ascendant. Menandore. Sister Dawn-’
If anything, Ruin’s voice grew even colder as he demanded, ‘What has she to do with this?’
‘Balance, you ignorant fool!’ Rin Varalath’s shriek echoed in the chamber.
‘Where is she now?’ Silchas Ruin asked.
Alas,’ replied Draxos Hulch, ‘we do not know. But she is close, for reasons that are entirely her own. She will, I fear, oppose you, should you decide to force your way past us.’
‘I seek the soul of Scabandari Bloodeye. I do not understand that you would object to such a goal.’
‘We see the truth of that,’ said Ordant Brid.
A long moment of silence. The five Onyx Wizards faced a nonplussed Silchas Ruin, who seemed at a loss for words.
‘It is,’ said Penith Vinandas, ‘a question of… compassion.’
‘We are not fools,’ said Ordant Brid. ‘We cannot oppose you. Perhaps, however, we can guide you. The journey to the place you seek is arduous-the path is not straight. Silchas Ruin, it is with some astonishment that I tell you that we have reached something of a consensus on this. You have no idea how rare such a thing is-granted, I speak of a compromise, one which sits uneasier with some of us than with others. Nonetheless, we have agreed to offer you a guide.’
‘A guide? To lead me on this crooked path, or tug me ever astray from it?’
‘Such deceit would not work for very long.’
‘True; nor would I be merciful upon its discovery.’
‘Of course.’
Silchas Ruin crossed his arms. ‘You will provide us with a guide. Very well. Which of you has volunteered?’
‘Why, none of us,’ said Ordant Brid. ‘The need for us here prevents such a thing. As you said, a spear of ice is directed at us, and while we cannot shatter it, perhaps we can… redirect it. Silchas Ruin, your guide shall be the Mortal Sword of the Black-Winged Lord.’ At that, the wizard gestured.
Clip rose to his feet, then began his descent to the Disc of Concordance. The chain and its rings appeared in his hand, whirring, then snapping, then whirring out again.
‘He is Anomander’s Mortal Sword?’ Silchas Ruin asked in obvious disbelief as he stared up at this meeting’s audience of one.
Clip smiled. ‘Do you think he would be displeased?’
After a moment, the brother of Rake grimaced, then shook his head. ‘Probably not.’
‘Come the morrow,’ Ordant Brid said, ‘we will begin preparing the way for the continuation of your journey.’
Reaching the edge of the lowest tier, Clip dropped lightly onto the polished stone of the Disc, then approached Silchas Ruin, the chain in his hand spinning and clacking.
‘Must you always do that?’ Silchas Ruin demanded. ‘Do what?’
Silchas Ruin walked into the chamber, followed a moment later by the Tiste Andii, Clip.
Seren Pedac felt a sudden chill, although she could not determine its source. Clip was smiling, but it was a cynical smile, and it seemed his eyes held steady on Fear Sengar, as if awaiting some kind of challenge.
‘Acquitor,’ said Silchas Ruin, releasing the clasp of his cloak as he walked over to the stone table against a far wall, where waited wine and food, ‘at least one mystery has been answered.’
‘Oh?’
‘The preponderance of wraiths here in the Andara, the countless ghosts of dead Tiste Andii-I know why they are here.’
‘I am sorry, I did not know this place was crowded with wraiths. I’ve not even seen Wither lately.’
He glanced across at her, then poured himself a goblet of wine. ‘It is extraordinary,’ he murmured, ‘how something as basic as the absence of a taste on the tongue can prove the most excruciating torture… when one is buried for thousands of years.’
She watched him take a mouthful of the watery wine, watched him savour it. Then he said, ‘Time, Acquitor. The Omtose Phellack ritual, which froze all in place, defied Hood himself-apologies, Hood is the Lord of Death. The ghosts-they had nowhere to go. Easily captured and enslaved by the Tiste Edur, but many others managed to evade that fate, and they are here, among their mortal kin. The Onyx Wizards speak of compassion and balance, you see…’
No, 1 do not, but I think that is of no matter. ‘Will the wizards help us?’
A wry grimace from Silchas Ruin, then he shrugged. ‘Our fell party now has a new member, Acquitor, who is charged with guiding us to what we seek.’ Fear Sengar, suddenly tense, stepped close to Clip. Tiste Andii,’ he said, ‘know this, please. I possess no enmity towards you or your people. If indeed you will lead us to where the soul of Scabandari is bound, I will be in your debt
— indeed, all of the Edur will be in your debt.’
Clip grinned. ‘Oh, you don’t want that, warrior.’
Fear seemed taken aback.
‘You,’ said Silchas Ruin to the Tiste Edur, ‘pose the gravest threat to these Andii. Your kind has good reason to hunt down every last one of them; nor are the Letherii well disposed to them, given their resistance to the annexation
— a resistance that continues to this day. Bluerose does not appreciate being occupied; nor do the humans who lived in peace alongside those possessing Andii blood in their veins hold any loyalty to the Letherii conquerors. When the Onyx
Order ruled, it was a distant sort of rule, reluctant to interfere in daily activities and making few demands on the populace.
And now, Fear Sengar, your kind rule the Letherii, com
pounding the resentment seething in Bluerose.’
‘I cannot speak for the empire,’ Fear said. ‘Only for myself. Yet I believe that, should events transpire in the manner I desire, then true liberation may be the reward granted by the Edur for their assistance-to the entire province of Bluerose and all its inhabitants. Certainly, I would argue for that.’
Clip’s laugh was sardonic.
The chain spun to wrap tight around his right hand, yet that served as his only comment to these grave pronouncements and bold promises.
Seren Pedac felt sick inside. Clip, this maddening pup with his chain and rings, his ever-mocking expression…
Oh, Fear Sengar, do not trust this one. Do not trust him at all.
‘Are you certain you want to do this, Overseer?’
Brohl Handar glanced across at the Atri-Preda. ‘This expedition is to be punitive, Bivatt. No formal proclamation of war has been made-the missive from Letheras is very clear on this. Apparently, it falls under my duties as Overseer to ensure that the engagement does not exceed its parameters. You march to hunt down and destroy those who slaughtered the settlers.’
Her eyes remained on the columns of Letherii and Edur troops marching along the road. Dust hung in the air, staining the sky’s bright blue. The sound from the army reminded Brohl Handar of broken ice groaning and crunching its way down a river. Bivatt spoke. ‘That is precisely my intention, Overseer. That and nothing more, as I have been commanded.’
He studied her for a moment longer, then shifted on the saddle to ease the strain on his lower back-he preferred admiring horses from afar to perching atop the damned things. It seemed they understood his distaste and reciprocated in kind, and this one was in the habit of tossing its head as it drew up from every canter, clearly seeking to crack Brohl’s chin. The Atri-Preda told him he leaned too far forward, and the horse knew it and saw the error as an opportunity to inflict damage. The Tiste Edur was not looking forward to this journey. ‘Nonetheless,’ he finally said, ‘I will accompany you.’
He knew she was unhappy with the prospect. Yet he had his own bodyguards, from his own tribe. His own carriage and driver and team of oxen. More than enough supplies to ensure they were not a burden on the military train.
‘I remain concerned for your safety,’ she said.
