Orb Sceptre Throne

nails. Scour my hands. Before — before I touch anything.’

‘Barathol … you’re clean enough-’

‘No!’ He pressed the heels of his palms to his eyes. ‘Dammit, woman, just do as I ask for once.’

Scillara backed away. Fine. Just this once then! She went to fill the pot.

*

Chal Grilol had been a woodwright turning out spoked wheels for wagons and chests, benches, just about anything anyone required in the neighbourhood. Then the joint-ache took his hands and he couldn’t hold a tool no more. He couldn’t work so he lost his home; his boys were long gone and the wife was dead so he was out on the street sleeping under a wharf on the waterfront. Tonight he was out fishing off the end of the dock, using a lantern to lure fingerlings.

Then along came this two-wheeled cart pushed backwards up the dock by a shaggy man all dirty and wild- haired and muttering to himself. And while Chal watched, amazed, this burly fellow proceeded to toss tools and bits and pieces from the cart into the lake. He threw hammers as far as he could out into the waves. Wearing thick leather gloves he tossed handfuls of smaller tools like scatterings of stones off the dock. Then he got up on to the cart and kicked over a big anvil that fell with a resounding bang that shook the entire dock from end to end. This he pushed over and over until he tipped it off the end with a huge splash. Last, the gloves themselves followed into the drink.

Dusting his hands, the fellow turned to Chal, still sitting, pole in his hands. He took out a soot-smeared rag and wiped his face and hands then peered down, frowning. ‘You might be thinking to yourself, friend: “That lot could be worth a copper or two.” But don’t consider it.’ He leaned even closer and there was something in his eyes, something wild and terrible. ‘They’re cursed, friend. Touched with a fearsome curse.’ He glanced about as if listening to the night, the water lapping, the boats groaning against their berths. ‘Even now it might not be safe.’ And he patted Chal’s shoulder and started up the dock with his cart. ‘G’night!’

As the creaking of the cartwheels diminished up the waterfront Chal sat listening and it seemed to him that the murmur of the water had taken on a more ominous hollow moaning and that the wheels’ groaning had returned to his ears — this time accompanied by the jangling of metal chain, perhaps from the nearby ships. Pole in one hand and lantern in the other, he ran. His naked feet slapped the grey boards as he went and a cold chill seemed to nip at them with each step.

*

Spindle was half awake in the bar common room, chin in hands, dredging his brain trying to figure out what that damned alchemist-mage, Baruk, had been trying to tell him. There must be something there. He was sure of it. Why else let him go? Why else hint at … whatever it was he meant? Something was there just beyond his reach; it was driving him crazy.

At the barrier they’d thrown across the door, watching the night-time street, Blend recrossed her legs and tilted back in her chair, her crossbow on her lap. Then the long stone counter of the bar exploded. There was no other word for it. It just burst with an eruption that sent Blend cartwheeling backwards, the crossbow firing, to fall on her back. Spindle fell from his chair and scooted under the table.

Feet thumped and in came Duiker wearing a shirt and trousers, sheathed sword in hand, followed by Picker in a long nightshirt. The bard, Fisher, was out: taking the mood of the city, or some damned thing like that.

‘What happened?’ Picker demanded. Peering up, Spindle thought the woman’s heavy unbound breasts pushed out the nightshirt in a very appealing way.

‘Damned bar cracked,’ Blend said. ‘Spin … Get outta there, Spin. Take a look.’

‘Fell out of my chair, that’s all.’ He straightened, adjusted his shirt. She waved him to the bar.

The stone was cracked clean across. Dust still lingered in the air. ‘More of the same,’ he said. ‘This place is under some kinda pressure. Like it’s bein’ twisted and squeezed. Just like K’rul himself.’

‘Herself,’ Blend corrected. ‘You saw her.’

‘Yeah. But I always thought o’ K’rul as a he.’

‘Always been a she — everyone knows that!’

‘Not as I’d heard.’

‘Doesn’t fucking matter!’ Picker cut in. ‘Get your priorities straight, would you? Spin, we in worse trouble now? Should we cut out?’

He laid a hand on the stone counter and tried to sort through the jangling messages blaring from his Warren. Gods! Like an overturned anthill. Everything’s running all over, frantic, hunting for cover from what they don’t even know. Got the feeling it won’t matter where we go …

‘We should stay,’ Duiker suddenly announced. Everyone looked at the old man.

‘Why?’ Blend demanded.

‘I think it helps. Us, people, being here. I think it helps.’

Blend turned to Spindle. ‘Well?’

He gave a quick jerk of his head. ‘Yeah. Not sure we’d be any safer anywhere else.’

‘Good.’ Blend peered about the place, almost possessive. ‘Don’t want to be run out. Got too much invested here.’ She glared at them. ‘Well, get back to sleep. Excitement’s over.’

Spindle watched Picker head back to the old priest cells. Man, haven’t had a woman in a long time if Picker’s lookin’ good. He rubbed his hand on the smooth cold stone. Stone. The stones. Maybe that was it. Something about the stones. Yes! Had to be it. But what? What about the stones?

He slapped the counter. Queen take it! It was infuriating! He knew there was something there. He just couldn’t reach it. Had to be important. It just had to be.

Jan lay in the quarters that had been set up for the Seguleh among the rambling rooms of Majesty Hall. One of the Hundredth came to let him know that the Legate required him in the Great Hall. He nodded and rose.

Required. Their new status here. Servants. Servants to the Throne. Yet it was not as if this were new. They were merely returning to their original place. Their original role. Was this not all they had yearned for during the long exile? Why then his disquiet, his unease?

Too proud for service? Too arrogant to bend the knee? Was that his trouble?

Perhaps. Yet he could not help suspecting that the cause lay deeper than that. Something more integral, more essential.

He found the Great Hall crowded with councillors, city aristocrats, court functionaries, and general hangers- on such as Lady Envy — many of whom had no actual purpose but who seemed able to behave as if they did. He ignored them all, of course, not being of the sword. Even those who did wear weapons on their hips, such as some of the councillors. He and his brothers and sisters had had to come up with a new category for those individuals: eunuchs who still retained their weapons.

Talk was a low murmur — perhaps so that everyone could eavesdrop on everyone else. Jan walked straight for the throne. Four of the Twenty guarded it. Also present were those two shabby guards. They stood off to one side among the pillars of the colonnade. Right now their crossbows hung at their sides as they ate some sort of steamed buns. It occurred to Jan that they always seemed to be eating.

The Mouthpiece approached, looking as pale and haggard as always. He appeared sick, fevered perhaps, sweaty, a hand constantly at his throat. ‘Second,’ he greeted him. Jan bowed. ‘We have a prisoner. A spy who worked against us. He must be executed.’

Jan gave the slightest of shrugs. ‘Executed? Very well. Let it be done.’

The Mouthpiece wiped his brow, swallowed, and held his stomach, pained. ‘You do not seem to understand. The execution is for you Seguleh to perform. You must see to it.’

Jan faced the gold-masked figure on the throne. ‘There must be some misunderstanding. We are warriors, not headsmen. We do not kill prisoners.’

The gold oval edged his way. It seemed to Jan that the graven half-smile on the lips took on a cold aloofness. ‘You Seguleh have always been my executioners,’ said the Mouthpiece. ‘That is the purpose for which I moulded you. The perfect executioners who slew any and all who opposed me. Now … fulfil your role.’

It was not only the speed of Jan’s reflexes that had raised him to the rank of Second; it was also the quickness of his mind. And so in answer he merely inclined his mask slightly and turned to leave.

Now is not the time, nor the place. Leaping into opposition now would mean