and Razor Hill shifted
and altered around her； growing indistinct and hazy。 A moment； and then everything coalesced into the familiar
surroundings of her chambers on the top floor of the largest of the castles that made up the tallest structures in
Theramore。
She did most of the work of state here； in this small room with its desk and thousands of scrolls； rather than in the
throne room； an ostentatious title for a like space。 Jaina sat in that throne as little as possible even during the
weekly occasions when she saw petitioners； she generally paced in front of the embarrassingly large chair rather
than actually park herself in it and used the room sparingly。 These chambers felt more like Antonidas s study；
where she learned her craft； plete with disanized desk and badly sorted scrolls。 That made it feel like home。
Something else the throne room had that the chambers didn t was a window with a view。 Jaina knew she d never
get any work done if there was a view of Theramore she would be distracted alternately by wonder at what they d
built here and fright at her responsibility for it。
Teleporting was always an intense； draining process； and while Jaina s training allowed her to be battleready
instantly upon pleting a teleport； all things being equal； she preferred to give herself a little time to recover。 She
gave herself those moments now before calling out to her secretary。 Duree！
The old widow came in through the main entrance。 The chambers had three entrances。 Two of them were known to
all： the one Duree had just used； and the one to the hallway and staircase that led to Jaina s private apartments。 The
third was a secret passageway meant to be an escape route。 Only six other people knew of it； and five of those were
the workers who had built it。
Duree glared at Jaina through her spectacles。 No need to shout； I m sitting right outside the door like I always am。
How d your meeting with the orc go？
Sighing； Jaina said； not for the first time； His name is Thrall。
Duree waved her arms about so much that the frail woman almost lost her balance。 Her spectacles fell off her nose
and dangled from their string around her neck。 I know； but it s such a stupid name。 I mean； orcs have names like
Hellscream and Doomhammer and Drek Than and Burx and the like； and he calls himself Thrall？ What self
respecting orc would call himself that？
Not bothering to explain that Thrall was more selfrespecting than any orc she d known since the explanation had
never worked the previous hundred times she d tried it Jaina said instead； It s Drek Thar； not Drek Than。
Either way。 Duree put her spectacles back on her nose。 Those are good orc names。 Not Thrall。 Anyhow； how d it
go？
We have a problem。 Get Kristoff in here； and have one of the boys find Colonel Lorena and tell her to put a detail
together that s traveling to Northwatch； and then to report to me。 Jaina sat at her desk and started sorting through
the scrolls； trying to find the shipping reports。
Why Lorena？ Shouldn t you get Lothar or Pierce？ Someone less I don t know； feminine？ They re a rough bunch
in Northwatch。
Wondering if she was going to have this conversation every time Lorena s name came up； Jaina said； Lorena s
tougher than Lothar and Pierce bined。 She ll be fine。
Duree pouted； a poor sight on such an old woman。 It ain t right。 Military ain t women s work。
Giving up on finding the shipping records； she instead glared at her secretary。 Neither is running a citystate。
Well； that s different； Duree said weakly。
How？
It just is。
Jaina shook her head。 Three years； and Duree had yet to e up with a better answer than that。 Just go get
Kristoff and send for Lorena before I turn you into a newt。
You turn me into a newt； you ll never find anything again。
Throwing up her hands in frustration。 I can t find anything now。 Where are the damn shipping records？
Smiling； Duree said； Kristoff has em。 I ll tell him to bring em when he es； shall I？
Please。
Duree bowed； which caused her spectacles to fall off again。 Then she left the chambers。 Jaina briefly considered
throwing a fireball after her； but decided against it。 Duree was right without her； Jaina never would be able to find
anything。
Moments later； Kristoff arrived； several scrolls in hand。 Duree said you wanted to see me； milady。 Or did you just
want these？ He indicated the scrolls。
Both； actually。 Thank you； she added as she took the scrolls from him。
Kristoff was Jaina s chamberlain。 While she ruled Theramore； Kristoff was the one who ran it。 His capacity for
irritating minutiae made him ideal for the job； and had been the primary thing keeping Jaina from indulging in a
homicidal rage when being leader became too much for her notverybroad shoulders to bear。 He had been the clerk
to Highlord Garithos before the war； when his anizational skills had bee legendary。
Certainly； he did not advance in the military due to any physical prowess。 Kristoff was tall but rail thin； seeming
almost as fragile as Duree； who at least had old age to blame。 His straight； dark； justpastshoulderlength hair
framed an angular face and hawk nose； a visage that seemed to wear a perpetual scowl。
Jaina shared Thrall s story of the attack on ath ar and the nearby vessel doing nothing to help。
Raising a thin eyebrow； Kristoff said； The story does not seem credible。 Half a league off Ratchet； you said？
Jaina nodded。
There were no military boats assigned to that region； milady。
The fog was thick it s possible that the boat Captain Bolik saw was off course。
Kristoff nodded； conceding the point。 However； milady； it is also possible that Captain Bolik was mistaken。
It seems unlikely。 Jaina walked around to the other side of her desk and sat in the chair； placing the shipping
records on the only open space。 Orcs have keener eyesight than we do； remember； and they tend to use the most
gifted in eyesight as lookouts。
We must also consider the possibility that the orcs are lying。 Before Jaina could object to this notion which she
very much intended to do Kristoff held up a longfingered hand。 I do not speak of Thrall； now； milady。 The orcs
Warchi