The Night of the Swarm

loyalty to a symbol, a moth-eaten banner. A rotted man.’

Isiq released him. ‘A great mess,’ he agreed. ‘Nothing for it now but to start the clean-up.’

So it was that hours before dawn the tiny fleet that stood for Maisa of Arqual left the port of Ormael. At the harbour mouth they divided into three, saluted one another with roars and cannon-fire, and began their lives as hunted men.

Isiq took his squadron east, and was under fire by noon. A second squadron tacked west into the Nelu Gila: waters that no Empire but the Mzithrin had ever held. And Commodore Darabik took his forces south towards Locostri, and was caught by a task force of Arquali destroyers. The latter vessels had the wind, and closed quickly, and Darabik’s entire squadron went down under a bright blue sky.

27

Souls Set Free

‘By all that’s holy, doubt your instincts!’ my mother told me when I came of age, ‘and trust even less in those weak organs, the eyes. Wait for the heart’s eye to open. Then you’ll know how long you’ve lived in the dark.’

— Embers of Ixphir House by Hercol Ensyriken ap Ixhxchr

9 Fuinar 942

297th day from Etherhorde

‘Ah, Master Stargraven! I knew you would be back.’

Felthrup led the way down the ancient passage with its rotting wares. Ahead in the enchanted brig, the antique lamp burned on its chain as before, and the light gleamed on the unlocked cells. He was terrified, and elated. His scholarship was paying off — and more importantly, he had friends beside him. Marila and Fiffengurt would need his guidance. They had never faced a demon before.

This time the maukslar had not bothered with a disguise. It stood at the centre of its cell looking just as Felthrup remembered: talons, wings, bloated body, gleaming gold eyes. Its hands rested lightly on the bars of the cell; lamplight glittered on its rings.

‘Shall we bargain, rat?’ it said.

‘Oh yes,’ said Felthrup. ‘That is indeed why we came.’

The three humans remained silent, as he had hoped they would. Marila and Fiffengurt each held a little pouch. The demon studied them, allowing its eyes to linger pointedly on Marila’s belly. Unblinking, the Tholjassan girl met its gaze.

‘Oho, little wife,’ said the maukslar. ‘Ferocity suits you. It will not protect you, however.’

The maukslar turned to the last figure in the brig. It smiled, fat cheeks folding in on themselves. ‘Nilus Rose. Are you come to join your good friend Captain Kurlstaff? He was an amusing companion, while he lived.’

Rose’s eyes betrayed nothing. His voice was low and deadly. ‘Kurlstaff has spoken of you, monster.’

‘Has he spoken of your death? It is very near. You will know shame, then agony; then the plague will simply melt your mind away. You will try to hold on, to remember yourself, to keep your human soul intact. But you will fail. It will pour from you in a rush, like bilge down a drain.’

Captain Rose stepped forward. A show of courage, but he did not truly feel it: Felthrup could smell the terror in the big man’s sweat.

‘Not too near, Captain!’ he squeaked.

Even as he spoke the maukslar hurled itself against the bars with a snarl. Its reach was longer than anyone could have foreseen: one jewelled hand clawed the air just inches from the captain’s face. Fiffengurt hauled Rose back by the arm.

The maukslar straightened, its calm suddenly restored. It held something red between two fingers: a bit of Rose’s beard.

‘I think I shall keep this,’ it said.

‘Abomination!’ shrieked a voice from behind them. ‘Fat toad of Slagarond! Drop that hair!’

It was Lady Oggosk, hobbling down the passage, brandishing her stick. Felthrup winced. He’d been wrong to tell the captain about this place. Neither he nor his witch could help them now.

‘Drop it!’ Oggosk shrieked again. But the maukslar did not obey. Instead it put the wisp of Rose’s beard into its mouth, and swallowed. Oggosk’s face twisted in horror. She struck the iron bars and snapped her stick in two. The maukslar held its vast belly and laughed.

‘Enough, enough!’ cried Felthrup. ‘Duchess, you are not to interfere! Captain Rose, I thought we had an understanding, you and I.’

Rose took Oggosk’s elbow, firmly. ‘Go back to the door,’ he told her, ‘and see that no one approaches. That is my command.’

For once, Oggosk heeded him, though she wept and swore and as she departed, clutching half her stick.

‘The ghosts are thick around you, Captain,’ said the maukslar. ‘They know when one is soon to join their number.’

Marila nudged Felthrup with her foot. She was right; it was for him to take charge.

‘Tulor!’ he said, inching nearer. ‘I am ready for you today, but I warn you that I shall not tolerate behaviour unbecoming in a — that is, poor behaviour of any kind. You have knowledge to barter with? Very good, that is what I require. To begin with-’

‘Free me.’

Mr Fiffengurt snorted. ‘Now there’s a laugh,’ he said.

Felthrup suppressed an urge to bite his ankle. ‘To begin with, I will ask you a simple thing. Is Arunis gone for ever, now that Mr Uskins is dead? Or is there still a man aboard who he has. . infected, as it were?’

The maukslar spat.

‘Hmmph!’ said Felthrup. ‘That is because you don’t know.’

The creature bristled. ‘I was perfectly clear with you, rodent. I will tell you nothing more until I am set free.’

‘But I think you will. I think you will trade knowledge for food.’

‘Food!’The creature looked at him with contempt. ‘Little squirmer! You may keep your shipboard slops. I do not hunger here.’

‘How ungracious!’ said Felthrup. ‘But you must offer him a taste all the same, Marila.’

Marila reached into her pouch and withdrew a gold coin. Taking care not to lean too close, she tossed it through the iron bars. The coin rolled in a half-circle and landed near the maukslar’s taloned feet.

The maukslar did not look at the coin, but it grew very still. Wait, thought Felthrup. The humans were looking at him, perplexed. In his thoughts he begged them to keep silent.

The maukslar crossed its arms. It glared, defiant, its vast chest rising and falling.

Wait.

The fat hands twitched. The golden eyes looked away. Then suddenly the creature threw itself down like a dog before the coin, and ate it. The demon moaned, as a spasm of wild pleasure crossed its face. Droplets of gold sparkled in its mouth, as if the coin had melted there. But the creature’s joy lasted only seconds. It turned Felthrup a look of redoubled hate.