Others might not know what kind of person Martin was, but how could Annan not know?
If Martin had fallen asleep at his post, tumbled off it, caught a cold in the bitter wind, or mistaken allies for enemies, Annan wouldn't have been surprised. But taking out a dozen spies trying to sneak into the Military Camp?
Annan would sooner believe Lily was a deity.
If the report was true, there was only one possibility: that wasn't Martin.
The more Annan thought about it, the more frightened he became. Had someone taken over Martin's body!?
"Well, what happened was a little complicated..."
The messenger explained that Martin had remembered the password wrong and mistaken the spies who gave the correct response for spies who had answered incorrectly. He had done the right thing for entirely the wrong reason.
That made much more sense, but Annan still had trouble believing it. "He really killed people? That many?"
"Yes. One arrow each. Not one escaped."
There was even a note of admiration in the messenger's voice. He knew nothing of Martin's past. All he knew was that even Lord Annan's cousin was this formidable—
Annan hesitated again. "You're talking about Martin?"
"Of course."
"Tall, with short brown hair?"
"Yes."
"Two eyes, one nose, and a mouth?"
"Uh... who doesn't have those?"
"Doesn't look very bright?"
"A little, yes..."
"Gluttonous, lazy, inflexible, and completely lacking in social skills?"
"My lord," the messenger said loudly, "I'm certain he's your cousin!"
"All right... Go ask Reynaldo if any important guests have yet to arrive."
The messenger ran out and soon returned. All the guests had arrived, he said, though a few distinguished guests were unsuited to appearing here and would visit privately later.
"Good. Let's go to the City Guard's Camp."
Annan and Maria hurried