"Melletin jumped up on a barrel beside Ramil. "Brigardians, are you with the Dark Prince?" "Aye!" shouted his countrymen. "What about you other men?" Ramil asked, looking across the crowd of faces drawn from all parts of the Empire. The slave who had challenged him took one look at Yelena, then raised his hand. "I'm in. It seems you might know what you're doing after all." Ramil grinned. "I can't promise that--but I can promise that I'll buy you a drink if we're still alive by the end of tomorrow!"