'What else?'
'Well, wherever the fortresses are going, they don't want to be seen.'
'Seen by whom?'
'That I don't know.'
The Adjunct studied the High Mage for a long moment, then she said, 'I want you to find out. Take Kalam and Gesler's squad. Return to the Imperial Warren.'
The assassin slowly nodded to himself, not at all surprised at this insane, absurd command. Find out? Precisely how? 'Have you any suggestions,' Quick Ben asked, his voice now strangely lilting, as it always was when he struggled against speaking his mind, 'on how we might do that?'
'As High Mage, I am certain you can think of some.'
'May I ask, why is this of particular importance to us, Adjunct?'
'The breaching of the Imperial Warren is important to all who would serve the Malazan Empire, would you not agree?'
'I would, Adjunct, but are we not engaged in a military campaign here?
Against the last rebel leader in Seven Cities? Are you not about to lay siege to Y'Ghatan, wherein the presence of a High Mage, not to mention the empire's most skilled assassin, might prove pivotal to your success?'
'Quick Ben,' Tavore said coolly, 'the Fourteenth Army is quite capable of managing this siege without your assistance, or that of Kalam Mekhar.'
All right, that clinches it. She knows about our clandestine meeting with Dujek Onearm and Tayschrenn. And she does not trust us. Probably with good reason.
'Of course,' Quick Ben said, with a modest bow. 'I trust the Burned Tears can resupply our soldiers, then. I request we be permitted to rest until dawn.'
'Acceptable.'
The High Mage turned away, his eyes momentarily meeting Kalam's own.
Aye, Quick, she wants me as far away from her back as possible. Well, this was the Malazan Empire, after all. Laseen's empire, to be more precise. But Tavore, it's not me you have to worry about…
At that moment a figure emerged from the darkness, approaching from one side of the road. Green silks, graceful motion, a face very nearly ethereal in the moonlight. 'Ah, a midnight assignation! I trust all matters of grave import have already been addressed.'
Pearl. Kalam grinned at the man, one hand making a gesture that only another Claw would understand.
Seeing it, Pearl winked.
Soon, you bastard.
Tavore wheeled her horse round. 'We are done here.'
'Might I ride double with one of you?' Pearl asked the assembled Fists.
None replied, and moments later they were cantering up the road.
Pearl coughed delicately in the dust. 'How rude.'
'You walked out here,' Quick Ben said, 'you can walk back in, Claw.'
'It seems I have no choice.' A fluttering wave of a gloved hand. 'Who knows when we'll meet again, my friends. But until then… good hunting…' He walked off.
Now how much did he hear? Kalam took a half-step forward, but Quick Ben reached out and restrained him.
'Relax, he was just fishing. I sensed him circling closer – you had him very nervous, Kal.'
'Good.'
'Not really. It means he isn't stupid.'
'True. Too bad.'
'Anyway,' Quick Ben said, 'you and me and Gesler have to come up with a way to hitch a ride on one of those fortresses.'
Kalam turned his head. Stared at his friend. 'That wasn't a joke, was it?'
'I'm afraid not.'
Joyful Union was basking in the sun as it dined, ringed in by stones, with Bottle lying close by and studying the way it fed as the scorpion snipped apart the capemoth he had given it for breakfast, when a military issue boot crunched down on the arachnid, the heel twisting.
Bottle jerked back in dumbfounded horror, stared up at the figure standing over him, a surge of murderous intent filling his being.
Backlit by the morning light, the figure was little more than a silhouette.
'Soldier,' the voice was a woman's, the accent Korelri, 'which squad is this?'
Bottle's mouth opened and closed a few times, then he said in a low tone, 'This is the squad that will start making plans to kill you, once they find out what you've just done.'
'Allow me,' she said, 'to clarify matters for you, soldier. I am Captain Faradan Sort, and I cannot abide scorpions. Now, I want to see how well you manage a salute while lying down.'
'You want a salute, Captain? Which one? I have plenty of salutes to choose from. Any preference?'
'The salute that tells me you have just become aware of the precipice I am about to kick your ass over. After I shove the sack of bricks up it, of course.'
Oh. 'Standard salute, then. Of course, Captain.' He arched his back and managed to hold the salute for a few heartbeats… waiting for her to respond, which she did not. Gasping, he collapsed back down, inhaling a mouthful of dust.
'We will try that again later, soldier. Your name?'
'Uh, Smiles, sir.'
'Well, I doubt I will see many of those on your ugly face, will I?'
'No, sir.'
She then walked on.
Bottle stared down at the mashed, glittering pulp that had been Joyful Union and half a capemoth. He wanted to cry.
'Sergeant.'
Strings glanced up, noted the torc on the arm, and slowly climbed to his feet. He saluted, studying the tall, straight-backed woman standing before him. 'Sergeant Strings, Captain. Fourth Squad.'
'Good. You are mine, now. My name is Faradan Sort.'
'I was wondering when you'd show up, sir. The replacements have been here for days, after all.'
'I was busy. Do you have a problem with that, Sergeant?'
'No, sir, not one.'
'You are a veteran, I see. You might think that fact yields some relief on my part. It does not. I do not care where you have been, who you served under, or how many officers you knifed in the back. All I care about is how much you know about fighting.'
'Never knifed a single officer, sir… in the back. And I don't know a damned thing about fighting, except surviving it.'
'That will do. Where are the rest of my squads?'
'Well, you're missing one. Gesler's. They're on a reconnaissance mission, no idea when they'll be back. Borduke's squad is over there.'
He pointed. 'With Cord's just beyond. The rest you'll find here and there.'
'You do not bivouac together?'
'As a unit? No.'
'You will from now on.'
'Yes sir.'
