He turned to look at both men, somehow holding them both within his gaze at the same time, despite their seats a distance away from each other. "I do not believe you both to have raised fools. I know the Blackthorn's to be military men. You did not detest Dominus Patrick, as many did, did you? You recognized strength for what it was, did you not?"
"His ability was sound," Lord Blackthorn said, his voice deep and resounding as he broke the rule that Oliver had assumed – that the crowd was not allowed to speak. "As a Sword, he was remarkable."
Oliver noted the distinction today between Sword and General. Lord Blackthorn was a General – he seemed to place great emphasis on the fact that Dominus was a sword. They were two different sorts of powers. Oliver hadn't heard the expression before, not until Hod had set it out in front of him, but it made a considerable degree of sense.
