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This Malazan Book of the Fallen Compendium is compiled from Malazan Reread of the Fallen, the content is written by the beautiful people at Tor - Bill Capossere and Amanda Rutter. Text content is released under Creative Commons BY-SA.

This is an unofficial book created and compiled by Atharva Shah for educational purposes and is neither affiliated with Tor nor Steven Erikson. All trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective company owners.

In this Compendium you will find chapter summaries from each book of the Malazan Book of the Fallen Series by Steven Erikson.

Please send feedback and corrections to highnessatharva@gmail.com

Gardens of the Moon

Prologue

Setting: Malaz City

A 12-year-old noble boy, Ganoes Paran, looks down as below him, in the poorest part of the city, army wizards are brutally “cleaning” the quarter at the orders of Surly, the woman who formed the assassin’s cult The Claw and is apparently placing herself as Empress (and taking the name “Laseen”) now that Emperor Kellanved has gone missing. As Paran watches, he’s joined by Whiskeyjack, a commander of the elite Bridgeburner unit who warns him off from becoming a soldier. Ganoes mentions that he’s heard the First Sword of the Emperor, Dassem Ultor, is dead in Seven Cities after betraying a god. Laseen shows up and after a tense conversation with Whiskeyjack, who questions her legitimacy and orders, tells him he and his “seditious” troops will soon be shipping out. Back to top

Chapter One

Setting: Itko Kan, a coastal area on the continent of Quon Tali, seven years later

An old woman and a fishergirl watch a troop of soldiers ride by, the girl impressed but the woman cursing that she’s lost three husbands and two sons to the Empire’s wars and reminiscing of when Itko Kan was independent. The old woman, who is a seer, suddenly prophesizes that the girl will travel with the army across the water to the continent of Genabackis and that a “shadow will embrace your soul.” She “links” with the girl just before a soldier riding by hits and kills the seer (thinking, it seems, she was assaulting the girl). Two men then appear—Cotillion (The Rope or Shadow’s Assassin) and Ammanas (Shadowthrone) who agree to use her and her father in some plan of vengeance against Laseen. They send seven Hounds of Shadow after the troop, then disappear.

Adjunct Lorn—personal assistant to the Empress and a mage killer—is sent to examine the slaughter on the coast of Itko Kan, where a mysterious force has killed an entire group of soldiers and a nearby village, save for two huts empty of bodies, one belonging to an old woman, the other to a young girl and her father. Lt. Garoes Paran is already there. After Lorn decides the attack was magical and a diversion, she co-opts Paran to be a commissioned officer on her staff. She then orders a search be made for the missing father and daughter and asks for a list of new army recruits that may fit their description.

The girl from the first scene joins the Malazan Marines under the name “Sorry” and requests to be sent to Genabackis where, according to the recruiter, the campaign is “a mess.”

Paran investigates the town of Gerrom and finds it completely deserted save for the Imperial Constabulary, which is filled with soldier corpses. Records of recent recruits have been destroyed. Paran is met by Topper, head of the Claw, a mage, and part Tiste Andii. Topper takes Paran by magical warren to Unta, the Empire’s capital, where he briefly meets the Empress (who recalls meeting him seven years earlier) and then the Adjunct before heading home. There, he is met by his younger sister Tavore, who tells him that his parents are gone, his father is ailing, and their youngest sister Felisin is at her studies. Back to top

Chapter Two

Setting: Pale, on the continent of Genabackis, two years later

Two mages, Tattersail and Hairlock, have just survived a spectacularly destructive magic battle with Moon’s Spawn, a floating mountain/sky keep that is home to a large population of Tiste Andii and their lord Anomander Rake. Moon’s Spawn had been protecting Pale, but is now retreating, leaving the city open to the depredations of the Malazan army’s allies, the Moranth. Hairlock is missing the lower half of his body, and as Tattersail wonders at his strange cheer, four Bridgeburners show up (Whiskeyjack, Sorry, Quick Ben, and Kalam). Tattersail learns almost all the Bridgeburners were killed during the attack, buried while tunneling under Pale.

Tattersail flashes back to an earlier planning session that reveals tension and suspicion between the Empress and the Bridgeburners under the command of Dujek Onearm. We learn more about the campaign in Genabackis: the Tiste Andii and the mercenary company the Crimson Guard, under the command of Caladan Brood, have fought the Malazan 5th Army to a standstill in the north, while here at Pale, the High Mage Tayschrenn has arrived to lead an attack on Moon’s Spawn and drive it off. As Tattersail recalls the battle, she realizes Hairlock and her lover Calot (another mage) weren’t killed by Rake but someone else; she suspects Tayschrenn. Two other High Mages were killed: Nightchill was torn limb from limb by a Ken’Ryllah demon (her lover Bellurdan collects the remains) and A’Karonys was crushed by ethereal wings of ice. Moon’s Spawn retreats from the battle, moving south.

Back to present time, Tattersail watches as Quick Ben performs a soul-shifting ritual that puts Hairlock’s mind into a wooden puppet, which they give to her. She agrees to be part of their plans if it means vengeance on Tayschrenn.

The Bridgeburners discuss that the Empress is deliberately killing off all the old guard that served the Emperor.

Tattersail does a reading of the Deck of Dragons while Hairlock observes, and she draws the Knight of Darkness and Oponn, the two-faced Jester of chance. She sees a spinning coin on Oponn’s card, and afterward also hears the sound of a spinning coin. Back to top

Chapter Three

Setting: Genabaris, Pale, on the continent of Genabackis

Sailing to Genabackis, Paran is informed by Topper that he is to take command of Whiskeyjack’s squad (where Sorry—his quarry—is) and take them to the city of Darujhistan, the next on the Empire’s list of conquests. Topper also tells Paran that Sorry has “corrupted” the Bridgeburners and possibly Dujek’s entire army. In the port city of Genabaris, Paran finds out he is to be transported to Pale by the Moranth and their flying Quorls.

Tattersail, in Pale, meets Bellurdan, who is mourning Nightchill and says he plans to raise her barrow on the Rhivi Plain. Meanwhile, Whiskeyjack, Kalam and Quick Ben think that Laseen is trying to eliminate the Bridgeburners, speculate again about who Sorry is, wonder if she was involved in the garroting of an officer, and discuss a plan to “turn the game,” involving Hairlock. Tattersail does a Reading of the Deck of Dragons for Tayshrenn, and sends a message to Whiskeyjack.

In Pale, Paran meets with Toc The Younger, a Claw member, who warns him that both Whiskeyjack and Dujek are hugely popular among the soldiers and hints that the soldiers’ loyalty to the Empress shouldn’t be tested. He also tells him that his Claw Master was assassinated.

Paran meets several of the Bridgeburners, then is killed by Sorry/Cotillion on his way to the barracks. Shadowthrone and Cotillion discuss their ongoing vengeance scheme with Laseen and that something has entered their Shadow warren. Back to top

Chapter Four

Setting: Pale

Tattersail meets with Whiskeyjack, Quick Ben, Fiddler, and Kalam to tell them Hairlock is insane. They reveal their suspicions about Sorry being connected to Shadow as well as their theory that Shadowthrone and Cotillion are in fact Emperor Kellanved and Dancer. We learn that Shadow’s throne was originally occupied by a Tiste Edur, but had been empty for millennia until the Emperor and Dancer’s deaths. Fiddler senses something happening, possibly involving Sorry, and the squad takes off.

Paran awakens before Hood’s Gate but before he is claimed by Hood, Oponn (the twins of Chance) interfere to have someone close to Paran take his place in death’s realm in the future. After they leave, Shadowthrone arrives and agrees to let Paran live so he can use him to find out who opposes his plans. Paran wakes in front of the Bridgeburners looking over what they had thought was his corpse; they bring him to the barracks.

Tattersail does a Deck reading, which includes the Mason of High House Death in a prominent position, and predicts a confrontation between the Knight of Darkness and High House Shadow.

Whiskeyjack and Dujek discuss their belief that the Empire is trying to kill the Bridgeburners. Dujek tells Whiskeyjack the Bridgeburners have his permission to “walk” (desert); Whiskeyjack responds that the soldiers will back Dujek.

The Bridgeburners and Tattersail meet and discuss that Hairlock is being chased by Hounds through the warrens, that Sorry probably tried to kill Paran and is a tool of Shadow, and that some outside force (a god or Ascendant most likely) intervened in opposition to Shadow and plans to use Paran somehow. Tattersail agrees to nurse Paran back to health while the Ninth Squad head to Darujhistan.

Gear, a Hound of Shadow, chases Hairlock out of the warren and tracks him to Tattersail’s room, where it attacks. Hairlock tries to steal Gear’s soul, but Paran wounds the Hound with his sword Chance and it retreats. Paran and Tattersail both hear a spinning coin. End of Book One. Back to top

Chapter Five

Setting: Darujhistan, on the continent of Genabackis

Kruppe dreams of walking out of the city and encountering 6 beggars in an inn on a hilltop. The beggars are consecutively presented as either his Gifts, Doubts, Virtues or Hungers, and a seventh figure may be his Humility. They mention the “youth at whose feet the Coin shall fall,” and Kruppe also hears the spinning Coin.

Crokus Younghand, a young thief, breaks into an estate, stealing the jewelry of a beautiful young maiden, Challice d’Arle. Before he leaves, he admires her sleeping form. Nearby, an assassin named Talo Krafar is injured by a crossbow bolt and, trying to ambush his supposed hunter, shoots at Crokus exiting the d’Arle estate, but Crokus avoids the bolt when he bends down to pick up a dropping coin. Moments later, Krafar is murdered on Krul’s Belfry, and two of his killers set off after Crokus, who has a series of lucky coincidences as he manages to escape from them. The killers—apparently assassins with magical abilities—mention that an Ascendant meddled, and that they want no witnesses. Back to top

Chapter Six

Crone, a Great Raven of Moon’s Spawn flies down to Darujhistan on a mission from Rake to seek out a particular sorcerer.

A guard with the alias Circle Breaker mans his position at the Despot’s Barbican and watches as two Darujhistan councilmen meet: Turban Orr and an as-yet unnamed one. The guard muses on an upcoming civil war.

High Alchemist Baruk reads a message from Circle Breaker, informing him of Orr’s meeting (the other councilman was Feder). We learn Circle Breaker is a servant of the Eel, a mysterious, unknown but powerful figure in Darujhistan, that Baruk is a “secret” power in the city and fighting for its defense, and that Circle Breaker and the Eel have been feeding Baruk information for a year. Crone arrives at Baruk’s window to request a meeting with Rake. Orr arrives.

Assassin Rollick Nom spies on Lady Simtal and Councilman Lim at her estates. Nom is there to avenge a friend against Simtal. He overhears Lim tell Simtal that Baruk has power of some sort and mentions a secret “cabal.”

Orr and Baruk speak (Crone appears as a dog to Orr) and Orr wants Baruk to agree (and convince the city’s mages as well) to a proclamation of neutrality with the Empire. He tells Baruk that an Empire Claw assassinated all the mages of Pale before the attack. Baruk says his information contradicts this, and refuses to support Orr’s proposition of neutrality. Crone hears a spinning coin and senses a tremble of power from somewhere in the city.

Rollick hears the coin as well and suddenly changes his mind, assassinating Councilman Lim instead of Lady Simtal. Later Ocelot, an assassin Clan leader, tells Rollick that Darujhistan’s assassins are being hunted; they suspect Claws. Rollick is to be bait for a trap.

Crone tells Baruk that a convergence of power is starting. Rake arrives with Dragnipur, his impressive sword, to seek alliance. He tells Baruk that the Claws did not kill Pale’s mages: Rake killed the Claws, but that the mages fled. Rake demands their heads. He also says Tayschrenn attacked his own people. Baruk agrees to give up the mages rather than have Rake use Dragnipur on them.

Inside the Phoenix Inn, Crokus, Murillio, and Kruppe play cards. Coll is passed out drunk. Crokus tells of assassins being killed. Rallick arrives and says it’s just rumor. Crokus suspects Rallick and Murillio of conspiring. We learn Crokus apprenticed in thievery with Kruppe, whose “mask of blissful idiocy” has never slipped in the years Crokus has known him. Back to top

Chapter Seven

Kruppe dreams and meets the Elder K’Rul, who tells him to seek out Adjunct Lorn and Tool, the “Awakeners,” and then says he (K’Rul) will lose a battle.

Circle Breaker waits to deliver a plea for help against Turban Orr to an agent of the Eel, but then tears up the message.

Lady Simtal accuses Orr of appeasing the Empire w/ “neutrality” to gain the title of Fist. She fears the traditional Malazan culling of the nobility. She asks Orr set up the murder of coll, her ex-husband.

Murillio manipulates two invitations from Lady Orr to Lady Simtal’s party on Gedderone’s Eve.

Rallick warns Crokus off of thieving the Orr estate. Crokus asks Kruppe (his fence) for his D’Arle stolen goods back and shows Kruppe the coin of Oponn. Rallick and Murillio meet, deduce Crokus is infatuated with Challice D’Arle, and decide to conspire in turning Crokus “honest.”

Baruk is bothered by noisy roadworkers outside his estate. Kruppe arrives and the two discuss assassins being killed by some outside force and then Kruppe shows Barkuk a wax copy of Oponn’s coin and tells him Crokus is its owner. Baruk tells Kruppe to protect the coinbearer but also to prepare Rallick for the possibility of killing him if necessary. Back to top

Chapter Eight

Whiskeyjack and the others have been deposited and armed w/ munitions by the Moranth, who seem to approve of the Bridgeburners, though they recognize the corruption within the Empire. Whiskeyjack tells the squad they’re dropping the Empress’ plan for conquering the city of Darujhistan since it appeared intended to get the Bridgeburners killed, and that they will be following his own plan instead.

Quick Ben meets Hairlock within the warren. Hairlock, who is growing more independent, more powerful, and less sane from his use of Chaos, tells him of the Hound’s attack, Tattersail’s injury, and that Paran’s strange ability to wound the Hound implies the meddling of god(s).

Quick Ben proposes something, which leaves both Whiskeyjack and Kalam “shaken.” Back to top

Chapter Nine

Toc the Younger is three days out from Pale on the Rhivi Plain looking for Adjunct Lorn. He comes across a group of Malazan Marine elites killed by a group of Barghast (a clans-based people from far away who fought with the Crimson Guard against the Empire). He finds the corpse of the Barghast shaman who had led them (Lorn has a reputation for being tough on magic-users which turns out to be thanks to her sword made of Otataral, a substance that “kills” magic save for “Elder” magic) and then follows the tracks away.

Lorn and the two remaining marines make their stand on an ancient barrow. The marines are killed but Lorn is rescued by the T’lan Imass Tool and Toc, whose father she knew before he disappeared after the Emperor’s death). As they leave, Tool tells Lorn the barrow “yielded a truth.”

Tattersail awakes and she and Paran discuss what happened: that a god intervened to bring him back, that Whiskeyjack needs to know his assassin, that the coin has stopped spinning, that Paran is being used, that Hairlock wants both of them dead.

Toc and Lorn arrive in Pale. Toc tells her that rumor is that the Bridgeburners will be disbanded, which will be trouble. She recognizes the army is on edge of revolt. She and Dujek meet and he informs her Tayschrenn has ordered a more-than-usually-severe culling of the nobles and that he (Dujek) has had several attempts on his life. Lorn wonders why the Empress/Tayschrenn seem to be pushing him into rebellion, especially as their homeland is on the verge of the same. Dujek and Lorn agree the Moranth alliance with the Empire seems tenuous. Lorn tells Tayschrenn to lay off Dujek, that he and a handful are the only exceptions to the general idea that the “old guard” of the Emperor must die. Tayschrenn tells Lorn Oponn is meddling in Darujhistan, that he suspects Whiskeyjack and Tattersail of being in league, and that Paran is likely dead though not passed through Hood’s Gate yet. The section closes with Lorn recalling bad history with Tattersail in Mock City nine years earlier during the cleansing of the Mouse quarter.

Tattersail muses on several topics:

• She’s glad she missed the chaos and death in Pale, a scene she’s seen before.
• That the Empire would soon turn Pale’s past rulers into “demons.”
• She hopes, to her surprise, that Whiskeyjack and the others find their way free of Empire.
• The mutual attraction between her and Paran.

She’s invited to a dinner with Dujek, Lorn, Tayschrenn, and Toc and learns from Paran’s reaction that he’s working for Lorn.

The dinner. Lorn informs Tattersail that when Lorn was eleven, she was in the Mouse Quarter when Tattersail and the other mages purged it and that her mother, father, and brother died afterward. Lorn tells Dujek that Tattersail’s cadre of mages was sent into the Old City to cleanse it of magic-users, but they were “indiscriminate.” Tattersail replies it was their first command and they lost control and that she resigned as an officer the next day, but that if the Adjunct wishes to execute her, she’d accept it as just penalty. Lorn says fine but Dujek says no, especially as the list of far too great of those who’ve committed crimes in the Empire’s name. He then tells them he’d gone down to reign in the mages at Whiskeyjack’s command. Tayschrenn tells Lorn the minute she became Adjunct her personhood as Lorn, as that young girl, ceased to exist. Toc thinks to himself as he saw the Adjunct slow acceptance, that he had witnessed an execution.

Tattersail informs them Oponn and Shadowthrone are in the fray over Darujhistan but lies about why the Hound was in her room. Toc notes the lie but doesn’t rat her out, paying back the times the mage cadre had taken so much for the lives of the 2nd Army.

Tattersail thinks of how she’s changed since that night in the Mouse Quarter and how she’d been given a second chance. Paran relays a message from Hairlock that Lorn arrived with a T’lan Imass and that Hairlock would track the two of them when they left Pale. Paran confesses to her his mission to find Sorry, though she suspects there is more to the Adjuncts arrival than the hunt for Sorry, that the plan was to kill Whiskeyjack and his squad. She worries Hairlock knows more than he said and decides she needs to warn Whiskeyjack and Quick Ben about him and the Adjunct. She also tells Paran that she will leave what happens to Sorry up to Whiskeyjack. The two of them sleep together.

Lorn and Tool leave Pale. Tool informs her the T’lan Imass legions left Seven Cities after the conquest to exterminate a group of Jaghut. He alone survived among his clan and thus is “unbound.” He tells her like all the Imass, he knelt before the Emperor before the First Throne, that Dancer had been with the Emperor, and that the Logros Imass gathered minds and performed a binding, part of which entails not being able to disclose where the First Throne is. He also informs her that the Kron T’lan Imass is coming, marking the end of the diaspora, as it’s the Year of the Three Hundredth Millennium.

Crone flies over the Rhivi Plain toward Brood, noting that change was coming, a convergence on its way. Back to top

Chapter Ten

Toc meets Paran and tells him he is a soldier of the 2nd rather than a Claw. Paran tells him Tattersail is on the way to Darujhistan and believes Lorn means to kill Whiskeyjack and his squad, though he doesn’t agree. Toc says Lorn’s mission is well beyond killing Sorry and that the Bridgeburners days are numbered which will lead to mutiny and civil war. Paran decides to go to Darujhistan and Toc says he’ll go with him.

Tattersail is travelling by warren but something is deadening her magic. She finally exits the warren on the Rhivi Plain and finds Bellurdan, sent by Tayschrenn to intercept her. He tells her it was Tool’s Elder magic power that created a magical dead space. Tattersail asks Bellurdan what Tayschrenn sent him to Genabaris for and he tells her it was to seek an ancient Jaghut text Gothos’ Folly to learn about the entombment of a Jaghut tyrant near Darujhistan. She realizes Lorn’s task is to free the Jaghut, but Bellurdan argues they’re most likely trying to prevent that. They ready to fight and Tattersail opens her warren fully withinin the Imass’ area of influence, which consumes her and Bellurdan, though just before doing so she gets an idea from noting her own spell of preservation on the sack Bellurdan still carries with Nightchill’s remains.

Tool and Lorn, from a distance, witness a pillar of fire, a mixture of many warrens. When the fire dies, Tool says its source was destroyed but something also born.

Crone flies into Brood’s camp. Brood wears an enormous hammer reeking of power. They discuss tactics and the power on the Rhivi Plain from last night that all sensed. Crone tells him of Oponn’s meddling and that she knows the Coin Bearer. Brood decides to protect the Coin Bearer and try to prevent a confrontation between Rake and the Empire that would destroy Darujhistan. Brood leaves Kallor in charge, who mutters under his breath that Brood should destroy Rake and that would be his “last warning” to him (Brood does not hear it).

Toc and Paran approach the scene of the fire. They find Tattersail and Bellurdan’s bodies embraced and charred. Toc notes small tracks leading away, tracks that appeared to have been made mostly by bone feet. Paran decides Tattersail’s death was Tayschrenn and Lorn’s doing. As they exit, Toc, as he has before, notes a powerful itch in his blinded eye.

Crone flies over the Rhivi Plain and sees bursts of power. Arriving, she receives a report from another great raven who tells her a shape-shifter puppet arrived on the plain via warren and has killed two ravens. Investigating, she is almost killed by Hairlock’s chaos magic then flies off to inform Rake.

Lorn and Tool watch the interaction between Hairlock and the ravens and Tool tells her whatever creature is using Elder magic (Hairlock), it appears to be tracking them. He tells her a convergence is happening and that power draws power, something the Jaghut and Forkrull Assail knew (the two founding races besides the Imass), though the lesson has escaped the Imass and humanity. Back to top

Chapter Eleven

In his dreamscape, back at the “very beginning of things,” Kruppe meets Pran Chole, a Bonecaster of the Kron Tlan. Pran tells Kruppe that their wars against the Jaghut continue, with the Jaghut dwindling and in retreat; that the Forkrul Assail have vanished, that the K’chain Che’Malle are no more, that the T’lan are over hunting the herds. And also that they are about to perform the Rite of Imass, which will make the mortal T’lan into the undead and near-immortal T’lan Imass.

They are joined by a pregnant Rhivi women who tells them that the Tellann Warren of present day has birthed a child in a confluence of sorceries (Tattersail’s sorcery) and its soul needs a vessel. She says K’rul will help and he is using Kruppe’s dreamscape because Kruppe has somehow made his “soul immune” to interference from the Younger Gods. The child’s soul will be born a Soletaken (shapeshifter), akin to the T’lan Imass bonecasters. Tattersail appears in a horribly wrecked body and is informed of what they will attempt. K’rul appears and advises Kruppe that what the Malazans want isn’t necessarily clear and also warns Kruppe that Lorn and Tool approach the city with “destructive” purposes and that Kruppe should seek knowledge of them but not directly oppose them as others will do so. Tattersail is reborn via the Rhivi woman and when Pran bemoans that he won’t see the child grown to womanhood, K’rul tells him he will, in 300,000 years.

Kruppe hears a Malazan curse from the roadworkers outside of Baruk’s home.

Sorry tells Whiskeyjack that Kruppe, now walking away, is “vital” and possibly a Seer. The Malazans continue to plant mines under the roads as Whiskeyjack thinks about Sorry’s eeriness, her cold murderousness and feeling of being “old” and then thinks as well how she is a mirror to what he feels himself becoming—inhuman. He tries to hold up against despair for his men.

Crokus visits his uncle Mammot, who is writing a history of Darujhistan. Mammot tells him of the battles between the Jaghut and Imass and that a Jaghut’s barrow is rumored to lie in the hills near Darujhistan.

Sorry, following Kruppe, tries to get hold of herself after Whiskeyjack’s use of the word “Seer” had blossomed in her head, awakening a presence that is now losing a battle inside her, to the sound of a child weeping. She names herself “Cotillion” and soon buries the other presence, then continues after Kruppe, whom she considers dangerous, and, “all that is dangerous, she told herself, must die.”

Kruppe wanders the market casting spells to steal food, then enters the Phoenix Inn.

Sorry kills a sort of lookout outside the Inn then goes inside.

Crokus finds the dead body.

Crokus enters and tells everyone of the murder. He figures out Sorry did it as Sorry figures out he’s the Coinbearer (when he pays for his ale).

Kalam meets Quick Ben and tells him he’s had no luck contacting the local assassins who have gone to ground. They discuss a plan of Quick Ben’s that will attempt to get a lot of Ascendants involved, though that’s usually something to avoid at all costs.

Kruppe, Crokus, Coll, Rallick, and Murillio are together at the Inn and they discuss rumors of an alliance with Moon’s Spawn and that it is home to “five black dragons.”

Quick Ben travels via warren to Shadowthrone’s realm and hears the baying of Hounds. Back to top

Chapter Twelve

Kruppe reads in Mammot’s study about the ancient calling down of a god, its crippling, and its chaining, at which was present many Ascendants, including five black dragons and one red dragon. Baruk magically contacts Mammot and sets him a task as well as requests through him that Kruppe comes to meet. Kruppe leaves, thinking he needs to find out who was following him earlier (Sorry).

Crone tells Baruk of her encounter with Hairlock on the Rhivi Plain and that Hairlock is seeking something. Baruk tells her of the Jaghut Tyrant buried in the hills and that his assumption is the Malazan Empire is seeking that power, but he isn’t willing to tell Rake exactly where the Jaghut is buried.

In Shadowrealm, Quick Ben is escorted by Hounds of Shadow to Shadowthrone. He tells Shadowthrone that he was once an acolyte and knows he is under constant threat of assassination for leaving. He makes a deal to deliver to Shadowthrone Hairlock (who hurt the Shadowhound Gear) in exchange for having the assassination order lifted. At the end, Shadowthrone recognizes who Quick Ben is but too late.

Kruppe conveys to Baruk a message from the Eel to “look to the streets to find those you seek.” Baruk tasks Kruppe to gather Murillio, Rallick, Coll, and Crokus to spy on any activity in the Gadrobi Hills (where the barrow lies).

Quick Ben returns to Darujhistan and tells Kalam he’s succeeded in his mission to Shadowthrone (we learn Quick Ben was a “high priest” of Shadow). Sorry arrives to tell them she’s found them an assassin (Rallick) at the Phoenix Inn and that she’ll be doing another assignment from Whiskeyjack. Quick Ben and Kalam agree Sorry is “the one we thought her to be.”

At the Inn, Rallick notes Kalam’s entry and goes to tell Ocelot, head of the local assassin guild. Ocelot tells him to lead Kalam to a warehouse as a trap.

Crokus begins to break into the D’Arle home to replace what he’d stolen from Challice. Back to top

Chapter Thirteen

Kalam and Quick Ben (invisible) follow Rallick to the warehouse, though both have a bad feeling about it.

Rallick tells Ocelot he’s brought Rallick and Ocelot prepares his assassins’ ambush.

A demon belonging to Baruk is observing the rooftops where Kalam and Quick Ben are but is suddenly attacked, barely escaping as 12 assassins fall from the sky and begin killing Ocelot’s group of assassins.

Kalam and Quick Ben are attacked.

Rallick kills one of the mysterious assassins, whose body disappears. He and Ocelot head out.

Sorry watches Crokus at the D’Arle estate while musing over all the “potential players” she’d already eliminated: Paran, a Claw Leader in Pale, others. She knows Crokus should die but finds herself at war over that. She feels sorcery from the assassin attack across the city.

Crokus and Challice speak as he returns the loot and he tells her he will be in her line of suitors to be formally introduced. As he leaves with the alarm sounding, he sees Sorry watching him.

Kalam and Quick Ben continue their fight. Quick Ben uses one of Tayschrenn’s imperial demons (Pearl) to cover their escape. When Quick Ben tells Pearl his true name (Ben Adaephon Delat), the demon says he’s supposed to be dead, marked as killed by the Empire. Rake arrives and the demon turns to fight, knowing he will be killed.

Rallick walks the streets thinking of his (to him) inevitable future: becoming an assassin Guild Master and losing his sense of outrage at injustice. He thinks his plan to get revenge on those who hurt Coll will be his last humane act. He meets Crokus and tells him to tell his uncle that the guild’s best have been killed, that there is a Claw in the city, as well as someone from the sky killing everyone. He also tells him to quit stealing. Crokus leaves and Murillio arrives to tell Rallick of Baruk’s task. Rallick says he can’t go. They enter the Phoenix Inn.

The Tiste Andii assassins’ leader, Serrat, reports to Rake of their injuries and deaths to a Claw accompanied by a High Mage and of one fallen to Rallick. Rake is happy to hear the Claw and Guild were about to fight each other.

Quick Ben brings Kalam to the squad to be healed by Mallet. He tells Whiskeyjack, Fiddler, Hedge, etc. of the attack. They realize Rake was taking out the Guild so the Empire couldn’t use it.

Sorry heard the conversation between Rallick and Murillio. She decides to kill Crokus outside the city once she discovers their mission. She also decides she’ll have to deal with the threat of Quick Ben and Kalam.

Rake arrives at Baruk’s and tells him he’d been killing the local assassins (and hopes to kill the Guild Leader Vorcan) so the Empire wouldn’t contract them to kill Darujhistan’s leaders. Baruk tells Rake this is a bad idea as they keep the city in balance and yells at Rake for not consulting. When Rake expresses surprise at his temerity (“I’m unused to being addressed as an equal”), Baruk tells him “there are many paths to Ascendancy, some more subtle than others.” He informs Rake that Vorcan is a High Mage. Rake apologizes for not consulting.

In Kruppe’s dreamscape, K’rul tells him Tattersail is growing swiftly (greatly accelerated growth). He also tells him of Rake’s sword Dragnipur, “forged in darkness, it chains souls to the world that existed before the coming of light” and that Rake is the Knight of High House Darkness and in league with Baruk and the Cabal of mages—Darujhistan’s true leaders. He warns Kruppe to avoid the Imass or Jaghut and protect the Coin Bearer. Back to top

Chapter Fourteen

Tool explains to Lorn that he was chosen to help her free the buried Jaghut tyrant because it can enslave all those living on the continent and if they’d sent a Bonecaster, a Jaghut Tyrant and enslaved Bonecaster would have been unstoppable and would kill most of the gods. As Tool is without a clan, his enslavement would stop with him and not enslave the rest of his kin. He tells her the plan is to have Rake try and stop the Tyrant and thus weaken himself. He also relates the Tiste Andii are alien, coming to this world from Kurald Galain, the Warren of Darkness, where Mother Dark “sought something outside herself and thus was born Light”—causing her children to accuse her of betrayal. They either left or were cast out and while some still use the Warren of Darkness, others use Starvald Demalain—the “First Warren”—the home of dragons.

Kruppe, Crokus, Coll, and Murillio head toward the hills on their spy mission for Baruk.

Sorry follows Kruppe’s group, planning on killing Crokus as the Coin Bearer, though she has a bad feeling about where they’re heading.

Tool finds the barrow and plans to open it in the morning. Lorn realizes that Tool is telling the truth that humans came from the Imass, had inherited their world and worries that humanity will become like the current Imass, only “deliverers of death.” She also realizes the Jaghut, which according to Tool had abandoned the ideas of community, empire, of the “cycles of rise and fall, fire and rebirth,” would not have started the thousands-year-old war between Jaghut and Imass and that this Tyrant must have been more like a human than a regular Jaghut because he enslaved and destroyed. She wonders if this is a wise course.

Paran and Toc the Younger, following Lorn and Tool, come across the ravens killed by Hairlock days earlier. Toc has a vision of a “small shape,” a warren opening, an attack on him and his horse. He tells Paran he thinks they’re heading into an ambush. Back to top

Chapter Fifteen

Quick Ben, guarded by Trotts since Kalam is still injured, spies on Hairlock and wonders what he’s doing waiting on the Rhivi Plain.

Hairlock ambushes Paran and Toc, throwing Toc through a warren and closing it off. The sound of Shadow Hounds is heard.

Quick Ben, aware of the ambush, calls on Cotillion/Rope/Dancer through the link with Sorry and tells him Hairlock is on the Rhivi Plain, as per his agreement with Shadowthrone.

As Tool works on opening the barrow, Lorn runs into Kruppe’s group and attacks, wounding Coll and knocking out Murillio, though not before he wounds her. Realizing she hadn’t needed to attack, she agrees to let them stay to recover then head back to Darujhistan in the morning.

Sorry/Rope tells Shadowthrone of Quick Ben’s news. ST tells Rope Quick Ben had been a high priest of Shadow, and Sorry thinks Ben will have to pay for his “many deceits.” She appears near Kruppe’s party in time to see the attack by Lorn and when Lorn leaves, heads toward the group to kill Crokus.

Hairlock, afraid of the approaching Shadow Hounds, tells Paran he’ll kill him later and opens a warren to flee through.

Quick Ben cuts the strings to Hairlock.

Hairlock collapses before he can enter the warren and begs Paran to throw him through and in return he’ll give Paran his life. Paran refuses. The Hounds tear Hairlock apart while a Great Raven swoops overhead. The Hounds turn to attack Paran but stop as Rake arrives. Rake tells the Hound Rood to leave and tell Shadowthrone not to interfere here, with the Malazan war, or with Darujhistan. The Hounds attack and Rake kills two (Doan and Ganrod). Shadowthrone appears and Rake tells him he’d warned the Hounds. He says while ST might be his match (especially if Rope is around) a fight would get “messy” and kin would try to avenge Rake. ST agrees but says Rope is involved, and his plans “extend far beyond Darujhistan, seeking to reach the Malazan Throne itself.” Rake says he’d rather Laseen on the throne than a servant of shadow and ST agrees to recall Rope, tells Rake Paran has a connection with Oponn, then leaves with his hounds. Paran tells Rake something of what happened with Oponn and when Rake examines him, he determines Oponn left “hastily” a while ago, that Paran is no longer their tool, but his sword is. He advises Paran to get rid of or break the sword when his luck turns.

Paran touches one of the dead hounds and gets its blood on his hands, sending him into Dragnipur’s warren, walking with numberless chained people pulling a huge wagon. A Hound attacks him but then leaves him. Paran talks to a man who says Rake killed him long ago, then says the Hounds are causing problems. Paran says he’ll try to do something and follows the chains all the way to below the wagon. Stumped, he calls on Oponn and forces him to help. Oponn (the male one) tells Paran the chains are held within the warren of Darkness—Kurald Galain—and perhaps getting the Hounds in there would free them. Using Oponn as bait, Paran gets the Hounds to plunge into the warren. They disappear and Paran appears back on the Rhivi Plain, where the Hounds’ two bodies have disappeared.

Sorry, now no longer possessed, appears near the group disoriented and seemingly not remembering anything since her possession back at Itko Kan. Coll convinces Crokus to head back to Darujhistan and take Sorry to his uncle Mammot. Back to top

Chapter Sixteen

Lorn surprised herself that she broke off the attack on Kruppe’s party. Tool arrives to say he’s found the barrow’s opening and as they begin to release it, expresses doubts as to the wisdom of doing so. Lorn agrees to ambivalence but they continue. Tool says his vows have been snapped by the Jaghut’s power and when he is done, he will leave to seek “an answer.”

Sorry asks for a Darujhistan name, as she doesn’t know hers; Crokus names her Apsalar: goddess of thieves.

Kruppe and Murillio follow Sorry and Crokus as Kruppe explains Oponn has chosen Crokus and thus his need for protection, as well as his correct suspicions regarding what Lorn was doing at the barrow and Murillio and Rallick’s plan to return Coll to his place in Darujhistan society and avenge him.

Paran is attacked by Rhivi but through miraculous luck is unharmed. He meets Tattersail reborn (not a 5-yr-old, so growing abnormally fast) and she tells him who she is and that they’ll meet again.

Paran continues to Darujhistan, thinking he is now serving himself, not the Empire, and wonders if Sorry/Cotillion is an enemy anymore. He meets Coll and they agree to head into the city together. They share backstories. Back to top

Chapter Seventeen

Rallick meets an Eel’s agent (likely Circle Breaker) at the Phoenix Inn who tells him Orr, in the name of Lady Simtal, has hired the assassin’s guild, specifically Ocelot, to kill Coll.

Rake tells Baruk they won’t be able to avoid a fight and he plans to prevent Laseen from getting Darujhistan, but not at the cost of destroying the city as Baruk fears he’ll do. When questioned by Baruk as to what restrains him, Rake answers what drives him is duty to his people—to return to them “the zest for life.” They discuss the upcoming convergence of powers. Baruk shows Rake Mammot (revealed as a High Priest of D’rek) in a trance, which Rake explains means Mammot is trapped in the barrow.

Circle Breaker signals Meese outside the Phoenix Inn and continues to one last contact for the Eel, expecting he’ll be killed sometime tonight as he’s exposing himself so much.

Meese goes into Mammot’s house.

Crokus and Apsalar are in Mammot’s and Meese warns him D’Arle is looking for him due to the guard Sorry/Apsalar killed. Crokus thinks Challice betrayed him.

Murillio leaves Kruppe at the Phoenix Inn and is given a message from the Eel by Circle Breaker.

Rallick rubs Otataral dusk on his body to make him impervious to magic (though it has unpredictable side effects) then heads to K’rul’s tower to await Ocelot. Back to top

Chapter Eighteen

Whiskeyjack’s squad is discussing plans for Kalam to try and contact the Assassin’s Guild again. Quick Ben tells them he can’t “find” Sorry, which probably means she’s dead. The squad confronts Whiskeyjack with his attempts to stay sane by cutting himself off, taking away his soldiers’ humanity (from his perspective) so he doesn’t think of them as hurtful losses, and that such a method will drive him crazy eventually. Whiskeyjack sees this as an offer of friendship and he acknowledges he is “finally, and after all these years, among friends.”

Coll and Paran arrive at an entry gate, Coll barely alive. He tells Paran to get him to the Phoenix Inn.

Rallick continues to climb toward Ocelot in the belfry.

Coll is unconscious. A guard recognizes him and agrees to help Paran get him to the Inn. Paran’s attention is caught by K’rul’s tower and he sees movement on it.

Rallick and Ocelot fight. Rallick kills Ocelot but not before taking a blade deep into his chest.

Paran turns away from the tower, seeing no more movement. The guard gets a wagon for Coll.

The Tiste Andii Serrat awakens from having been blindsided while she was preparing to attack the woman outside Mammot’s house. She disappears into her warren.

Meese and Irilta discuss the arrival of Paran and Coll at the Phoenix Inn and that the Eel has told them to keep Crokus and Sorry/Apsalar at the Inn.

Paran, at the Phoenix Inn bar, considers what to do with his sword. He recalls a tutor telling him once that the gods get you by separating you from others (your human contact) then offering to end the isolation they helped create.

Kalam arrives in the bar and Paran orders him to get Mallet (the squad healer).

Mallet and Whiskeyjack arrive. Mallet heals Coll. Paran tells Whiskeyjack he and Tattersail figured out the squad had been set up to be killed and that Tattersail had been killed (“Tayschrenn got to her”). He also tells him he (Paran) is no longer Oponn’s tool though the sword is and that the adjunct has a T’lan Imass with her.

Whiskeyjack uses a magical artifact to contact Dujek. Dujek tells Whiskeyjack that Tayschrenn was “last happy” when Bellurdan and Tattersail killed each other (two more Old Guard down) and is wondering what is going on with Oponn, Rake, Shadowthrone, and some soul-shifted puppet. He also says Laseen is planning on dismantling Dujek’s army and setting him in command over in Seven Cities to deal with an impending rebellion. He informs Whiskeyjack that Lorn and Tool have reached the barrow and that if they release the Jaghut the squad is meant to be among the casualties. Finally, he says the Black Moranth are leaving Pale and Dujek is “ready to move” once Tayschrenn triggers events by disbanding the Bridgeburners.

Paran tells Dujek Toc was tossed into a warren and that Tayschrenn killed Tattersail. He wonders what Dujek and Whiskeyjack intend because he wants vengeance for Tattersail and for the adjunct betrayal of him. Dujek tells Paran the Empire loses Genabackis: the Crimson Guard will repel whatever army Laseen tries to send and the Moranth will no longer be her allies. He also says they’re going to take on a new player—the Pannion Seer—who is “damn nasty.” Finally, he tells Paran to leave vengeance on Tayschrenn to someone else but feel free to deal with Lorn if he wants.

They break communication and Kalam expresses shock at all the secrets. Whiskeyjack tells him that plans changed when Lorn told Dujek of the reinforcements coming, which proved to Dujek that the Empire wanted the Bridgeburners dead. Whiskeyjack tells Paran Lorn must live to lure the Tyrant into the city, then afterward perhaps she can die.

In the Jaghut Tyrant’s tomb, Tool tells Lorn they’re looking for a “finnest” as “within it is stored the Jaghut Tyrant’s powers.” When he awakens he will hunt it down. Lorn’s sword will deaden its aura for a while, enough to get it into the city for the Tyrant to get lured into Darujhistan. They leave as the Jaghut begins to awaken. Back to top

Chapter Nineteen

Crokus is getting restless and senses big things are happening. He and Apsalar sneak out from the Inn. Crokus plans on talking to Challice.

Serrat, waiting on the roof above the Inn, attacks Crokus as he climbs up. A mysterious force drives her away and over the roof’s edge, though she retains her invisibility/flight spells.

Crokus says he thought he felt/saw something, then shrugs and he and Apsalar continue.

Rallick gets to Murillio, who’s been waiting for him so they can put their plan into action to kill Turban Orr. Rallick tells him he killed Ocelot but was badly wounded. When they take off his armor, the wound has closed and the Otataral powder has disappeared from his skin. Murillio tells him to still rest due to lost blood while he heads off to confront the Eel, whom he now suspects might be Kruppe

Kruppe and Baruk are meeting. Baruk tells Kruppe he’s considering finding out who Circle Breaker is because he needs to find the Eel to see if they can work together to save Darujhistan. Kruppe tells Baruk he’ll get the message to him to forestall Circle Breaker being found out.

Paran tells Whiskeyjack he thinks he’s figured out what Whiskeyjack and Dujek haven’t told him—that they plan on conquering Darujhistan themselves to use its wealth to fight whatever Laseen sends after them in reprisal. Whiskeyjack tells Paran they don’t care what Laseen does as they have bigger and worse fish to fry—the Pannion Seer.

Lorn leaves Tool to head into the city. She tells him her wound from Murillio is already nearly healed, thanks to her Otataral sword. She plans on seeking Sorry and then the Coin Bearer once she places the finnest in the city. She bemoans the loss of Paran, thinking of her attraction to him. She no longer has second thoughts.

Crokus and Apsalar entry K’rul’s belfry as a hiding place and discover Ocelot’s body. Crokus sees give winged shapes leaving Moon’s Spawn. Apsalar tells him about the oceans on the real moon and the underwater gardens on it and how one day the chosen will be taken there and there will be no wars or empires or swords. Back to top

Chapter Twenty

Murillio worries Rallick has lost too much blood to kill Orr. He muses on a giant time-keeping device built over a thousand years ago by a part-Jaghut named Icarium who traveled with a Trell (another race). He runs into Kruppe (literally) who tells him Coll has been healed and gives him masks for Lady Simtal’s party—one for Murillio, one for Rallick, and Kruppe keeps one for himself. Murillio tells Kruppe he’s figured out Kruppe is the Eel and Kruppe magically makes him forget.

Baruk tries, to no avail, to convince Rake not to attend the party. Both expect a “convergence” of power. Rake learns the new year is called Year of the Moon’s Tears. When Baruk tells him not to worry, the name was given a thousand years ago, Rake tells him that’s not so long; in fact, Icarium (with his Trell companion Mappo) visited Rake 800 years ago. Rake also mentions the presence of Caladan Brood and Osric/Osserc (with whom Rake continued an “old” argument). Baruk hints he knows Kruppe is the Eel when a message comes from him.

Mammot has awakened from his trance/entry into the Jaghut barrow and Baruk tells Rake Mammot is one of the T’orrud mages. Mammot tells them he was caught “for a time” but not sensed by the Jaghut, and that he estimates two to three days before the Jaghut awakens fully. Baruk learns that it is Mammot’s nephew Crokus who is the Coin Bearer. Rake asks to make sure Mammot will be at the party (he will) then leaves abruptly.

Lorn enters the city and heads for Whiskeyjack and his squad. Her wound is healing less quickly than expected due to her time in the barrow.

Circle Breaker was one of the guards at the gate Lorn entered through; he notes she matches the description given him by the Eel. He switches jobs with the other guard so he can be at the party.

Lorn finds some of the squad at Quip’s Bar. Fiddler and Hedge, playing cards with a Deck, tell her they’ve been expecting her. Whiskeyjack arrives and tells Lorn they’ve mined the city, Tiste Andii assassins have been hunting them, and they lost Sorry. Lorn tells him Sorry was a spy and isn’t dead but in hiding because Lorn has been hunting her for three years. Lorn tells him she’s giving the orders now.

Lorn tells Whiskeyjack she doesn’t believe Rake and the Andii are in the city. She asks why the squad hasn’t taken out the rulers since the Guild deal isn’t going to work. Whiskeyjack says they’ve arranged to be guards at the party tonight with that possibility in mind. Lorn realizes Whiskeyjack isn’t “broken” as she’d expected. She leaves, saying she’ll return in two hours.

Quick Ben says Kalam is getting impatient on his mission, Trotts says he’s been successful in his, and Whiskeyjack tells Quick Ben Lorn didn’t drop off something Paran had expected her to.

Apsalar and Crokus are waiting in K’rul’s tower before heading to the party so Crokus can talk to Challice. Both realize Apsalar is at war in herself but she tells Crokus she thinks everything is okay, she’s holding things together.

Serrat, about to attacks Crokus and Apsalar, is instead taken by surprise and told to warn Rake to leave Crokus alone—the message is from someone Rake/Serrat know who is not as far away as he once was and also comes “compliments of the Prince.” Serrat leaves and Crokus thinks he felt something.

The Jaghut (Raest) awakens and remembers his rise to power, enslavement of the Imass, attack by other Jaghut who imprisoned him. He rises and goes after the Finnest.

Crone witnesses five dragons above the barrow’s hills.

Raest causes an earthquake by sending a spear of pain into Burn, the goddess who sleeps deep in the earth. The dragons confront him, led by Silanah red-wings, whom Raest distinguishes as “true-blooded Tiam” as opposed to the four Soletaken dragons, “whose blood is alien to this world.” They fight. Back to top

Chapter Twenty-One

Lorn plants the Finnest acorn in a garden. She imagines the death and destruction about to be visited upon Darujhistan and feels herself breaking down. She sets off to kill Crokus and take the Coin, her “last act.”

Kruppe heads toward the party, thinking of how “someone” is protecting Crokus perhaps even better than Kruppe has been. He also plans to let Circle Breaker retire tonight after the party, which he feels will be a crux for future events.

Crokus and Apsalar head for the party.

The squad is hired at the party. Quick Ben tells them the Jaghut has been freed and is winning whatever battle it’s fighting out in the hills.

Kalam and Paran, at the Phoenix Inn, discuss killing Lorn. Kalam tells Scurve the bartender to get a message the Assassin’s Guild master that a big contract is waiting for them at the party. They head to the party.

Baruk and Rake head to the party. Baruk marvels at the power of the battle outside the city and that Rake seems so calm despite the fact that Raest is clearly winning and will be in the city in hours.

Lady Simtal and Turban Orr meet Baruk and Rake (who is wearing a dragon mask) and welcome them. (Orr doesn’t recognize Rake’s name and is suspicious of Baruk’s power and influence.)

Murillio and Rallick hope Baruk doesn’t see them. They watch as Kruppe heads toward Rake and Baruk.

Baruk tells Rake Kruppe is the Eel. Kruppe reveals he knows Rake is a Soletaken dragon. (Baruk thinks the mask is merely a mask.)

Orr recognizes Circle Breaker and realizes he’s the spy Orr has been seeking. Before he can move to kill him, Rallick crashes into Orr and provokes him into a duel.

Murillio and Lady Simtal are in her bedroom.

Rake steps in to be Rallick’s second in the duel. Mammot, wearing a Jaghut mask, joins Baruk.

The squad realizes Rake is there. Quick Ben tells Whiskeyjack the magical battle outside the city is wreaking havoc among all the magic-users, including him. They can’t protect themselves by using their barrows because the Jaghut, even at this distance, would “take the weaker ones.”

Crokus arrives, after leaving Apsalar at the garden’s back wall. He joins the crowd waiting for the duel, standing next to Circle Breaker. Kruppe arrives and gives Circle Breaker a message from the Eel, which is about his lucrative retirement in a different city via the Eel. Rallick kills Orr easily then leaves. Baruk introduces Rake to the witch Derudan, who worries about the Jaghut. Rake tells them his concern isn’t with who is beyond the city walls.

Rallick bursts in on Murillio and Simtal (after the sex) and tells Simtal that Orr is dead, that Coll will be returned to his status/house. Rallick leaves, then Murillio as well, though not before leaving Simtal a dagger, knowing she’ll commit suicide. He already starts regretting what his vengeance makes him feel like.

Crokus grabs Challice and brings her into the garden.

Circle Breaker leaves, happy. Back to top

Chapter Twenty-Two

Raest enters Kruppe’s dreamworld and faces Kruppe, Tool, and K’rul. He disappears into “another body.”

Kalam and Paran find Apsalar in the garden glade. Apsalar vaguely recalls killing Paran and that Kalam is an “old friend.” All three recognize there is something strange about what they’d taken as a stone bench but turns out to be a wooden block that is growing where Lorn planted the Finnest. Whiskeyjack orders Fiddler and Hedge “loose.”

Rallick runs into Kruppe, who tells him his “destiny awaits him” and also that the world is “well-prepared” for Raest, which makes no sense to Rallick. Rallick then meets Vorcan, who is surprised that Rallick could overcome Orr’s “protective magic,” then decides that Rallick’s “skills are required.”

Crokus learns Challice didn’t betray him, that he doesn’t really love her. He goes to find Apsalar.

Mallet can’t enter the glade because the wooden oddity (now the size of a table) “hungers” for him. Mallet confirms Apsalar is no longer possessed and that she has “somebody else inside” who has been there “all along” protecting her. The other presence is trying to erase/cover the memories of Apsalar’s actions as Sorry but needs help as it is dying. Paran orders Mallet to help (Mallet’s preference as well). Vorcan and Rallick enter the glade.

The wooden structure (later identified as an Azath) has no effect on Rollick (he actually slows its growth) due to the Otataral dust. Kalam offers the Empire’s proposal to Vorcan to have her and the guild kill the T’orrud Cabal of mages that rule Darujhistan. Vorcan informs them of her assumption that Baruk and the Cabal have allied with Rake and that Moon’s Spawn has been involved fighting Raest. Kalam tells her the Malazans are just as happy to let Rake take Raest on, and that she needn’t try to kill him. Vorcan personally accepts the proposal (outing herself as a High Mage) and then orders Rallick to stay near the Azath to slow its growth. Crokus, who has overheard, comes out when Rallick is alone (the Azath now looks like a small house). Rallick tells Crokus to warn Baruk and Mammot about Vorcan.

In the carriage, Rake tells Baruk Raest is weakened and while he’ll keep an eye on the situation, he thinks the mages can handle it. He then warns Baruk to clear the streets and asks for a point of high vantage. Baruk sends him to K’rul’s tower.

Mammot is revealed as Raest-possessed. Quick Ben stops him from incinerating a female mage (Derudan) who then momentarily stuns Mammot and tells Quick Ben it’s up to him as that was all she had. In the attack, Whiskeyjack’s leg is broken, Paran’s sword absorbs a “lance of energy” and Paran disappears, and many partygoers are killed.

Paran finds himself in a strange place (Warren, I assume?) and is witness to a large house rising out of a lake. He looks on as Tool and the Finnest (an oak-fleshed Jaghut figure) fight. Tool asks Paran to defend the Azath (the house) which is meant to imprison the Finnest. Paran tries to block the Finnest’s power with Chance, but the sword has no effect. Instead, the Omtose Phellack Warren magic awakens the Hound’s blood in Paran and Paran leaps onto the Finnest and tears it apart. Tool pulls Paran back and the Azath takes the Finnest via roots rising from the earth to pull it down into the ground.

Paran reappears at the party. Quick Ben uses seven Warrens and strikes at Mammot. Hedge uses munitions on the weakened Mammot.

Crone circles over where Raest had vanished into Kruppe’s dreamworld. She hears Silanah cry out and Crone sees what Silanah does and her response is joy and surprise.

Looking into the crater formed by Hedge’s munitions, Quick Ben and the others see a “man-shaped form coalescing” at the bottom of the pit. Roots from the Azath in the glade pull the form (Raest) into the garden. Derudan leaves. Kalam realizes the problem with planting munitions in Darujhistan. Back to top

Chapter Twenty-Three

Paran finds himself suddenly in Shadow Warren, attacked by the Hound Rood, who is “confused” by some “kinship” between Paran and Rood, according to Cotillion. The Rope distinguishes between his use of Sorry (“she knew it not”) and the less “merciful” use of Paran by the Twins. He admits, though, that his original plan was “flawed” and he plans to start a new one. Paran gives him the sword Chance. Cotillion tells Paran “try not to be noticed.” Paran returns to the garden and tells Mallet he’s going after Lorn.

Crokus, mourning Mammot’s death, runs to Baruk’s place. Above him, barely above the rooftops, hangs Moon’s Spawn.

Lorn has sensed the “death” of Raest and bemoans the fact that Whiskeyjack probably still lives, though she thinks they (she, Laseen, Tayschrenn) can deal with that once they control Darujhistan. Before she heads after Crokus (the Coin Bearer) to kill him, she deploys “Tayschrenn’s gambit”: a demon Lord of the Galayn which she orders to attack Rake.

Baruk mourns the death of Mammot, though celebrates that Rake didn’t use his sword on him and that he sensed Mammot’s last thought was “relief.” Derudan arrives at Baruk’s and tells him of the Azath, Mammot’s death via Hedge’s munitions, and Quick Ben’s seven Warrens. Both feel the release of the demon lord (Baruk realizing this was the danger Rake had anticipated) and then the deaths of two of the cabal, which Baruk informs Derudan comes at the hands of Vorcan.

Rake, atop Krul’s tower, feels the demon lord’s release and sends Silanah back to Moon’s Spawn. K’rul appears and both share a feeling of being lost “in this world, in this time.” K’rul says he cannot help as he can only manifest at the temple and in Kruppe’s dreams. Rake promises to try and save the temple. The demon lord “veers” into dragon shape and Rake does the same. As he heads toward battle, he feels Vorcan’s attacks on the mages but mistakes them as the mage from the Crimson Guard (Cowl).

Kalam stops Fiddler and Hedge in time. They see the demon lord approaching and recognize it as Tayschrenn’s. They run.

Lorn tries to attack Crocus, but is prevented by one of his Crimson Guard watchers (Blues). Another (Fingers) escorts Crokus to Baruk’s and tells him the coin is Oponn’s and warns him to dump the coin if his luck turns.

Lorn runs from Blues and is killed by Meese and Irilta.

Paran finds Lorn, takes her Otataral sword. The Twins appear and wonder why Shadowthrone, the Rope, and the Hounds spared Paran. Paran faces them down and they leave; he carries Lorn away.

Rake attacks the demon lord. Back to top

Chapter Twenty-Four

Crokus is rebuffed by Baruk’s ward. Before he can enter another way, he’s interrupted by the demon lord dragon crashing to the ground nearby, knocking a hole in Baruk’s wall. The demon veers back into his shape and tells Rake (who has appeared behind Crokus) that the Empress will let him leave. Rake refuses. Rake kills the demon but is wounded; he tells Crokus to go protect Baruk, who is in danger.

Derudan and Baruk have felt yet another of their fellow mages die. Vorcan arrives but before she can attack is attacked herself by Serrat. Vorcan kills Serrat, strikes Derudan with a blade dusted in white paralt poison, and is about to kill Baruk when Crokus knocks her out with two bricks. Baruk saves Derudan with the only antidote to the poison and then notices Vorcan is gone.

Whiskeyjack contacts Dujek via the bone phone. Dujek tells him he knows Rake killed the demon lord because Tayschrenn is in a temporary coma. Whiskeyjack tells him Lorn’s gambit with the Jaghut failed, they’ve decided not to detonate the mines due to the gas, and that they’re pulling out. Dujek says they’re about to lose Pale, Seven Cities is a week from rebelling, and the Empress has outlawed Dujek, who is supposed to be arrested and executed (they intercepted a messenger from Laseen to Tayschrenn). He says he’s parleying with Brood and Kallor tomorrow to see if they’ll attack or let Dujek go or join him against the Pannion Seer. He also says the Black Moranth are on Dujek’s side.

Dujek promotes Whiskeyjack to second-in-command, puts Paran in charge of the Bridgeburners. He tells Paran Whiskeyjack and the squad have earned the right to walk if they want. All tell Paran they’re with him, but Fiddler and Kalam say they’re going to take Apsalar home. Coll wakens and offers them his help in getting out of the city.

Rallick, back in the garden as the Azath grew into a house with a yard filled with mounds, one of which the roots had pulled a man-shaped figure into. Vorcan appears, wounded, chased by Tiste Andii. Rallick picks her up and runs into the house.

Korlat and the other Tiste Andii arrive too late. Korlat says there is precedence for the Azath allowing Rallick in; the Deadhouse in the Empire had let in Kellanved and Dancer. Though Rake could destroy the Azath while it’s still young, Korlat decides to leave it.

Kruppe and Murillio watch Moon’s Spawn head west. Crokus joins them and tells them Rallick is in the garden and Apsalar’s been kidnapped by Malazans. Crokus tells him not to worry, and also that Gorlas saved Challice at Simtal’s estate. Back to top

Epilogue

Mallet and Whiskeyjack watch Moon’s Spawn depart. Mallet worries he hasn’t fully healed Whiskeyjack but Whiskeyjack tells him later. Quick Ben has a plan he’s keeping from Whiskeyjack.

Paran, wearing the Otataral sword, vows he’ll come to Tattersail once they deal with the Pannion Seer. He hears her in his head saying she’ll wait.

Crokus joins Kalam, Fiddler, and Apsalar in the boat heading to Unta to take Apsalar home. Crokus drops Oponn’s coin in the water. Circle Breaker watches from the bow.

Deadhouse Gates

Prologue

Setting: Utna during the 9th year of Laseen’s reign as Empress.

A priest of Hood, covered with flies as part of a ritual, heads toward a line of shackled prisoners, most of them nobles culled by Laseen as examples. In the line are Felisin, sister to Paran as well as to the new Adjunct Tavore; Heboric Light Touch, a handless defrocked priest of Fener arrested for his “revised history”; and Baudin, a crude ferocious killer. Hood’s priest tells Fener he has a secret to show him, then the flies disappear and there is no priest under them. Tavore appears with her personal aide T’amber and sees Felisin but makes no sign beyond simple recognition. Felisin thinks how Tavore, to show her loyalty and make up for Paran’s seeming treachery, chose between Felisin and their mother for the slave ships, though their mother died anyway, soon after their father.

The line of prisoners is “escorted” to the ships, but the crowd is allowed to vent their anger on the nobles with little fear of the guards and the march becomes a gruesome killing parade, with fewer than a third of the prisoners surviving. Felisin is kept alive by Heboric holding her up and pushing her forward while Baudin killed or maimed everyone he comes in contact with. At the end, he tosses the crowd the decapitated head of a noblewoman so they may pass. The guards finally intervene and escort the survivors to the ships. Back to top

Chapter One

Setting: Seven Cities continent, the desert of Raraku, roughly one year later.

Mappo Runt and Icarium watch from a distance as an Aptorian demon, sent by Shadowthrone but now controlled by Sha’ik, moves in the desert where somewhere Sha-ik’s army in encamped near a waterhole. They speculate it had been sent as a scout by Shadowthrone due to an oncoming convergence and decide to track it out of curiosity.

Mappo and Icarium rest in some ruins in the Holy Desert Marks on one of the columns informs them that a D’ivers in rat form (Gryllen, Mappo guesses) is “on the trail,” of the convergence, which involves “gates opening” and ascension. They guess many other shapeshifters, both D’ivers and Soletaken, are as well. Mappo asks Icarium what he will do if the gates do open (musing to himself that answers can be a curse) and Icarium says he hopes he’ll learn who he is, why he’s been alive for centuries but has no memories of his life. A Soletaken in wolf form appears (Ryllandaras, brother of Treach, whom Mappo says thinks he killed Ryllandaras when he was in jackal form), but when it realizes it is Mappo and Icarium it is clearly afraid. It goes after the aptorian demon.

Setting: HIssar, City on east coast of Seven Cities

A group of Wickan horsemen is disembarking. Watching are Duiker, Imperial Historian and Mallick Rel, advisor to the High Fist Pormqual and a Jhistal priest of Mael (Elder god of the sea) who has risen to his current position over a lot of conveniently dead bodies. Duiker says he’s interested in the tradition of shipping prisoner mages to mine Otataral on Otataral Island (they usually go mad) and that some mages are in the next shipment of slaves. The 7th squad’s lone surviving cadre mage, Kulp, appears with an unnamed captain. Duiker explains that the new Fist, Coltaine, led a Wickan uprising against the Empire and that Kellanved somehow obtained his loyalty. Laseen dumped him in some backwater but now that Seven Cities seems about to rebel, he’s been named Fist and sent here. When trouble seems ready to erupt between the Wickans and the Hissar guards, Coltaine steps in and stops it cold.

Setting: The Kansu Sea, off Seven Cities coast

Fiddler, Kalam, Crokus, and Apsala (with Moby, Mammot’s familiar) are sailing to the coast, where they plan to cross overland. Their boat is attacked by a Soletaken dhenrabi who says they had the misfortune of witnessing its passage. Fiddler blows it up with a crossbow munition. Crokus asks if it’s true Fiddler’s squad tracked Quick Ben through the desert w/ Kalam as the guide but that Kalam and Quick Ben had actually been setting a trap, though Whiskeyjack had figured it out. Crokus demands to know what they’re doing and Fiddler and Kalam tell Apsalar and Crokus that Kalam is going to try and kill Laseen. Back to top

Chapter Two

Setting: Hissar on southeast coast of Seven Cities. Duiker walks the streets of Hissar, noting the pictographs on the walls promising rebellion, signs the Malazan high command seems to have little interest in understanding. He ducks into a trader’s tent, pretending to be a Seven Cities native and opposed to the Malazans. There he witnesses a prophecy that the whirlwind (rebellion) will rise and that

“Two fountains of raging blood! Face to face. The blood is the same, the two are the same and salty waves shall wash the shores of Raraku. the Holy Desert remembers its past. Leaving, Duikers muses on how ancient a land/civilization Seven Cities is, how cities lie beneath cities lie beneath cities and it is an enemy “we can never defeat . . . Perhaps victory is not achieved by overcoming that enemy, but by joining it, becoming one with it.”

Inside the Imperial Hold, Duiker enters the council meeting attended by Coltaine, his lieutenant Bult, the cadre mage Kulp, and Mallick Rel. Coltaine recalls last seeing Duiker on his near-deathbed, after Bult had almost killed him in battle (Bult turned his lance when he saw Duiker unarmed). Bult himself had been wounded by Dujek, who lost his arm to Bult’s horse. Duiker says he had been unarmed as an historian but he now records the battles from a relatively safe distance in armor and with bodyguards.

Coltaine announces they are waiting for his warlock, which shocks the attendees as Laseen had purged the Wickan warlocks in a mass execution. Coltaine tells them that the crows came to the dead warlocks and took their souls back to the people to be reincarnated, including the greatest warlock’s—Sormo E’nath, whose power was so great it took eleven crows to carry it away where it was reincarnated. Coltaine introduces a roughly ten-year-old boy as Sormo. Duiker recalls the Rhivi have similar beliefs. Sormo witnessed the same divination in the trader’s camp as Duiker and both agree it promises rebellion soon. Rel tells Coltaine to treat such warning cautiously and skeptically. Sormo accuses Rel of having “hidden motives.” Rel then conveys High Fist’s Pormqual’s orders that Coltaine march overland to Aran to present the 7th Army, order Coltaine rejects, as it would leave the eastern seaboard empty of a Malazan presence. He tells Rel to tell Pormqual he advises a change of orders and will await a reply. Rel leaves upset at being insulted. Duiker reveals to Coltaine that Pormqual doesn’t really govern, Rel does, and that lots of people in Rel’s way end up dead or disappeared. Bult wonders if perhaps they weren’t murdered by Rel or Laseen, as thought, but chose to disappear themselves, and that perhaps Laseen now feels lonely and abandoned. Duiker replies maybe she should have thought of that before killing Kellanved and Dancer and Bult answers that maybe she did so because she knew that though they were good conquerors, they’d be terrible rulers. Coltaine asks Duiker to spy on Rel for him but reconsiders when Duiker worries he’ll be killed; instead Coltaine takes Duiker onto his staff. When the meeting breaks up, Duiker and Kulp speak alone. Kulp tells Duiker he senses the young Wickan boy really is Sormo. Duiker then asks Kulp to help free Heboric Light-Touch from enslavement on Otataral Island.

Setting: The Holy City of Ehrlitan on northeast coast of Seven Cities. Fiddler, in disguise as a Gral tribesman, has just witnessed a bloody attack by the Red Swords (a brutal Seven Cities military group loyal to the Empress) on believers of the Apocalypse (Dryjhana), including women and children. He saves two young girls whose adult companion was killed from being raped by a pimp by buying them off of them and returning them to their home. Their grandfather is Kimloc, the greatest Tano Spiritwalker (Spiritwalkers have great magic and use song to express it). In conversation, Kimloc warns Fiddler that the desert they plan on crossing to get a ship in Aran will be dangerous due to the Path of Hands, a warren/gate that will soon open and perhaps allow one of the many D’ivers or Soletaken shapeshifters converging there to Ascend and gain power over his/her kind. He also says he knows of the Bridgeburners’ past, how they were “honed in the heat and scorched rock of the Holy Desert Raraku, in pursuit of a Falah’d company of wizards.” He asks permission to take Fiddler’s history with a simple touch so he might fashion that story into a song of power, hinting at the possibility that such a song might lead the Bridgeburners to ascend. Fiddler says no, fearful of what is in his head that might be dangerous to Kimloc and too revelatory of Fiddler. Kimloc gives Fiddler a conch shell invested with songs of power to protect him in the desert. Departing, Fiddler and Kimloc’s captain discuss the decision by Kimloc to cede the Holy City of Karakarang peacefully to the Empire, though he had claimed he could destroy the Malazan armies. The captain says Kimloc had recognized that the Empire would use up as many lives as needed, and Fiddler says even Kimloc probably couldn’t have stopped the T’lan Imass, who had already killed the people of Aren. When the captain says that was a sign of the Empire’s madness, Fiddler argues it was a mistake and says “no command was ever given to the Logros T’lan Imass.”

Fiddler returns to the others and tells Kalam of the convergence. Kalam agrees, saying he read it amid the signs promising rebellion. Fiddler holds back that he met Kimloc, knowing Kalam would kill Kimloc and his family.

Kalam heads to the old city right next to Ehrlitan. He meets Mebra and forces him to tell Kalam the signs/codes that will let him safely pass through the desert. Mebra seemingly accidentally drops the Holy Book of Dryjhana which must be brought to the Seeress so she can raise the Whirlwind. Kalam say she’ll take it to her as security of his safe passage. After Kalam leaves, it’s revealed that this was a Red Sword set up (though they didn’t know the agent of the rebellion would be Kalam) and that they are going to track the book to the Seeress in the desert. Mebra convinces them to let Kalam live afterward, guessing he is heading to Malaz to kill the Empress—important knowledge for the Empire.

Setting: the border between the Holy Desert and the Pan’poysun Odhan Icarium and Mappo have bested a D’ivers leopard pack (Icarium narrowly avoiding losing himself in anger) but Mappo is injured. They’ve stopped below a tower up in the cliffs but can see no way of getting there. While stopped, a Soletaken bear appears whom Mappo knows. Messremb sembles into human form and speaks pleasantly to both, saying he was curious at the strange scent accompanying Mappo. Curiosity sated, he’ll head back to seek the Path/gates. Mappo warns him they’d met Ryllandaras earlier. After Messremb leaves, Iskaral Pust, High Priest of Shadow, show sup on a mule, talking to himself and disjointedly, repeating “a live given for a life taken.” He says he’ll take them into the tower, which he took over after the nuns of the Queen of Dreams had abandoned it. He sends the mule into the cave, out of it comes Servant (later Icarium and Mappo discuss that a warren had opened in the cave), who climbs up a rope dropped by a bhok’aral and then the three others are pulled up. Icarium has forgotten their recent fight and Mappo lies, saying he fought a single leopard alone and had just used Icarium’s weapon, which is why it has blood on it. Back to top

Chapter Three

Setting: Skullcap, the Otataral mine pit on Otataral Island, off east coast of Seven Cities. Felisin has just slept with Beneth (a mine overseer though a slave himself) to ensure a day of rest for Heboric, continuing the pattern that had started on the slave ship of selling her body for favors to make survival more likely. It appears that Captain Sawark, in charge of the mine, has received orders to make sure Heboric dies in the mine. Beneth agrees to give him an easier job. Felisin remembers Heboric’s musings on Otataral theories: how it forms only in limestone, that it doesn’t appear natural but is formed magically, how the island’s Otataral seems to have happened when the whole island “melted” when the magic got out of control. Beneth and Felisin come across a young guard Pella, who is worried about the island’s Malazans being outnumbered by the Dosii, with all the talk of rebellion. Beneth tells him not to worry. Pella quotes Kellanved to him, via Duiker’s history, and tells both that the historian’s works are “worth learning.” As they pass Sinker Lake (one of the boundaries of the pit), Felisin notes how much it has dropped as Heboric had asked, though she thinks it useless—everyone who has ever tried escape has either died in the surrounding desert (nearly all) or been caught and executed. Beneth asks Felisin to move in with him but she rejects it, distracting him instead with an offer of a threesome with her and Bula (innkeep), thinking she just needs to keep alive for the day she can face Tavore and kill her.

Felisin enters the tent she shares with Baudin and Heboric. She and Heboric argue, he angry and bitter and guilt-ridden over what she’s done to protect him, she angry over what she’s been forced to do as well as her feeling excluded from some plan the two of them seem to have and her sense that she’s completely on her own. Heboric is also concerned about her growing use of durhang (a drug) and wine.

Setting: Hissar Duiker watches as Admiral Nok and the fleet depart, taking Rel with them. Kulp arrives and tells him arrangements have been made with regard to helping Heboric escape. They watch as a transport arrives with Red Blades, who have been sent to pacify a restless population if needed. Instead, they disembark ready to immediately attack the market, though they are delayed by Coltaine’s Wickan who had been in the market in disguise. Kulp intervenes with the two brothers (Mesker and Baria) that lead the Red Blades. The Hissar Guards appear with Wickan archers and the brothers back down. Kulp tells Duiker that Coltaine has completely changed the drills; rather than practice battlefield techniques, he has them practicing urban battles involving refugees. Duiker, recognizing what Coltaine fears is coming, tells Kulp to push the Seventh.

Coltaine, Bult, and Duiker are watching the next drill. The Seventh is doing better and Coltaine leaves to give them Wickan Lancer support. Duiker tells Bult the Seventh has earned a day of rest. When Bult at first seems skeptical, Duiker tells him Coltaine will need them rested for what is to come. Bult agrees.

Setting: Ehrlitan Fiddler and Kalam have had an argument over Kalam taking the book to Sha’ik—Kalam wanting to wound Laseen as much as possible and Fiddler concerned over the Empire and Laseen’s successor. He tells Crokus how things are allegiances are getting confusion: Kalam to Seven Cities, Malazans to the Empire (as opposed to the Empress), etc. While Kalam finds Sha’ik, Fiddler tells Crokus their group will find another “road to Unta,” one that’s “probably never been used before and may not even work.” Crokus scoffs at Fiddler’s chances if Kalam doesn’t make. Moby (identified by Fiddler as a bhok’aral and native to Seven Cities) appears and Fiddler tells Crokus they’ll find more supporters than he Crokus thinks and nobody should be dismissed as useless. Crokus has figured out that Kalam and Fiddler have thought of Apsalar as a backup and that he won’t allow it. Fiddler says she retains Dancer’s skills though the possession is over and that Crokus doesn’t get to speak for her.

Fiddler, Crokus, and Apsalar prepare to leave, with Fiddler in Gral disguise as guardian and guide to two newlyweds making pilgrimage. A group of Red Blades ask Fiddler if they’ve seen a man on a roan riding out; Fiddler says no. Crokus is worried whomever Kalam met the night before has betrayed him. As they ride out, Crokus tells Fiddler Moby has disappeared. Crokus is confused and upset over why his uncle didn’t do anything with his power.

Setting: Iskaral Pust’s temple Pust tells Mappo to kill any spiders he sees. Mappo has been healed by Pust/Servant, though he won’t completely accept it until two moon cycles has passed and with them the danger of the lycanthropy that a Soletaken/D’iver’s woundings can cause. Mappo goes to join Icarium in Pust’s library, which he’s populated with books he’s stolen from the “great library of the world.”

Icarium is fascinated by the books he’s found and what seems to be evidence of a rich ancient civilization. Mappo recognizes the writing as that of the Nameless Ones. Mappo, seeking to distract Icarium, argues that the books are a sign of decline in that culture, showing an “indolence characterized by pursuit of knowledge . . . no matter the value of such answers,” and gives Gothos’s Folly as an example, saying Gothos’ awareness “of everything, every permutation, every potential” was “Enough to poison every scan he cast on the world.” Icarium believes the books are evidence of his theory that the ruins in Raraku are of a great civilization, perhaps the first human one. Mappo, worried about this trend of thought, asks what it matters. Icarium talks about his obsession with time and says in the end he was just passing time. Mappo changes the subject to his distrust of Pust and desire to leave. Icarium says he suspects that his goal will be achieved in this place and so he prefers to not leave. Mappo then flashes back to his encounter with the Nameless Ones and their statement that they think “not in years, but in centuries.” Back to top

Chapter Four

Setting: Otataral Mine

Felisin, numbed by durhang and her experiences, watches as Beneth’s men futilely try to rescue miners buried in a collapse. Heboric is no longer in the mines but is working a better job thanks to her. She thinks of how she’s going to Beneth more and more, “wanting to be used.” Heboric tells her she does it to feel anything, even pain. Pella comes up and asks if she relayed his message to Heboric; she doesn’t remember him.

Felisin accompanies Beneth to a meeting with Captain Sawark. Beneth warns Sawark about the Dosii in camp and the rebellion. Sawark dismisses it. Beneth wonders if Sawark has found “the name you sought.” Sawark denies looking for anyone. Beneth offers Felisin to him for knowledge of why Baudin was arrested that morning. Beneth mentions Felisin’s age and arrival date and Sawark goes pale, then asks Beneth if Baudin works for him. Upon exiting the meeting, Beneth beats Felisin, demanding to know who she really is and why Sawark reacted to her as he did. Felisin says she was a foundling left to a Fener Monastery on Malaz Island. Beneth beats her unconscious and leaves her. She awakens in her tent with Heboric ministering to her. She tells him to tell Beneth she’s sorry and wants to go back to him. He says he covered for her so Beneth might take her back.

Setting: Estara hills coastal road/Ladro Keep

Kalam is driven to seek shelter from a sandstorm at a Malazan guardhouse. Harassed by the company there, he reveals himself as a Clawmaster to the sergeant in charge. Lostara Yil and a fellow Red Blade arrive (in disguise). A merchant’s wife begins to do a Deck “reading” but Kalam calls her out as a fraud. In anger she throws the Deck at him and it forms a pattern around him: Six cards of High House Death surrounding a single card—the Rope, Assassin of Shadow.

Lostara and her company are the last to leave the keep, after killing the soldiers inside. They continue to tail Kalam.

Setting: Pust’s temple

Exploring the temple, Icarium and Mappo find a stair leading down to an older structure and a room with paintings of beasts on the walls and a blocked doorway. They free the portal and find a corridor that has the sense of Kurald Galain (Tiste Andii warren), according to Icarium: “the feel of Dark” or an Elder Warren and one he cannot name. The corridor leads to a room filled with sorcery that has been corrupted, it has the feel of D’ivers/Soletaken and they realize they’ve found the Path of Hands, the Gate. Icarium and Mappo both recognize the carvings as familiar, and Icarium says they’re getting closer to comprehension, which worries Mappo. They decide to ask Pust. Pust tells them “nothing is as it seems.” Wonders why the two of them, despite their age, haven’t ascended. He tells a story of his staring contest with a bhok’aral and mentions that one who “does not waver from his cause” is “dull-witted.” When questioned by Mappo Pust says they know nothing of Shadowthrone’s plans and tells them to find his broom. Icarium, to Mappo’s surprise, agrees to.

Setting: Hissar/desert outside of Hissar

Duiker, Kulp, Bult, and Sormo ride out to an old oasis so Sormo can perform a rite. Duiker is uneasy over it. Sormo says the spirits he wants to contact are pre-Seven-Cities, akin to the Tellann Warren, which only makes Duiker more nervous. He mentions the T’lan Imass have “turned their backs on the Empress” since the Emperor’s assassination and when Sormo asks if he’s never wondered why that was, Duiker thinks he has a theory but it would be treason to voice it. When Sormo performs his rite, they enter the Tellann warren and are immediately attacked by Shapeshifters and Bult goes down, stung by many wasps. A huge black demon comes out of nowhere to aid them against the many D’ivers/Soletaken. Kulp knocks out Sormo with a punch and they return to the oasis. Sormo says there are only 10 crows left, then tells them they walked into a convergence by coincidence; that the Shapeshifters were using the warren assuming no Imass would be in order to get to the Path of Hands or there is some link between Tellann and shapeshifting. Kulp works on healing Bult. Back to top

Chapter Five

Setting: City of G’dansiban

Fiddler, Crokus, and Apsalar find G’dansiban surrounded by a rebel army. They are barred by a guard unit but Fiddler’s horse brutally bites the face of one of the guards. A group of passing Arak warriors are amused by this and Fiddler manages to get them invited to the Arak camp. The Araks tell Fiddler the city will be “cleansed,” the Malazan merchants and nobles executed. Crokus and Apsalar worry about their disguise not lasting the night and then Apsalar, channeling Dancer’s instincts, says they need to get out of there. The Araks tell them a Gral clan is coming (which would blow the disguise) so Fiddler concocts a story as to why the Gral will go after him and why they thus have to press on through the city.

In the city they find death and destruction. They save a young girl from being raped by killing the six men after her. Crokus and Apsalar ride on while Fiddler faces down a Red Blades squad that comes into the square. The come across another scene of a massacre and Crokus asks if the Malazans did the same in conquest. Apsalar (again channeling Dancer’s memories) retorts the Emperor waged war against armies, not civilians, and when Fiddler mentions the massacre at Aren Apsalar angrily says Kellanved didn’t give that order; Surly/Laseen did and that Apsalar/Dancer was sent there to see what happened and argued with Surly/Laseen. Fiddler realizes Kellanved and Dancer ascended at their “assassination” to become Shadowthrone and Cotillion and curses himself for not putting it together with the names and the appearance of a new House (Shadow) right after their deaths. He angrily asks why Dancer didn’t tell anyone, they were his friends, and Apsalar says Dancer trusted only two people (Kellanved and Dassem) and that Cotillion trusts nobody, including Shadowthrone. They ride out of the south gate and are joined by Moby, wounded as if he’s been in a fight, though Fiddler says it’s probably from mating. They look back and see Grals in pursuit.

Kalam is taken by Sha’ik’s bodyguards: Leoman, Captain of her bodyguards; and an unnamed Toblakai (7 feet tall with a wooden sword). They accept he’s carrying the Holy Book and Sha’ik herself appears and Kalam gives it to her. She offers him a place with her army/rebellion, but when he says he has another destiny she says she senses what his desire is and not only allows him to go but sends an aptorian demon (the one Mappo and Icarium saw earlier) as an escort. Kalam leaves, with the escort, thinking how strange it is that he started the rebellion against the Empire and is now going to kill Laseen to preserve the Empire so it can put down the rebellion and he wonders how many deaths he’s caused.

At dawn, just as Sha’ik opens the book she is killed by Lostara Yill’s crossbow bolt. The Red Blades attack Leoman and Toblakai, but are driven off. Tene Baralta orders Lostara to keep tailing Kalam.

Leoman and Toblakai decide to wait with Sha’ik’s body, based on the prophecy that said she would be “renewed.” Toblakai says there’s a storm coming. Back to top

Chapter Six

Setting: Otataral mine Baudin has been missing for six days now while Sawark searches for him. Felisin is back with Beneth, mostly because he doesn’t trust her anymore due to her connection with Baudin and Sawark’s reaction to her. Heboric has warned her Beneth knows more now from Sawark about her and he wants to destroy her. Beneth questions her as to if it’s his fault what she’s become (“you could have said no”) and she says no, “the faults are all mine.” As they walk outside, Beneth is attacked by a group of Dosii, thus beginning the rebellion in the mining area. Felisin flees and is found by Pella, who takes her back to her tent where Heboric and Baudin are preparing an escape, though he’s unsure if they still want her. Heboric asks if Pella wants to come but he says he has to rejoin his squad. They tell Felisin they’ll swim to the caves under Sinker Lake and she refuses to go without Beneth, saying they owe her and him. Baudin agrees to get him.

As Heboric and Felisin wait in marshes near the lake, Heboric tells her the escape has been planned by Duiker, that they’ll cross the desert to get picked up by boat. They are attacked by bloodflies, though Fener’s gift keeps Heboric untouched. Felisin, though, has been bitten and the bites leave egg sacs which will hatch larvae that will eat her from the inside out, killing her. Heboric has a salve to drive them out, but Felisin is left disfigured/pockmarked. Sawark finds them and leaves them, telling Heboric it isn’t for him but for Felisin’s sake. Baudin arrives and tells them Beneth is dead; Felisin doesn’t believe he even looked for him. They escape via the lake and caves. Baudin returns from scouting and tells them the nearby city is the site of a fierce mage battle and that Seven Cities has risen in rebellion.

Setting: A coastal city Duiker and Kulp are trying to purchase a boat or hire someone to take them to the rendezvous with the escapees. In the local inn, they meet a Malazan guard troop, led by Corporal Gesler and including Stormy, and Truth. The inn comes under attack and the two groups join together to try and reach a ship the guardsmen have outfitted at the dock. They get separated by the attack; Kulp goes after the enemy High Mage, Duiker ends up with Stormy. They see flames over Hissar and Duiker decides to skip the ship and get to his horse so he can ride to rejoin Coltaine. The others make the ship and Kulp sneaks them away while the enemy mage seeks them out. Kulp pulls rank and tries to order Gesler’s group to the rendezvous and when they ask why they don’t just throw him overboard, he tells them he needs to pick up a High Priest of Fener and tossing him overboard might anger the god. Laughing, the men reveal they are part of an outlawed cult of Fener and they head for the rendezvous.

Setting: Hissar Duiker takes on the same Dosii disguise we saw him use in the trader camp earlier. He passes Malazans on “sliding beds”—slow killing devices. He rides to Hissar and finds the city attacked, the compound empty, but evidence implies the Seventh had held up and, though unable to save an attack on the Malazan city area, had ambushed the attackers and taken a host of refugees out of the city. He rides with a group of attackers aiming to catch up to the rebel commanders. Kamist Reloe (though killed by Sha’ik in a fight over who would lead the Apocalypse), who plans on harassing Coltaine and his 10,000 refugees, about to be 20,000 as they move toward Sialk, another city conquered by the rebels. Reloe plans on a final battle in three days. Duiker thinks Reloe might be overconfident.

Setting: Pust’s temple Exploring further (looking for Pust’s broom), Mappo and Icarium find a fishing boat in one of the temple rooms and deduce it must belong to Servant (him and his boat swept up by Shadow and brought here for some purpose). They decide to ask Pust about it.

Mappo and Icarium confront Pust as he’s reading the Deck and he calls them ignorant. He pulls lots of cards, reads “renewal, a resurrection without passage through Hood’s gate,” and tells them they need to go on another journey. Icarium loses patience with Pust and begins to choke him. Pust tells them they must go to Raraku because Sha’ik is dead.

Icarium suggests the resurrection Pust spoke of might be Sha’ik, based on the prophecies. Mappo doesn’t want to get involved, happy the “witch is dead,” especially if it stops the rebellion. He says he doesn’t want to be a tool of the gods or their servant, as most of them, “especially those most eager to meddle in mortal affairs,” feed off of “blood and chaos.” Icarium agrees, but wishes to see the resurrection, wondering how it will bypass Hood who always seems to “ensure he wins in [any] exchange.” Mappo tells Icarium he worries of what is waking in Raraku (and thinks to himself he fears it then awakening Icarium). Icarium say he will go anyway and asks if Mappo will come; Mappo says yes.

Setting: The desert Fiddler, Crokus, and Apsalar are pursed by the Grals into the whirlwind. The wind has uncovered an ancient road and bones. Fiddler thinks it may lead to Tremorlor, the “legendary gate” and the Azath House Quick Ben told them is there. The Gral catch up and Fiddler kills them with a cusser. As they continue in the Whirlwind, Fiddler thinks the goddess behind it is mad and wonders who can stop her.

Setting: Another part of the desert Kalam travels with the aptorian demon, which he’s tried to lose unsuccessfully due to mistrusting it. They’re attacked by a wolf D’ivers (one the demon fought before). They fight it off, though the demon is wounded. Back to top

Chapter Seven

Duiker, with a rebel sergeant, looks on the aftermath of a Kamist Reloe’s attack on Coltaine, which Roe lost. Pretending he’s going to search for his “nephew’s” body among the corpses, he rids himself of the sergeant and the squad. As he rides on, he thinks of Coltaine’s narrowed options, as well as his own small chances of surviving his attempt to catch up with and join Coltaine.

Felisin and Baudin wait for Heboric to rejoin them after he’s gone to look at hundreds of thousands of beetles that emerged from the desert floor at dusk. She thinks how Heboric might be a liability with his lack of focus. She is less swollen due to the bloodfly poison, but feels it has “laid a stain on her soul.” Every night now she dreams of a river of blood and she begins to look forward to the promise of the dream. Heboric returns to say the beetles will pose no obstacle as they heading west to the sea. They have enough food to reach their rendezvous but the margin is small and they aren’t going as fast as planned. At the end of a day’s march, they come across an impossibly tall finger sticking out of the sand, impossibly tall not only in itself but in what it promises lies beneath the sand. Heboric touches the jade carved finger with one of his stumps.

Felisin notes that Heboric is favoring the stump he touched the statue with last night. An Otataral storm arises and they enter their tents for cover, though Felisin sees no need to. Baudin hints he may have killed Beneth but Felisin doesn’t believe him. When Felisin lies down she calls up the river, feeling it is protective and offers her a purpose and destiny, that she will become more than she is.

The next morning, in bad moods, they fight and Felisin asks why Heboric lost his hands. He refuses to answer. They see his stump is swollen and infected-looking, the tattoos at his wrist have turned solid dark. He says it hurts a lot and he wonders how the statue’s magic survives in Otataral sand, or if the Otataral gave birth to its magic. When they camp that night Heboric is way behind. Baudin goes after him and Felisin, suspicious he is hoarding water due to his seemingly impossible fitness, rifles his stuff. She discovers assassin’s tools and a talon. Baudin returns with Heboric and gives him water over Felisin’s objections. She holds her sacrifice over his head and Baudin says most of their favors came from what he did for the guards in the mining prison, not her sacrifices, and that Beneth used to laugh at her “noble cause.” Felisin thinks he’s just trying to poison her thoughts of Beneth as well as escape his own guilt over what she did to keep them safe. She tells them of her dream and says she’ll be the only survivor.

The next oasis is fouled by capemoth larvae. Desperate as they now stand no chance, Baudin tries to wake Heboric’s god Fener (Heboric is unconscious). Felisin tells Baudin there was a tattoo on Heboric’s right hand that held to the sacred mark on his chest would do it and w/out his hands he can no longer call on his god. Baudin touches his stump to the mark and the air “screams,” Heboric’s tattoos “blossom out” onto the stone, and an immense hoof hits the ground then rises up again as Fener is called down. Heboric wakes and says “he’s here . . . in the mortal realm.” Felisin says “don’t mess with mortals.” Heboric is rejuvenated and the head out to the next water-hole.

Setting: Mappo and Icarium in the desert having left Pust’s temple Mappo flashes back 200 years ago, when he was already several centuries old, to when he returned to his home town and found it destroyed a month past, its 15,000 inhabitants slain. He had returned after the diviners in his adopted clan had “seen” the destruction, destruction that had been predicted by the Nameless Ones months earlier. The Nameless Ones told them to forsake vengeance and choose one to take on the task of ensuring such a disaster would never happen again. The Nameless One he spoke to told him, “One day he [Icarium] shall return to his home . . . until that time you must attend.” Mappo is plucked out of his memory by Icarium’s voice mentioning how strange a “land untraveled can look so familiar” and then he mentions how he is fascinated by Mappo’s memories (as Icarium has none), though Mappo rarely shares them. The two watch the sandstorm and note it has both grown and traveled nearer and wonder if Sha’ik has Ascended. Mappo once again bridles at being manipulated by Pust and Icarium says he’s used to it. When Mappo asks who is manipulating him, Icarium shrugs and says he stopped asking that a long time ago. As Icarium turns his back to prepare food, Mappo goes back to thinking about “sweet vengeance.”

Setting: The desert road with Fidder et. al. nearby where Mappo and Icarium were As they travel down the road, Fiddler and the others can hear a running battled nearby, hidden in the sandstorm. The battle sounds are not human but bestial and demon: bears, cat, reptiles, etc. Crokus’ horse goes down and they stop. They can start to see some of the combatants now—Soletaken and D’ivers. A trio of Gral hunters appear down the road behind them but are attacked by a massive bear, which kills one while Apsalar kills the other two, then a fourth Fiddler hadn’t seen. Fiddler is unseated (gaining broken ribs in the process) by a huge tail. Something attacks him and is attacked in response by his horse. The battle ends. Crokus and Apsalar are okay, the bear remains, feeding on a Gral horse for a moment, then flees. Thousands of D’ivers rats appear and Fiddler tells Apasalar to get the last cusser for suicide. Just as she does though, a voice (Icarium) calls out the name of the D’ivers (Gryllen—Tide of Madness, “flushed out of Y’ghatan in the fire”) and tells it to leave. Fiddler is shocked Gryllen actually hesitates. Mappo steps out next to Icarium and Fiddler knows he should know these two—a Jhag and a Trell, but the pain is muddying his thinking. Icarium tells Gryllen the trio is under his protection and Gryllen retreats. Fiddler blacks out. Back to top

Chapter Eight

Duiker, still trying to catch up to Coltaine’s army and the refugees, finds that Coltaine has surprisingly attacked a larger army and slaughtered them, leading to exaggerated rumors that would work against the enemy, such as that the Wickans were demons or were helped by a Malazan ascendant. Duiker makes his way to the nearest oasis and finds that the refugees had been and gone, wrecking the oasis before heading out into the steppes (a move Duiker can’t fathom). Wondering how long Coltaine can hold off “the inevitable” Duiker continues to follow.

Having reached the coast, Felisin, Baudin, and Heboric make a meal of some crabs on the shore where they had hoped to rendezvous with their rescuers. Heboric, now totally black, is in a surprisingly good mood. When Heboric goes to bed, Felisin invites Baudin into her tent. After Baudin appears to fall asleep after sex, she tries to stab him but he was prepared the entire time for the attempt. She blames him for leaving Beneth to die and he tells her he killed him himself. Before leaving, he says he only had sex to see if she was “still what you were.” Felisin thinks he already knew she was but he wanted to show it to her.

Sorcery lights up the sky off the beach and Heboric stands between it and Felisin, while Baudin crouches next to her. The lightning seems to strike Heboric, making his tattoos flare, then it shatters and vanishes, due Heboric says not to him but the Otataral. A boat appears with sorcery attacking it. Four men leap out and one, a mage according to Heboric, says they need the group’s help.

Kulp and the others on the Ripath (Gesler, Stormy, etc.) have been running for days under the random attack of an insane mage trapped in a nightmare, driving them to the Otataral Island shore (Kulp thinks it’s an escaped prisoner driven mad by the Otataral). They’d been sailing along the coast for some time when Kulp had felt the Otataral presence “soften,” as if some power were weakening or negating Otataral’s effect. Having landed, he believes it has something to do with Heboric. As he looks at the group of three, Kulp is “alarmed” by something. He also immediately notes that Baudin is something more than just a thug and is also “disturbed” by Felisin for some reason. Looking at Heboric via his warren, Kulp sees a “ghost hand” of power continuing on from his left stump; it looked like it was reaching into a warren and holding something tight. His right stump had a different kind of power—a mix of Otataral red and some unknown green, which was blunting the effect of the Otataral. He sees it as a “battle of warrens”—the ghost hand Fener’s warren, the other hand a mix of Otataral and a warren Kulp has never seen before. Kulp fills them in on what he knows. Heboric tells him he believes Coltaine lives. Felisin tells them (they’re a Fener cult remember) that Heboric is an excommunicated priest and the “bane of his own god.” Kulp and Heboric go away from the others; Kulp asks if the other two can be trusted. Heboric says Baudin can be trusted so long at their interests are shared and that Felisin cannot be. Later, when Gesler asks Kulp how they’ll get off the island with the insane mage still out there, Kulp says Heboric will deal with it.

Felisin looks at the newcomers with “disdain,” worshipping a god torn down to ground and vulnerable. She asks Baudin about the talon she found in his gear and Heboric, overhearing, tells Baudin “well done,” but refuses to explain to Felisin. Baudin, meanwhile, doesn’t seem to agree with Heboric’s assessment of him. Felisin, angered, dreams of the rebellion succeeding and taking the entire Empire down with it: “an end to repression, an end to the threat of restraint as I set about exacting revenge.” She decides to try and get the newcomers on her side via her usual method. After some great humor, Gesler tells her to take off, that they see through her. Spitefully, she tells them Heboric will betray them and that he despises them. She goes into the water herself, exhausted, and thinks how she can’t do anything but lash out and that there must be some way to “reflect something other than hate and contempt . . . a reason.”

The next day Kulp says he hopes the Otataral in Heboric will keep the insane mage at bay. He notes his warren, Maenas, feels different, more “eager” and less “remote” than usual. They enter the water and the ship is attacked by sorcery again in the form of “spears,” one of which pierces Stormy’s thigh. Heboric covers Felisin. When the sorcery stops, they are in the mage’s warren and Kulp looks up to see a tiny figure riding the storm high above, blood spraying around it. Heboric uses his Fener ghost hand to heal Stormy’s thigh, though Kulp had seen some taint pass through. Baudin had also been injured (his hand) but refused Heboric’s healing. A strange pale blue thick water is slowly filling the ship’s hold, but they’re only fifty yards or so from a large, seemingly abandoned ship, which Baudin identifies as a “Quon dromon, Pre-Imperial.” They swim over to the Silanda, which Baudin has identified because it had been the only ship allowed to trade with the Tiste Andii and it had gone missing years ago. When they open up one of the on-deck bundles, they find a severed Tiste Andii head inside, which is the case for the dozens of other bundles.

Below decks, Kulp and Gesler find the oars manned by headless bodies. Kulp says someone killed everyone, beheaded them, then set them to work as rowers. In the captain’s cabin they find four more bodies, non-Tiste Andii. Three of them are crushed. The fourth is in the captain’s chair impaled by a spear. His is the only corpse with blood, and it still looks wet. Kulp guesses these four killed the Tiste Andii, sailed into the warren (possibly accidentally), then were killed by someone else. While Gesler goes to get Heboric, Kulp studies the maps in the room and recognizes very little. Heboric thinks they are Tiste Edur, referenced in Gothos’s Folly as one of three Tiste groups from another realm, the Edur from the “unwelcome union of Mother Dark with the Light.” He explains the Tiste Andii considered it a “degradation of pure Dark, and the source of all their subsequent ills.” He also says the spear is a Barghast weapon, though oddly large. Kulp takes the rowers’ whistle from the captain’s neck. Out on deck, Kulp feels the whistle’s sorcery and realizes the cabin had Otataral in it. Up in the crow’s nest, Truth sees a sorcery storm approaching (the insane mage). Gesler blows the whistle and the oarsmen begin. The eyes in the severed heads also open. Felisin looks at Truth and envies his innocence, thinks she walled off all that was vulnerable in herself.

Fiddler wakes in Pust’s temple with Pust and Mappo there. After Mappo leaves, Pust says he knows Fiddler’s goal is Tremorlor, asks if Fiddler knows “The Chain of Dogs,” which he says has already begun, then utters “shadow-borne prophecies . . . The gutter under the flood. A river of blood, the flow of words from a hidden heart. All things sundered. Spiders in every crook and corner.” Mappo tells Fiddler to pay attention to everything Pust says, then, after admitting he follows Icarium to keep his search endless, says he and Icarium will join them to find Tremorlor. He also tells Fiddler that Pust saved Fiddler’s life and rebuilt his shattered ankle. Crokus bursts in worried that Apsalar will be re-possessed because they are in a temple of Shadow. Prompted by Icarium, Pust reassures them by explaining Cotillion won’t repossess her due to Rake’s threat (from GoTM), Cotillion no longer see her as valuable, and that his residue of skills in her is cause for concern (thought that last was possibly an accidental slip).

Fiddler then gives a mini-lecture on Tremorlor and the Azath houses. Says they are rumored to be on every continent, they are a lodestone to power, that Kellanved and Dancer occupied the Deadhouse in Malaz City. He continues with Quick Ben’s theory that all are linked via gates and one can use them for near-instantaneous travel and says they plan on using Tremorlor to get to Malaz City, a half-day’s sail from Apsalar’s home. Pust says at Tremorlor there will be blades and fangs; Icarium shall find his past, Apsalar what she doesn’t yet know she seeks, Crokus the cost of becoming a man (or not), Fiddler the Emperor’s blessing; and Mappo will do what he must. He then vanishes. When Fiddler asks if there is magic in words, Icarium says enough “to drive gods to their knees.” Back to top

Chapter Nine

It is five days after the soletaken attack and Kalam is feeling tracked by someone. He comes across the scenes of an ambush with a trail of Malazan refugees leading away into hostile land. Apt finds the survivors’ trail but Kalam says it isn’t there problem. He runs into a band of bandits (using the rebellion as cover) who tell him the rebellion holds all the cities but Aren (“and Aren has the Jhistal within”) and only one Malaz army is left, burdened by refugees and led by a Wickan named Coltaine. The bandit leader threatens to take Kalam’s horse but pretends it a joke when Kalam doesn’t back down. Instead, he asks Kalam to join them when they attack the survivors from the ambush. Kalam agrees, but says they should join the army to attack Aren and leave the survivors to the desert. The leader says they will go to Aren’s “yawning gates” afterward. Apt, meanwhile, disappeared before the bandits saw the demon.

The band splits and readies to attack. Kalam kills the bandit leader. Riding into the survivors’ camp, Kalam sees it’s a trap (the bedrolls have nobody in them). The survivors kill three of the bandits and Kalam kills the last. The survivors are Captain Keneb, his wife Selv, their two children, and her sister Minala. Before Keneb passes out from a head wound, Kalam convinces him to trust him (Keneb also recognizes Kalam’s name when he learns it). Kalam decides to attack the last bandit back at their camp for their supplies; the survivors go with him.

When Kalam arrives at the bandit camp, the lone guard has been joined by another group of seven, who had brought women they had raped and killed. As Kalam looks on, Apt reappears. Kalam kills them all. Minala arrives and tells him there had been two others whom she’d found torn apart.

Keneb tells Kalam that the nearby rebellion army is commanded by Korbolo Dom, a former Fist of the Empire who married a local and turned traitor, executing half his legion who refused to go along. They took Orbal (Keneb’s city) by riding in as allies. Kalam knows Korbolo, who was Whiskeyjack’s replacement for a time after Raraku. Kalam recalls him as an excellent tactician but too bloodthirsty. Laseen seemed to agree and had him replaced by Dujek. Kalam takes charge as Keneb’s head wound makes him a bit suspect decision-wise. They ride out.

A wave throws a knee-deep layer of silt on the Silanda. Heboric notes that the warren had been prairie and was recently flooded. Out of the silt form six T’lan Imass, Logros T’lan. Their bonecaster (Hentos Ilm) tells Kulp to stand aside (calling him “Servant of the Chained One”) because they have come for their kin and the Tiste Edur. Kulp tells them there are no T’lan Imass and the Edur are dead. While two Imass check, the bonecaster tells Heboric to call down his mage in the sky because his wound is spreading and must be stopped, and also tells him to tell Fener that the Imass will not allow the god to damage the warrens. Felisin laughs and tells Hentos she’s gotten nothing right so far. Heboric explains. The other Imass tell Hentos the Malazans were telling the truth and she tells them they were looking for “renegade kin.” Hentos tells Heboric she doesn’t recognize the strange power in his ghost hand but that if the insane mage isn’t dealt with, Heboric will lose his sanity to his Otataral power. She says they must kill the mage and seal the wound. When Kulp asks what warren they’re in, she informs him it is the elder warren Kurald Emurlahn. Kulp says he’s heard of Kurald Galain (the Tiste Andii warren) and she tells him Emurlahn is the Edur one, and that Kulp’s warren (Meanas) is the “child” of Emurlahn. Kulp says that doesn’t make sense as Meanas is the warren of Shadow, of Ammanas and Cotillion and her reply is Edur came before Shadowthrone and Cotillion.

Hentos touches Heboric and tells him he is “shorn” from Fener though Fener still makes use of him. Hentos goes into the sky (in dust form) and kills the mad mage and while the storm disappears what is left is a black “lesion” the size of a moon. Hentos says a soul must bridge the wound. One of the Imass, Legana Breed, volunteered as he is clanless. He gives Stormy his sword then goes up into the lesion. The wound closes in on itself. Before they disappear, one of the Imass, in answer to Stormy’s question, tells him that Legana will feel great pain forever, as the wound heals around him and he doesn’t die. Truth tells them that Legana took one of the Edur heads with him. (And he was pretty sure Hentos didn’t see him do it.) Felisin converses with Baudin, who tells her “You ever think that maybe what you are is what’s trapping you inside whatever it is you’re trapped inside?” Back to top

Chapter Ten

Duiker is still following Coltaine’s army, unable to catch up, continually impressed by what Coltaine has done so far but still certain it will end in annihilation. Realizing that Coltaine’s vanguard will cross the Sekala River that night, he decides it will be his last chance to catch him. Making a dash between two rebel camps, he manages to reach Coltaine’s defenses. We get a quick time check from Captain Lull—it’s been three months that Duiker has been chasing Coltaine after his exit from Hissar. Duiker is escorted to a briefing with Coltaine, Bult, Captain Chenned (the captain from the wall in Hissar as they watched Coltaine’s arrival), Captain Lull, Captain Sulmar, Sormo and other young warlocks, and others. Coltaine sets plans for the crossing of the river and Sulmar tries to get the nobles’ priority treatment to cross first. Two nobles, Nethpara and Tumlit, interrupt and Nethpara presents a list of grievances, a request to cross earlier, and a complaint that the soldiers are getting more food rations. Tumlit wants to know why there are so many more wagons being used for wounded and why the sappers/engineers are crawling all over the wagons. Bult, at Coltaine’s command, throws them out. Others are dismissed. Coltaine asks Duiker about Kulp because Sormo can no longer sense him. Sormo says the warrens have become “difficult” due to Soletaken and D’ivers “infest[ing]” every warren and that he has been forced to turn to older ways, including enlisting the land’s spirits. Luckily, Reloe has no Elder knowledge and so can’t use magic against them. Coltaine tells Duiker they head for Ubaryd, a two-month journey. Duiker then tells them his story (leaving out his rescue attempt of Heboric) before heading to bed.

Duiker is woken by Corporal List and warns Baria Setral (the Red Blade Commander from earlier) that he’d heard the Semk tribe (with sorcerers) have joined Reloe’s army and will be making that flank tough on whomever is defending. As the crossing continues and skirmishes then the battle begins, Duiker and List make their way to a wall on the oxbow island in the river to observe. On their way, they meet Nether, a young girl (reincarnated warlock) of about nine or ten. She helps them make their way then goes on to face the Semk sorcerers. As Duiker and List head for the bridge, another young warlock, Nil, raises ancient zombie soldiers from prior battles on the land. The undead soldiers are followed by women and children, the women killing the children yet again as they had ages ago when they faced an inevitable loss. Nil alone sees both sides, sees that it was a clan war—kin killing kin over the “Antlered Chair.” Nil tells Duiker the Wickans had done the same until united by Kellanved’s contempt for their infighting and feuds and it was that which gave him their loyalty. The battle rages more fiercely as the Malazans are driven back to the river. Duiker is sure there has been mass drownings and they’ll all be killed due to the river holding them up, but the sappers have built a road across the river using the wagons and so the Malazans are able to cross swiftly and easily. One of the engineers, Cuttle, then blows the road with the peasant army vanguard still on it, leaving a trench and trapping Keloe’s army on that side of the river, leaving one army left to fight on the other, the Semk, who eventually retreats.

The Malazans fortify their camp while Coltaine holds another meeting which recounts many losses (including the Setral brothers and the Red Blades). Sormo says they were lucky that the Semk god was such a cruel Ascendant as it uses its wizards to channel its power and rage, unconcerned with killing them as it does so. He adds that the god will simply choose more and “more extreme measures” will be needed to deal with it. Lull informs them that Ubaryd has fallen and the Malazan fleet left it, with tens of thousands more refugees fleeing toward Coltaine’s army. Bult says they have no choice now but to aim for Aren, 270 leagues away, and that they shouldn’t count on Fist Pormqual marching out of Aren to help them.

Nether wakes Duiker in the middle of the night and he follows her to where Sormo and Nil wait. Sormo shows him a cliff of ice with bodies in it, tells him it is Jaghut sorcery and that the Semk god is within it. The warlocks have called the land’s spirits and offered them pieces of the Semk Ascendant’s flesh and thus of its power. Sormo says it is actually mercy of a kind for the Semk Ascendant as all its undying anger will dissipate, though it will hurt the Semk wizards. Sormo allows the Ascendant to escape the ice and it is torn apart by the spirits.

As they return to camp, Nethpara and Tumlit arrive with another noble, Lenestro. They are angry because Coltaine conscripted their servants, Tumlit because he is concerned about them, the other two because they have no servants. The chapter ends with the camp’s dogs all howling and Duiker, covered in blood, walking under a blood-red sky. Back to top

Chapter Eleven

Aboard Silanda, Kulp enters his warren to try and find a way to shift them out of the flooded Elder warren and into the real world. His warren has felt the passage of intruders, though luckily they are gone when he enters. As he tries to figure out if he can use Meanas to “trick reality” into letting them through, he feels a massively powerful presence nearing. He exits for a moment to tell Heboric to get everyone ready, then returns as the warren itself or someone in it (perhaps Shadowthrone, perhaps the Hounds) seems to react with “outrage” at whatever is nonchalantly passing through, one which seems to Kulp to have the power of Rake or Osric, though the former is on Genabackis and the latter rumored to have gone to a far southern continent a century ago. A massive dragon appears, though one unlike Rake or Osric’s draconian forms, and one which, Kulp realizes, is undead. As it passes, he uses Meanas to put Silanda into its wake, though the portal opens much wider than he’d planned, “wounding” his warren and flooding it with the water from the Elder warren. Shadows come to try and heal the wound and stem the water, but it appears futile. Calling on Shadowthrone and all other Ascendants, Kulp tries to “fool” reality into healing the rent. As he thinks he’s dying of the unsuccessful attempt, the dragon adds its power to his and the wound begins to seal. The dragon leaves him when other Ascendants join their power in as well (though only as if it were a “game”), and then, the wound sealed, they drop Kulp like he was nothing. After some rest, Kulp readies himself to try and move them out of the dragon’s wake into the real world.

Felisin, having watched and felt all this, now watches as they continue in the dragon’s wake, thinking how small they all were in relation to all that power, and how little in control of their lives. The dragon opens a portal and leads them into a realm of fire (to “sear the fleas from its hide” Felisin thinks). Baudin wraps Felisin in his arms to protect her and jumps overboard onto sand in a narrow gorge, though not before she sees Heboric fall overboard. The fire disappears as they land and Felisin realizes they’re back in the real world (thanks to the buzz of flies). Baudin looks “gilded. Tempered.” In Felisin’s eyes, it looks like he “feels” again. Baudin says he’s heavier and that something has changed. They make their way out to a range of hills over a valley and find Heboric and an unconscious Kulp beside him. Heboric tells them they’re on the mainland of Seven Cities. Kulp comes to and speculates the warren of fire (or fire between warrens) may have been chaos. He also notes that Felisin’s scars are fading. Felisin says the marines must be dead as they went below decks and the ship was on fire. When Felisin tells Baudin to go away, Heboric slips and says he would if he could, which lets Kulp figure out Baudin is her bodyguard. It all comes out:

Felisin is Tavore’s (the adjunct’s) sister.

Baudin is a Talon.

The Talons were formed as covert external military by Dancer.

The Claws were formed as secret internal police by Surly and when she became regent she sent the Claws after the Talons.

After they fought it out the Claws won, though some Talons went underground.

Tavore sent Baudin to protect Felisin and then get her out of the prison.

Baudin didn’t because she “didn’t want to go.”

Baudin’s father witnessed Dancer and Kellanved’s ascension in Malaz City.

Felisin tells Baudin to go away and he does, angering both Kulp and Heboric (as well as causing a strange “twist” in Felisin’s heart). Kulp gives Heboric the choice of sticking with her or not and he says yes, he owes her his life. When a sudden sandstorm of sorcery strikes, Kulp realizes they’re in Raraku. The storm covers them.

Mappo tells Fiddler Sha’ik was killed, assassinated by Red Blades according to Pust’s Deck reading. When Fiddler (who knows Deck readings) says he didn’t think Decks could be that precise, Mappo agrees. Fiddler is frustrated by Pust constantly delaying their departure, and thinks how Pust reminds him of Quick Ben—plans within plans. He tells Mappo he feels old and used up (recall Pust’s reading re the “weary sapper”) and that he knows Pust is up to something but can’t figure it out. Mappo thinks it has to do with Apsalar and Fiddler agrees. Mappo suspects Pust wants to force Apsalar into being the vessel for Sha’ik’s reincarnation and points out she’s has a lot of Dancer’s abilities and memories and recovering more memories of her possession time. Mappo suddenly realizes that Pust has been laying a false trail to the Path of Hands to divert the Soletaken and D’ivers from the real one in the temple (he also gives a mini-lecture on the shapeshifters to Fiddler). He also thinks Pust knows about him and Icarium, and plans to use them. Fiddler guesses as the last line of defense in case the shapeshifters discover the true gate. When he says they could just leave, Mappo says Icarium has his own quest so they’ll stay, and Fiddler tells him Pust is using their sense of honor and duty, knowing they’ll try and prevent the shapeshifters. Mappo suggests Pust will do the same with Fiddler’s group. They go to join the others, agreeing not to tell them of their suppositions.

On their way out, Fiddler confirms that Icarium is obsessed with time, that he builds constructs to measure it all over the world (remember GoTM), that he is nearing his goal and that Mappo’s vow is to keep him ignorant of his past. When Fiddler says without one’s past, without history, there is “no growth,” Mappo agrees. Fiddler wonders how Icarium remains friends with Mappo, and so generous in general, without memories. They find Crokus assaulting Pust in front of Apsalar while Shadows gather (to protect Pust). Fiddler separates them and Crokus says Pust wants Apsalar to become Sha’ik. Fiddler says it’s up to her and when Apsalar says she won’t be used by an Ascendant again, Pust says she won’t be a tool but would command. She says no, Pust notes she’s still linked to Dancer, and then the two of them exit. Icarium enters and Mappo tells Crokus and Fiddler they think Servant is Apsalar’s father. They realize Shadowthrone took him as leverage and that Servant has gone after Sha’ik’s body. Mappo asks if Fiddler will go with him after Servant and Fiddler agrees.

Mappo collects an odd weapon formed of the large long-bone of a massive skeleton dug up by his clans centuries ago, a bone that had its own sorcerous power that was then enhanced by Trell witches. He also has a sack that is its own private warren (into which he has sometimes stuffed entire people). Icarium tells him Apsalar has gone after her father. Mappo, and then Icarium, theorize that perhaps Sha’ik planned this from the start and/or also that Shadowthrone and Dancer had never planned on a possessed Apsalar going after Laseen, but a once-possessed one now having his skills but without him (detectably) in her taking the role of Sha’ik, defeating the Malazans, thus forcing Laseen to come and then killing her, putting Apsalar on the throne with Dancer and Kellanved as patron gods. Icarium says he feels he’ll find answers at Tremorlor and asks Mappo how it will change him, if Mappo will reveal his memories. Mappo tells him Icarium is not dependent on Mappo’s memories and shouldn’t aim to become his “version” of Icarium. Icarium says he thinks Mappo is part of his hidden truth and Mappo fears this statement because it is further than Icarium has ever taken this line. They agree that Icarium may have a decision to make at Tremorlor.

Fiddler is waiting outside. He senses tension between Mappo and Icarium and thinks changes are coming to them all. He’d caught Crokus practicing knifework earlier, showing improvement and a colder air. They head out.

Kalam is observing Korbolo Dom’s camp, circled by rows of crucified prisoners. He hates the feeling of helplessness, of having no effect. He thinks of how the Empire’s threat was always “we deliver your destruction back on you tenfold,” and hopes that if he kills Laseen a better will take her place and he and Quick Ben have someone in mind. He returns to the others (Keneb is worse) and tells them they can’t go through or around. He pulls out a rock from Quick Ben, a “shaved knuckle.” He breaks it and they end up in the Imperial Warren which extends far further than the rumors he had heard. He decides to use it to head toward Aren (rather than Unta).

Lostar Yil, following Kalam, faces the portal as Pearl exits. He alludes to “primitive” presences using it and that this portal in this place shouldn’t exist. The two of them enter the warren.

Seven hours later, the portal is still open. Dom’s camp is up in arms as 1300 Malazan children that had been crucified had disappeared. Shadows are all over the place. Apt appears holding a young boy, his face chewed and pecked, lacking eyes and a nose. Shadowthrone appears with the Hounds and after saying he was surprised as he’d thought to have lost Apt to Sha’ik, he asks what he’s supposed to do with all these kids, growing angry as he presses her. Apt appears to answer that Kalam wanted to save them and Shadowthrone says of course he did but knew it was impossible, that only vengeance was possible, but now Shadowthrone has to exhaust himself to heal them all. Apt seems to suggest servants. Shadowthrone scoffs at first but then seems to get an idea, something about the “ambivalence in their scarred, malleable souls.” He agrees to take them but Apt says she wants to keep the one boy. He wonders how Apt will resolve possible conflict between the boy and protecting Kalam and she has an answer of some “nerve.” Shadowthrone agrees but says while he can heal the body, the mind will retain scars and the boy will be “unpredictable.” He heals the boy but gives him a single, Aptorian eye rather than human ones at Apt’s request. Shadowthrone worries aloud about Pust’s ability to pull off the deception with regard to the shapeshifters and the Path of Hands. Apt and the boy enter the warren to keep after Kalam. Back to top

Chapter Twelve

Duiker rides with the army and catalogs its many losses, deprivations, the seeming futility, the rumors swirling. Captain Lull finds him to tell him he’s “volunteered” to go after the new enemy commander that been harassing them with such deadly effectiveness. Lull notes that Corporal List, alongside Duiker, is feverish for lack of water and has Nether take him to a healer. Lull tells him they anticipate another battle on the other side of the next river they’ll cross (roughly nine days).

They meet Lull’s squad and Nil, who has narrowed down the war leader’s position somewhat. Nil tells Duiker the Malazan professional soldier is the deadliest weapon he has seen. The warlocks call a hiding fog down while some sappers set off a munitions diversion. As they head out, Duiker thinks it’s been a long time since he’s actually fought, his perk as Imperial Historian being not fighting in the front lines, as well as being given alchemies to extend his life He recalls the Emperor pulling him out to make him historian, assigning Toc the Elder to teach him to read and write (Kellanved said he had other plans for Toc the Elder). Duiker thinks sadly of how Toc the Elder vanished after Laseen took over and how Toc the Younger had been lost in the Genabackan campaign. The warlocks open a tunnel in the ground and the squad heads downward, much to Duiker’s dismay. The tunnel slowly fills with water so they travel through a stream, until they finally exit near a campfire of a half-dozen Tithsani warriors, the ground strangely frosty. The war leader and Semk with his mouth sewn shut enter the camp. The marines kill the warleader and several of the warriors, while a clawed beast is called from the earth by the warlocks and kills a few others, but the Semk is unbothered by arrows and starts to kill the beast while more Tithansi warriors arrive. Nil is unconscious and the other warlock being killed by sorcery. Duiker realizes the Semk is being controlled by a surviving piece of the Semk god the Malazans had thought they’d killed earlier. Sappers use munitions to try and open a route out. A woman marine carries Nil while Duiker covers her. They’re attacked and Duiker kills two but the third is killed by a Claw weapon (the second evidence of such a killing) and when Duiker, after getting back to camp, asks Lull what other secrets Coltaine is keeping, Lull tells him he’s sure Coltaine doesn’t know about any Claw but he’ll want to.

Duiker tells Coltaine, who is surprised by the news while Bult is skeptical. Sormo enters and tells them the Semk god was indeed killed and torn apart, but that one of the pieces had corrupted the earth spirit that had devoured it. He says the other spirits will deal with it and blunt its attacks. He says this sort of magic is ancient, from before warrens when magic “was found within.” When Coltaine mentions water rationing, Duiker reminds them the tunnel they created had water in it and they realize they’ve been suffering needlessly.

The warlocks open pits and tunnels and dole out water.

Kulp, Felisin, and Heboric have been trapped by the Whirlwind sandstorm for three days. Kulp feels it’s almost as if the goddess singled them out. They take shelter in caves the storm has carved into a mesa. They discover it’s a buried city and move farther in. Heboric, weak and feverish, mutters about how “They tried it here . . . and paid for it . . . There was retribution . . . a cleaning-up of the mess . . . First Empire . . . They came and put things aright. Immortal custodians.” They find a hole above that will lead them in farther, so Felisin climbs a quartz pillar (despite incredible pain), then Heboric uses his ghost hands to first throw Kulp through up through the hole then to climb up the rope they lower for him.

Felisin watches Heboric fearfully. She feels “emptied, with nothing left in me to rebuild.” Kulp figures out the room they’ve entered was once flooded. Finding a door he pushed against it and when it falls more easily than expected, he plunges through the opening and down steps, breaking his nose. The new room is filled with what Felisin first takes as sculptures, but are actual people. Heboric tells them their children “chose the path of the Soletaken” as an “alternative to Ascension” and that the elders had tried to create a new, safer version of the ritual for their children. He also says they’d extended their lives via alchemies, but the ritual killed them. The city was later flooded, after the “immortal custodians [the T’lan Imass] had already come and gone.” As they head toward where Heboric says water may be in the city, Felisin thinks that she has some of Hood in her or with her, wonders if that’s where her dreams of rivers of blood come from. They find more bodies in the streets, these ones partially veered, killed by violence, the shapeshifting ritual gone madly out of control until stopped by the Imass, whom Heboric says have a “bond” with Soletaken and D’ivers. He also identifies the city as First Empire. Heboric theorizes the shapeshifters they’ve met are heading to the ancient gate and tells them the undead dragon they saw while on Silanda was a T’lan Imass bonecaster. They find a fountain and Heboric tells them that due to the alchemies in the water there will be “benefits” from drinking it. They drink.

Kalam’s group appears lost. Kalam can’t figure out why that haven’t exited the Imperial Warren, despite his visualizing Aren in detail. They see clouds and prints and then smell the scent of shapeshifting. Investigating a pit, Kalam realizes they’re walking on a huge layered bed of ash from an entire land being incinerated, including living beings—“millions.” At the bottom he also finds strange mechanisms which remind him of Icarium’s machine in Darujhistan. Keneb says he’d heard a rumor that Icarium had been seen, then tells Kalam that Deck readers had lately been unable to get past the first card, which kept coming up as Obelisk, an Unaligned card, and that one Seer had said it was due to Icarium.

Kalam’s group comes across a sunken road and decide to camp down there. Keneb tells Kalam about Minala, that her husband would beat her, force heal her, then beat her again. Keneb says he didn’t know about it until the very end and was on his way to the husband when the attack came. When Kalam asks how her husband died, Keneb refuses to say. He then says Minala had set herself up as protector of Selv and the kids, but now feels unnecessary with Kalam around. Kalam says he doesn’t think she trusts him.

Fiddler and the others are following Apsalar as she tries to catch up to Servant, on his way to Sha’ik’s body. The place is rife with Sha’ik’s warriors as well as Soletaken and D’ivers. Two warriors suddenly appear and before Fiddler can do anything giant spiders swarm over them and kill them. They come across another warrior, this one killed by Apsalar. Mappo tells them they are now walking the Path of Hands. As they continue, Fiddler ponders Apsalar as Sha’ik and thinks while her skills would be useful, they don’t offer what she needs to lead, and he thinks he’s known only a few that had such skills: Dassem Ultor, Prince K’azz D’Avore of the Crimson Guard, Caladan Brood, Dujek, Tattersail, Whiskeyjack. Fiddler worries about Crokus, how upset he seems about Apsalar going off without saying anything. He also suspects Apsalar’s father was a willing participant in putting Apsalar in this position.

Pearl and Lostara have stopped before a portal as Pearl tries to decide whether to explore it (a “detour”) or continue after Kalam. He also informs Lostara they are being followed. He decides to do the detour as “assistance is required,” even though Laseen has made dealing with Kalam a priority as she thinks he presents a “personal risk.” He tells Lostara they will be attacking Whirlwind soldiers (helping Coltaine), and she agrees to go. He warns her to stay unseen and to also stay away from a Semk demon. They enter the fight and Lostara kills some Tithansi warriors. They face the Semk demon (the one with his mouth sewn shut in scene 2) who throws them aside, badly hurting Lostara. Pearl stands between her and the demon, though he seems to Lostara to consider himself dead already. Then Apt suddenly appears with the boy atop her. She plunges her hand into the demon’s body and pulls out an object and flings it away. Pearl thanks Apt, opens a portal, and Lostara goes unconscious. Back to top

Chapter Thirteen

As Duiker walks through the camp, a large cattle-dog runs by with a lapdog in its mouth, chased by several nobles. One of the nobles, Pullyk Alar, seems about to challenge Duiker when List rides up and interrupts, calling Duiker to a meeting. As they head to the meeting, they come across another group of nobles who watch as Lenestro whips one of his servants. Duiker steps in and stops it and tells Lenestro they’re taking the servant to the healer and he won’t be returned. When Lenestro protests Duiker shakes him and Lenestro faints. When Nepthara protests List tells him Lenestro was lucky Duiker, whose name is “among the Noted on the First Army’s Column at Unta”, didn’t just kill Lenestro. As they continue on toward the meeting, List confesses he doesn’t believe they’ll get to Aren. In the meeting, Sormo says a strange demon badly damaged the Semk demon and that Nil had seen Apt and the boy. It remains a mystery. Coltaine tells them they’ll have to go through Kamist Reloe’s army on the other side of the river P’atha and that Duiker will ride with the marines. Told of the servant problem, Coltaine decides to use some of the gold they’re carrying (the soldiers’ pay) to just buy all the servants.

At night, Coltaine joins Duiker where he sits and tells him their scouts are having a hard time seeing what Reloe has planned. He also says there is a second army that he plans on beating to the next river, Vathar, by two days, though the river is still months away. When Duiker asks if that second army is Sha’ik, Coltaine says no and says perhaps she hasn’t released the Whirlwind yet because she’s heard Tavore is assembling the Malazan legions in Unta and preparing to leave for Seven Cities. Coltaine leaves and Duiker roams the camp. He finds Wickans putting heavy armor (unusual for Wickans) on their horses and themselves. Duiker continues wandering, watching soldiers preparing the morning’s battle. He finds Corporal List and Captain Lull with the marines. Lull tells him that the refugees are being held back from the battle, guarded by the Weasel Clan. Captain Chenned and Captain Sulmar shows up and Sulmer says the sappers have all deserted, but Lull suspects they’re up to something. Chenned exits with an old-time phrase (“save me a patch of grass when you go down”) and Lull informs him that Chenned’s father was in Dassem’s First Sword (as was Temper from NoK).

Duiker marches forward with List and the unnamed female marine from the Semk demon night. Reloe had built a ramp before Coltaine’s army with steep sides forcing Coltaine’s army toward only one exit (and uphill). List seems to resent not having been in the mix of things due to being assigned to Duiker. The Seventh marches up the ramp and engages, but before Duiker gets involved, he’s turned by List to watch as Nil and Nether lead a single horse into sight and stand with their hands on it. Then Duiker enters the fighting for a while until the signal to split. The sappers, who had buried themselves in the banks of the ramp overnight, suddenly appear, throw munitions into the first line of Reloe’s army, then the heavy cavalry Duiker had seen last night charges up the ramp over sappers lying on the ground with shields on their back. Duiker realizes the charge hand been unnaturally strong and fast and sees Nil and Nether still standing to either side of the single horse. Eventually Reloe’s army breaks and runs. Lull appears and tells Duiker that Coltaine’s group is mocked for its noble-born, the army is called the Chain of Dogs because Coltaine “leads yet is led, he strains forward, yet is held back, he bares his fangs, yet what nips at his heels if not those he is sworn to protect.” Duiker looks up and sees that Lull has lost an eye and his nose due to a mace wound.

The Weasel Clan had used some of the refugees as bait, losing hundreds of them, which outraged the refugees and especially the nobles. The land’s spirits had destroyed the Semk demon and the Semk god’s remnant. The Weasel Clan slaughtered nearly the entire Tithansi tribe, as well as the peasant army. Duiker recalls coming across Nil and Nether, their hands covered in blood, with the mare which though still standing was dead and he is horrified that despite its sacrifice giving strength to the cavalry and saving lives, it died with “a dumb beast’s incomprehension at its own destruction beneath the loving hands of two heartbroken children.”

Kalam’s group comes across an ash-covered dome. When Kalam wipes some ash away it reveals a symbol he recognizes from a Genabackis battle against one of Brood’s company, the one led by Kallor, who called himself High King and claimed to have “once commanded empires, each one making the Malazan Empire no larger than a province . . . [and] to have destroyed them by his own hand, destroyed them utterly . . . made worlds lifeless.” More focused, Kalam is able to open a portal into Aren.

While the others rest and bathe, Kalam sits in the main room of an Aren tavern where he meets a Napan ship captain who tells him some mysterious stranger calling himself Salk Elan has booked Kalam passage aboard his ship, Ragstopper, to Unta. The captain says he’s sailing in two days with twenty marines, the High Fist’s treasurer, and much of Aren’s treasury.

Kalam tells Minala he’s going to go (though he can’t figure out how Elan knew Kalam would be in Aren, let alone in that tavern needing to get to Unta) and that she and the others should get out of Aren. He gives her the stallion and says he wishes things could have been different. He leaves with the captain of the Ragstopper.

Lostara leaves Pearl to go report to the head of the Red Blades in Aren. In the streets she is arrested by a group of High Fist’s soldiers as all the Red Blades have been for treason.

Minala says goodbye to Keneb and takes off after Kalam. Back to top

Chapter Fourteen

Kulp presses the others to move on due to the presence of shapeshifters nearby. When Heboric bemoans the coincidence of the Whirlwind rising at the same time of the Soletaken/D’ivers, Kulp says it wasn’t accidental, that someone started the shapeshifters on the convergence due to the uprising or perhaps the goddess began the Whirlwind to mesh with the convergence. Felisin suggests letting themselves be bitten (to become shapeshifters) and Kulp tells her that’s a common misperception, that a bite would only result in a cycle of madness but real shapeshifters are born. Heboric leads them on.

Felisin notes the water has made her feel “mended,” but she still feels hopeless. Heboric leads them through the city, which is filled with bodies killed in the battle with the T’lan Imass, all the death leading Felisin to despair and thoughts that all of humanity’s action means nothing, affects nothing, that all that lies beneath is futility. They come to a temple whose frieze is an Elder Deck showing the Holds. Heboric asks Kulp to find the Hold of the Beast and Kulp tells him the throne is empty and is flanked by T’lan Imass. Heboric says the Throne used to be filled. He asks Kulp if he sees the Unaligned (Kulp can’t) and among them would be Shapeshifters. They walk through the temple then exit onto a ledge high on a cliff face above the Whirlwind. Kulp and Felisin tie themselves to Heboric who will climb down using his ghost hands.

Heboric climbs down, through the Whirlwind which scours Felisin’s skin painfully raw. When they read the bottom, Felisin looks up and thinks she sees a figure on the ledge above them. They feel something coming/nearby and run, suddenly breaking into a calm spot, like the eye of a storm. In it are four men carrying a palanquin bearing up a “corpulent figure wearing voluminous silks” and carrying a parasol. He offers them healing unguents, food, and water and asks if Felisin is for sale. Kulp points out his porters are undead and appear to have been chewed. When questioned how he manages to oppose the Whirlwind, the newcomer says he’s a merchant who trades with Sha’ik’s rebels so the Whirlwind gives him passage. As his servants set up camp, the newcomer observes that Heboric is a former priest of Fener and Kulp a mage of Meanas and introduces himself as Nawahl Ebur. Kulp tells Felisin the salves really are healing and she uses it to heal herself. Nawahl pulls out lanterns and wine and food. A huge Soletaken bear tries to enter the protected area but cannot. Kulp moves closer to look and as he turns back to the merchant Nawahl shapeshifts into hundreds of rats that swarm over Kulp. Heboric enters the mass, his hands glowing (one red, one green) killing each rat he touches but the swarm spreads then drops from where Kulp had been, leaving just a mass of bones and his cape. As the Soletaken bear even more frantically tries to enter, getting a forearm in, the rats head for Heboric. Suddenly, Baudin appears and dashes the oil lanterns to the ground amid the rats, who attack him. He breaks three more lanterns and fire engulfs him and the rats. Felisin goes to Heboric and pulls him away. In her head, Nawahl offers her wealth and peace and indulgence and tells her not to go, that he will deal with Baudin and Heboric and the Soletaken bear (now revealed to be Messremb). Felisin hesitates but thinks the D’ivers rats are losing. As she pushes Heboric away the protections collapse and Messremb charges in.

Felisin finds shelter for them nearby then falls asleep. She wakes to the storm being over. Heboric tells her the rat bites have poisoned him and wars with “the other strangers in my soul.” Baudin appears—“burned, gnawed, parts completely eaten away.” He drops to the ground and Felisin cradles his head in her lap. Baudin whispers to her she was not what he expected, then dies. Felisin’s “armor” “falls away.”

Mappo tells the group Apsalar and her father are now walking the path together. Both he and Fiddler sense “expectancy” in the air from the Whirlwind goddess. Icarium mentions they’ve gone through two warrens on the path, “ancient and fragmented, woven in the very rock of Raraku” and that once he smelled the sea. Mappo points out Apsalar could easily evade them and so must be leading them. Fiddler wonders if, knowing what he and Kalam had planned with regard to Laseen, she is contemplating taking on Sha’ik so as to further that plan. Mappo warns Fiddler that if she becomes Sha’ik reborn, Apsalar will be changed by the goddess, will take on the goddess’ cause. Fiddler says she’s arrogant enough to think that won’t be the case. Crokus wonders if she’s been repossessed by Cotillion so he and Shadowthrone can use the Whirlwind to wreak vengeance on Laseen. Fiddler worries that Gods ruling a mortal empire would draw other Ascendants into the mix and lead to devastating results.

Back at Sha’ik’s corpse, Leoman also feels a change in the air, the sense of expectancy. The Toblakai plans to leave, thinks Sha’ik will not be reborn, but Leoman isn’t ready. Felisin and Heboric appear. Leoman kneels before her and tells her “you are reborn.” Felisin answers, “So I am.” Back to top

Chapter Fifteen

Kalam is checking out the ship that has been procured for his passage. One of the sailors mentions that Korbolo Dom and Relo’s armies have merged and plan to catch Coltaine at the Vathar River. The sailor points to High Fist Pormqual’s seal on much of the loading and guesses Pormqual is “turning tail.” He tells Kalam their last job was hauling weapons for Tavore’s fleet. When Kalam asks about an escort, the sailor informs him that Pormqual has commanded Nok’s fleet to stay in Aren Harbor. Across the bay a Malazan transport is unloading horses. The captain arrives, accompanied by a man and his two bodyguards. Salk Elan appears behind Kalam (surprising Kalam) and identifies the man as Pormqual’s treasurer. Questioned by Kalam, Elan tells him he arranged Kalam’s passage to pay off an obligation to Mebra (the one who gave Kalam the Whirlwind book in Ehriltan), who had guessed Kalam would try to assassinate Laseen. Elan goes on to say he’s leaving Aren due to a recent bounty on his head. When the treasurer starts to harangue the captain, Elan steps in. Before Elan and the bodyguards get into it, the captain starts to explain what’s going to happen when the treasurer suddenly goes unconscious. When Elan and Kalam join the captain in his cabin, he tells them Nok has been arrested by Pormqual, there appear to be no Claws in Aren, the treasurer has been given technical command of Ragstopper, and the Malazan transport has also been commandeered by Pormqual and will carry his household and horses to Unta.

When Kalam asks Elan why no Claws, Elan says he knows nothing about “those horrid throat-slitters,” before leaving. Kalam suspects Elan is a mage and a good fighter.

Minala, sneaking aboard the transport with Kalam’s horse, thinks she’ll never see her sister or Keneb—who has been attached to Blistig’s City Garrison—again.

Captain Sulmar presses Coltaine to listen to the nobles’ suggestion to try and retake Ubaryd. When he asks about water beyond the Vathar, Bult says the warlocks can sense nothing past the river. Duiker notes how aged Sormo now looks and worries that Nil and Nether hadn’t exited their wagon since their magic with the horse at the last battle. Coltaine strips Sulmar of his rank and Sulmar says he has the right of appeal to a High Fist. Bult agrees and says the nearest one is in Aren. When Sulmar says taking Ubaryd would allow Nok to rescue them, Bult tells him Nok must be dead or arrested if he hasn’t left Aren, and that Pormqual is paralyzed. When Sulmar asks Duiker his opinion he explains why Ubaryd would be a disaster and also that Korbolo is an actual general while Reloe was just a mage. Bult mockingly suggests getting yet another opinion from Bent the ugly cattle-dog. Duiker actually feel a bit bad for Sulmar, caught in a bad position due to his noble blood. He recalls Kellanved purging the army of its nobles and turning the army into a meritocracy, with the help of Laseen’s Claw. He thinks Laseen didn’t learn from that, though. When Lull asks Duiker about List, Duiker says he’s mending but the healers are breaking down. Lull then asks about the forest past the river and Duiker tells him it was once on both sides but the Ubaryd’s shipbuilders deforested it, along with the introduction of goats. Duiker wonders how Coltaine will defend the group in a forest.

Lull and Duiker pass the herds of animals, which will be slaughtered at the river since the land beyond, seemingly empty of spirits, will not sustain them. He thinks how they will sense their impending deaths as they near, and then thinks again of the horse killed by Nil and Nether. Lull tells Duiker it’s rumored the children’s’ hands are permanently stained black with the mare’s blood and Duiker muses that the Wickans know power never comes free. Lull tells him he actually wants Korbolo to come just to end it all, that he cannot see whatever hope Coltaine does and Duiker answers he doesn’t believe Coltaine is hopeful any more. When Lull compares them to the herds waiting for slaughter Duiker answers that unfortunately people don’t get the gift of mindlessness and Lull will find no salvation there. Lull replies he doesn’t want salvation, just a way “to keep going.”

They arrive at a meeting between Coltaine and the former slaves. He gives them uniforms and a medallion with a cattle-dog’s head on it and tells them that last night the nobles tried to buy them back and Coltaine refused for they were soldiers of the Seventh now, not slaves. Lull tells Duiker that as slaves they might have survived, but as soldiers they will certainly die and tells Duiker to make sure he writes of this. Duiker thinks Lull is a broken man.

List’s wound had become infected and a Wickan horsewife had treated it with moldy bread. List is now getting better and tells Duiker his fever had come with visions of something terrible that had happened in this land long ago, and when he describes the “god” that gave him the visions, Duiker recognizes it as a Jaghut.

Heboric tells Felisin that Leoman and Toblakai are ready to move on to Sha’ik’s oasis and that he and Felisin need them to survive, whether or not she opens the book. Felisin tells him that Sha’ik’s rebellion will call down a retributive army and it will be led by the adjunct, her sister. She tells Leoman they’ll head out but she won’t open the book yet. She also tells Heboric she’s going to keep him with her. As they walk, Heboric says Raraku continues to reveal her secrets to him, which angers Leoman. Heboric says he also sees all the spirits the Toblakai killed writing in his wake. Though the Toblakai sneers, he pales at Heboric’s words. As they continue on, Heboric says he knows of scholars who “claim they can map entire extinct cultures through the study of “ pottery shards. Felisin tells him one cannot be remade until one is broken and then asks if Heboric has learned any truths. He replies he’s learned there are not truths, to which Leoman answers Raraku and the Whirlwind are truths, as are weapons and blood. Heboric says this area was once sea and notes how the death of cities and civilizations is cyclical and that being witness to such inevitable rise and fall must be why long-lived Ascendants grow hard and cold. Out of earshot, Heboric tells Felisin Leoman doesn’t totally believe she’s Sha’ik reborn and worries he wants her as just a figurehead, but she says she’s not worried. When he asks why she keeps him around, she tells him for Baudin. Heboric says perhaps he and she will in fact one day understand each other.

They come to an ancient harbor and find several corpses killed by a shapeshifter. Toblakai goes to hunt the shapeshifter. When Heboric says he’ll be killed, Leoman tell him that Sha’ik saw far into his future and what she saw “appalled” her. He then tells Felisin when she goes through the ritual (he says she must before they enter the city) the visions will be hers. And that if she isn’t the real Sha’ik she’ll be killed by the ritual.

Fiddler’s group come to an ancient island rising above a desert plain which had been an ancient bay. Mappo and Fiddler watch Icarium climb an old sea wall. Fiddler says it looks like Icarium knows his way and Mappo tells him Icarium has wandered this land before, while in his mind he worries that Icarium appears to be recalling more than usual. As they follow Icarium, Fiddler tells Crokus the city was long dead before the sea dried up and recalls how when the Emperor dredged Malaz Bay it had revealed old sea walls showing the city was even older than thought. And, Mappo added, that the sea levels had risen since then. Looking down from the sea wall they sea the city had been destroyed by “cataclysmic force and fury.” Mappo hears a high keening in his head and follows it as well as an internal recollection of the city based on old legend and suddenly he knew where they were—a First Empire city—and what Icarium would find. He locates Icarium in the center, where seven massive scorpion-sting thrones had been destroyed by “sword blows, by an unbreakable weapon in hands powered by a rage almost impossible to comprehend.” All offerings and tributes had been destroyed save a single mechanism—one of Icarium’s time-measuring devices. Icarium asks Mappo why it wasn’t destroyed while everything else was and tells Mappo if he reads it right he put it here 94,000 years ago. He asks who destroyed the city and says from the signs it was someone powerful, that the T’lan Imass arrived and tried to drive him back to honor their alliance with the city but were slain by the thousands something even a Jaghut couldn’t do (and the K’Chain Che’Malle were already extinct). Mappo tells him it must have been an Ascendant, a god or goddess, one who drifted long from mortal minds because he can’t think of a known one that would “unleash such power on the mortal plain.” Icarium replies that they could but choose rather to be more subtle meddling with mortals as the old ways proved too dangerous.

Mappo flashes back to when he was assigned the task of being Icarium’s guardian. He’d asked his tribe’s shoulder woman about the Nameless Ones. She told him they were once sworn to a god but were “cast out, cast down. In the time of the First Empire . . . they were the left hand, another sect the right hand . . . mysteries of another led them astray. They bowed to a new master.” He thinks he’s since figured out who/what that new master is.

They leave the city and continue on after Apsalar and her father. Mappo realizes they are no longer heading for Sha’ik but for Tremorlor. Crokus, who has been waiting and watching, finds Pust shadowing them. Amidst Pust’s seeming ravings, he mentions how his deceit has been successful and that the key was to knowing that warrens can be “torn into fragments” and that Fiddler’s group has been wandering “more than one world.” Mappo remembers legends that Icarium came from Raraku and wonders if the broken warren is where Icarium’s long nightmare began. They catch up to Apsalar and her father on the threshold of, according to Pust, “a knotted torn piece of warren” into which his false Path of Hands has led the shapeshifters. When Crokus asks why they were led here, Pust says Servant will use what’s in the warren to go home. Mappo senses that while the aura or echo of a god still clings to Apsalar, she had made it all her own. Icarium tells Mappo that he wonders if the rumors that the Azath are a benign force to keep power in check and arise when needed are true. Mappo theorizes (in his head) that the torn warren Pust references would wander and deliver “horror and chaos” save that Tremorlor holds it fast, though Raraku has been twisted at the warren’s edges. Apsalar’s father (Rellock) asks them to talk Apsalar out of going any farther and tells them he led them there to pay his debt to Pust/Shadowthrone for sparing Apsalar’s life and giving him his arm back. They all agree to go in, and Pust’s last words (which he says they cannot hear) are “beware sleight of hand. Compared to the Azath, my immortal lords are but fumbling children.” Back to top

Chapter Sixteen

The Chain nears the Vathar River. List tells Duiker that the head of Korbolo Dom’s army has been spotted trying to beat them to the river (Reloe’s army is behind the Chain) and that Duiker is to ride ahead of the Chain with the Foolish Dog clan. At a meeting, Coltaine asks Duiker if he’s seen the sapper captain and says he’s beginning to wonder if they even have one. Bult tries to spear a lapdog that’s been tormenting him. Nether joins Duiker to ride ahead.

On the ride, Duiker thinks he sees the cattledog Bent carrying the little lapdog in its mouth. The forest is filled with swarms of migrating butterflies which Duiker hopes might slow Dom’s army, but Nether tells him a mage is clearing their path by opening a warren and letting the butterflies vanish into it, meaning the enemy army is no longer hindered by the shapeshifters in the warrens. They reach the river crossing and see a burned ship riding there (Silanda). Duiker recognizes Gesler and Stormy from when he and Kulp were in the village, but notes they and Truth have a strange bronze coloring to their skin.

Dom’s advance arrives but rather than attacking sets up a camp nearby and starts cutting down trees. Duiker tries to convince Stormy and Gesler they’re back in the army now. Stormy and Gesler tell them about the Silanda, the headless Tiste Andii and undead rowers, and how they had but then lost Heboric and the others. They decide to scout Dom’s group using the Silanda’s dory.

They see Dom sending archers and soldiers across the river via ropes spanning the cliffs.

The rest of Dom’s forces arrive and fell more trees and set up on both sides of the river crossing. Duiker wonders why he hasn’t attacked and Nether guesses he’s waiting for Coltaine to show. Nether says the Silanda will take as many wounded as it can to Aren. She says Coltaine asks if Duiker wants to go with them and when Duiker immediately says no she tells him Coltaine had said that would be the response and wonders how Coltaine knows people so well, adding he’s a mystery as much to the Wickans as to the Malazans.

Coltaine arrives. He, Lull, Bult, and others meet with Stormy and Gesler. Lull says he knows of Gesler being demoted from captain to sergeant and now corporal and recalls that Stormy was once Cartheron Crust’s Adjutant. Gesler threatens to punch Lull if he even thinks about promoting Gesler, then Bult, and Coltaine. Coltaine punches Gesler and breaks his hand bloodying Gesler ‘s nose. Nil senses from Gesler’s blood that Gesler has nearly Ascended (and yet Coltaine bloodied him). A messenger arrives from Dom and offers to allow the refugees to cross the river unhindered. The nobles agree, making Duiker suspicious they had already been in communication with Dom’s army. Coltaine rejects the offer. Stormy tells Gesler things don’t seem right.

Felisin tells Leoman she will not dance to Sha’ik’s music. Toblakai returns having killed a giant white bear. Leoman pressures Felisin to perform the ritual. Felisin intones: The Toblakai “is pure faith yet shall one day lose it all,” Heboric will rediscover faith, Leoman is a “master deceiver” but searches always for hope despite his cynicism, and Felisin is as a crucible newly emptied. She tells Leoman to open the Book and he sees nothing in it but when Toblakai looks he weeps. Heboric refuses to look or touch it. Toblakai wants to kill him and when Felisin says “do it” (knowing he won’t be able to), Heboric’s hands flare visible and catch Toblakai’s wrists and send the sword flying, then Heboric throws Toblakai as well. Felisin tells Heboric he was never forsaken, he “was being prepared.”

Fiddler’s group crosses the threshold into a forest. They see a huge boulder with red hand/paw prints on it. Mappo accuses Pust of it being more of his deception, but Icarium says the markings are real, but are Tellann (associated with the T’lan Imass), though the boulder is usually found on a hilltop. Pust wonders if Mappo’s sack is another piece of the warren. As they move forward Mappo wonders at how the number of roots seems too many for the number of trees. They come to a plain at the end of the forest, the plain covered in roots (despite the lack of trees): Tremorlor. Icarium senses the Azath is under siege by the warren trying to pull free and the Shapeshifters. They decide to rest a bit before continuing on.

Mappo asks Rellock why he agreed to take Apsalar into such danger. Rellock says she needs reasons and learning, that simply being granted, “knowing” by the god’s possession isn’t enough. He says like fishing, you “learn no place safe.”

Mappo hears Icarium and Apsalar talking. Apsalar says they’re both alike, both with protectors who can’t really protect them, especially from themselves. Icarium says it’s different with him and Mappo. Apsalar asks him what he’ll do with his memories when he finds them and he asks what does she do with hers. Apsalar says most of them aren’t actually hers: she has a handful of her own, some from a wax witch who protected her and then Cotillion’s. She says Cotillion killed to “fix things” and saw himself as honorable, as well as actually felt some sympathy for Laseen along with desire for vengeance. She then tells Icarium that though he thinks his memories will bring knowledge and understanding, in reality they tell us nothing about where we’re going and are a weight we can’t get rid of. When Icarium replies he’d accept that burden, she tells him not to say that to Mappo unless he wants to break Mappo’s heart. Icarium says he doesn’t understand but would never do that to Mappo. He repeats he doesn’t understand and when Apsalar says, “Yet you wish to,” he weeps.

As they prepare to continue, Mappo asks Icarium if he really wants to risk imprisonment by the Azath. Icarium says Mappo too will need to be wary, but that they need trust the Azath recognizes them as non-threats. He adds he can sense the Azath suffering and means to help it fight because its cause is just. Mappo thinks the Nameless Ones, his tribal Elders, and even his younger self would have given Icarium up to the Azath due to the risk he offers the world but he is unsure he can. Icarium senses Mappo at war with himself and tells Mappo he would give up his life for him. Mappo reveals the truth of the First Empire city to Icarium, that Icarium has destroyed entire cities and peoples and that Mappo’s job has been to prevent him from doing so again. Icarium says the Azath knows this and so must take him prisoner and that such would be suitable punishment. He asks Mappo to let Icarium be taken without resistance.

The others clearly know what just happened between Icarium and Mappo and Fiddler tells him it was inevitable. Icarium tells them all to make no effort to save him should the House try and imprison him. Pust says the House need take him first to have his strength to fight off the shapeshifters. Icarium asks if he can fight without going crazy and Mappo says he does have a line to cross. Fiddler tells Icarium to hold himself back until the others have done all they can do. When Pust objects Crokus asks him what happens if Icarium kills the Azath (the idea of which stuns Icarium) and Shadowthrone sends the five Hounds of Shadow (two were killed by Rake in GoTM). Fiddler and Mappo make eye contact, sharing a distrust of the Hounds/Shadowthrone. Icarium says he welcomes them. They enter the House’s maze.

Gesler and his group say goodbye and tell them they’ll try to convince Pormqual to help them. Sormo asks Duiker about List’s visions, says the warlocks sense nothing of the land. Duiker tells them there were a war fought there and that List’s visions of it come from a Jaghut ghost. Tumlit arrives and tells them another messenger from Dom arrived secretly and the nobles/refugees are going to cross. Coltaine tells his leaders to not contest the crossing and tells Duiker to send the sappers into the refugee group. Duiker and his nameless female marine join the refugees. Dom’s army has made a floating bridges packed with pikemen and archers. The rebels start slaughtering the refugees as they’re blocked at the ford, while the army is fighting in the rearguard. The arrows eventually taper off as the rebels run out or as the sappers push back on one side (Dom hadn’t planned on soldiers coming through with the refugees and the archers are only lightly armed). The desperate refugees attack the floating bridge when it nears them and the bridge sinks. Sormo uses sorcery to kill the rebels but then is killed himself. Butterflies in the hundreds of thousands converge on him. The refugees swarm Dom’s soldiers where Duiker is. Duiker comes across Nethpara and starts to strangle him but is prevented by someone who knocks him out. Back to top

Chapter Seventeen

Two privateers are following Kalam’s ship. Kalam can’t get to the bottom of the captain; he feels he’s trying to tell Kalam something. Kalam thinks of a warren he’s heard of that can lay a glamour on one’s mind. Time seems to be moving strangely aboard ship. Elan accuses the treasurer of being and helping a thief, and points out the crates below have the High Fist’s seal on them, not the empire’s. Elan tries to engage Kalam in conversation but Kalam refuses. He goes up top to find the crew preparing for a storm as well as using the storm to turn on the pirates. The captain tells Kalam it’ll be a night for knife work. Kalam seeks out the marine captain and asks if they’re loyal to the captain or the treasurer. At first she wants nothing to do with him, but when he tells her he’s a Bridgeburner she and Kalam come to an agreement whereby she implies they’ll support the captain. Kalam tells her to leave the treasurer’s bodyguards to him. One of the marines says he never believed the outlawing of Dujek and Kalam thinks the soldiers may be right. Ragstopper rams a pirate and battle ensues. Kalam finds the First Mate with his throat cut and the captain wounded (the captain killed one of the bodyguards) Elan helps Kalam with the captain the two agree that the treasurer is in league with the pirate ships (one of which is now destroyed) and the two agree to work together to protect the captain and stop the treasurer.

The treasurer takes command and plans to surrender. Kalam gets the marines and crew ready. Elan kills the other bodyguard and they lure the raider in with a knife to the back of the treasurer. Battle starts as the pirate board and an enkar’al appears on board via a pirate mage and starts killing marines. Kalam severely wounds the enkar’al so the marines can kill it while Elan deals with the mage. Kalam and Elan and the marines win the battle.

They load the treasurer with sacks of coin and toss him overboard.

Felisin puts on Sha’ik’s clothing. Leoman still doesn’t fully trust she is Sha’ik and continues to press the ritual, though he accepts she has come into some power Felisin puts him off. He warns her the High Mages will be trouble and she says she knows.

The captain seems overly affected by his wound, having a hard time getting words out. Kalam again gets the sense the captain is trying to tell him something. More marines have died despite having a ship’s healer. They appear to be moving due to tradewinds but the captain tells Kalam there aren’t any in this area. Kalam again thinks of the glamour warrant.

They spot Tavore’s fleet heading to Seven Cities. Elan asks Kalam if he wishes to be with the soldiers, if he’s caught between two desires. Elan tells Kalam the two should work together and mentions Kalam’s previous partners. When Kalam replies, “What makes you think I am alone now,” Elan gets nervous Back to top

Chapter Eighteen

Fiddler’s group comes across the bodies of four Nameless Ones who appeared to be guarding the entrance. Icarium, looking at their staves, says he has seen these before in a dream, which he then recounts: he arrives at the edge of a Trell town that has been utterly destroyed, with Great Ravens feasting on the corpses. A Nameless One appears and from the power still pouring from her staff, Icarium realizes she has destroyed the town. She tells Icarium he must “not wander alone.” Her words recall horrible memories of past companions, “countless in number,” sometimes individuals and sometimes large groups, all of them betrayed and all of them eventually failing in keeping Icarium from doing what he does (he wonders if he himself killed many of them). The Nameless One’s staff flares and Icarium finds himself alone with his pain and memories gone. And then he wakes from the dream. Mappo thinks it’s impossible, that someone has tainted Icarium’s dreams. When Mappo identifies them as Nameless Ones, Icarium looks hard at him. Apsalar says the cult was supposed to be extinct. Pust says they claim to be Servants of the Azath and that Kellanved and Dancer’s Talons had purged them from the Empire. Just as Pust was about to say something about the Deadhouse, Apsalar stops him from revealing any more, which makes Icarium wonder if that was her or Dancer doing so. Apsalar says she’s tired of everyone wondering who she is, “as if I have no self.” She says she is “not a slave to what I was. I decide what to do with my knowledge.” Icarium apologizes and asks Mappo what more he knows about the Nameless Ones. Mappo says it’s rumored they date from the First Empire and it is they who recruited Icarium’s guardians, though nobody knows why (Rellock guesses guilt).

Fiddler views hordes of arms and limbs and demons, Ascendants, etc. caught in Tremorlor’s roots. They can hear battles on all sides of them as they move through the maze, along with the Azath’s roots and branches being broken. Fiddler looks at how close Blind stays to Icarium and thinks he and Mappo are both suspicious that Shadowthrone had made a deal with the Azath that it wouldn’t take the Hounds and they’d help it take Icarium. Suddenly Messremb charges but not at the group; instead it attacks an enkar’al Soletaken about to attack. Mappo kills the Soletaken, but Rood attacks Messremb and pushes him against the maze wall where he’s held by a green-skinned arm around his neck. Rood tears one of Messremb’s arms off as Mappo is restrained by Icarium from going to help him. Icarium tries to comfort Mappo by telling him he’s being killed by the arm and so he won’t be imprisoned for eternity in the Azath.

Fiddler thinks there’s no way they can survive this, with thousands of shapeshifters there, meaning only the strongest will survive to the end. Shan arrives with lots of wounds. Icarium senses Gryllen coming and Mappo tries to hold him back. Fiddler turns to see Gryllen approaching as a “seething, swarming wall.”

Felisin’s group is stopped by a young girl standing guard at the entrance to Sha’ik’s oasis camp. She is an orphan and thus nameless (nobody to speak for her in the naming ritual) and Felisin says if they will fight and die for her all the orphans have earned names and she herself will speak for them all. Heboric says the ancient city was destroyed by invaders. Leoman tells them there are 40, 000 “of the best-trained cavalry the world has ever seen.” Heboric says it doesn’t matter as the Malazan Empire always adapts its tactics, pointing out it’s already defeated a horse culture—the Wickans. When Leoman asks “how” Heboric says he doesn’t know—he isn’t a military historian—but Leoman could always try to read Duiker and others who were. Leoman has in fact and reels off the Malazan tactics. A crowd begins to gather and follow them, drawn by Felisin. Over Leoman’s objections, Felisin decides to address the crowd. Felisin wonders at how the goddess has been so amenable to a deal with Felisin: she will grant power to Felisin yet allow Felisin to remain Felisin, seemingly confident she’ll eventually give in. She tells the crowd that all but Aren has been liberated and that the Empress has sent a fleet commanded by her Adjunct. As she speaks, she reads the thoughts of the three High Mages, none of which kneeled when the crowd did. Bidithal had found the other Sha’ik as a child and “used [her] so brutally . . . broker her within her own body.” She says she has reserved a place for him in the Abyss but he will serve her until then and forces him to kneel. Febryl tried to poison her three times and years ago had fled from Dassem Ultor and betrayed Seven Cities but she will use him as bait to identify those who are against her and forces him to his knees. L’oric is a true mystery to her/Sha’ik, and has strong sorcerous shields she cannot pierce. He is a “pragmatist” and judges her every act and decision. He drops to one knee—a “half-measure”—of his own volition, which makes Felisin smile. She tells the crowd they will march and then raises the whirlwind into a giant column of dust and sand that towers overhead as the standard of Sha’ik’s army.

Fiddler’s group retreats from Gryllen, who has grown to encompass thousands or tens of thousands of rats, but end up trapped. Icarium throws Mappo to the ground and draws his sword. The sky reddens and forms a vortex. Shan attacks Icarium but gets swatted aside like he’s nothing. Fiddler reaches into his munitions bag for one of his last cusser and throws it but it was the conch shell from the Tano Spiritwalker Kimloc. Music fills the air and now it’s Gryllen who tries to retreat but begins withering, devoured, giving the song even more power. Everybody’s down on the ground, the Hounds cringing, Icarium knocked unconscious by Mappo. A wall of water appears, filled with the wreckage of the past: the remains of sunken ships, ancient metals, bones, etc and the wave buries them then disappears, the music gone to silence. Fiddler looks up to see the Hounds surrounding the unconscious Icarium and Mappo standing over the body to protect him. Fiddler tells Pust to call them off and Pust says this was the bargain. Fiddler shows Pust his bag and says he’ll fall on his own cusser and kill the Hounds if they don’t back off. Pust looks to Apsalar, but she agrees with Fiddler. They see the House just ahead and Mappo gently picks up Icarium and carries him. Back to top

Chapter Nineteen

The chapter opens saying the Vather river crossing would later be known as “The Day of Pure Blood” and the Season of Sharks and that it would “hone [the] deadly edge” of the woman now sailing with the Empire’s fleet, a woman “hard as iron.” Coltaine lost over 20,000 refugees at the crossing and lots of soldiers, along with Sormo, and Dom continues to harass them. Lull asks Duiker, in all those books he’s read, “How does a mortal make answer to what his or her kind are capable of… Does each of us . . . reach a point when all that we’ve seen, survived, changes us inside . . . What do we become then? Less human, or morehuman.” Duiker tell him that everyone has their own threshold before crossing over “into something else . . . [into] a place not for answers . . . lost.” When Lull says he’ll go mad without an answer, Duiker replies “sleight of hand . . . illusion . . . wonder.” Which you’ll find, he goes on, in “unexpected places” where you’ll fight “both tears and a smile.” As they cross through the forest, they see T’lan Imass skulls in the trees, left from the ancient war in List’s dreams. The survivors of that war carried the T’lan Imass too shattered to go on here and hung them in the trees to watch, rather than bury the immortals in the ground. They pass as well cairns topped with skulls marking places the Jaghut turned and fought. Duiker and List find Coltaine, Bult, and Lull in the vanguard, along with the sappers. Coltaine tells the sappers that, due to their repeated bravery, several clan leaders have asked to adopt them. He says he had them withdraw as he assumed that is what the sappers would want. But, he continues, he will follow the traditions of the Empire and so he promotes one who showed “natural leadership” to sergeant. Lull and the others are informed by another sapper that Coltaine actually just demoted the man, since he had been their captain (Captain Mincer). Mincer then grabs a woman named Bungle, who had been his sergeant, and says she should be made captain. Coltaine and others try not to laugh, and Coltaine agrees to the promotion, suggestion Bungle listen to her sergeant. When asked why he never attended staff briefings, Bungle says it was because Mincer needed “beauty sleep.” She also mentions he carries a sack of rocks to throw when he breaks his sword, and there’s nothing he can’t hit. Save, Mincer interrupts, “that lapdog,” which causes Bult to choke in laughter/sympathy. Coltaine asks Duiker to make sure he records this moment and Duiker says he’ll get every word down. The sappers leave and Coltaine admits he didn’t know what to do or why they seemed to not mind him demoting a man for bravery. Lull says he “returned him [Mincer] to the ranks . . .And that lifted every one of them up.” As Duiker watches Lull, Coltaine, and Bult walk away still talking about it, he thinks back to his conversation with List: “Tears and smiles, something so small, so absurd, the only possible answer.”

List shows Duiker a ruined tower nearby and tells him it was Jaghut, that they lived alone as they feared each other as much as they feared the T’lan Imass. He says the tower is a few hundred millennia old and that they were pushed back by the T’lan Imass to tower after tower after tower (the last “in the heart of the plain beyond the forest.”) Duiker asks if this was a typical Jaghut-Imass war and List answers no, it was a unique bond among the Jaghut family, that when the mother was endangered the children and father joined the battle and things “escalated.” When Duiker muses she must have been “special,” List says yes, and that it is her mate who is his ghost guide. Suddenly, they feel something and turn to look and spot Sha’ik’s column rising to the sky.

Kalam is unnerved by the strangeness aboard Ragstopper: the blurry sense of time’s passage, the captain’s strange illness and seeming attempts to communicate something of importance to Kalam, the suspicion that Elan is a mage, an unusual storm driving them southeast. He finds a private spot and uses a magical stone to contact Quick Ben. Quick Ben speaks to him, seemingly under some pressure wherever he is. Kalam asks him to try and sense what is happening aboard Ragstopper. Quick tells Kalam he’s (Kalam) in trouble and the ship “stinks of a warren, one of the rarest among mortals” and that its purpose (or one of them) is confusion. When Kalam tells Quick that Fiddler and his group headed for Tremorlor, Quick Ben is upset because he’d suggested that possibility when things were at peace but now “every warren’s lit up” and “something’s gone bad there.” Kalam mentions the Path of Hands and Quick Ben gets more worried and says he’ll try and think of some way to help them, then trails away, saying he “lost too much blood yesterday.”

Kalam finds Elan in the captain’s room. Elan tells him the storm is blowing them off course to Malaz City.

Mappo is beginning to doubt the story he’d been told of his town’s destruction by Icarium. He wonders if it matters, as there’s no doubt that Icarium has taken countless other lives. He vows the House will not take Icarium and he will fight it and any who try to help it do so. Fiddler confirms that Mappo is not so caught up in his own plight that he won’t help the group if needed.

As Fiddler looks at his group, he realizes that not only Mappo but all of them will fight to keep Icarium from being taken, foolish as that may be. They can see the assault on Tremorlor is having an effect on the House, can hear the forest being destroyed. They sense something coming up behind them and hear a scream and a battle. From behind comes Moby and the Hounds shy away from him. Fiddler sees Moby is more than he appears and Pust says he just tore apart a shapeshifter. They can see the house now and decide to make a run for it. Apsalar leads, saying a house opened once for Dancer. When asked what it takes, she says “audacity.” Mappo says the conch shell did and is still doing damage to the shapeshifters and may prove enough for the Azath to survive. He asks Fiddler what it was and Fiddler answers he got it from Kimloc, the Tano Spiritwalker. Mappo deduces Kimloc must have touched Fiddler and learned of his plan to find Tremorlor and so crafted the shell in accordance. Above them opens a warren with four huge dhenrabi in it. Fiddler realizes the one he killed earlier in the book was part of a D’ivers. The Hounds attack the dhenrabi and kill several as the group watch, then they run for the House as a swarm of bloodflies heads their way. Apsalar tries the door but it won’t open.

The army passes the first Jaghut tomb, a tilted stone slab. List tells Duiker it was the youngest son, his face looking horrible and Duiker realizes List’s ghost has been watching over the tomb and grieving in torture for two hundred thousand years. List says the boy was five and he was dragged to this spot, all his bones shattered, and then pinned beneath the rock (killing him would have cost the T’lan Imass too much). Duiker realizes the army is working in near silence and List says the father’s grief drove all the spirits away and hangs over all of them like a pall. He suggests moving quickly through this land, though he says things only get worse in the plain. Duiker wonders why the Imass did what they did and List says “pogroms need no reason . . . difference in kind is the first . . . Land, domination, pre-emptive attacks . . . just excuses that do nothing but disguise the simple distinction. They are not us. We are not them.” Duiker wants to know if the Jaghut tried to reason or negotiate and List says yes (save the Tyrants), but their innate arrogance “stung” the Imass. Duiker is skeptical it would do so enough to drive the Imass to swear a vow of immortal war and List answers that he didn’t think the Imass knew how long it would take to kill all the Jaghut, that the Jaghut never really flaunted their true power and that even when they used their power it was often passive and defensive, such as by creating barriers of ice (which the Imass could survive and pass by becoming dust).

As they march, the army is attacked by two tribes—the Tregyn and the Bhilard, while the third, the Khundryl, awaited them; people are starving, the herd animals are dying, and Dom’s army is growing behind them, now five times Coltaine’s number of soldiers. They enter a valley and see two large encampments of the Tregyn and Bhilard waiting.

Lull tells Duiker that the soldiers are dropping like flies due to thirst and he and Duiker both say something feels odd tonight, like “maybe Hood’s Warren has drawn closer.” At a command meeting, Coltaine says the warlocks have sensed something coming tonight. Duiker anticipates tomorrow’s battle will be a slaughter by Dom’s army. He thinks to offer “one word”—surrender?—but even without him saying it, Coltaine looks at him and says “we cannot.” Duiker silently agrees that this must end in blood. The air suddenly changes as the predicted “something” arrives: three massive carriages arriving out of Hood’s Warren. A mage steps out of the lead one and tell Coltaine his exploits are spoken of with wonder in Darujhistan and that people (“alchemists, mages, sorcerers”) have arranged with the Trygalle Trade Guild to supply the army with food and water.

The mage, Karpolan Demesand, was one of the original founders of the TTG, an alliance of mages that came to “specialize in expeditions so risk-laden as to make the average merchant pale.” He tells them Hood’s warren is warped tight about Coltaine’s group. He tells them the Malazans that formerly were going to attack Darujhistan are now allies against the Pannion Seer and that Dujek sends his greetings and was the instigator of this resupply, helped by the cabal of mages in the city. Dujek told the Guild “The Empress cannot lose such leaders as Coltaine,” a sentiment Karpolan finds odd coming from an “outlaw.” Dujek also sent Coltaine, from Quick Ben, a strange bottle for Coltaine to wear at all times. When Coltaine at first refuses, Karpolan tells him it’s an order from Dujek and when Coltaine questions how he, a Malazan soldier, can be ordered by a Malazan outlaw, Karpolan says when he himself asked Dujek the same question, Dujek’s answer was “never underestimate the Empress.” Everyone there realizes the “outlawing” was faked so as to ally with Brood and Rake. Coltaine takes the bottle and Karpolan tells him to break it against his chest “when the time comes.” Karpolan then says he will not stay to witness the tragedy of tomorrow’s battle, plus he has an even more difficult delivery to make. He asks if Coltaine has anything to say to Dujek and Coltaine says simply “no.”

With the food and water, the army rises in the morning in better mood and shape. Coltaine prepares an attempt to punch through the tribes blocking the valley mouth leading toward Aren. List arrives saying he feels hope is in the air. The Khundryl, in tens of thousands, appear and send a small group, which the Malazan assume will be a personal combat challenge to Coltaine. When Duiker tells Coltaine it is madness, that Coltaine is acting like a Wickan and not a Fist, and that Quick Ben’s bottle will only work once, Coltaine rips it off and throws it at Duiker. The Khundryl war chiefs though are not here for combat. One tells them the Khundryl have long waited for this day to see which of the great tribes of the South Odhans is the most powerful and that Coltaine should watch what happens.

As Coltaine’s army is giving ground to the Tregyn/Bhilard tribes on one side and Dom’s army on the other, the Khundryl suddenly attack all three. Dom’s army eventually pushes them back, though the tribes among it were shattered. Meanwhile, the Tregyn and Bhilard were routed. The same Khundryl warchief returns and asks if Coltaine noted which was the most powerful. Coltaine says the Khundryl and when the Khundryl chief says no, they lost to Dom, Coltaine says it must be Dom then whom the Khundryl recognize as most powerful. The war chief calls him a fool and says it’s “The Wickans! The Wickans! The Wickans!” Back to top

Chapter Twenty

As Ragstopper nears Malaz City Elan tries to convince Kalam to let him help Kalam kill Laseen. Kalam says he has no intention of trying to kill the Empress (Elan doesn’t buy it) and then asks Elan directly was sorcery working on the ship. Elan says they’re being tracked by someone who wants to ensure the cargo gets to where it’s going. Kalam tells Elan he’s supposed to make contact with friends outside the Deadhouse.

Pust, Mappo, and Crokus all try unsuccessfully to open Tremorlor’s door. The D’ivers bloodflies are heading for them. Icarium wakens and draws his sword. The Hounds and D’ivers reach the House’s yard together and the grounds erupt, reaching for both. Fiddler tries the door as Mappo attempts to hold back Icarium, but it will not open. Moby climbs down Fiddler’s arm and opens the door. They all enter the House with Icarium lapsing back into unconsciousness. Pust tells them the Hounds helped Tremorlor take the D’ivers then escaped themselves. They look down and see a long-dead corpse on the floor. When they wonder where Moby is Pust tells them he’s a Soletaken. Apsalar says the corpse is probably the last Keeper (every House has a Guardian) and Mappo identities it as a Forkrul Assail. Apsalar says the layout of Tremorlor is the same as the Deadhouse in Malaz City. Moby returns. Pust tells Mappo to let the Azath have Icarium while he’s unconscious, but Mappo refuses. The Trygalle Trade Guild appear out in the now-quiet yard, led by Karpolan Demesand, who tells them he’s there via Quick Ben. He delivers a box of munitions to Fiddler, then leaves.

Apsalar theorizes that Moby had thought he’d found the Path of Hands, had been drawn by the promise of Ascendancy, which was partly true as the Azath is in need of a new Guardian. Fiddler tells them they need to look for a portal which links all the Azath and Apsalar gives directions thanks to Cotillion’s memories. Moby leads them, passing a huge suit of armor he seems enamored of. The come across another body, this of a young woman, whom Apsalar identifies as Dassem Ultor’s daughter. She says Dassem recovered her after Hood “was done using her” (she’s described with “vicious wounds crisscross[ing] her slight form”) and brought here to the Azath before breaking his vow to Hood and cursing him. Apsalar says the portal is not far and when asked, both Mappo and Pust say they’ll join the group, though Mappo says he’ll probably exit at a different spot and Pust mumbles he’ll look for a chance of betrayal. They say goodbye to Moby and Crokus realizes Moby had been protecting them through the storms. When he worries Moby will be lonely, Apsalar says there are other Houses and other Guardians (all of them linked).

After they head for the portal, Moby goes back to the suit of armor, from which a voice tells him “I am pleased my solitude is at an end.“

Duiker is in the midst of a counterattack against Korbolo Dom’s forces, who have been constantly and relentlessly raiding since the surprising attack on Dom by the Khundryl three days ago. The Chain, down to five thousand soldiers, is dropping like flies from the raids and from exhaustion. Lull and the unnamed female marine meet Duiker and tell him Coltaine wants him, that they’ve met another tribe who seem content to merely watch rather than attack. Lull asks what Duiker knows of the tribes in this area and Duiker responds that they have no love of Aren and that the Empire has treated them well, paying for passage and not asking for inordinate tribute. He can tell from Lull’s expression that Coltaine has come to some sort of decision and he worries what it is. The three realize what they continue to fight for is the children’s “dignity.”

As they come to the flat hill, they can see two old raised (15 arm-spans high) roads. The Crow Clan mans the raised road like a fortified wall. Coltaine tells Duiker he is sending him with Nile and Nether and a troop to meet the new tribe and try to buy passage to Aren. Lull tells Coltaine that the wounded, along with Corporal List, have refused to go with them. Coltaine tells Duiker to “deliver the refuges to Aren” and when Duiker mentions the possibility of betrayal, Coltaine says then they’ll all die together. Duiker offers the alchemical bottle delivered by the Trygalle Trade Guild but Coltaine refuses it, telling Duiker he, as historian—the teller of the tale—is more important. And that he should tell Dujek, if he sees him, that it “is not the Empire’s soldiers the Empress cannot afford to lose, it is its memory.” Lull tells Duiker that List sent his goodbyes and wanted to let Duiker know he has “found my war.” Coltaine prepares to attack. The unnamed female marine gives Duiker a piece of cloth and tells him not to read what’s on it for a while.

Duiker leads the refugees out then takes Nether with him to meet two elders of the new tribe. He tells them Coltaine is offering a “collection from all the soldiers of the Seventh . . . forty-one thousand silver jakatas.” The tribal elder identifies that number as the annual wages of a full Malazan army and scorns Duiker for stealing the soldiers’ wages to buy passage. Duiker tells her the soldiers in fact insisted; it was a true collection. Nether adds more from the Wickans: all that they looted on the long journey, all that they have (and, it is implied, all they will have no use for when they die). The elders say it is too much, more than the treaties specify, and agree to take the remainder to escort the refugees to the Aren Road as well as feed and heal them.

As dusk falls over the refugees, Duiker listens to their slow realization that they are being cared for, their tortured response to the kindness of the Kherahn tribe, even the possibility they may in fact make it to Aren, and that it comes at the cost of those sacrificing themselves in battle against Dom. Nether tells Duiker she can no longer speak to Coltaine. When he asks if it means Coltaine is dead, she says they would probably sense his death cry. She says she fears they will not make it, as it’s still going to be three leagues to Aren from the Aren Road to which the Kherahn will escort them. Nethpara arrives and tells Duiker some of the well off have purchased fresh horses and wish to leave now for Aren. They also mention that Tumlit “fell ill” and died. Duiker refuses them freedom to leave, worried it will cause panic. Nethpara starts to challenge Duiker to a duel and Duiker knocks him unconscious with the flat of his sword.

After a day and night’s march, they arrive at the start of the Aren Way, a raised road with ditches to either side and cedars lining the tops of the banks on its 10-mile path to Aren. The Kherahn elder tells Duiker a large force is swiftly approaching and then asks if he’s sure Aren will open its gates to the refugees if they even make it. Duiker laughs and says basically we’ll see.

They march past huge mass graves from when the T’lan Imass slaughtered the residents of Aren earlier. They can see the pursuing army behind, opting for the shorter cross-country path rather than the road itself. Duiker guesses the barrows, which will slow their pursuers, are too new to be on maps and this may just give the refugees the extra time they need. Nil, who has been sent ahead, sends to Nether that they can see the city and its gates are shut. Dom’s army seems to be coming slower than it should be. The first refugees are within a thousand paces of the city and its gates remain shut. Duiker orders Nether to ride ahead with the Wickans. Duiker passes refugees simply stopping and giving up. He scoops up an eighteen-month old and continues on. Aren has finally opened the gates and the refugees are streaming in, helped by the Aren City Garrison. Pormqual’s army, however, simply watches from the walls. Duiker hands the child to a garrison soldier—Captain Keneb—who tells Duiker he’s to report to the High Fist immediately. He also tells him the soldiers on the wall have been ordered by Pormqual to do nothing and they aren’t happy.

Duiker looks back and sees the refugees who had given up, unable to move and too far for him to retrieve (and it’s clear the Fist won’t let his soldiers out of the city). He looks north to see a dust cloud over the nearest barrow, then the high pillar of the Whirlwind. He enters the city.

Apt and the boy Panek are in Shadow. Cotillion joins them and tells Apt her reshaping of the boy will scar him inside. She replies and he tells her he [Panek] “now belongs to neither.” When she speaks again he smiles and calls her presumptuous, then introduces himself to Panek as “Uncle Cotillion.” Panek says he can’t be related because his eyes are different and that Cotillion had walked through walls and trees of “the ghost world as if ignorant of its right to dwell here.” Cotillion asks Apt if Panek is insane and is shocked at her answer. He then asks what Panek recalls of his other world and Panek says he remembers being told to stay close to Father, then being led away by soldiers who then punished him and all the children for not “doing what we were told” by nailing them to crosses. Cotillion gets icy then tells Panek he wasn’t hurt for not doing what he was told but because nobody could stop those people, that Panek’s father would have but was helpless. And that Apt and Cotillion will make sure Panek is never helpless again. Then he says he and Panek will teach each other: Panek can teach Cotillion what he sees in the ghost world, the “Shadow Hold that was, the old places that remain.” Panek says he’d like that, as well as meeting the Hounds (“cuddly mutts”) Cotillion mentions. Cotillion tells Apt she was right, she can’t do it alone and he and Shadowthrone will think about it. He says Apt has to leave, she has debts to pay, and asks if Panek would rather go with her or join Cotillion in settling the other children. Panek answers he’ll go with mother to help the man from before (Kalam), who dreams of the sight of Panek on the cross. Cotillion says that doesn’t surprise him, that Kalam, like Cotillion, is “haunted by helplessness.” He turns to Apt and says when he Ascended, he had hoped to “escape the nightmares of feeling . . . imagine my surprise that I now thank you for such chains.” Panek ask Cotillion if he has any children and Cotillion says he had a daughter “of sorts” though they’ve had a falling-out (Laseen). Panek says Cotillion has to forgive her and Cotillion replies the forgiveness should actually go the other way.

Ragstopper enters Malaz Harbor just before midnight. Kalam can see a pennant flying above Mock’s Hold and realizes someone important is here. Kalam is beginning to think the Deadhouse is a possible escape route of last resort if things go wrong here. The crew is strangely asleep aboard ship and he starts to realize he has seemingly lost his will and control over his body. Elan appears beside him and tells Kalam his mind now betrays him. He continues, introducing himself as Pearl and saying Kalam is a legend among the Claw, and that Kalam would have been head of the Claw had he not left, no matter what Topper thinks. He informs Kalam that the Red Blades assassinated Sha’ik shortly after Kalam delivered the book. Pearl/Elan says the Empress is here to have a conversation with Kalam but the Claw takes care of its own business. He then stabs Kalam to weaken him and warns him three Hands wait in the city for him, ready to start the hunt, before tossing him overboard. His last words to Kalam are it’s a shame that Pearl has to now kill the captain and crew. Apt suddenly appears with Panek on her shoulders and strikes Pearl. He conjures an Imperial demon then leaves.

The captain wakes and finds the sailors watching two demons fighting on deck. He orders the First Mate to get the dories ready to abandon ship and the First Mate calls him “Carther,” which the captain answers with “shut your face . . . I drowned years ago, remember?”

On the trader that had been keeping pace with Ragstopper, the captain and First Mate comment that the Ragstopper is about to go down and get ready to help rescue people. Minala appears on deck atop Kalam’s stallion and jumps the horse into the harbor. The Captain, impressed by both her bravery and stupidity, orders the ship’s mage to clear her a path through the sharks and anything else ahead of her. Back to top

Chapter Twenty-One

Felisin/Sha’ik looks down on the city from a watchtower, alongside the young girl she adopted. Heboric joins her and tells her L’oric is the “one to watch,” that he seems to sense that Felisin has made a bargain with the goddess rather than acceding to letting the goddess be fully reborn (Heboric says instead the goddess has been “remade”). Heboric asks Felisin when the goddess first turned her eyes to her, when she began the manipulations that would lead to this point and Felisin says she never did—that all the twists and turns of mortality (deaths, decisions) makes things too complex for the goddess to manipulate. Sha’ik Elder did have prophecies and visions, but they made little sense to Dryjhna and were too uncertain, not to mention that the goddess isn’t much for strategy. Heboric answers then that if not Dryjhna, someone/something must have guided Felisin as Sha’ik never would have had those visions, and he wonders if even gods are pieces on a board, as mortals are. Felisin replies with a quote from Kellanved: “Elemental forces in opposition”, words meant, she says, to “justify the balance of destruction with creation—the expansion of the Empire.” When Heboric asks what she’ll do about Dom’s atrocities in her name, she corrects him with “in the name of the goddess” and says Dom remains “unfettered” and so “free to answer his obsessions.” Heboric says it’ll take months to march to meet him and by then Dom will have done so much that Tavore will be more than justified in whatever harsh retribution she brings down on Seven Cities. Felisin says she’ll have the advantage over Tavore, as her sister will expect to face merely an ignorant desert witch, not someone who knows so much of Tavore’s mind. Besides, she says, as the Whirlwind lowers itself horizontal, it won’t take months—the Whirlwind is the goddess’ Warren and will take them South.

Duiker and Nether go to the tower where Mallick Rel and Pormqual stand looking down, along with Nil and an unknown commander barely in control of himself. The soldiers on the walls are screaming in rage and outrage as they see Coltaine, with fewer than 400 soldiers left, still fighting his way toward Aren and being slaughtered by Dom’s thousands, close enough that Duiker can see individuals clearly. Duiker reaches for Pormqual but is held back by the Garrison Commander as Pormqual says there are too many. Duiker says a sortie would save them, to which the garrison commander replies Duiker is right but the Fist won’t allow it. Duiker turns and watches Bult die, then Corporal List, watches as a massive cattle dog, pinioned with arrows, tries to defend Coltaine and gets speared, then sees Coltaine being nailed to a cross as thousands of crows darken the sky. Kamist Reloe uses sorcery to kill the crows, refusing to allow them access to Coltaine’s soul. The garrison commander calls for Squint, his best archer and orders him to kill the man on the cross. As he aims, Squint realizes it’s Coltaine and then, weeping, kills him. The crows swoop down on Coltaine, Reloe’s sorcery shunted aside, and when the crows fly off Coltaine is gone. Duiker holds the archer, who appears to have broken by what he did. Duiker watches Pormqual grow more fearful as he gazes at Dom’s army and “shrinks into Mallick Rel’s shadow.” Back to top

Chapter Twenty-Two

Kalam pulls himself out of the water into Malaz City. He takes the attack to the Hands waiting for him and kills a bunch of them.

Fiddler’s group moves through the Azath. Rellock realizes they are walking on a map. Fiddler realizes the floor, which stretches out for leagues in all directions, is a map/way to all the worlds, to every House. Pust disappears. They find a hole where he went and as they pass on, thinking Pust had fallen to his death, the floor reforms.

Mappo walks on feeling guilt over his cowardice, his selfishness, his breaking of his vows by not giving Icarium over to the Azath.

Apsalar sees Mappo and Icarium disappear into another hole. The rest rope themselves together. They see three dragons fly by then dive into the tiles and disappear. They realize you go through when you get to where you’re going, even, as Fiddler thinks, “you don’t exactly plan on it.” They realize the others aren’t dead. The appearance of the dragons, their indifference, and the scale of the Azath leads Fiddler to muse on how small they were, and how the world goes on without them.

Aren prepares for Dom’s siege. Tension is in the air as the soldiers are angry at Pormqual for not letting them out to try and save Coltaine. Tavore’s fleet is less than a week away. Blistig tells Duiker Mallick Rel has convinced Pormqual to ride out and attack Dom and also that Nethpara is blaming Coltaine for the deaths of so many refugees. Blistig says his guard has been ordered to be rear guard and the Red Blades have been arrested. Duiker and Blistig agree it makes more sense to wait for Tavore and let Dom batter himself against Aren. Pormqual commands Duiker to join them to see how battle is done and then he and Nil and Nether will be arrested for treason. Nethpara starts to mock Duiker and Duiker kills him. Keneb arrives and when he hears Duiker refer to Mallick Rel as “Jhistal,” he recalls what Kalam had said to him and steps back to find Blistig. He runs.

Dom’s army appears to flee before Pormqual’s. Then, Aren’s army rides into an ambush; they are encircled by vast numbers. Rel says it is Duiker’s treachery and that he smells sorcery on Duiker, whom he accuses of being in communication with Dom. Dom approaches under parley flag and Rel goes to meet them. Duiker tries to convince Pormqual to punch through and withdraw to the city to no avail. Rel returns and says Dom says the army must lay down arms and group in the basin, then they’ll be treated as prisoners of war, while Rel and Pormqual will be hostages. Duiker, seeing what is coming, lets his horse go as “the least I can do for her.” Rel convinces Pormqual to accede and Pormqual orders his commanders to do so. The captains salute and go to give the order.

The army disarms and groups. Dom and Reloe arrive. Rel says he has delivered the city to Dom. Duiker laughs and says not true; Blistig and his command stayed behind and probably freed the Red Blades as well. They are few but enough to hold the walls until Tavore shows up. Dom says Duiker will die with the other soldiers, that he will make Tavore too furious to think. Dom wants to kill Squint (he doesn’t know the name) special but he’s disappeared. He has Pormqual killed, rather than give him the honor of dying with his soldiers.

Dom spends a day and a half crucifying all the soldiers (10,000) on the cedars along Aren Way. Duiker was last. As he dies, a “ghostly, tusked face rose before his mind’s eye . . . The gravest compassion filled that creature’s unhuman eyes.” The face disappears as “awareness ceased.” Back to top

Chapter Twenty-Three

Kalam continues fighting Claws. He’s seemingly about to be killed but is saved by Minala. They head for Mock’s Hold.

Fiddler and the others fall through and find themselves in the Deadhouse in Malaz City. Inside they meet a Guardian—Gothos—and he reveals Icarium is his son. He also bemoans that Icarium wasn’t taken and reveals that Mappo had been lied to about Icarium destroying his village—that the Nameless Ones had done it to get a companion because Icarium’s last one had killed himself. When Fiddler asked why Icarium is so cursed, Gothos says he wounded a warren to try and free Gothos from the Azath and was damaged. Fiddler thanks the gods for mortality, thinking he couldn’t live with such long-lived torment. Gothos directs them to a bucket of healing water on their way out. Apsalar senses Claw sorcery on the air. Fiddler says they should aim for Smiley’s tavern. Panek and Apt rise up as they exit the grounds and tells them Kalam is going to Mock’s Hold to see the Empress and they offer to take them through Shadow.

As Minala and Kalam ride the stallion up the stairs of Mock’s Hold, they enter a warren which takes them inside. Minala stays back and Kalam enters a room to have an audience with Laseen. She asks why he’s come to kill her. He lists: killing the Bridgeburners deliberately, outlawing Dujek, trying to kill Whiskeyjack and the Ninth, old disappearances (Old Guard), maybe killing Dassem Ultor, killing Dancer and Kellanved, incompetence, betrayal. Laseen requests and is granted a defense. She says: Tayschrenn’s “efforts in Genabackis were misguided,” she didn’t plan or want to kill the Bridgeburners, Lorn was sent to kill Sorry, Dujek’s outlawing was a ruse. She admits to killing Dancer and Kellanved and usurping the throne in betrayal saying the Empire, which is greater than any individual, required it. She followed what she saw as necessity, though admits to some “grievous errors in judgment.” On Dassem, she answers he was ambitious and sworn to Hood and she struck first to avoid civil war. When Kalam asks about Seven Cities she says it will be repaid in kind and her anger convinces Kalam. He calls her Empress and turns away (he’s also been aware for some time she isn’t actually physically present). She warns him she can’t call off the Claw and asks where he’ll go when he escapes them. Kalam and Minala head out.

Topper and Laseen converse. She says Kalam is no longer a threat, and knows he’d realized she wasn’t really there. She tells Topper she doesn’t want to lose Kalam and he says he can’t call off the Claw but she’s crazy if she thinks they’ll kill Kalam. He tells her to consider it an overdue winnowing. Topper says he’s angry with Pearl and Laseen says discipline him but not too much.

Four Hands appear and then Apt and Fiddler’s group arrives to help. They all end up in shadows. Kalam tells Fiddler he changed his mind about killing Laseen. Shadowthrone arrives and tells them they’re in Shadowrealm and Apt has delivered them to him. Apt yells at him. Shadowthrone says he’ll reward them all. Apsalar, her father, and Crokus ask to be sent to the Kanese coast (where Cotillion first possessed her—her home) and they disappear. Kalam says he and Minala could do with a rest and Shadowthrone says he knows just the place, and Apt will be with them. Fiddler says he’s going to re-enlist and go join Tavore. Shadowthrone sends him to behind Smileys. Shadowthrone takes Kalam and Minala to where the 1300 children saved from crucifixion are. Back to top

Chapter Twenty-Four

Sha’ik and her army enter onto the Aren plains from the Whirlwind warren. Her three mages and Heboric can sense death ahead of such fashion or on such scale that all “flinch.” Heboric asks Sha’ik if she regrets her choices and she thinks of the argument she had with her sister when she accused Tavore of killing their parents, though her answer to Heboric is “I have a daughter now.” She tells Heboric her daughter has a gift with words, a “poet’s eye,” such as Felisin herself might have had had she been given the freedom. Heboric warns such a gift might instead be a curse for Felisin Younger, saying those who “invite awe” can be very lonely, “lonely in themselves.” Sha’ik assures him she won’t be lonely and says she understands remoteness. When he asks if she’s named her Felisin, she says yes, the name “holds such promise. A fresh innocence such as that which parents would see in their child.” Heboric weeps as he listens and when she tells him “Oh Heboric, it’s not worthy of grief,” it crushes him. Leoman, Rel, Reloe, and Dom arrive. Sha’ik sees what Dom has done and scouts report that the crucifixions number in the thousands and line the road for at least three leagues. Dom admits he could not take Aren and that Tavore’s fleet has entered the bay. He marvels that the army surrendered as Pormqual ordered and says it shows the Empire’s weakness—its lack of great leaders. He says Coltaine was the last and Tavore is untested, noble, outnumbered, and lacks advisors. Sha’ik orders the corpses on the plain (not the crucified ones) buried and then a return to Raraku to await Tavore’s army on her terms (though her interior thoughts reveal her terror at the thought). Heboric asks which crucified body he stands before, if anyone knows who the body is. Rel says it’s “an old man. . . A soldier, no more than that.” Heboric asks if anyone else hears a god’s laughter.

Heboric, last to leave, still stares at the corpse, still hearing laughter in his head, and wonders why is he blind: is it cruel joke or mercy Is it Fener or the jade He tells Fener he wishes “to come home.”

Blistig waits to greet Tavore. Keneb arrives and said he had no luck finding Stormy and Gesler or Squint, and that the 7th army is ready to be inspected. Blistig worries Squint will commit suicide. Keneb tells Blistig the survivors of the Chain are broken and Blistig agrees, thinking his own company is “brittle.”

Mappo lays the still-unconscious Icarium down for a rest; he and Icarium were spit out along the Aren Way and Mappo has been futilely trying to find a spot “free of death.” He watches as a cart with three men stop at every tree to examine the bodies nailed to them, then move on to the next. Mappo goes to meet the cart—Stormy, Gesler, and Truth—and when they mention need of bandages he offers his skill at healing. They tell him it’s a pair of dogs, not people, who are wounded and that they’d found them at Coltaine’s Fall. Mappo says it appears they are looking for someone among the bodies and Gesler says yes, and when Mappo asks how many bodies there are and that they’ve checked, Gesler tells him 10,000 and they’ve checked them all—these at the Aren Gate are the last few. Mappo says he’ll look at the dogs and is shocked at their condition and that they still live. Truth is utterly distraught. Mappo worries that when Icarium wakes he’ll wonder at the grief Mappo will still be carrying. He is sad that Icarium loses his memories not only of death and horror but also memories of “gifts given so freely,” and wonders how Icarium would answer all this death. Stormy, who has been checking bodies, yells to Gesler to join him at once. They return to the cart and when Stormy asks if they found him, they tell him no, it wasn’t him. Truth is relieved that at least there is a chance their goal is alive then. Mappo, looking at Gesler, knows he’s not telling the truth for Truth’s sake. Mappo turns down an offer for a ride then, after they head back toward Aren a bit, jogs after them, rummaging in his pack.

Pust, walking down the path toward the temple, suddenly starts tearing at his clothes as spiders drop from them. The spider D’ivers assemble into a Dal Honese woman named Mogora, who tells him she’s been watching him for months—saw him lay the false trails, etc. When he tells her she’ll never find the real Path of Hands she answers she doesn’t want to: “I escaped Dol Hon to be rid of idiots. Why would I become Ascendant just to rule over other idiots” They walk off together.

A dragon rises before them and disappears into a warren.

Pust says the dragon was there to guard the real gate, and identifies the dragon as a T’lan Imass Bonecaster. He and Mogora prepare to enter the temple together.

A large ornate wagon is halted at the Aren Gate and two creatures that look like bhok’arala disembark and head to a tree. The two are named Irp and Rudd and their dialogue makes clear they are on a mission from Baruk. Rudd climbs onto a corpse nailed to the last tree and searches under its shirt. He pulls out a piece of cloth with the name “Sa’yless Lorthal” written on it then pulls out a small bottle. Rudd says “it broke all right” and then, examining it, says “he’s in there all right.” They start to take the body down to bring back with them to Baruk in Darujhistan.

Icarium wakes and notices he’s injured. Mappo says he gave away his last two healing elixirs to heal some dogs. Icarium says they must have been “worthy beasts” and he looks forward to hearing that story. The last thing he recalls is spotting the aptorian demon (back at the start of the book). Mappo says that were cast out from a warren and Icarium hit his head on a rock, and it’s been just a day. They head off into the Jhag Odan plain as Icarium wonders aloud what he’d do without Mappo. Back to top

Epilogue

A young pregnant Wickan widow walks into the grassland near her camp. She been told by the horsewife that the child within her had no soul, it has been cursed, and so she is about to drink a potion to abort the child. Suddenly, the horsewife appears to stop her. The two watch an approaching storm that turns out to be a cloud of crows heading their way. Inside her belly, “the child stirred.”

Memories of Ice

Back to top

Prologue

Set during the 33rd Jaghut War. Pran Chole (whom we saw in Silverfox’s birth in GotM) is looking at a The Jaghut mother being pursued is exhausted and wounded and knows she and her son and daughter will be killed soon. She thinks they are the last Jaghut on this continent and recalls how she and other Jaghut allied with the Imass to chain the Tyrant Raest, knowing the Imass would turn on them immediately afterward. She is surprised by the Bonecaster Pran sensed, who offers the Jaghut mother a bargain: leave the mother for Pran’s group but the Bonecaster will save the children.

The Bonecaster takes the boy and girl to a tower with a warren’s damaged gate high up in the air. She assumes it is Omtose Phellack (Jaghut warren) due to its proximity to the tower, which seems Jaghut in nature. She plans to send them through to save them.

Pran Chole’s group finds the Jaghut mother, without her children. She tells him the other Bonecaster took her children to a gate in the south. The Imass kill her. Pran tells Cannig they must head south quickly as the other Bonecaster is about to send the children through the Rent at Morn, incorrectly believing it to be Omtose Phellack. Cannig tells Pran to go quickly for “we are not cruel.”

The renegade Bonecaster sends the children through. Pran appears and she identifies herself as Kilava of the Logros clan. Pran tells her the Jaghut tower was atop the ruins of an ancient city and it was the Rent that destroyed the city. He asks Kilava how such wounds are sealed and she says if a soul had sealed it, her sending the children in would free it and put the children in its place. He challenged her to sacrifice herself to save the children, knowing she will not. Looking at a large mound on the plain, he tells her the prior soul has arrived, though it will have to free itself of the tomb and dig out from under the lava flow, meaning they have time to deal with it. He adds they’ll have lots of time, as the First Gathering has been called to perform the Ritual of Tellann. Kilava says they’re all insane to make themselves immortal to fight a war and declares she will defy the call. He tells her he has spiritwalked far into the future and has seen his T’lan Imass self. She says her brother will be pleased: Onos T’oolan, the First Sword. At his name, Pran identifies just who she is; she is the one who slaughtered her clan and kin save for Tool. She says she did it to “break the link and thus achieve freedom.” She asks Pran who built the ancient city and he answers K’Chain Che’Malle. When Kilava says she knows almost nothing of them, Pran says he’s pretty sure they’ll learn.

Set three years after the Fall of the Crippled God on the Korelri and Jacuruku continents. The Fall had destroyed an entire continent with firestorms for months, the fallen god screaming in pain the whole time, the pain eventually turning to rage then poison. K’rul walks the continent among the few survivors, feeding on the blood from the Fall and from the killings in his wake, thinking this power will be needed.

The Crippled God had broken into pieces. K’rul had seen some of the pieces and the maggots crawling from them and then turning into Great Ravens. He thinks it will be long before the Crippled God could reclaim the fragments and show its true nature and K’rul worries it will be insane from the shattering. The summoners of the god had opened a portal through chaos to an alien world and pulled the god down for power to try and destroy Kallor. K’rul had come here to destroy Kallor who had ruled with such “heartless mastery,” worse even than a Jaghut tyrant. He was to be joined by two other Elder Gods whom he now senses nearing. He senses as well a one-eyed beast following, wounded by the Fall. A beast that has roamed this land long before Kallor’s Empire rose. As K’rul walks across Jacuruku, he sees no life, just ash. The other two gods—Draconus and Sister of Cold Night— approaching from other directions, tell him they are finding the same. The three meet Kallor, sitting on his throne atop a hill of bones. They tell him they came to end his “reign of terror” and he tells them he conquered the continent in only 50 years, save for Ar-datha who has fled. He then says they will not be able to liberate his people as he has killed them all, incinerating the entire continent. K’rul tells the others he will “fashion a place for this. Within myself”—another warren [the Imperial Warren]. Draconus and Sister are appalled at the cost to K’rul. The three curse Kallor to: “know mortal life unending. Mortal in the ravages of age, in the pain of wounds... dreams brought to ruin. In love withered... you shall never ascend... each time you rise, you shall then fall. All that you achieve shall turn to dust in your hands.” In turn, Kallor, using the power of all the death he caused, curses them: “K’rul you shall fade from the world [and] be forgotten. Draconus, what you create shall be turned upon you. And as for you woman, unhuman hands shall tear your body into pieces upon a field of battle, yet you shall know no respite.”

They create the warren to hold the destruction so the land might heal. K’rul is nearly broken by it, wounded for all time, and he can already feel his worship dwindling. Draconus mentions he has been forging a sword since “the time of All Darkness,” a sword that “possesses a finality.” K’rul suggests he change the sword before finishing it and Draconus agrees. Sister says she won’t live her life worrying about the curse and her destruction will come from betrayal. The others advise she be careful whom she chooses to fight for and also finds herself a companion.

The one-eyed beast, identified as more ancient than the Elder Gods, watches the Elder Gods depart. It has lost its mate and will seek it. It heads into its own warren. Back to top

Chapter One

Gruntle, leader of a caravan guard group (Harllo, Stonny Menackis), waits at the crowded ford outside Darujhistan to take his master’s (Keruli) carriage across. He is hailed by Emancipator Reese, who says his masters in another waiting carriage want to speak to him.

Gruntle meets Bauchelain and feels immediately uneasy. Bauchelain tells Gruntle that Keruli’s “prying is none too subtle” and this time they’re making an exception to such invasion of privacy. He leads Gruntle to a fresh crater and introduces him to his partner Korbal Breach, who scares Gruntle even more than Bauchelain did. Bauchelain tells Gruntle the crater was a prison for a Jaghut Tyrant, freed by a T’lan Imass and a representative of the Malazan Empire, and mentions a few rumors that basically recap some highlights of GotM. He then says they’re going to explore the tomb and asks if Gruntle wants to join them, saying his master would probably urge him to accept. Gruntle refuses, then points out Moon’s Spawn in the distance moving away. When Bauchelain mentions the tilt, he’s impressed when Gruntle says that was caused by the Malazan mages. Broach seems a bit nervous at the idea that Rake may sense them, but Bauchelain reassures him he senses no such thing. When the pair head into the tomb, Gruntle heads back, wishing Rake had sensed the two and done something about them.

The one-eyed beast from the prologue (identified now as a wolf), has found a human body in the Warren of Chaos and while it hesitates over possibilities is pleasantly shocked by noting the human’s face is “mirrored” to its own, making its decision easier.

Toc the Younger (one-eyed) awakens on a field with barrows, remembering the ambush by Hairlock and being thrown into a warren. He can tell by the condition of his bow it was a long time ago. He notes one has been holed. Atop the central barrow, he can see the ruins of a stone tower with a “welt in the sky beyond the tower.” Looking at the barrow, he sees something made its way out of it. As he heads for the tower, he stumbles across Tool who briefly recounts some of what happened in GotM and tells Toc they are in Morn and that the woman who lives in the tower has returned. He says he will help Toc with food and arrows. The woman approaches, flanked by Gareth—a large dog—and Baaljagg, an Ay, which shocks Tool. Tool identifies the woman as Lady Envy, daughter of Draconus (killed by Rake with Dragnipur, forged by Draconus) and sister to Spite. Tool wants to know what she’s doing in Morn. Inside the tower are three masked Seguleh. Toc says that for the Seguleh “rank is everything. If the hierarchy’s in doubt, challenge it” and that only the lowest ranked will speak with non-Seguleh. One of the Seguleh has only two slashes on it. Senu challenged Tool and is quickly knocked unconscious, even before he can fully draw his swords. Tool asks Envy what she knows of the Rent and she says it has been bridged by a mortal soul and it seems “almost mechanical.” She adds the K’Chain Che’Malle barrows have been empty for decades and one contained a Matron. She believes the Matron was the one originally sealing the Rent and she has been replaced. Tool says if she wants to know more, she should go with him, for he follows an ancient trail that will lead to her answers. He also tells her that her “old travelling companions”—Rake and Brood—are heading the same way, toward the Pannion Domin to fight against the Domin. Envy says she will accompany Tool and Toc north. Back to top

Chapter Two

Picker’s squad stops Munug, an artisan/trader at a checkpoint. Picker buys a trio of ivory torcs that according to the artisan had received a blessing from Treach, the Tiger of Summer. Picker says Treach was a First Hero (a demigod, Soletaken ascendant) not a god, but the trader says a new temple has been sanctified in his name. The ivory comes from a “furred, tusked monster” that was Treach’s favorite prey—it was found in frozen mud. When she puts them on, they click.

Munug thinks how he has tumors between his legs and that the Crippled God has chosen him for those “flaws” along with his skills. He enters a warren gate and comes out on a plain with a smoky tent. Munug hands the CG in the tent a deck of cards, each with a flaw. As “payment,” the CG heals the tumors but Munug’s legs are dead as the price of the cure, as “perfection is anathema” to the CG.

Picker and Blend discuss how they put a magical “beacon” on Munug so Quick Ben can track him, as he was clearly carrying something.

Quick Ben arrives via Black Moranth flight. He immediately notes the torcs and tells Picker she’s “acquired the blessing of an ascendant.” Upon learning they belong to Treach, he tells them Treach lost himself in his Soletaken form hundreds of years ago. He says he’ll take a look at where his tracker went and Picker mournfully thinks how they’re off to another war, this one against the Pannion Domin.

Quick makes it clear via internal monologue that he knows Dujek’s host isn’t actually outlawed. He follows his beacon to the Crippled God’s tent. He learns that the CG is poisoning Burn and that the CG wants Quick to do something in payment for the CG returning his beacon, that the CG believes the gods and their world must suffer as he has. Before he can continue, Quick unleashes his power, grabs his beacon, and runs. He starts getting pulled back by the CG’s power, but a huge hand reaches up from the earth and pulls Ben down into a huge cavern where stand several such giants, arms holding up the cavern’s ceiling and what appears to be giant ribs in it. Quick realizes he is “within Burn, the Sleeping Goddess. A living warren.” One of the giants asks Quick for help, tells him that Burn is dying. Quick asks how long and the giant says “tens of years.” Quick leaves his beacon there so he can find his way back and vows to return with help, though it’s too late for that giant.

Picker tells Quick it’s time to go. The look he gives her scares her so much, she says, that she’s “ready to piss ice-cubes.” The last line tells us Quick remembered those words.

Paran has been sick at his stomach, had nightmares and visions, is in lots of pain, imagines some of it at least is a child’s, some of it the Hound’s blood in him. He wonders why Dujek and Whiskeyjack feel the need to take on the Pannion Domin. He tells himself not to think about the Empire, better to trust in Tavore.

Hedge tells Trotts Dujek wants the Bridgeburners back in Pale. They’re having a parley with Brood soon.

Mallet (the healer) tells Whiskeyjack that leg of his needs “serious attention” but WJ puts him off. Paran is given command of the 38 remaining Bridgeburners. He thinks of how he heard Tattersail’s voice meaning she was somehow alive. His internal monologue mentions his pain and “a child screaming in darkness, a Hound howling lost in sorrow, a soul nailed to the heart of a wound.”

Mallet tells Whiskeyjack that Paran is in worse shape than WJ and that Mallet’s Denul (healing) warren “recoiled.” He says Paran has sorcery running through him and Paran is fighting it and that’s what’s killing him. He and WJ agree to have Quick Ben take a look at him. Mallet tries again to get WJ to let him heal his leg but WJ says later. Back to top

Chapter Three

The Mhybe (Silverfox’s mother) is old and feeling the energy Silverfox (looking about 10-11) is drawing from her, aging the Mhybe unnaturally, though she believes Silverfox does not know this. Korlat arrives and she and the Mhybe discuss how Kallor continues to argue against Silverfox, though Korlat says Brood remains steadfast. The Mhybe worries that this is only because he needs the Rhivi and will end once he allies with the Malazans. Korlat says they hope the Malazans will know more of Silverfox’s origin, but the Mhybe says though she has the souls of two Malazans and the body of a Rhivi, she is in truth a Bonecaster Soletaken, born in Tellann warren wove by an Imass bonecaster. She wonders why the T’lan Imass need a flesh and blood Bonecaster. When Korlat points out the T’lan marched under the banners of the Malazan Empire, the Mhybe answer they no longer do and wonders why and what hidden motives the Malazans may have. Korlat says Brood is probably aware of such questions and invites the Mhybe to the parley. The Mhybe thinks of how the Malazans and Moranth bombed the Rhivi land, killed the sacred herds, and yet now they are asked to ally with them, and not even in the name of peace but for yet another war. She looks and sees the Malazans moving their way. Silverfox joins the Mhybe and Korlat and says she is sad because she can sense that the “sacred trust” between the land and the Rhivi spirits has been broken and the Rhivi spirits are “naught but untethered vessels of loss and pain.” The Mhybe asks if anything can be done and Silverfox says it no longer is necessary.

Silverfox tells the Mhybe that while her memories keep her fighting against the Malazans as the enemy, memories should tell her something else and that Korlat can explain. Korlat says the experiences are the same “across the breadth of time. Among all who possess memories, whether an individual or a people, life’s lessons are ever the same lessons.” Silverfox says to think on forgiveness through what’s to come, but know that “it must not always be freely given... Sometimes forgiveness must be denied.” The Malazans join them: Dujek, Whiskeyjack, Artanthos the standard bearer, and Twist the Black Moranth. When the Mhybe asks who the man next to Dujek is, Korlat guesses Whiskeyjack and says he “cuts quite a figure.” Silverfox says she thinks he’d be a good uncle; she trusts him. Twist she says always laughs inside—a laugh of “sorrow”—while she is and “always has been” “uncertain” of Artanthos. Caladan Brood and Kallor join the parley. The Mhybe thinks that Kallor hates Silverfox and seems to know something about her nobody else does, something that makes him fear her. She wonders at his claims to have lived for millennia and destroyed his own empire, and muses he can’t be an ascendant as his face and body show the ravages of time—at least a century. He looks with contempt at the Malazans. When Dujek introduces Artanthos, Silverfox thinks he hasn’t used that name for some time and also that he isn’t “as he appears.” Dujek asks Brood where the Crimson Guard is and Brood says they are attending to “internal matters” and will not be involved in the Pannion war. Dujek and Brood appear to take an instant liking to each other. Korlat marvels at the ease they put away prior to battle and the Mhybe says “pragmatic soldiers are the most frightening.”

As she passes by some Tiste Andii, the Mhybe thinks of their inherent strangeness: “a people plagued by indifference... secret tragedies in [their] long tortured past. Wounds that would never heal. Even suffering... was capable of becoming a way of life. To then extend such an existence from decades into centuries, then into millennia, still brought home... a dull shock of horror.” She thinks of them as ghosts, always waiting. As she sees Crone, she wonders at the relationship between Brood and Rake and of Crone as the “bridge between the two.” Silverfox greets Crone and says she had not “before realized that your kind were born in the rotting flesh of a—” and is quickly interrupted by Crone who says it is a secret. Crone tells Silverfox to be careful of what she reveals of herself, that she and the Mhybe will need protection. Inside the parley tent, Whiskeyjack laughs to see the large map table, which had been made by Fiddler and Hedge for a card game using a Deck of Dragons and then stolen by the Mott Irregulars. Silverfox examines the table then asks if Fiddler and Hedge cheated. Whiskeyjack says he doesn’t know, but the coins did flow one way only. The way he looks at her shows he senses something familiar about her but doesn’t know what it is.

Brood says the Pannnion’s forces are preparing to lay siege to Capustan, which is ruled by two warring factions: Prince Jelarkan and the Mask Council—a group of High Priests. The prince has hired the Grey Swords from Elingarth as a mercenary company to help protect the city while the priests have each temple’s private company of soldiers. Brood informs them that the peasant army of the Pannion—the Tenescowri—is not supplied by the Pannion Seer and so they eat the enemy. As Dujek talks strategy Crone and Mhybe laugh at how much he sounds like Brood. Whiskeyjack says they need to make contact with the Prince. Silverfox says he and Dujek have already set up to do so as they plan on liberating Capustan. Brood agrees and says that on the surface, the majority of their forces must be seen marching overland at a pace as a feint to throw off the Seer’s plans. The two groups agree that beyond Capustan, they must strike at the heart of the Domin—Coral. Brood says yes—they’ll liberate the cities of Setta, Les, and Maurik then attack Coral. Whiskeyjack says the armies will march overland—no boats—so as not to make the Pannion commander, Kulpath, hurry his forces. He then asks about Rake and Brood says Moon’s Spawn is moving toward the Domin and will “disappear” so as to be an unpredictable asset. When he says the Andii have “formidable sorceries” Silverfox says it won’t be enough. Kallor interrupts to say Silverfox shouldn’t be trusted, that “betrayal is her oldest friend.” He points out she is killing the Mhybe and should be killed herself. Silverfox is horrified by the revelation. The Mhybe says it is what it is, and that there is an “urgency” inside Silverfox, a “force ancient and undeniable.” At which point Kallor interrupts again and says “you don’t know the half of it,” then grabs Silverfox and yells “you’re in there, aren’t you?... Come out, bitch.” Brood orders Kallor to let her go and says if he touches her again he will beat her. Whiskeyjack says if Kallor does it he will “rip your heart out.” When Kallor answers “I shake with fear,” Whiskeyjack backhands him. Kallor starts to draw his sword but Brood grabs him and says he “earned” it and if Brood needs to he’ll use his hammer (Burn’s hammer) on Kallor. Kallor agrees and Brood lets him go. Whiskeyjack asks who Silverfox is. She answers that she is Tattersail and Nightchill and that Tattersail’s death happened inside a Tellann warren (at which point Artanthos flinches) and that a Bonecaster from the distant past and an Elder God and a mortal helped her be born in the Tellann warren and in the Rhivi plain and she “belongs to the T’lan Imass.” Kallor snorts at the the name Nightchill as a “lack of imagination” and wonders if K’rul even knew. Silverfox goes on to say the T’lan Imass are gathering and will be needed against the Pannion Seer. They are gathering due to her birth—a summoning every T’lan Imass on the world has heard and will try to answer.

Whiskeyjack recalls Pale, “a plague of suspicions, a maelstrom of desperate schemes. A’Karonys. Bellurdan. Nightchill. Tattersail. The list of mages whose deaths could be laid at High Mage Tayschrenn’s sandaled feet was written in the blood of senseless paranoia.” He’s glad Tayschrenn left them but suspects he didn’t go far. Whiskeyjack understands that Silverfox knows the outlawing of the Malazans is a sham. Looking at her, he sees Tattersail. He recalls what he had heard of Nightchill: a wielder of High Rashan, one of the Emperor’s chosen, mate to Bellurdan, hard-edged—and he worries about Nightchill’s influence within Silverfox. He then remembers that Paran was Tattersail’s love and wonders what this will mean and do to Paran. He grieves for the Mhybe and thinks despite Kallor’s advice he will not stand for a child being harmed, though he wonders if she is really a “child.” He makes eye contact with Korlat and after noting her beauty realizes she’s trying to tell him that Silverfox is indeed a child, a blank slate, one that might be influenced by those close to her.

Crone is terrified by what has been revealed: that Silverfox controls the T’lan Imass, that K’rul—who knows the Raven’s secret—is involved, at Silverfox’s carelessness in all she reveals. Crone worries Rake might learn that the Ravens were born as maggots from the Crippled God’s flesh at his Fall. She notes they were also at the chaining and have been “honorable guardians of the Crippled God’s magic,” magic they can unleash as well. Crone thinks it was lucky for Brood that the T’lan Imass alliance with the Malazan Empire ended with the death of the Emperor, but then thinks that Brood also never “truly unleashed the Andii... let loose Anomander Rake . . has ever shown his own true power... Tennes—the power of the land itself... the power to shatter mountains.” Crone thinks too that what lies at the heart of the Pannion Domin is a mystery but Silverfox knows, and knows the T’lan Imass will be needed. She wonders both what that secret is as well as what it is that Kallor knows about Silverfox.

The Myhbe recognizes that Silverfox is seeking allies, that Tattersail/Nightchill are reaching out to the Malazans. She sees the alliance is fragile and wonders what Dujek will do. Dujek asks why the Malazan Empire knew nothing of other T’lan Imass beyond the armies of Logros. Silverfox says the First Gathering bound the Imass to each and every one, making them immortal in the cause of war. Kallor interrupts to say that the Jaghut were pacifists save a few Tyrants. Silverfox counters Kallor is hardly the one to talk about injustice and says the Nightchill part of her knows what Kallor did—that he “laid waste an entire realm... left nothing but ash and charred bones” and identifies it as the Imperial Warren. Silverfox continues to instruct Dujek by saying Logros and the clans under him were tasked with defending the First Throne while the rest went to fight Jaghut, which proved “costly” and many armies were decimated. Others, she says, may still be fighting. Dujek says when the Logros left, they went into the Jhag Odhan and came back “much diminished.” Silverfox says she is unsure if the Logros have answered her call, though she says she senses one army nearby. The Mhybe sees Silverfox is not telling all. Dujek asks Brood if they should continue discussing strategy. As they do so, the Mhybe, Silverfox, Korlat, and Whiskeyjack exit. Whiskeyjack tells Silverfox he sees much of Tattersail in her and she says she recalls faces and feelings. She names some and says her thoughts of Tayschrenn confuse her, no “sense of loyalty, no sense of trust.” She says she does recall Paran and has in fact met him already, when he had Oponn’s sword and caught all the lances on it. She tells WJ he knows she’s alive and he can send word to Paran. He says they’re all coming anyway. Silverfox knows he wants to have Quick Ben and Mallet examine her and says she’s curious herself what they will discover. Korlat and Whiskeyjack leave together.

Whiskeyjack says Silverfox revealed too much. Korlat agrees and muses on all the T’lan Imass have “witnessed” and remember: the Fall, the arrival of the Tiste Andii, the “last flight of the Dragons into Starvald Demelain.” When WJ mentions how flustered Crone got, Korlat reveals the great “secret” and says the Andii all know. In fact, Rake finds the power in Crone (the First Born) “appalling” and so keeps her and her kin close. Korlat says she’s looking forward to meeting Quick Ben, whom she recalls from their clash in Darujhistan. She tells him Silverfox trusts him and she does as well. When he recounts for her what he knows of the events of Tattersail’s death, Korlat wonders: they know she has Nightchill and Tattersail in her, but where is Bellurdan? Whiskeyjack thinks he has no idea. Back to top

Chapter Four

Gruntle watches a fellow caravan guard, Buke, approach Bauchelain’s carriage, seemingly in search of a job. Buke’s wife, mother, and four children had died in a fire while Buke was lying drunk in an alley just around the corner and Gruntle thinks he’s had a death wish ever since. When Gruntle and Buke speak, Buke tells him he believes Korbal Broach is the killer responsible for two weeks of murders in Darujhistan and Gruntle realizes Buke plans on trying to stop/kill Broach or die trying. Stonny arrives and though she doesn’t know the full story, asks Buke when he’s going to start living again.

Quick Ben meets an old woman in Pale, who refers to Quick Ben as a “snake of the desert,” “many-headed snake,” and “twelve-souls.” Quick asks her why Burn sleeps and about the idea that there are earthquakes and eruptions when Burn “stirs towards wakefulness.” The witch tells him these are “natural things... bound to their own laws of cause and effect.” She compares the world to a “beetle’s ball of dung [traveling] through a chilling void around the sun” and says Burn is the “egg within the dung,” the “pain of existence. The queen of the hive and we her workers and soldiers. And every now and then we swarm.” Quick tells her Burn is sick and she agrees. Quick then objects to the image of humanity (and others) as workers, saying it sounds like they’re “slaves.” The witch replies that Burn “demands nothing... Yet all that you do serves her no matter what you do. Not simply benign... but amoral. We can thrive or we can destroy ourselves, it matters not to her.” Quick asks again why the goddess sleeps and the witch says, “to dream.” She continues by saying she is “fevered” now (her sickness) and thus her “dreams become nightmares.” Quick Ben says he needs to figure out a way to stop the infection, and that he’ll need help. The witch says he may call on her and asks him to make sure he shuts the door on the way out, as “I prefer the cold.”

Paran, Quick Ben, Mallet, and Spindle are to join the parley at Brood’s camp. Mallet tells Paran he can sense a “new power” from Brood’s camp, something with “hints of T’lan Imass” that is “overpowering everyone else.” As they ride, Spindle’s warren is causing all sorts of chaos around them with animals. Paran’s mind wanders as they ride: he recalls Itko Kan; wonders about the rumors of pending rebellion in Seven Cities, and thinks of how his sister Tavore—”cold and canny” and “not the type to accept defeat”—will protect their House and especially Felisin from Laseen’s current purge, though he’d probably “recoil from using whatever methods she’s chosen.” They’re met by Whiskeyjack and Dujek and the others ride off, leaving Dujek to speak with Paran. Dujek tells him his father died and his mother “elected to join him,” that Tavore salvaged what she could of their holdings, became Adjunct, and sent Felisin to the Otataral Mines, where Dujek says she’ll probably be “quietly retrieved.” Paran blames himself for all of it, but tells Dujek “it is all right... the children of my parents are... capable of virtually anything.”

Later, Paran sorrows over it all alone. Whiskeyjack joins him and tells him Silverfox is Tattersail reborn, and is also Nightchill. Paran looks at Silverfox where she and others wait at the foot of the barrow he and Whiskeyjack stand atop and says she’s more than just Nightchill and Tattersail; she’s a Soletaken. Whiskeyjack tells Paran that Silverfox has named him “Jen’isand Rul” which means “the Wanderer within the Sword” and that Silverfox says Paran is set apart from mortals or ascendants; he’s been “marked” (something Quick Ben senses as well). Paran tells him of seeing Rake kill two Hounds of Shadow, getting their blood on/in him, of entering Dragnipur and freeing the Hounds trapped inside. Whiskyjack says not to tell the Tiste Andii about it. When Paran says he doesn’t want to meet Silverfox, Whiskeyjack says it’s beyond just Paran (and his relationship with Tattersail), that Silverfox has lots of power and Kallor wants to kill her, though right now the Malazans, Brood, and Korlat are against it. Whiskeyjack wants Paran to help draw Tattersail forth to be the dominating soul inside Silverfox.

Picker, Trotts, Detoran, Spindle, Hedge, and Blend steal the map table from Brood’s tent and bring it to an empty tent. Hedge lets them know how he and Fiddler rigged the earlier games and they’re going to pull it again with Spindle taking Fiddler’s place so they can take money from the other squads.

The rigging no longer seems to work and the Seventh Squad lost lots of money. Spindle crawls under the table and says there’s an image painted underneath like a big card. Hedge says he and Fiddler didn’t put it there. Spindle says it’s a “new card. Unaligned, without an aspect.” It has a figure in the middle with a dog-head on its chest. Spindle thinks he can make a copy and do a reading, figure out the card so they can re-rig the table.

Paran and Silverfox are together. Paran feels Nightchill’s presence “entwined like wires of black iron through all that was Tattersail... a bitter, demanding presence... She knows she was betrayed at the Enfilade at Pale. Both her and... Bellurdan.” Paran asks why the Gathering and Silverfox says the T’lan Imass are gathering for her “benediction,” but the alliance will need the T’lan Imass’ “full strength” for the upcoming war with the Pannion. She tells Paran that Tattersail believes the Deck of Dragons is “a kind of structure imposed on power itself. each card is a gate into a warren and there were once many more cards... may have been other Decks.” She continues by saying “there is also a kind of structure focused upon power itself... Houses... Holds.” She believes the Houses of the Azath and Houses of the Deck are the same or linked. When he recalls rumors that Kellanved and Dancer found a way into the Deadhouse in Malaz City, she tells him they have ascended and are now Shadowthrone and Cotillion/Rope. He asks why, since they went into the Deadhouse, they didn’t take the aspect of the House of Death and Silverfox theorizes it’s because that House is already occupied by Hood, King of High House Death. If, however, each Azath is linked to all others, gaining entrance to one as ST and Cotillion did allows one to choose, so they picked an empty House/throne and so the House of Shadow appeared. She adds it was once a Hold, “bestial, a wilder place, and apart from the Hounds it knew no ruler for a long, long time.”

Paran asks about the Unaligned and she makes a few guesses: “Failed aspects? The imposition of chance, of random forces? The Azath and the Deck are both impositions of order but even order needs freedom.” He asks what it all has to do with him and she begins with Rake: “Rake is Knight of the House of Dark, yet where is the House itself? Before all else there was Dark... so it must be an ancient place, or Hold, or something that came before Holds themselves. A focus for the gate into Kurald Galain... the First Wound, with a soul trapped in its maw, thus sealing it.” Paran then picks up the train of thought: “Or a legion of souls...Before Houses there were Holds... both stationary. Settled. Before settlement there was wandering. House from Hold. Hold from a gate in motion... a wagon, burdened beneath the countless souls sealing the gate into Dark.” Silverfox interrupts to say she thinks Paran is now the Master of the Deck, “birthed by accident or by some purpose the need of which only the Azath know.” When he scoffs, she tells him “An unseen war has begun, Paran. The warrens themselves are under assault... An army is being assembled perhaps, and you—a soldier—are part of that army.” He tells her about his dreams of a child screaming inside a wound. She tells him to run toward the child, not away. He says he is always “the wrong choice.” He thinks Whiskeyjack and the other Malazans also put their faith in him mistakenly. As he looks at them he thinks at least he can tell WJ that Tattersail appears to be at the forefront, though he closes with the idea: “I will fail you all.” Back to top

Chapter Five

Toc has been traveling for two days with Lady Envy, Tool, the Seguleh, and the two “dogs”—Garath and Baaljagg. Toc tells Envy her flirtations make him nervous. Tool teaches Toc the making of arrows. As they watch Tool flake obsidian Toc, in answer to Envy’s question, says iron was discovered half a thousand years ago and before that people used bronze, before that copper and tin, and before that probably stone. Envy says humans as usual focus only on humans, and that the Elder Races knew quite sophisticated forging methods, and mentions Dragnipur. Toc says sorcery replaces “technological advancement... supplanting the progress of mundane knowledge.” Tool gives Toc some info on Lady Envy. Rake, Brood, and a sorceress who later ascended to become Queen of Dreams used to wander together. Rake was joined by Envy and Osric while Brood went off on his own. Brood was gone for score centuries and reappeared a thousand years ago or so carrying Burn’s Hammer. Meanwhile there was a falling out among the trio: Osric left and Rake and Envy eventually parted “argumentatively” before the chaining of the Crippled God, which Rake attended and Envy did not. The two discuss the Seguleh and Toc says he thinks Mok’s twin stripes means he is the Third highest Seguleh and says there is a legendary Seguleh with an unmarked white porcelain mask that only the Seguleh have seen. Tool asks Senu why the Seguleh came here and he answers they are the “punitive army of the Seguleh.” Usually their Blackmasks (First Level Initiates) kill everyone who comes to the island but as the unarmed invaders—priests of the Pannion—kept coming, and then threatened an army, the Seguleh decided to deal with the source. Tool asks how old Senu is and he says fourteen (Tool had been greatly impressed by Senu’s swordsmanship).

Thurule attacks Tool. As they fight, Envy tells Toc how Rake once visited the Seguleh island (not knowing anything about them) and because he deferred to none, ended up fighting Seguleh for two bells and eventually had to step into his warren to slow his heart rate. Mok says the Seguleh call him Blacksword and that his people still hold the Seventh Mask for Rake to claim. Tool wins the fight. When he tells Toc he used only the flat of his blade Mok is taken aback. Envy, over Mok’s objection, heals Thurule then forbids any more fighting.

Whiskey, Quick Ben, and Mallet are together on the same hill where they found Tattersail and Hairlock in GoTM. WJ asks for a report. Mallet says Paran’s blood has the “taint of ascendant blood and ascendant places... like shoves down a corridor” and the more he refuses to go the sicker he gets. Quick Ben says Paran is pretty much an ascendant himself. Quick Ben wonders where the Hounds went that Paran freed and says his link to one of them makes Paran unpredictable. He suggests they shove Paran down that corridor themselves, even if they don’t know what’s at the end of it. They worry about Nightchill taking the dominant role in Silverfox. Quick says her warren was Rashan, Darkness and Whiskeyjack recalls her as “remote, cold.” Quick Ben thinks to himself how there have been “other Nightchills long before the Malazan Empire... two thousand years ago... if she’s the same one.” Whiskeyjack tells them to keep pushing Paran and find out everything they can about Nightchill.

Whiskeyjack and Dujek meet. They say there is a lot of power marshaled against the Pannion and wonder what that implies. WJ reports Twist has said “his flights should remain unseen... he has scouts seeking a strategic place to hold up close to the Pannion Border.” The two discuss Quick Ben initiating contact with the Grey Swords in Capustan. Whiskeyjack says the Second Gathering is causing some consternation, as is the idea that the T’lan will be needed in the war. Dujek and Whiskeyjack discuss Kellanved’s surprising “restraint” in his use of the Imass and worry about them being led by a child. Dujek says they need to make sure Tattersail takes the reins. Whiskeyjack says Kallor will try to kill Silverfox but Dujek disagrees, saying Kallor worries about Brood. He says friend or foe, you don’t want to mess with Brood, and rumor is the hammer is the only thing that can wake up Burn. Dujek, though, worries that Kallor will try to persuade Brood, and later Rake, to his view re Silverfox. Whiskeyjack says he will not stand the killing of a child, even if Dujek commands him to. They get themselves another drink.

Brood wonders aloud to the Mhybe if maybe Kallor might be right and the Mhybe says they’ll kill Silverfox over her dead body. Brood says it pains him to see what Silverfox is doing to the Mhybe. The Mhybe explains that “blood-bound lives are the web that carries each of us, they make up that which a life climbs from newborn... to adulthood. Without such life-forces, one withers and dies. To be alone is to be ill.” She says for Silverfox, the Mhybe is the only one as the Imass have no life-force to give and Tattersail and Nightchill were both dead. When Brood asks why its accelerated, why Silverfox is so “impatient,” Korlat asks if he thinks she’s doing so in order to have more authority (since she’ll no longer be a child) when the Second Gathering occurs. The Mhybe says whereas the Andii or Brood have the centuries “of living necessary to contain what you command, Silverfox does not...to fully command [great power] she must be a grown woman.” The three agree that a concern is that even then, she will be “untempered,” lacking experience. Korlat speculates Silverfox may also be hurrying her growth to be able to defend herself against Kallor and they wonder what is the secret between the two of them. Brood asks if she does not have “experience” via the other souls in her. The Mhybe says she is still learning of the others and is comforted by what she sees of Tattersail, less so by Nightchill, of whom she senses “a seething anger, a hunger for vengeance, possibly against Tayschrenn (of Bellurdan she says he is only a memory of Nightchill). When Brood says wasn’t it Rake who killed Nightchill, Korlat says not, she was betrayed by Tayschrenn. Brood suggests they try to ensure Tattersail is dominant and when Korlat says trust Whiskeyjack to do just that, Brood says he hears “her heart in [her] words.” Brood tells the Mhybe to keep an eye on Silverfox.

The Darujhistan contingent arrives to meet with the above group, as well as Dujek, Whiskeyjack, Twist, Paran, Kallor, and Silverfox. The Mhybe thinks she’s ready to die now that Silverfox has gotten allies. Kruppe is first to arrive and the Mhybe says they’ve met before, at Silverfox’s birth. Kruppe sees what Silverfox has done to the Mhybe and is struck silent in sorrow. Murillio and Coll, along with Estraysian D’arle, (the “official” Darujhistan delegation) arrive. Kruppe suggests using the Trygalle Trade Guild to supply the army and all agree.

Crone senses magic from within the camp and seeking it out, finds Brood’s table. She listens in to a group of Bridgeburners. Spindle had done several Deck readings and each time “Obelisk dominates—the dolmen of time is the core. It’s active... first time in decades.” Spindle also says the new card (the one under the table) holds everything together but it feels like it hasn’t “woken up yet.” He continues with his reading: “Soldier of High House Death’s right-hand to Obelisk. Magi of Shadow’s here—first time for that one too—a grand deception’s at work... The Captain of High House Light holds out some hope, but it’s shaded by Hood’s Herald—though not directly... Assassin of High House Shadow seems to have acquired a new face... it’s Kalam!” Based on the reading they guess the Whirlwind is rising and Seven Cities is ready to rebel. Crone checks out the card under the table.

The Mhybe leaves the command tent and is followed by Paran, who asks about possible hiding places for a table. She leads him to the tent. On the way they discuss the Malazan invasion. Paran tells her Dujek’s army was being “chewed to bits” and the arrival of Brood, Rake, and the Crimson Guard stopped the Malazans cold. It was only the mages and the Moranth munitions keeping the Malazans going, but the Moranth are in a schism, with the Blue and Gold still working with the Malazans. Near the table’s tent, they come across Crone, who flees Paran for some reason. Paran orders Hedge, Spindle, Blend and Picker to return the table. Spindle says “it’s him” (meaning the picture under the table is Paran). As Paran and the Mhybe leave, he tells her he has no idea what Spindle was talking about.

Paran meets Whiskeyjack, who tells him Kruppe, Coll, and Murillo will be joining the march and that the Black Moranth will take Paran and the Bridgeburners to the Barghast Mountains in hopes that Trotts will get the White Face Barghast as allies, then they are to continue on to Capustan. Rake appears in dragon form in the Andii part of the camp.

Kallor tells Rake he seeks his justice with regard to Silverfox and not to let “sentiment” guide him. Korlat and the Mhybe also try to speak to him. When Rake says it appears his judgment has been anticipated, Brood says he will not allow Dragnipur’s unsheathing in his camp. The Mhybe worries things are on the edge of collapse and then thinks she senses power from Artanthos, but then dismisses the possibility. Korlat says she sides with Brood and when Rake tells Kallor he stands alone, Kallor says “it was ever thus,” a response with which Rake can empathize. Whiskeyjack arrives and stands before Silverfox then unsheathes his sword to face Rake and Kallor and the rest. Rake sends out a sorcerous feeler toward Silverfox and it is quickly shattered by her, as the Mhybe senses rage from both Nightchill and Tattersail and “another. A stolid will, a sentience slow to anger, so much like Brood.” Rake wonders what is being hidden from him and as he reaches for his sword, Brood reaches for his hammer and Whiskeyjack raises his own sword. Just then, Brood’s table appears flying overhead with Kruppe hanging from it.

Back with Picker’s group, she sees Paran disappear. She calls for someone to find Quick Ben.

Paran appears facing Rake and Kallor. At Kruppe’s cry he looks up to see the table floating above, his face painted on the bottom. Sudden pain overcomes him.

The Mhybe sees tendrils of power reach from Silverfox to the table. The legs snap off and Kruppe falls. The underside of the table faces Rake and Kallor, with waves of sorcery coming off the image of Paran then touching Paran in “silver chains.” Quick Ben arrives and says “that’s the largest card of the Deck I’ve ever seen.” He steps between the two groups and says a confrontation perhaps isn’t the smartest idea. Rake sheathes Dragnipur and asks who Quick Ben is. Quick says “just a soldier.” Kruppe arrives and stands between Paran and Rake and asks if the meeting has adjourned.

Paran finds himself in a hallway. Two bodies lie there—Rallick Nom and Vorcan—which places him in the Finnest House in Darujhistan. A Jaghut enters and introduces himself as Raest, “Guardian, prisoner, damned,” then notes Paran is here only in spirit. When Paran asks why he [Paran] is here, Raest leads him down some steps. Paran asks how long Nom and Vorcan have been there and Raest says he doesn’t measure time inside the House; they were there when he arrived. Paran asks if they are Guardians as well and Raest says no. Raest names him Master of the Deck. They reach a landing where the ground is a bunch of roots and Raest says Paran has to go on by himself. Paran asks why the Azath has suddenly found the need for a Master of the Deck and Raest answers because a war has begun that will affect all entities: mortals, Houses, gods, etc. Paran moves forward and finds himself on a flagstoned floor where each stone has a card carved on it. He bends to study one and finds himself before a hut made of bones and tusks (the image on the stone) and realizes he can travel at will from there. He enters the hut and finds twin thrones of bone on a dais of what appear to be T’lan Imass skulls—The Hold of the Beasts, “the heart of the T’lan Imass’ power—their spirit world when they were still flesh and blood, when they still possessed spirits to be worshipped... long before they initiated the Ritual of Tellann.” He realizes the Tellann warren must have been born from the Ritual, “aspected of dust.” He grieves for the Imass, having outlived their own gods, existing “in a world of dust... memories untethered, an eternal existence, no end in sight... so alone for so long.”

He returns to the flagstone area and looks at a stone etched with the image of a sleeping woman. He sees it is Burn and that her skin is forest and bedrock, and so on, and also that she is “marred.” Looking closer, he sees “at the wound’s heart, a humped, kneeling, broken figure. Chained. Chained to Burn’s own flesh. From the figure, down the length of the chains, poison flowed into the Sleeping Goddess.” Continuing to study it, he realizes “she sensed the sickness coming... chose to sleep... to escape the prison of her own flesh in order to do battle... She made of herself a weapon. Her entire spirit, all its power, into a single forging... a hammer... capable of breaking anything... then found a man to wield it...but breaking the chains meant freeing the Crippled God. And an unchained Crippled God meant an unleashing of vengeance—enough to sweep all life from the surface of the world. And yet Burn... was indifferent to that. She would simply begin again.” Of Brood, Paran understands “he refuses... to defy the Crippled God’s unleashing... Brood refuses her.” Paran pulls back, weeping, and finds himself back with Raest, who asks if he’s found knowledge a gift or curse and Paran answers both.

Paran returns to in front of Rake. Silverfox puts a hand on his shoulder. Quick Ben, eying Rake, steps closer to Paran. Rake says Quick Ben’s advice seems wise. Kallor says now is the time to kill Silverfox before she gets even more powerful. Rake says what if they fail, not to mention she has only acted in self-defense. Brood sheathes his hammer and says it’s about time wisdom prevailed. He asks Paran if he can do something about the floating table. Quick Ben says he might be able to, which causes Rake to note he’s not simply a soldier as he had said. Quick downplays his ability then tells Rake not to quest toward him. Rake turns away.

The Mhybe hobbles off, in great pain, the tribal wards against pain—copper on wrists and ankles—seemingly not doing anything. She falls to her knees and Crone speaks to her, grieving for her and asking how she can help. The Mhybe says Crone cannot, and tells her she is nearing hatred for Silverfox at what is happening to herself. Crone says she will find a way to help and the Mhybe says it is impossible. Korlat arrives and raises the Mhybe up and tells her she will also try to help, will remain at the Mhybe’s side and will not let her give in to despair and kill herself.

Brood tells Rake Burn is dying. Rake asks if there is anything Brood can do and Brood says only the same old choice. Rake says he, Hood, Brood and the Queen of Dreams all agreed about the Crippled God. Rake asks what happens if Burn dies and Brood says he does not know all, but that her warren will die, will become the Crippled God’s way into all the other warrens, which will then all die, and all sorcery as well, which Brood says may not be so bad. But Rake says the destruction will not end there, and it appears no matter which of the two choices Brood makes, the CG wins, though at least Brood is giving the living extra time. To which Brood answers, time spent warring and killing one another. Rake changes the subject and asks if given Burn’s illness if Brood had been bluffing earlier. Brood says he can still raise power but it is filled with chaos and unpredictable. They turn to the Pannion Domin and Rake says chaos is at its core. Brood says it can’t be a coincidence, since chaos is the Chained One’s power. When Rake says that adds a complication Brood says Silverfox has said they’ll need more and has summoned the T’lan Imass, which doesn’t particularly please Rake.

Kallor tells Whiskeyjack he is a fool and will regret protecting Silverfox. Whiskeyjack walks away and Kallor tells him he isn’t done with Whiskeyjack. Whiskeyjack asks Quick Ben about the table-card of Paran and Quick identifies Paran as the Master of the Deck and says he’ll have to think about how that is linked to him also being the Wanderer in the Sword. He suggests they have the Trygalle Guild take the card to Baruk. Silverfox says that’s a bad idea, as Paran will be needing it because “we struggle against more than one enemy.” Kallor steps in and Quick Ben says he’s not part of the conversation. Kallor threatens Quick, who makes a hole under Kallor’s feet, then leaves. As do the others.

Whiskeyjack watches the march start. Twist has already taken Paran and the Bridgeburners several days earlier. He and Quick Ben discuss how Silverfox has grown five years since the parley and the Mhybe is on the edge of death. He’s also worried about Rake’s probing. Whiskeyjack says he needs Quick for a little while more then asks what else Quick is up to that has him visiting every temple and seer and Deck reader, not to mention sacrificing a goat. Quick Ben tries to change the subject by noting that the Rhivi spirits are all gone, recently “cleaned out,” but then tells Whiskeyjack he’s doing some investigating and it won’t interfere. Whiskeyjack can tell Quick is worried about something big. Back to top

Chapter Six

Gruntle, Stonny, and Harllo escort Keruli’s carriage into Saltoan. There they meet some thugs who are to escort Keruli to a meeting of the underworld.

Keruli address the underworld gathering about the priests of the Pannion Domin entering into Saltoan “sowing discord.” He talks as well of the Children of the Dead Seed, birthed when their mothers had sex with “corpses not yet cold,” and of the savagery of the Tenescowri. When someone suggests simply killing the priests, Keruli says they must fight back with words—”crafted rumours and counter-intelligence.” Gruntle overhears Harllo talking about how Saltoan has seen unexplained murders for several nights now and Gruntle thinks to himself Buke has found proof of his suspicions regarding Korbald and Bauchelain. Keruli tells Gruntle the stop in Saltoan was a detour and they’ll continue on to Capustan.

Gruntle exits the city after Keruli’s carriage has already left with Stonny and Harllo. He comes across what looks like a failed bandit attack on Korbald and Bauchelain’s carriage. He catches up to the group and at Keruli’s insistence they join with three White Face Barghast siblings that are also traveling to Capustan: Hetan and her two brothers Cafal and Netok. They have been sent by their tribe to look into the presence of demons on the wildlands.

The Barghast say the demons have been described as “fast on two legs. Talons like an eagle’s, only much larger, at the ends of those legs. Their arms are blades,” as seen in the Barghast’s shouldermen’s dream-visions. Hetan tells them her father (the warchief) will not lead the clans south to Capustan, but that the shouldermen have seen that the Pannion War will come to them.

As they continue, Hetan explains the Barghast bury trees upside down to hold souls from wandering and that traps are also placed around the souls, though some still escape. Those who return to the clans are destroyed, others (called sticksnares) send dreams to the shouldermen. The group comes across Bauchelain’s carriage, wrecked after a fight. Behind it an upside-down tree/burial mound opens up. Inside the carriage they discover a mass of organs formed together in a human-shape (though only knee-high) and Gruntle realizes that’s why Korbal had been killing people. Korbal, Bauchelain, Buke, and Emancipor show up. Bauchelain said they freed the spirit to learn of the Barghast and only learned the Barghast were one “far more numerous [and] accomplished seafarers.” When asked what they did with the spirit, he says nothing (though they control it) it had already “fallen prey” to one of the traps—a bundle of sticks. They were then attacked and he admits they barely held off the three “demons”. When Gruntle reports to Keruli, Keruli tells him there are lots more of these demons and are in fact behind them as well as in front of them and so he thinks they need to ally with the necromancers until Capustan. Gruntle advises Buke to take the money and run when they get to Capustan. Buke says they’ll never make it; the necromancers threw everything they had at the demons and barely made it.

The next day, Gruntle continues to advise Buke to let Korbal go, and tries to guilt him into it with the fact that Stonny cares for him, but Buke doesn’t care. They argue then move on. Buke again says they won’t live through the night. They prepare for attack at night and Gruntle asks Keruli what they can expect from his god and Keruli says he doesn’t know; it’s a newly awakened Elder god. Keruli then cuts his palm for blood. Six demons attack: reptiles about twice the height of a man with swords fused to their wrists. Keruli identifies them as K’Chain Che’Malle Hunters (undead). After some fighting on everyone’s part, a badly wounded Gruntle blacks out. Back to top

Chapter Seven

The setting is inside Capustan. Karanadas (Destriant of the Grey Swords) looks out at the palace of Prince Jelarkan, where Brukhalian (the Mortal Sword) was meeting with the prince and members of the Mask Council, negotiations which have been going on (ineffectively) for weeks. He is angry at/disgusted with Fener’s priest on the Mask Council who seems more concerned with his own political power and desire to be Destriant (Rath’Fener doesn’t know Karnadas already is and Brukhalian has forbidden Karnadas from revealing it). Itkovian (Shield Anvil) enters to tell him Brukhalian has returned. Brukhalian says Rath’Trake senses demons on the plains. Karnadas is upset that Trake is rising (another God of War). They discuss the anonymous “invitation” they’ve received and decide to reply. Quick Ben appears and at first dismisses the Grey Swords as “mere” mercenaries but he likes much of what he hears. Brukhalian tells Quick the city doesn’t believe in women warriors and so the Grey Swords are recruiting among the female population in Capustan. When Quick says he wants to contact the “leaders,” Brukhalian describes how the city is split into factions: the Mask Council (itself split) and Prince Jelarkan, whom the Grew Swords serve. Quick stuns them with his knowledge that Karnadas, as Destriant, outranks Rath’Fener. Quick tells them Brood is leading an army to Capustan and they set up another time to meet before Quick exits. Both Karnadas and Burkhalian recognize they will lose the war. Karnadas says his earlier sensation that Quick Ben had multiple souls must have been wrong.

Back with Quick Ben, Whiskeyjack says he thinks Brukhalian looked tough. Quick says he thinks the titles (Mortal Sword, Destriant) are for show, as they are so ancient and have been vacant for so long. He says that before the Deck of Dragon’s recognized Knights of Houses, Fener’s cult had its own. Whiskeyjack isn’t so sure the titles are for show. Quick doesn’t think much of the Grey Swords; WJ is not so sure of that as well.

Riding through the Capustan streets, Itkovian muses on the past history of its residents, once nomadic, and how the city is still set up in “Camps” (districts). The old keep (where the Grey Swords are) is older and the Prince’s palace older still, with unknown architecture. He takes out a company, including a new female recruit. They find the trail of some K’Chain (they don’t know what they are) and fight one, killing it but at great cost. Four more appear, but before the Grey Swords can do anything, a T’lan Imass appears and tells them they are “relieved,” and Itkovian watches as an army of T’lan destroy the undead K’Chain, at the cost of roughly 60 T’lan Imass. The first T’lan introduces hiimself as Pran Chole of the Kron and says they had come for the Gathering but seem to have found a war.

Itkovian will ride as bait on the plains while the Imass trail them to try and kill more K’Chain. He wants to send the recruit back to make report, thinking she’s probably broken, but she doesn’t want to go and he agrees. He tells her seeing the K’Chain get destroyed won’t make her feel better and she seems to recognize that. Pran tells them about the K’Chain Hunters, that whatever is controlling them is somewhere to the south, that they were released from a barrow at Morn, possibly by the Matron who appears to have escaped her own prison barrow. When Itkovian says they are in a war with the Pannion Seer, the entire T’lan army reacts and Pran says Pannion is a Jaghut name.

Toc thinks on all the “coincidences” that have put him on the path he’s on. He jokingly asks Baaljagg (the Ay) where its family is and he gets a vision in his lost eye of Ay and oxen trapped in mud (this is the Toc suddenly sees through a different beast’s eyes from Baaljag. The creature—which names itself Treach/Trake/Tiger of Summer thinks how it “[found] itself, now at the very end. and memories awakened.” It recalls the madness among the Soletaken, the birthing of the D’ivers, the Empire disintegrating, and how it was one of the few survivors after the T’lan Imass. It remembers tearing “a warren to pieces...turned the eastlands into molten stone that cooled and became something that defied sorcery” and how “we fled, a handful... Ryllandaras... we fell out, clashed, then clashed again on another continent. He had gone teh farthest, found a way to control the gifts—Soletaken and D’iver both. White Jackal... And my other companion, Messremb... a kind soul... Ascending... The First Heroes. Dark. Savage.” It remembers losing lost himself in the beast, sending The White Jackal off a ledge, and a memory of a single-eyed wolf and thinks “this vision of the wolf [awakened] all within me.” He was tracking K’Chain and was now dying, left by them. He hears battle and crawls forward. A woman with the fur of a panther meets him and tells him she killed the K’Chain. She says she was around when the Imass dealt with the First Empire, but it was others who repaired the shattered warren. She says the Imass only killed Treach’s kind; it is their “singular skill.” She asks who the other presence in him is that she senses, that has returned Treach to himself and says when he dies he won’t appear at Hood’s gate but “elsewhere.” An Elder God is active again, she adds, perhaps the “most ancient one of all,” and thinks it is answering some grave threat, a new war in which Treach will be needed.

Senu slaps Toc awak. Toc tells Tool he saw Treach die not far north of where they are. A black panther arrives and changes into a flesh and blook Imas—Tool’s sister Kilava. She says she saw Toc looking out through Treach’s eye and asks what the Elder God has planned. Toc says he has no idea. Kilava asks Tool who he is and when Tool says “Aral Fayle” she notes he has given him weapons of stone. Tool says it was unintended but Kilava says they’re all being manipulated. When Tool says he travels to the Second Gathering she says she refuses to and is here for other reason which Toc realizes is “redress.” Then an Elder God’s voice tells him she wants to “right an old wrong, heal an old scar” and that the two of them (Toc and Kilava) will meet again, but the final meeting concerns the god. The god goes on to say the children of the Pannion Seer are suffering and Toc must “release them” and so the god is sending Toc “into the Seer’s embrace,” though he thinks Toc will not forgive him. When Toc asks why the children must be released, the god answers “compassion... a man who dreams has shown me this.” Toc speaks the “compassion” out loud and when Tool says his sister knows nothing of it she says all things change. Took and Kilava make some small rapprochement and she says the meeting gives her “hope” before leaving. Toc tells Tools the blood-ties Tool had said were severed between him and Kilava still hold. Tool says he has known only two mortal humans and both “underestimated themselves” and promises to tell Toc (whom he now calls friend) of Adjunct Lorn.

Envy meanwhile had gone to the city of Callows and found it filled with blood and death, maybe 30,000 killed roughly 10 days ago. She senses even Hood is uneasy. She finds an old temple and speaks to K’rul. K’rul tells her Callows death “came from the sea. A warren-twisted fleet. Cold-eyed, unhuman killers. Seeking, ever seeking... a worthy challenge.” He also warns the Crippled God is “never so obvious. his game displays a master’s sleight of hand. Ntohing is as he would have us believe and his use of unwitting servants is as brutal as his treatment of enemies. Consider after all the Pannion Seer.” Envy says she doesn’t mourn the passing of the Elder Gods, including her father Draconus. She tells him she’s barely holding onto the Seguleh (if at all) and warns Mok will challenge and defeat Tool. K’rul says he hopes not until they fight their way to the Pannion Seer, though he thinks if they do fight Mok’s restraint might surprise her, though he admits he hadn’t expected such a high-ranking Seguleh to lead the punitive army in his plans to open a second front for the Seer’s armies. He also mentions the Second is missing. He tells Envy she chose to reject helping when they needed her (the Chaining) but now even chained the CG “will not rest. He exists in endless, tormenting pain... and has turned that into a fuel for his rage, his hunger for vengeance.” When Envy says those that pulled him down are all dead already and the CG’s “vengeance” is really a cover for lust of power. K’rul isn’t quite sure, but says in any case he won’t allow her indifference yet again. When she bridles, he shows her a vision: “chaos... a universe devoide of sense...of meaning. Entities flung through the maelstrom. Lost, terrified by the birth of light. A sudden sharpening—pain as of wrist opened, the heat spilling forth—a savage imposition of order, the heart from which blood flowed... twin chambers—Kurald Galain, the Warren of Mother Dark—and Starvald Demelain, the Warren of Dragons. And the blood—the power—now seeping in current through veins... . the warrens.” K’rul says her power feeds on the blood of his soul and so she will obey and help. She asks who knows the truth and he answers Rake, Draconus, Osric, and a “handful of others.” He confesses he is frightened by the CG and says their “foolishness” has cost them allies, such as Dassem Ultor, who was “broken by Hood’s taking of his daughter at the Time of the Chaining.” She wonders if Hood would have done so had she answered the summons and K’rul says who can say. He continues to say she needed to know the scale of the problem and she agrees to go into the heart of the Domin. K’rul says to take care of Toc, that while K’rul himself will try to keep Toc’s soul from the CG, there is something “wild” in Toc that has yet to awaken. He also warns her his blood is poisoned near the Domin so she won’t be able to access her warren (she could defeat the poison but Toc could not).

Itkovian’s group comes across Gruntle’s battle Pran Chole tells Itkovian that Korbal is a eunuch, and insane, but Bauchelain is the more dangerous one. Both are necromancers: Korbal “plies the chaos on the edge of Hood’s realm” and Bauchelain is a “summoner of formidable power.” Pran also says the injured mortals (now healed) are all dreaming and being protected. They plan to head back to Capustan, and Itkovian asks that the T’lan Imass and most of the Ay (but not all) remain hidden.

The Prince and Brukhalian are upset that the Mask Council will not give up some outlying towers that will certainly be overrun. The Prince leaves and Brukhalian asks Karnadas if Itkovian’s men continue to draw on his healing power. The Destriant says no but he is nearly fully drained. A messenger from Itkovian arrives and tells of the battle with the K’Chaine and the arrival of the T’lan Imass, who rise up beside him. They tell Brukhalian of what is going on with Itkovian’s group. They also say that while they will fight the K’Chain and have suspicions about the Pannion, the Second Gathering will take priority and afterward the T’lan Imass may be “of less value upon completion of hte Gathering.” Karnadas says he’s seen the Pannion and he is only an old human but the Imass ask “who stands in his shadow” and clearly maintain suspicion. The Grey Swords are please to learn of the Ay and Itkovian’s decision to keep some of the visible upon entering the city.

Brukhalian thinks back on the meeting just completed with Quick Ben and Brood and how it was clear there were secrets and that relieving Capustan was not their true or primary goal. Suddenly a warren opens and a Jaghut appears, declaring himself Gethol, Hood’s Herald. He says Hood wants to offer “an invitation” to Fener’s soldiers and when Brukhalian says Gethol should talk to Fener Gethol says he cannot, that Fener has been drawn “to the very edge of his realm [and] is in great peril,” facing the loss of his power. Gethol says Capustan is doomed and Hood can spirit the Grey Swords out, since the Pannion is merely part of a greater war. Brukhalian says Hood is trying to steal Fener’s soldiers and Gethol responds that Fener will be the first “casualty in the war with the Crippled God” and that Brukhalian should be honored by Hood’s offer. Brukhalian strikes Gethol with his sword at the insult and when Gethol appears ready to fight, three T’lan Imass bonecasters appear and he disappears. The bonecasters tell Brukhalian they’ve been hunting that Jaghut for some time and he “talent for escaping” continues.

Gruntle awakens in Capustan. Stonny tells him Harllo is dead and Netok. Gruntle remembers Harllo throwing himself in between Gruntle and the K’Chain. Back to top

Chapter Eight

Gethol walks across a landscape of bones, complaining about the unpredictability and insolence of humans. He recognizes that now he is “broken” Hood has discarded him. He opens his Omtose Phellack warren as he tells Hood “I know you now... who—what—you are. Delicious irony, the mirror of your face.” Inside the warren, he senses its weakness due to the millennia of T’lan breaches and attacks, and knows Omtose, like the Jaghut, is dying. He comes across a fissure, “sweet with decay and disease”, an “invitation” from the Crippled God. He enters it.

Gethol arrives at the tent of the Crippled God, but demands the God remove the tent as Gethol will not “crawl.” The CG tells Gethol it was Gethol’s desire for vengeance, his “personal desire” that disappointed Hood and in Hood’ s mind threatened Hood’s “meticulous plans.” Gethol recognizes immediately that the CG is poisoning Burn and the CG agrees, saying it will one day kill her and the world will die, telling Gethol “these chains must be broken.” Gethol scoffs at the idea he might help the CG, saying he was there at the Chaining and besides, all worlds die. The CG says Gethol is the weak link, however, having failed Hood now and also when “your brother Gothos called upon you.” The CG then reveals his cards, informing Gethol he plans to “join the game” and offers Gethol the position of Herald, and the possibility of higher, King even. When Gethol warns him the Deck will resist and his House will be “assailed,” the CG says the Deck’s maker “is dust” and thus no one can control it, offering up the resurrected House of Shadows as proof. Gethol agrees.

Murillio, Coll, Kruppe, and Quick Ben are playing a game of bones and Kruppe has won every throw, to Quick’s amazement (not because Kruppe is winning but because he can’t figure out how Kruppe is cheating). Korlat arrives and tells Whiskeyjack Rake would like to see him. Rake tells WJ he is contemplating “the nature of happenstance” and of people who find themselves thrown together for a while and whose lives are therefore changed, no matter how brief the contact. Whiskeyjack tells Rake he doesn’t fear change. Rake continues by saying the tension, the rivalries, etc. among the alliance are clear, but despite that Rake feels a sense of hope. When asked why, Rake brings up Paran, whom he simply “likes.” After some silence, WJ suggests Rake is a bit curious about Quick Ben and goes on to tell the story of how he met him. Quick was a “middling wizard” working for a Seven Cities Protector, one of a 12-mage cadre. The city was taken, Dassem killed the Holy Protector, and the cadre fled into the desert, chased across the entire desert by Whiskeyjack’s thrown together squad of 70 leftovers (including Fiddler, Hedge, Picker—first time under WJ) guided by Kalam, recently recruited into the claw. They come across a corpse at a time as they continue, each one strangely shriveled:

Kebharla: “more a scholar than a mage” Renisha: High Meanas Keluger: Septime priest of D’riss, the Worm of Autumn Narkal: warrior mage sworn to Fener Ullan: Soletaken priestess of Soliel Set’alahd Crool: Jhag half-blood whose sword was blessed by an unknown ascendant Etra: mistress of Rashan Birith’erah: mage of Serc warren of sky Gellid: witch of Tennes

As they went on, the squad was tempered, changed by Raraku, “annealed” (a word used to also refer to Stormy et. al “annealed” in the warren of fire aboard Silanda). Finally they come across Quick Ben sitting alone awaiting them. He tells Whiskeyjack he and his men have been changed by the Holy Desert, that Raraku “has burned the bridges of their pasts... and they are yours, heart and soul.” Whiskeyjack reveals he’s known for some time that Kalam and Quick had been conspiring, but he was “curious” as to what had been happening with the mages. He asks if their souls “clamor” within Quick Ben and wonders what was the end planned for? Quick Ben says the clamor has “subsided” as being a ghost within is still better than dying. He tells Whiskeyjack the end was only for survival, that they hadn’t thought the squad would make it and now he and Kalam would follow Whiskeyjack if he’ll have them. Whiskeyjack will, but says Surly will take them and Quick says only if she knows. They join the squad and the first engagement was the retaking of G’danisban where the squad of 70 plus Quick and Kalam “crushed” 400 warriors in a night. Even Rake is somewhat stunned at the tale and appreciates that Whiskeyjack told it despite Rake specifically asking for it. Whiskeyjack refers to the same “instinct” Rake had mentioned earlier, implying he “likes” Rake and trusts him. Rake says he was impressed by how WJ defended Silverfox and WJ says he was equally so that Rake stood down. Rake says Kruppe still has him wondering and Whiskeyjack basically says yeah, good luck with that. Rake says he’ll keep his distance from Quick until he leaves so as not to make Quick nervous. He says he enjoyed the evening and maybe he can share some of his own stories sometimes (he has a “few” he says). Before Whiskeyjack leaves he also says Silverfox has nothing to fear from him and he’ll rein in Kallor. Whiskeyjack leaves realizing he’s made a friend this night.

Crone asks Rake if it is wise to make a friend of a “short-lived mortal,” reminding him of his past “tragic” experience with such. Rake’s answer: “one can find precious value in brevity” is vaguely mysterious enough to frustrate Crone and she flies off in a huff once Rake tells her to bring Kallor to him. Rake tells Korlat he is leaving for a while to seek “Silannah’s comfort” and tells her to protect Silverfox and keep a watch on Kallor. He wants to be called if Kallor “errs” but tells Korlat not to hesitate in bringing the “full force” of the Tiste Andii on him if needed. Korlat wonders at that, saying such hasn’t been done for a long time, but Rake says why risk not using enough power. Korlat agrees, but is still troubled at the idea of 1100 Tiste Andii joining warrens when it took only 40 of them at the Chaining to “destroy the Crippled God’s entire realm—granted, a nascent realm... Eleven hundred... we risk devastating this continent.” Rake says use restraint if it turns out to be needed, but he doubts Kallor will risk anything.

The Mhybe dreams herself young in the tundra world Silverfox had been born in (Telann), watching large beasts and coming across footprints, a dream she finds torture when she awakes in her broken, old self. She begs the Rhivi spirits to take her life. Kruppe arrives bearing a gift. He tells her that while extending the caverns/tunnels below Darujhistan, rough-hewn chambers were discovered with ancient artwork and rough altars on which were found copper ornaments (anklets, torcs, etc) to ease pain. The Mhybe is touched, but starts to explain while copper heals, it doesn’t work on age, but Kruppe interrupts. He tells her scholars examined the altars, paintings, etc. and says it has been confirmed that these belonged to the original Rhivi spirits—once mortal, perhaps the first band of Rhivi (the same ones the Mhybe just named as she asked them to take her life). The Mhybe wonders in her mind how Kruppe knew she needed such a gift this morning especially. Before leaving, Kruppe tells her not to discount dreams. The Mhybe wonders “whose path did I cross last night.”

The Paran, looking at his group, recalls Whiskeyjack saying the Bridgeburners would be retired after the war, how rituals are needed to help usher the soldier back to the “normal” world, and wonders what “does he or she become?” He worries about what will happen when they meet the Barghast and thinks perhaps a quick death would be a blessing.

Quick Ben is moving through warrens, finding them “infected” and “corrupted.” He says it has the feel of the Crippled God but logic would argue it’s a defense by the Pannion, which leads him to think the two are connected. He shifts to Hood’s warren (or along the edge of it) and finds it is resisting the infection better. He comes across a bound sticksnare, the spirit (named Talamandas) of the White Face Barghast that Bauchelain and Korbal had loosed and then bound. Talamandas tells Quick Ben the necromancers would have dragged from him secrets of his people, such as that the Barghast came from the seas and were in fact once T’lan Imass that failed to arrive in time for the Ritual. Isolated, they changed. Quick asks what Talamandas would do if Quick Ben freed him and Talamandas says he would try to free the First Family spirits because the ancient bindings have kept them from ascending into true gods and thus the Barghast themselves are not changing/ascending, are stagnating since the ancestors cannot give them guidance; he wants to help the Barghast survive. Quick asks if survival is a right or a privilege and when Talamandas says the latter, Quick frees him. Back to top

Chapter Nine

Toc and Envy’s group are nearing the border of the Pannion, the city of Bastion. Toc notes Envy is a bit different since she’s returned (after her discussion with K’rul, which Toc doesn’t know about). Envy mentions how the Imass have outlasted their gods and asks Toc how he imagines the afterlife. Toc wonders what the point is—the soul passes through and Hood or someone decides what to do with it. And Envy asks what if they do nothing with it, if it wanders purposeless. He answers the Imass seem to have a purpose—killing Jaghut. When Envy asks what if none are left, Toc says ask Tool. She says she did and he doesn’t know if any are left. She tells Toc to consider what would it mean for the T’lan Imass if the war is over and he thinks “A second Ritual of Gathering... an end to the T’lan Imass.” And Envy says, and what if no spirit waits to embrace those “weary” souls? Toc says he hopes she is wrong because Tool is his friend. Envy informs Toc that the Summoner of the Gathering is with the Malazan army, then implies they march toward a Jaghut: “like a white-hot knife through ice, we thrust to the heart... of frozen timeless soul.” A Kell Hunter appears and the Seguleh move to take it on, a test of their abilities. They, um, pass. Tool is shaken by Mok’s abilities, thinking he could not have done what Mok did, and he wants to challenge him immediately, as “the First Sword of the T’lan Imass must be without equal” (this coming after a conversation on “arrogance”). Envy puts Mok to sleep to forestall the duel.

As they enter inhabited areas, Envy’s group takes steps to be less visible. Tool goes to dust and Envy casts illusions over the “dogs.”

They enter a temple inside the Pannion town. Inside they find bodies hanging from hooks. The priest tells them the temple master, Seerdomin Kahlt, awaits them, as does a dinner. Envy tells Kahlt the masked three are Seguleh, a name Kahlt recognizes. He considers them arrogant and says they’ll learn when they have to fight Seerdomin rather than unarmed priests. He asks if they’ve come to beg forgiveness and before Envy can answer, Toc replies they are seeking to deliver a message to the Seer in person. Kahlt says that may be allowed, but it’s not his call, and then leaves. Envy says they’ll probably be attacked at night. They’re escorted to their bedrooms and Toc falls asleep. He’s awakened by a scream and soon Baaljagg crashes in through the door. They’re joined in the hall by Garath and then eventually by Envy, who tells Toc Senu and Thurule are dealing with Kahlt and the soldiers that haven’t been taking care of yet while Garath will destroy the temple. Toc says the Seer will send an army after them and Envy says he’ll have to respond in some fashion. Toc says he doesn’t match up to this group, not being a Seguleh, a near-ascendant Ay, a dog that appears as strong as a Hound of Shadow, a T’lan Imass, or a witch. Envy almost compels him but decides against it. Tool appears and says K’ell Hunters are coming.

They come to a crossroads and Envy gives a history mini-lesson based on the writing on the crossroads’ posts. She tells them the Pannion Domin seems to have been a colony of the Genostel archipelago, a group of seafarers halfway across the world whose “glory waned centuries ago.” Toc says they were clearly conquered and Envy says that’s always the way: “a civilization flowers, then a horde of grunting savages with close-set eyes show up and step on it. Malazan Empire take note.” Toc then quotes Kellanved’s words to “never ignore the barbarians,” then wryly informs Envy Kellanved was killed by a civilized woman with close-set eyes. They head toward Bastion. As they continue, Toc wonders how the Pannion is managing to feed their armies and expansion and cities with such an empty countryside. Envy says perhaps they’ll learn in Bastion. Toc challenges Envy for the real reason she’s doing what she’s doing and coercing/manipulating them all into joining her. She rejects that she is manipulating or coercing any of them and Toc doesn’t buy it, flustering her until she says “he’s just like Rake.” Pleased at having an upper hand for once, Toc relaxes and starts to relate his story, beginning with his birth, his mother being Cartheron Crust’s sister.

They enter Bastion, which smells of death and fire and they realize the Pannion’s are eating their own dead. Three priests meet them and offer to guide them. They relate how Bastion was the site of the first “Embrasure” 14 years ago, where the Seer “returned from the Mountain, speaking the Words of Truth, and the power of those words rippled forward.” A caravan was killed (“rewarded”) and the first Child of the Dead Seed born nine months later—Anaster, who now leads an army of Tenescowri, along with his mother, toward Capustan. The group comes across Anaster and a mob and as chaos ensues, Toc leaves the group to “join” the Tenescowri since it’s heading for the Malazan army. Back to top

Chapter Ten

Stonny slaps Gruntle awake out of a drunken stupor then tells Buke Gruntle is all his and leaves. Buke tells Gruntle he needs him. Gruntle asks how long he’s been drunk and Buke says six days and now the Septarch and Pannion army have crossed the river and it’s too late to leave the city. Buke says it’s time for Gruntle to sober up and grieve and when Gruntle says Buke is one to talk Buke replies he did his grieving long ago and it’s over, leaving nothing but “ashes,” and he adds that Gruntle isn’t like him. He challenges Gruntle as to what he will “carve out of” Harllo’s death, how will he make it have meaning? And asks if this is what Harllo sacrificed himself for. Buke says Hetan and Cafal have been hanging out with the Grey Swords and that he is still working for Bauchelain and Korbal. Gruntle appears “back.”

They head for the barracks and Buke tells Gruntle his bosses have taken ownership of an abandoned estate and that the killings have already begun in the city. Gruntle suggests telling the Prince, that such a thing during a siege will be even worse than normal, but Buke says he dare not. Gruntle says they have to be driven out and that Buke should just leave, maybe take Reese with him. Buke says the necromancers are too powerful, they’ll kill too many soldiers, wreck the city, leave it ripe for the Pannions. Though he thinks if the Pannions are the ones to rile them, then maybe the necromancers will turn on them instead. Buke thinks if he can shadow Korbal and keep him from killing, with Gruntle’s help, maybe they can finagle things to work out. Gruntle eventually says he’ll think on it, but Stonny can’t know anything about it or she’ll just try and kill Korbal and get herself killed. Buke says he knows a priest who can heal Gruntle’s hangover.

Itkovian awaits Brukhalian, Karnadas, Hetan, and Cafal to join him for a meeting with the Mask Council, requested by the Barghast. He has spent the morning viewing the besieging army and been shaken not only by the numbers but the savagery and horror of the Tenescowri. The others arrive. Hetan informs Itkovian she will “bed him,” but Karnadas tells her the Shield Anvil has taken monastic vows. They head through the prepared defenses toward the meeting. Brukhalian informs them that the T’lan Imass have said they will fight the undead K’chain Che’Malle but not moral humans. He anticipates the surprise Septarch Kulpath will find when his K’chain are taken out by the unknown T’lan. Brukhalian also says the alliance may prove temporary as the T’lan Imass may “find themselves directed to a new purpose” at the Gathering, and that the Summoner is with Brood’s army, about six weeks away. Itkovian says they cannot hold Capustan for that long. Brukhalian asks Hetan if the White Faces will ally, but she says they will not come to Capustan to fight. The Grey Swords ask why the Barghast have asked for this meeting and Hetan says it was the second of two tasks her group was set by her clan’s shouldermen.

The 14 priests of the Council are awaiting the group. Hetan begins with “The White Faces are in mourning” and Rath’D’rek interrupts to say it’s a crazy time to come with the same claim that has already been rejected: “the answer was no the first time, no the second time, no every time!” Hetan and her brother bring magic and as guards reach for weapons, Karnadas warns them that the Barghast spirits are in the room. Itkovian tells Brukhalian that this is an “old petition,” that the Barghast claim this land under Capustan was once theirs. Hetan recaps the past reasons for rejecting their claim: early Daru records say the land wasn’t occupied, the oldest buildings were not Barghast-built, the Barghast lived in the north and only made rare pilgrimages to this area. She then recites the Barghast’s past responses: this was holy ground and the Barghast don’t live on their holy ground where their ancestors were buried, the early Capan tribes found only the Barghast barrows and built on top of them, the Barghast don’t expect the city to be removed but just ask that their claim of ownership be formally recognized and rights given to make pilgrimage. Hetan then says the Barghast’s patience is over, and now that the Pannion will seemingly take Capustan they have decided to act. Some of the priests realize that what Hetan is saying is that since the Barghast will not be able to make pilgrimages to their artifacts, she and her brother will move the artifacts to the Barghast. Itkovian and Karnadas realize that the bones Hetan seeks must be the remains of their mortal gods and that the Barghast themselves weren’t ever certain they were there until now. Itkovian also realizes Hetan’s father, Humbrall Taur, will need them to unify the clans to make war/defend against the Pannion, though Itkovian wonders how they will get them out of the besieged city. Rath’Queen of Dreams (who knows where the bones have been gathered) agrees to Hetan’s request and says they will be returned, though it will take some time to get to the resting place. Workers come in and start digging in the floor of the chamber, breaking through the stone floor. Meanwhile, the Council discusses tactics with the Grey Swords. Some think the fall of Capustan inevitable, some argue over holding the outer fortifications, some want to know of the undead Ay, of the two mages (the necromancers), of Keruli. Eventually they decide to postpone discussions due to the chaos of the digging. As they wait, Rath’Fener tells the Grey Swords he has gone to Fener’s realm and learned the Tiger of Summer is dead, though he cannot explain why Rath’Trake seems so happy. Karnadas says perhaps Trake is not so dead and Rath’Fener declares, “There is but one god of war!” then leaves. Karnadas tells Itkovian he has known of Trake’s death for some time and then asks Brukhalian for permission to declare himself and put Rath’Trake in his place, but is denied. The pit in the floor reveals buried outrigger ships, filled with bodies, both preserved by sorcery (tens of thousands of years old according to Karnadas). Rath’Queen of Dreams says many of the originally discovered dugouts disintegrated, but those ships and bodies not destroyed were gathered together: nine canoes and more than sixty bodies. She adds the scholars did not think the bodies were Barghast, they appear “almost Toblakai in stature” and she thinks the Toblakai, Barghast, and Trell are all from the same stock, “with the Barghast having more human blood than the other two.” Hetan confirms these are the Founding Spirits and Cafal says they are finding “their power.” Karnadas tells Itkovian “we are witnessing the birth of gods.” Itkovian asks Cafal how they’ll get them out of the city and Cafal says they don’t know yet. He says these were the first Barghast to come here and they have now ascended, so who now “dares challenge our pride?” Itkovian thinks, “That remains to be seen.”

Stonny tells Gruntle he owes Keruli an apology and that Keruli pulled their souls into the Elder God’s warren (dreaming) so the K’chain thought they were dead, thus saving their lives. She tells him she was guarded by a giant wolf and when Gruntle asks “some kind of servant of the Elder God,” Stonny says he doesn’t have servants; he has friends. And that put her on his side. Gruntle agrees to go apologize but he won’t swear to him or his god. She takes him to K’rul’s new temple, a house sanctified by the blood of a family that committed suicide in it. They enter and Keruli says he has helped the souls to peace. Gruntle says thanks and is about to leave but Keruli says he has something for Buke, to help in his “endeavors.” It’s a little clay bird that Buke is to crush and mix with water then drink. When Gruntle says Buke will be skeptical, Keruli says tell him otherwise his quarry will escape him and that Buke needs to accept allies as must Gruntle, and that other allies “will find him [Buke].” Stonny asks what’s going on and Gruntle says it’s private then leaves. Keruli tells Stonny Gruntle will be walking a “difficult path” and that “his time is coming soon.” Stonny asks what she’s supposed to do about it and Keruli says to stay close to him.

Hetan, Cafal, and Itkovian are in the pit at the Council hall. Itkovian sees the ships are carved with pictures, some of the Barghast fighting “a tall, lithe species with angular faces and large, almond-shaped eyes.” Cafal calls them T’isten’ur, the “Grey Skinned Demons... who collected heads, yet kept the victims living... heads that remained watchful, bodies that worked ceaselessly... demons who dwelt in shadows... the Founding spirits... drove the demons back into their underworld, the Forest of Shadows.” Itkovian tells him of the Tiste Andii and “their shadow-kin, the Tiste Edur.” He notes the Barghast language is akin to the Imass and asks if Cafal understands Moranth. Cafal says the Moranth say they are related to the Barghast, call the Barghast their “Fallen Kin. But it is they who have fallen... who have found a shadowed forest in which to live... who have embraced the alchemies of the T’isten’ur.” He tells Itkovian to ask no more but Itkovian warns him the past refuses to stay buried and once opened it will bare unpleasant as well as pleasant truths. Cafal says Humbrall Taur has told them “in success, we shall find seeds of despair.” Hetan tells the Council they can recover the pit for now, that the removal will have to wait. Brukhalian tells Itkovian to keep an eye on the Barghast because he thinks they have a plan to remove the relics and implies Itkovian should use any method, including sleeping with Hetan. When Itkovian objects Brukhalian says this demand comes from Fener who is “filled with fear.” He then tells Karnadas to contact Quick Ben. Rath’Trake interrupts them and asks if they don’t wonder who “dares cross blades with our Lords... whose hidden face lies behind this fated ascension of Trake. What [is] the value of two gods of war?... . Why has Fener seen the need to revive that loftiest of positions [Destriant] now?” and says they can ask him for help if they need it. As Itkovian leaves, he thinks how the “earth has shifted” and all is uncertainty. Back to top

Chapter Eleven

Picker and Antsy’s squad is bored and nervous and acting out among themselves. Picker is worried about Quick Ben being late, Paran being green, Whiskeyjack not around, and the lingering effects of what they consider betrayal at Pale. Blend tells her Dujek isn’t really outlawed and that WJ and Quick Ben probably are in on it. She points out Aranthos’ arrival coming right after the alleged outlawing and suspects he’s a high-ranking claw. Mallet has akin to a very bad sunburn due to the Crippled God’s poison in the warrens.

Quick Ben emerges from Hood’s warren after some difficulty. He suspects the Pannion Domin is a “feint” by the CG, that perhaps the Pannion Seer doesn’t even know he’s being used, is just a pawn.

Paran’s group is at the clan gathering of the White Face Barghast. Twist explains the Barghast hostility toward the Moranth is ancient and based on “false” memories. Trotts is making a claim to leadership and is going to face one of Humbrall Taur’s sons in one-on-one challenge. Paran thinks of Twist’s withered arm, ruined by a Rhivi spirit so that it will slowly kill him unless he gets “god’s healing touch.” Twist mentions Paran doesn’t appear well, but Paran dismisses it, then says he needs Twist to do something for him.

Paran looks at the crowd of Barghast before the challenge, noting Taur’s main rival Maral Eb of the Barahn Clan and the strangely armored Gilk. Corporal Aimless tells Paran some soldiers have some munitions ready in case things go bad and when Paran tells him to “stow it,” Aimless says they may just ignore Paran’s orders. Paran sends him back to the men telling them it’s a stupid idea. Trotts fights using Malazan tactics and weapons and wins, killing Taur’s son, but has his windpipe crushed. A healer, Mulch, performs a trach on Trotts and saves his life for at least a while. Paran has to tell a group of soldiers to stand down (they do) then converses with Humbrall Taur, who tells him he’s not sure what he’s decided yet (the fact that Trotts may still die doesn’t help). Twist arrives with Mallet (the favor Paran had asked earlier).

Quick Ben is slowly recovering from the effects of Hood’s warren, thanks in part to the presence of the Barghast spirits which resist the Crippled God’s poison. The squad wonders what they’ll find when they arrive, having no news since Twist picked up Mallet. Quick Ben is suddenly pulled into the ground by hands and when Picker tries to grab him he tells her to let him go. Spindle says it was Barghast spirits. Picker decides to wait to see if Quick will re-emerge.

Quick Ben finds himself in a long-forgotten Barghast warren. The spirits are ancient, a mix of Imass and Toblakai before they became modern Barghast. Talamandas appears and tells Quick Ben Trotts won the challenge but may still die, which means Taur will probably kill the Malazans to get rid of the distraction while he has to deal with probably civil war among the Barghast. He points to the spirits and says while the soldiers are here, the warchiefs, the Founding Spirits are not, though they’ve been found by Hetan in Capustan. Talamandas tried to tell Taur but was driven away by the shouldermen, as they do with all ancient spirits, preferring the weaker, younger spirits who offer “comfort” rather than wisdom. Taur, he says, knows this is a problem, that the young spirits are too weak to resist the Pannion Domin and so the Barghast will be killed or enslaved. Talamandas asks Quick Ben to tell him the Founding Spirits have been found. Quick Ben asks that the spirits help Trotts survive by channeling his power through Mallet.

Mallet tells Paran he might not be much help due to his warren issues, but he’s willing to try though it will likely kill him. He goes to Trotts and opens his warren, giving up his own life force even as it begins to fade on him, but then he’s pulled by hands (the Barghast spirits) who tell him to “take from us... take our power.” And as they say, it is a “costly” path, for Mallet walks on a “carpet of corpses—his path through the poisoned horror of his warren.” He heals Trotts.

Paran is chewing himself up over ordering Mallet to his probable death: “who are you to balance lives? To gauge worth... this is a nightmare. I’m done with it.” Mulch tells him both Trotts and Mallet will live.

Mulch and Aimless watch Paran straighten himself and head for Taur’s tent and think he’s “cold as a Jaghut winter” and that he “might make it after all.” They spot Picker’s squad on the ridge.

Paran tells Taur Trotts lives and is making his leadership claim. When Taur replies he “has no tribe,” Paran disagrees and says it’s the 38 Bridgeburners, a point Trotts made when he fought Malazan style. Taur says he understood that and warns that Trotts has never commanded, so Paran will need to watch him. Despite Trotts’ claim, Taur says the Barghast will not march on Capustan, the city that has taken so many Barghast youth: “Each year we lose more... their traders come among us with nothing of value... and would strip my people naked if they could.” Taur continues by explaining though he knows the Pannion will march on the Barghast, Taur can only hold eight of twenty-seven tribes. He adds the Bridgeburners are still in danger because some of the tribes are claiming they “cheated” basically by using necromancy to bring Trotts back to life and also because of general distrust due to the Malazans’ conquering ways and alliance with the hated Moranth. Paran leaves and Picker tells him Quick Ben hasn’t woken up since he returned from the Barghast warren. Paran tells them to get Mallet and goes to see Quick Ben. Mallet wakes Quick by slapping him. Paran fills Quick Ben in on everything and Quick says he can do something about Taur’s not caring about Capustan.

Blend and Picker watch the night’s craziness in the camp: sex and fights (some to the death). Picker’s torcs are getting hot, something it appears they’ve done before as she mentions regular dousings in a water barrel. Blend says the night feels strange and reminds her of when they’d stumbled into a “Rhivi Burn Ground” in the Blackdog Forest (or swamp?) and were saved by a wing of Black Moranth. Blend says spirits are loose tonight, ancestor spirits, not the “big ones” which makes her wonder where they are. Blend heads off and Spindle shows up saying it’s a bad night and that Paran and the others (Quick etc.) haven’t come out of Taur’s tent. Picker tells him to go off and have some fun and he says his Mother would be offended. When Picker says his mother is dead, Spindle appears to get whacked on the head by an invisible hand and Picker wonders if all the ancestors are out tonight, leading her to think to herself if “Da” shows up she’ll slit his throat like she did the first time.

Paran steps from Taur’s tent thinking “the real battle is done” now that the Barghast spirits are awake. Quick Ben asks if Paran can feel the Elder Spirits and says the “Old Ones have joined with their younger spirit kin. The forgotten warren is forgotten no more,” adding this means the tribes will unite to free the gods in Capustan. Paran asks if Quick Ben knew the Moranth and Barghast were related and Quick says “more or less”, noting it doesn’t matter if the Barghast disapprove as the spirits have embraced Twist and the Moranth. When Quick mentions Paran will have to teach Trotts command/responsibility, Paran think he can’t do it himself: “I need only look into Whiskeyjack’s face to understand that no one can—no one who has a heart... We learn to achieve but one thing... to hide our thoughts... to bury our humanity deep in our souls.” Back to top

Chapter Twelve

Three weeks after he left Envy’s group and joined the Tenescowri, Toc reaches a mountain fort—Outlook—with the Tenescowri army. He has gotten the attention of the army’s leader, Anaster, and rides with his lieutenants at the army’s head. The army awaits the appearance of the Pannion Seer, who will bless them from a tower’s balcony at dawn. Toc thinks how the Seer must be feeling fear with the destruction Envy’s group is causing as they come closer. Toc is slowly starving to death as he refuses to turn cannibal. He wonders what drew Anaster’s attention and worries he suspects.

Anaster refuses his touch to all save his mother, whom Toc fears most of all, seeing something “demonic” in her eyes. Having seen them kill and then get the seed of the freshly dead, Toc thinks there is “some poison within the Seer and whatever god spoke through him. A poison that seemed born of familial memories…a child betrayed perhaps. A child led by the hand into terror and pain…” News arrives to Anaster that the siege is nearly complete around Capustan and the Tenescowri may arrive too late to “partake.” The Seer, though, has “gifted” them with the citizens of Coral, across the Ortnal Cut (a body of water). Anaster also says the Seer has demanded to see Toc, whom they call “The Defier”), noting as well that Toc’s eye has changed to a “wolf’s eye that so gleams in the dark.” Toc thinks he is going to his death and is relieved.

On his way, Toc thinks of rumors he’s heard of Envy’s progress. Three pitched battles involving legions as well as Domin sorcerers haven’t stopped her group and resulted in thousands dead. He thinks he never would have survived.

Toc meets the Seer. He sees “a corpse, yet a creature dwelt within the husk, animating it... Tow beings, the living hiding behind the dead.” The Seer, meanwhile, tells Toc he has “a wolf’s eye in truth... More than a wolf’s eye that you see so clearly what no one else has.” The Seer questions how he, a Malazan, got separated from the northern army then asks if Envy’s group are friends of his. The Seer says he has heard Toc does not eat and he offers up meat to him as a test. Toc eats and the Seer tells him it is not human flesh, but venison, something Toc knew due to his wolf’s sense of smell. The Seer heals Toc and tells him that since mortal armies can’t defeat Envy’s group, he will “dismiss the enemy with my own hand.” Toc watches power build around the Seer, and notes it is cold and smells of ice.

Toc sees through Baaljaag’s eye. Tool is badly damaged. The ay feels the cold sorcery and it raises memories. Envy and Tool recognize the sorcery as well, and consider it “an imaginable alliance” between Jaghut and K’chain Che’Malle. Neither Tool nor Envy can defeat the sorcery. Sleet begins to fall.

Toc is back inside the tower. He sees the Jaghut inside the Seer’s body more clearly, and from it “grey roots roped down from the body’s legs, chaotic power, plunging down... twisting with something like pain or ecstasy.” Toc realizes the Jaghut is drawing on “another sorcery, something older, far more deadly than Omtose Phellack.” The Seer has sensed Toc’s linkage with Baaljagg and says, “the one within you readies for its rebirth... alas, the Beast Throne is vacant, neither you nor that beast god can match my strength.” He begins to scream, calling Toc a liar, and in that moment Toc sees him as a child. The Seer breaks his bones with sorcery than throws him someplace dark, where Toc is grabbed “in the yearning hug of giant, reptilian arms.” The Seer’s sorcery allows Toc’s bones to break and his body to tear but then it heals him so it can all happen again. The Seer speaks in Toc’s mind, telling him “You are worthy to take my place in that sweet motherly hug. Oh, she is mad... yet the sparks of need reside within her... beware or it will devour you as it did me—until I grew so foul she spat me back out. Need, when it overwhelms, becomes poison, Toc the Younger. The great corrupter of love, and so it shall corrupt you.” Back to top

Chapter Thirteen

The Mhybe is sitting in a wagon and thinking on the march, noting the Malazans “follow one man, and ask nothing of justification, or cause.” She wonders if they’ll follow Brood, “into the Abyss” then notes the Andii will certainly follow Rake into it, as will the Malazans behind Whiskeyjack and Dujek. Whiskyjack speaks with her and tells her they need her counsel, that she should tell him her nightmares. She tells him her enemy is death. When he starts to tell her he and she are too old to fear death, she interrupts and says she isn’t talking about Hood but what hides behind him: “not oblivion... a place crowded with fragmented memories—memories of pain, of despair... Love drifts like ashes... Even identity is gone... all that is left of you is doomed to an eternity of pain and terror—a succession of fragments from everyone—every thing that has ever lived... It is the true Abyss.” Whiskeyjack tells her perhaps it is her own imagination, that she is punishing herself “for what you perceive as your life’s failure.” It strikes her a bit home.

Whiskeyjack rides to join Dujek, Korlat, and Kruppe. He tells them the Mhybe is no better and has imagined a death that terrifies her. Korlat says Silverfox feels abandoned and bitter and is withdrawing. Whiskeyjack is feeling worn: his leg hurts, they haven’t heard from Paran and the Bridgeburners, they don’t know what is happening at Capustan, the warrens are impassable, Crone and the ravens are missing, the Trygalle Trade Guild is late with a shipment. Kruppe says the Guild will come through, no matter the cost. Whiskeyjack asks where Silverfox is, snaps at Korlat, then apologizes before heading to find Silverfox.

Whiskeyjack rides back to the rearguard where Silverfox is. Two marines are shadowing her, telling Whiskeyjack they’re doing so because she is Tattersail—“our cadre mage—and they guard her back as it’s a “fair exchange.” After they list all the ways they can kill/wound (including their teeth), Whiskeyjack surmises they grew up with brothers and shows them the scar from his little sister’s bite, “the first fight I ever lost.” When he joins Silverfox, who has overheard it all, she tells him “they’ll die for you now,” commenting on the way he binds his soldiers when he’s “being human.” She notes the similarity between them, both having ten thousand souls in their hands, and how that kind of pressure can “harden us a little more deep down.” When she says it makes “what was soft smaller, a little weaker,” Whiskeyjack says not weaker but “more concentrated, more selective” and that she feels it at all is a good sign it still exists. They’re interrupted by the appearance of the Trade Guild delivery, bringing a river of blood with them. Silverfox recognizes the blood as Krul’s, though she doesn’t name him, but says the blood belongs to “An Elder God’s. A friend’s.” The Trade Merchant, Haradas, says twenty or so demons tried to hitch a ride to get out of a “nightmare.”

Kallor scorns the “fools [who] prattle on and on in the command tent” worried about the tainted warrens, thinking “order ever succumbs to chaos... The world will do better without mages.” He sits on an ironwood throne breathing in an alchemical candle, a “Century Candle” that keeps him alive, gives him another hundred years. He says to himself that no matter how long a stretch of time goes by where he does nothing, he must wait those moments when he must act decisively, explosively, and compares himself to a predator in his waiting stillness. He recalls the eight wizards that called down the Crippled God in opposition to Kallor, the three gods that opposed him and how he destroyed his own empire, leaving it ashes rather than give them satisfaction, for that “is the privilege of the creator—to give then to take away.” He knows K’rul is now in opposition again, but revels that K’rul has found another enemy (the CG) and it is killing him as Kallor predicted/cursed, just as his curse came true with Nightchill, though she tries to recover from it via Silverfox (something Kallor aims to prevent). His memories are interrupted by the appearance of Gethol, whom Kallor recognizes. Gethol tells Kallor he is now Herald in the House of Chains. Kallor mocks the idea, saying the new House will be obliterated, to which Gethol replies that the House is not only fighting but is winning. Kallor says the strategy makes no sense, poisoning the warrens, destroying the very power the Chained God needs. But Gethol says it isn’t really a poisoning but an “infection,” an attempt to cause an “alteration” so that while impassable to the CG’s enemies, his servants will be able to use them. He then offers Kallor the position of High King in the House. When Kallor says he will not bow to the CG, Gethol says the CG is trapped in his long-dead warren where he is chained, and so cannot influence the House of Chains directly, and so Kallor as King would have complete freedom. As Kallor considers it, Gethol says the CG wants to know where Rake and Moon’s Spawn have gone and Kallor says he requires a “moment of vulnerability” for Silverfox in exchange. Gethol says he’ll convey the message and departs. Kallor considers his ambush. Back to top

Chapter Fourteen

The opening gives a list of former role-holders in Fener’s Reve. The Last Mortal Sword was killed in the Chaining. The last Destriant was Ipshank of Korelri, who “vanished during the last flight of Manask.” Another is said to have been waiting to “claim” the title but was “cast out, ” his name “stricken from all records,” and the Fener’s Reve punishment doled out to him.

Gruntle is sitting in a bar. Buke arrives and tells him Keruli’s drink was helpful in his quest regarding Korbal and has “done wonders.” He tells Gruntle he’s told the Camp’s elders and dissuaded them from going to the Prince. Buke says he’ll still need Gruntle’s help and Gruntle says Buke knows where to find him when the time comes. He informs Gruntle that Stonny has volunteered to the defense force. Gruntle says she’s throwing her life away and when Buke says they’ll all have to fight eventually Gruntle says to himself “that’s what you think.” Buke continues by saying the only option is to switch sides and when Gruntle says “meat is meat,” Buke is shocked and disgusted; Gruntle tells him to get out of his sight.

Cafal and Hetan have been performing some sort of meditative rite for some time. Itkovian watches and thinks they are traveling among their spirits. He’s been tasked by Brukhalian to find a way through to see if they have a way out of Capustan, if there is a weakness in the city’s defenses or perhaps in the Pannion’s siege. Prince Jelarkan arrives and says he wants to know what the Grey Swords intend, what their “shaved knuckle in the hole” is, but tells Itkovian that Brukhalian won’t see him. He asks Itkovian why the T’lan Imass are not attack the Seer’s empire and thus force the siege to break. Itkovian tells the Prince the T’lan Imass have purposes unknown, including their mysterious Gathering which is going to take precedence over everything, and that they only destroyed the K’Chain Che’Malle because they might pose a threat to the Gathering. He also suspects that Kron is waiting for more T’lan Imass because they fear the Seer is a Jaghut. When the Prince asks why the Gathering is taking place here, Itkovian says because the Summoner is heading this way with an army commanded by Brood and Dujek, an army coming to attack the Pannion, though it will arrive too late for Capustan. The Prince is furious he hasn’t been told and when Itkovian says it doesn’t matter to the defense of the city, the Prince says he cares about the people not the city and suggests trying to punch a way out. Itkovian says they considered and rejected the idea as unworkable, and the Prince angrily says it is not their job to “do the prince’s thinking for him.” The Prince leaves and Itkovian notices that the Barghast have come out of their trance and that it had been a divination. As he watches, Cafal goes back into a trance. Itkovian “flirts” (badly) with Hetan, who sees through him: “you are clumsy. Yield to me and learn all my secrets, is that the task set before you?” Itkovian departs and Hetan is pleased at the game. As he walks away, Itkovian is tormented by his desire for Hetan, the “crumbling” of his vows. He feels Fener’s indifference and wonders if that is the real truth, that the gods “care nothing for the ascetic impositions on mortal behavior... perhaps they laugh at the chains we wrap around ourselves... or rage at us. Perhaps our denial of life’s celebration is our greatest insult to those we worship and serve.” Itkovian meets Karnadas and tells him he is beginning to doubt his vows. Karnadas says he is mistaken if thought his vows were to “appease Fener”—that his vows were a “dialogue with yourself, not with Fener,” and they will not be needed when “all that is encompassed by living ceases to threaten your faith.” Their discussion is interrupted by the beginning of the attack.

Gruntle finds Buke and tells him there’s movement from the besieging army. Buke says Korbal is “rattled” by his inability to find victims and says children are watching the house and keeping an eye “on the sky,” the latter part not seeming to make much sense and when Gruntle calls him on it Buke obviously lies. They hear an attack begin and Buke tells Gruntle he should go help Stonny. Gruntle says she put herself in danger, but then “somehow” ends up heading that way and then decides he may as well help pull her out if he’s going that way. He comes across a company of Grey Swords led by a Capan woman who tells them they’re going to hold the gate for the sortie to return. The defenders return with an attack just behind them. Stonny arrives in a squad, bloody, wounded. She tells Gruntle “A Seerdomin found me... but the bastard left me alive. I hunted him down... it [begging] didn’t work for me, why should it have for him?” Gruntle realizes she was raped. He tells her he’ll take her to a clean room and guard her. He carries her away and thinks later he’ll kill thousands of the enemy in retaliation. As he walks off, he feels his muscles fill “with a strange unyielding strength” and the Itkovian oversees the defense. He watches the Gidrath hold for a long time in the outer fortification, blocks of the city catch fire, etc., but the defenders hold. Karnadas tells him Brukhalian has been summoned to the Thrall’s main hall, where Hetan and Cafal have taken up residence. He heals Itkovian’s exhaustion than goes to tell Brukhalian that Itkovian has not found how the Barghast intend to save their founders’ remains. The assault continues.

Karnadas arrives at the Masked Council just in time to see Keruli enter and demand the right to address the Council as Rath’K’rul, and to hear him say one of the Council will betray everyone.

Gruntle tries to comfort Stonny. She tells him to go kill some Pannions. He tells her to take her time healing and leaves.

Itkovian sends out a sortie to destroy the siege engines. He is told lots of enemies have been killed at the North Gate, killed by an “impromptu militia” commanded by an unknown citizen (Gruntle), who has taken them off to kill more Pannions.

After Keruli’s words, Karnadas immediately suspects Rath’ Fener. When Rath’Shadowthrone says K’rul’s age is “long past,” Keruli replies that K’rul has returned, which should relieve them as it is his blood that is being poisoned. He continues that the coming battle threatens even their gods and they should check with their gods if they doubt him, though they have little time. Rath’Queen of Dreams wonders if he is spreading divisiveness with the claim of betrayal, but he says the innocent will unite and the guilt most likely be handled by “his god,” Brukhalian leaves with Karnadas. Hetan asks Keruli if his god’s offer of aid was true and Keruli says yes, asking which of them will volunteer. She points to Cafal, who is seemingly asleep and Keruli warns everyone not to wake him, “if you value your lives.”

Gruntle leads his motley company, helped by a Lestari sergeant. They relieve a siege of a building then are distracted momentarily by a glow coming from the Thrall. Gruntle then leads them to the West Gate, where defenders are retreating.

Itkovian stresses over the failure of the West Gate to hold, but then is surprised when its defense suddenly stiffens. A messenger arrives and tells him the West Gate had fallen, all was slaughter and chaos when a foreigner (Gruntle) led a company in, commandeered folks, and shamed the Tular Camp into fighting by holding up the corpse of a child the Pannions had begun to eat. He then took the child’s tunic and fastened it into a standard and led them to relieve defenders and slaughter the enemy. The messenger left as they were about to attack through the West Gate, and he tells Itkovian the foreigner fought “like a boar.” Another messenger brings news the Tenescowri are on the move and will be there at dawn. Itkovian orders the citizen taken below into the tunnels. Karnadas tells Itkovian the glow from the Thrall is from Cafal, Hetan, and a new priest—the merchant rescued on the plains days ago. They then connect the “foreigner” to the merchant’s caravan guard.

Gruntle kills the last of the opposing soldiers (for the moment). He realizes with a shock that it appears he’s lost none or almost none of his people. He tells them to grab the army from the dead enemy then they’ll withdraw.

As they reenter Capustan, a Grey Swords officer tells Gruntle they’ve set up weaponsmiths to sharpen his “tusks” (his twin cutlasses). When she takes offense at how lightly he takes the reference, he tells her they’ll call them “tiger-claws” rather than tusks. A messenger (actually, Itkovian in disguise, come to meet this “foreigner” and take his measure) arrives from Itkovian and tells Gruntle about the citizens being brought to the tunnels and that there are stores there and defenses to hold for two or three weeks. The soldiers, he says, will fight house by house, street by street, and so Itkovian wants to know what section Gruntle would like and if he needs anything. Gruntle says he’ll take the North Gate area and use the tenement building where Stonny is to fall back to. As they finish, Gruntle’s lieutenant (the Lestari sgt. has been “field promoted”) tells Gruntle the weaponsmiths are ready to sharpen his “tiger-claws,” and Itkovian reacts strongly (though Gruntle doesn’t see).

As Gruntle leaves, Itkovian thinks he is no boar but instead “a big, plains-hunting cat... The Tiger of Summer’s ghost walks in this man’s shadow. He realizes that Treach is ascending and wonders what it means for Fener, and thinks “Fener descending... on this our last day.” The Tenescowri begin to move toward the city.

Buke makes his way to the necromancer’s estate. As he arrives, a Shadow priest is leaving, furious as being kicked out with “a boot to the backside” and though Buke says he should just let it be, the priest heads off muttering. Buke meets Bauchelain inside the gates amid 10 or so Urdomen corpses that Bauchelain says Korbal will “recruit.” He informs Buke the Tenescowri are coming and says Korbal can’t wait to examine Anaster, the First Child of the Dead Seed. Suddenly, the Urdomen corpses rise and Bauchelain tells Buke they will be guards and suggests where to deploy them. Reese rushes out and feels the chest of one of the corpses and is shocked there is no wound because, he says, Korbal has their hearts all sewn together on the kitchen table. Bauchelain says Korbal has been forced to “modify his habits” due to Reese and Buke’s interference, and now Korbal doesn’t need to leave the house for his “acquisition.” He adds that they should stop interfering and then warns Buke not to use Keruli’s “peculiar sorcery now residing within you... we dislike company when in our Soletaken form.” Bauchelain leaves and Reese asks what Keruli has done to Buke and he answers he can follow them now. He looks up to see two rooks on the rooftop and when they take off (heading for Anaster he believes), he veers himself into a sparrow hawk. Reese watches him follow thinking he can follow but is no match for the two’s sorcery.

As Buke looks down on the Tenescowri, he thinks: “The Pannion Seer is a monster in truth. A tyranny of need... Defeat him? You’d have to kill every man, woman, and child on this world who are bowed to hunger... this is simply the heart. It will spread. It will infect every city... devour empires... We are all lost.” His thoughts are interrupted by sorcery as he sees the rooks attack Anaster, using magic and demons to deal with the Tenescowri. They are driven away by opposing magic and he watches them retreat, getting hammered as they do so. He races back to the estate, returns to human form, and order the undead guards to their positions. The rooks land in disarray and reform, their armor tattered and themselves showing blood and bruises. Buke asks what happened and Bauchelain says, “It seems we must needs refine our tactics.” Buke laughs and Bauchelain heads inside. Back to top

Chapter Fifteen

Whiskeyjack comes to the edge of a mesa and looks down into a riverbed where he sees part of his army moving through a field of huge bones, among them blades and iron. As he gets closer, he sees the remains are reptilian. The Rhivi scouts tell Whiskeyjack the undead demons came from the southeast (they mention Morn), fleeing big undead wolves, “like the ghost-runners of our legend. When the eldest shouldermen or women dream their farthest dreams... all ghostly save the one who leads, who seems as flesh and has eyes of life.” The scout says the undead wolves destroyed the demons. Kruppe, Korlat, and Silverfox arrive. Korlat identifies the bones as K’Chain Che Malle K’ell Hunters and Silverfox identifies the killers as T’lan Ay. The Ay arrive in thousands. Silverfox calls them her escort, Whiskeyjack knows (and knows Silverfox knows) they are a bodyguard as well, thinking this means she no longer needs the Malazans’ protection—“she is free to do whatever she pleases.” He worries for a moment over the idea that Kallor might be right, then shrugs it aside as an “unworthy” thought, thinking she, or at least the Tattersail in her, will remember they showed faith in her when it was most needed. He wonders if Nightchill’s soul hates Tattersail or the Empire (and all of it) or Rake/Brood and their allies. Silverfox asks Korlat about her mother and she answers that the Mhybe has been unable to walk for a week and suggests Silverfox see her, but Silverfox says there is no need. Korlat says Coll and Murillio are taking care of her and Silverfox warns things are about to get “tense,” and asks Korlat to assign Andii to guard her mother. When Korlat points out the Ay, Silverfox says her mother won’t let them approach her due to her nightmares. Korlat agrees and leaves. Silverfox asks Kruppe if he is satisfied and he says yes, and says he has faith the Mhybe will hold on. The Ay descend back to dust at Silverfox’s command so nobody else sees them. Whiskeyjack worries about all the secrets in the two armies, as well as over what is going on with Quick Ben and Paran and the Bridgeburners. Kallor arrives with Brood and Dujek, Artanthos, Haradas, and the vanguard. He joins them and doesn’t tell them of the Ay. When he mentions the K’Chain, Kallor says the remnants of their civilization are on nearly every continent. He says they are reptilian and can breed for specific purposes—such as making K’ell Hunters. They are matriarchal and matrilineal, and he compares them to a hive and a queen bee, saying within the Matron lies the sorcerous power of her whole family, “power to beggar the gods of today. Power to keep the Elder Gods from coming to this world,” adding were it not for their civil war they would still be ruling. He said the Matrons, seeking more power (why is not clear) had resurrected an older breed, bringing them back from extinction—the Short-Tails (Korlat reacts strongly to this name). He said it appears the Short-Tails refused to meld or surrender their magic to the Matrons and thus civil war broke out. To see one result, he says one can go to Morn/the Rent, which is where one Matron tried to “harness the power of a gate... open [ing] a portal that led to the Realm of Chaos.” When Brood wonders what the undead K’ell are doing here, Silverfox says they are being used by the Pannion Seer. Kallor says that is impossible because only a Matron can command a K’ell Hunter, which means, Silverfox says, they also have a matron to deal with as an enemy. Kallor says without any living male K’Chain, the Matron cannot breed more Hunters. Silverfox says the T’lan Imass have destroyed the Hunters and Kallor asks why, why have they joined this war. Silverfox says they haven’t joined anything and to explain, goes back to why the T’lan Imass warred with the Jaghut. She tells them when the first Imass appeared, they were tolerated by the Jaghut, “pushed to the poorest of lands”, but then Tyrants rose and enslaved them and many generations of them, in a “nightmarish existence.” She says the lesson was that “there were intelligent beings... who exploited the virtues of others, their compassion, their love, their faith in kin.” She says many Imass found out their “gods” were actually Tyrants “hidden behind friendly masks... who manipulated them with the weapons of faith.” Rebellion, she tells them, was inevitable and it devastated the Imass. When Kallor says there were only ever a “handful” of Tyrants among the Jaghut, she answers that was still too many, and admits that other Jaghut helped the Imass. But now, “we carried scars... of mistrust, of betrayal. We could trust only in our own kind. In the name of generations to come, all Jaghut would have to die. None could be left, to produce more children, to permit among those children the rise of new Tyrants.” Korlat interrupts to ask what all this has to do with the K’Chain Che’Malle. Silverfox says the KCM ruled before the Jaghut, and as the first Imass were to the Jaghut, the first Jaghut were to the KCM. She adds, “in each species is born the seeds of domination. Our wars with the Jaghut destroyed us, as a living people, as a vibrant, evolving culture. That was the price we paid, to ensure the freedom you now possess. Our eternal sacrifice…” and points out this army is also waging war and sacrificing against a tyrant, for people that know nothing of them. She says the Pannion Domin must be destroyed—that is their task, but her job (and that of the T’lan Imass) is to destroy what lies behind it: A KCM Matron. Kallor says she is lying, that this whole war is a “feint,” but refuses to explain when Dujek asks by whom. Haradas says there may be some truth to it, and points to the warrens being poisoned by chaos, which leads to the question of why a Matron, the sole repository of magic that gives her power, would want to destroy it. Not to mention, if it’s the same Matron as created the Rent, why would she use Chaos again? Whiskeyjack realizes who is behind this, and also that he and Dujek were among the last to figure it out. He asks Silverfox if she and the T’lan Imass will help against this “third hand.” She says no, it would be too much. The idea of something that makes the T’lan Imass “recoil” terrifies Whiskeyjack and Dujek.

Kruppe interrupts and says he places himself in the path of that enemy. That is too much for Brood, who dismounts and says give proof of how he plans to do so or else, and he reaches for his hammer. Kruppe seems to provoke Brood further, until Brood strikes the ground before Kruppe with his hammer. The shock wave throws everyone down (including the horses) and causes an avalanche. Whiskeyjack watches, stunned, as hills on the other side of the valley rise through the ground forming a new mountain range. The mesa top on which they stood has been mostly destroyed, while a fissure in the earth has formed running through the valley. Kruppe is still standing before Brood and Whiskeyjack thinks they now have proof of Kruppe’s power and he wonders who the demonstration of power was for. As they look down, they see the fissure is filling with “fouled blood” and they all realize Burn is dying, poisoned.

The Mhybe is awakened by Brood’s hammer blow on the earth. She thinks of the torture of being young in her dreams, and wonder who the strangers are in that tundra land, strangers she feels are stalking her like hunters and whom she flees always. Coll and Murillio discuss Kruppe’s escape from Brood’s wrath, and how Brood nearly didn’t escape the wrath of Kruppe’s mule, which they say is a “strange one indeed... so watchful. Of everything.” As they talk, the Mhybe bitterly thinks how she was truly a mere “vessel” for Silverfox, that though Silverfox has multiple souls in her (“two women, and a Thelomen named Skullcrusher”), she has nothing of the Mhybe. Thinking she’s asleep, Coll and Murillio discuss their grief over her fate and how the copper ornaments Kruppe gave her get brighter when she sleeps. She fades back into the dream-world.

Dujek bursts into the tent and tells Whiskeyjack he didn’t sign up for a war against a god. Whiskeyjack tells him not to fight him then, let the various ascendants who seemingly already knew about the Chained God do it. He points out as well that he and Dujek are hardly ones to complain about secrets and manipulations, and finishes by saying he has faith in Kruppe. When Dujek seems skeptical, Whiskeyjack reminds him that Brood certainly took Kruppe seriously. And because of that Kallor now must take Brood seriously. And then he says the whole time they were in Darujhistan—“our grand failure”—Whiskeyjack had felt there was someone behind the scenes “orchestrating the whole thing.” Then, Kruppe is involved in Silverfox’s birth, an Elder God returns, as do the T’lan Imass... Whiskeyjack posits that Kruppe manipulates “circumstance... I don’t feel we are fated to dance as he wills. There is an Elder God behind the Daru, but even there, I think it’s more an alliance of mutual benefit, almost between equals. A partnership... this time it [manipulation] feels different, less inimical... I sense compassion this time.” When Dujek wonders what Kruppe is, Whiskeyjack says he thinks he’s merely mortal, but blessed with “an intelligence that is singular in its prowess... the greatest of minds.” As further evidence, he reminds the still skeptical Dujek that it was Kruppe who brought in the Trygalle Trade Guild, found the First Rhivi ornaments to give to the Mhybe, is the only one Silverfox will open up to, has set himself against the Crippled God, and was protected by K’rul when Brood’s hammer struck. Dujek finally buys it, but says he worries about not being “actively engaged” against the CG, and Whiskeyjack says he suspects Quick Ben has been, Quick Ben whom he calls only a “very short step” behind Kruppe, the “world’s foremost genius.” They are interrupted by the arrival of Twist.

Korlat enters Whiskyjack’s tent furious and demands to know his secrets: “about Tattersail reborn, about those damned T’lan Ay, about what you’ve instructed those two marines guarding the child to say to the Mhybe.” Whiskyjack tells her he’s given them no instructions at all (not even to guard Silverfox), but if they’ve said something bad he’ll take responsibility. Korlat calms a bit, then asks him why Silverfox insisted the Mhybe not know of the Ay. Whiskeyjack says he has no idea, but thought Korlat knew. She takes this in a moment, then asks if he was planning on confronting her about the secrets he thought she was holding and he said no. She pauses, then asks him to clean the scratches from the Mhybe, telling him she thinks she made a terrible mistake, despite good intentions, which he says often happens with good intentions. Korlat says she’s realized she and the others have all underestimated the Malazans, thinking them convenient weapons of mere soldiers but that in fact they have become “our backbone. Somehow, you are what gives us our strength, holds us together.” She adds she does know they’re keeping secrets and Whiskeyjack tells her the biggest is that the Malazans feel “outmatched... We don’t have your power. We’re just an army. Our best wizard isn’t even ranked. He’s a squad mage... . [we’re] bowed, brittle.” When Korlat says she doubts it he insists he isn’t being merely modest. Korlat muses that Silverfox is manipulating the Mhybe, maybe even giving her the nightmares and when Whiskeyjack doubts it, she says he may be giving too much credit to Tattersail’s personality. He admits it’s possible Nightchill feels betrayed, and Bellurdan, but he thinks Tattersail would resist them and is still prevalent in Silverfox. Korlat calls him a rare man and they share a romantic moment that closes with Whiskeyjack’s unstated fear of losing her.

Kruppe speaks with the two marines guarding Silverfox, says Whiskeyjack must be happy with their reports that Tattersail seems preeminent in Silverfox. On the subject of Whiskyjack, they tell Kruppe WJ should have been emperor but Laseen knew him as her main rival and so stripped him of command/rank and sent him away. When Kruppe calls Whiskeyjack “ambitious,” they scorn the thought and say that’s the point—his lack of ambition is why he would have been a good Emperor. When Kruppe asks why Whiskeyjack didn’t just take the throne, they reply it was because he knew it might lead to civil war and collapse, so he’d given Laseen a chance to keep things together. Kruppe leaves and the marines discuss that they think he and Silverfox are up to something regarding the Mhybe.

Kruppe speaks with Murillio and Coll. They tell him the Mhybe is a tragedy and he says “matters of vast mercy are in progress,” but the Mhybe isn’t ready yet to be told: “this is a journey of the spirit. She must begin it within herself.” Coll asks how he avoided being killed by Brood and Kruppe says “rage has no efficacy against [Kruppe] for whom the world is nestled as a pearl within... the confines of his... brain... for whom the world is naught but a plumage dream of colours and wonders unimagined, where even time itself has lost meaning.” He leaves.

Crone flies overhead. She recognizes the touch of chaos, of the Crippled God, within the blood in the fissure created by Brood—the blood of Burn. She reports to Brood that Rake has “succeeded. Moon’s Spawn has passed unseen and now hides.” She adds her children have passed over the Seer’s land and she herself visited Capustan and determined it cannot hold. She surprises him with information that the Seer is fighting on a second front to the south and is losing, though he has now employed Omtose Phellack against whatever foe it is routing his armies. Brood says he and Rake suspected the Seer’s non-human nature, and tells Crone they didn’t want her getting too close. She says she couldn’t get very close to Outlook anyway due to the condors, which are not “entirely mundane.” She leaves after tweaking Brood for losing his temper with Kruppe. Back to top

Chapter Sixteen

Itkovian and the Grey Swords fight the Tenescowri and Itkovian is horrified by how the Tenescowri rape and feed on the dead, as well as by how he and his own are slaughtering these unarmed, untrained peasants. He is impaled by a pike in the back and a broken-off knife blade in his knee before fighting free and reaching the just-arriving reinforcements led by Brukhalian and Karnadas. Itkovian asks Karnadas to heal his men and horse then slips into unconsciousness.

Gruntle and his squad fight in another part of the city, retreating into a building and filling it with the dead. His forearms have taken on a “strange pattern of blood stains, barbed and striped, the blood blackening and seeming to creep into his skin.” The same stripes “spread away from his eyes and bearded cheeks. Tawny amber streaked the beard itself. His eyes were the colour of sun-withered prairie grass.” His cutlasses have also changed, “were yellowed white—fangs in truth now.” Stonny is fighting with them now, her pain “the debt he had only begun to pay.” His Lestari lieutenant “knew... he and the rest of the militia now existed more within the mind of Gruntle than they did in the real world. They fought with skills they had never before possessed. They did not tire.” The Lestari tells Gruntle, “You are Trake’s Mortal Sword.” Gruntle ignores the comment and asks if Stonny is okay. They continue to retreat up floor by floor.

Brukhalian watches as the cutters and Karnadas work to save the wounded, noting Karnadas has gone “too far” and how his body is now showing its “irreversible surrender,” and he knows Karnadas will be dead by dawn. The Grey Swords have been nearly totally destroyed in the defense and he acknowledges that Capustan has fallen. A messenger (the recruit with Itkovian when they met the K’Chain Che’Malle) arrives with a communication from Rath’Fener via an acolyte saying the Thrall is under attack and the priest is invoking the Eighth Command, demanding Brukhalian ride to his succor. Brukhalian is suspicious about how the acolyte managed to get across the city, then asks the messenger if she will join them. He then changes his mind and tells her to stay and guard his horse and then to “inform the Shield Anvil of my disposition when he awakes.” When she wonders what he means, he says she will know soon. He collects 400 soldiers, nearly all that is left of the Gray Swords and they head off, many of them knowing as he does that they are not meant to return, that they have been betrayed by Rath’ Fener. A suspicion Brukhalian confirms with a veteran, who says they should not go. Brukhalian tells him the priest’s crime will be answered, but not by them for if they do not go there is no crime. When the veteran looks forward to when Fener punishes the priest, Brukhalian corrects him, saying “our god shall not be the one... this is a betrayal that wounds him deeply, leaves him weakened and vulnerable to fatal consequences... our vengeful hand shall be Itkovian.” They enter the Thrall area and are cut down by archers lying in wait.

Itkovian wakes and in his mind sees the Buke flies over the city, numbed by the horror below. At the necromancers’ estate, the Tenescowri have been repeatedly turned back by the animated corpses and other sorcery. He sees a single building filled and surrounded by the dead, surrounded by fire yet not burning, the walls weeping blood, and Gruntle and his squad on the roof where their child’s tunic standard flies. He thinks of Gruntle: “A terrible transformation... one more victim of this siege.”

Itkovian comes fully awake, only partially healed. Karnadas is next to him, dying. The recruit messenger tells him there are 137 Grey Swords left, 96 of them recruits, and their barracks is fallen and burning. Karnadas dies. The messenger requests to be punished for bringing Rath’ Fener’s traitorous message. Itkovian tells her Brukhalian well knew what he was doing. As she leaves, Itkovian says, “I am not yet done.”

Itkovian prepares the surviving Grey Swords for a march to the palace. He gives Brukhalian’s warhorse to the recruit.

As they approach the palace, Itkovian feels some shame that Brukhalian had asked for six weeks and had gotten only three days. They enter into the main hall where Tenescowri are feasting, including Anaster and his mother. Near the throne, the Prince’s skin is stretched out on an x-shaped cross made of pikes. Anaster tells him the Prince was already dead—”we are not consciously cruel”—and says this must be Itkovian. He tells him they have figured out the population is hiding in tunnels and the Pannions are searching for them. Itkovian tells him he sees Anaster’s despair and will take it from him. When Anaster questions him, the Grey Sword captain explains: “Fener knows grief, so much grief that it is beyond his capacity to withstand it. And so he chooses a human heart. Armoured. A mortal soul, to assume the sorrow of the world. The Shield Anvil.” Anaster refuses and Itkovian realizes Anaster has nothing but despair; without it “he is as nothing.” Battle breaks out and the Seerdomin are killed as the Tenescowri flee. Itkovian commands the Prince’s skin be taken down and he will be returned to the throne. He says he will meet Anaster again-“I am his only salvation, sir, and I shall not fail him... I am the world’s grief. And I will hold. I will hold it all, for we are not yet done.” Back to top

Chapter Seventeen

Toc is fevered and delirious in the cave and clutches of the K’Chain Matron. He dreams of wolves, “hunting, not to feed, but to deliver something else... the quarry fled when it saw him... as they closed in to deliver... the quarry vanished.” Meanwhile, the Matron is always breaking his bones when embracing him, bones which heal quickly though not evenly so he is malformed. He’s also visited by the Seer who gives him news that Envy’s group is trapped, “swallowed in ice,” while the Malazan army is too late and Capustan fallen. Then later, the Seer comes and says his defenses are being sorely tested—“they are not mortal beasts”—so they are leaving, heading north. Toc shifts to a POV outside the city as Envy’s group attacks and he watches Tool, Baaljagg and Garath defeat Kell hunters, and Garath get badly wounded but then he’s ripped out of the vision as the Seer takes him and the Matron via warren from Outlook to Coral. Envy assaults the warren and Toc blacks out.

Paran looks over Capustan from a hillside. He sees it fallen and thinks only the Crimson Guard might have made a difference, that otherwise “mercenaries were less than worthless.” He hopes Humbrall Taur’s children are still alive. Trotts arrives and Paran tells him it could be worse—there’s fire but no firestorm and Trotts says the Bridgeburners saw one in Seven Cities once. Trotts describes Taur’s plans for disposition of the clans and tells Paran Hetan and Cafal are alive, the bones protected by sorcery. When Paran chafes at the pace, Trotts says he has been given leave to lead his “clan” at his own speed and so the Bridgeburners will be first into the city. Paran thinks how his pain is worse—he’s throwing up blood now—and also how he has been pushing away Silverfox’s questing thoughts. They prepare to enter with the 37 Bridgeburners.

The Bridgeburners edge up to the city, Paran once again pushing away Silverfox’s presence, though he is beginning to wonder if it is indeed Silverfox he feels. They prepare to punch through a group of infantry with Spindle leading the sappers in their use of munitions. After they use cussers, Paran runs with the squad toward the city, horrified by the devastation: “The hand of vengeance stayed cold only so long. Any soul possessing a shred of humanity could not help but see the reality behind cold deliverance, no matter how justified it might have at first seemed... Destroyed lives. Vengeance yielded a mirror to every atrocity, where notions of right and wrong blurred and lost all relevance... we are their match in calculated brutality.” They enter the city and seeing the cost of the siege to the Pannions, Paran thinks “I should revise my estimation of the Grey Swords.” They head toward the glowing Thrall, having to climb a slope of corpses to pass one street. As Paran thinks how the Grey Swords have humbled the Bridgeburners with the evidence of the courage and unyielding nature, they realize the slope of bodies was constructed as a siege ramp, ending just below the roofline of a building. Gruntle calls down to them and when Hedge says “I like the paint,” referring to Gruntle and his squad’s stripes, Gruntle says it isn’t paint. As the Malazans climb to the roof via ladders Gruntle’s squad sends down, Paran notes that Picker is in pain, but she says Mallet can’t help her when Paran suggests it. On the roof, Gruntle tells Picker she has something for him and he reaches out for her torcs, which she says have been getting tighter and tighter. She tells him Treach is insane and Gruntle says he is dead and ascended into godhood. He takes the torcs and puts them on. Paran, looking at him, thinks “A beast resides within him, an ancient spirit, reawakened,” and notes that Gruntle is a combination of himself and Treach, not merely a vessel: “[Gruntle’s] power... was born as much from a natural air of command as from the beast hiding within him—for that beast preferred solitude. its massive strength had somehow been almost subsumed by that quality of leadership. Together, a formidable union.” He also realizes Gruntle is important and Paran meeting him “is no accident.” Gruntle tells them Stonny is dying in a tent and when Mallet goes to heal her, Paran warns him how the last time almost killed him. But Mallet says the Barghast spirits are helping him, that “someone’s taken a personal interest.” As he communes with the spirits he speaks of how Stonny has wounded flesh and spirit and he’ll need to heal both, then comments on how the Barghast spirits will sacrifice so many to save her. He then mentions “threads” that the spirits see in her, Gruntle, and Paran, but says he cannot see them. Mallet and the spirits heal her to Gruntle’s shock.

The White Face defeat the Pannion reinforcements and enter the city, routing the Tenescowri and pressing back the Pannion rearguard. Picker watches from the rooftop, wondering about the others, if they’re even alive. She thinks Paran’s condition doesn’t bode well. Stonny arrives and asks Picker if she is sworn to Trake, because of the torcs. Picker says no and realizes what has Stonny confused is how Gruntle ended up transformed into what he is. Gruntle says she doesn’t recognize him, he’s “cold, inhuman” like a tiger. Picker points out he fought for Stonny, but Stonny says that was just his excuse. Picker says it isn’t just Gruntle but his men as well, and says Treach may have shaped all this and Picker had a role to play as well. Stonny says she won’t worship Trake; she’s sworn to another god. Picker says maybe Stonny’s god found it all useful: “We [humans] ain’t the only ones who sometimes walk in step, or even work together to achieve something of mutual benefit—without explaining a damned thing to the rest of us... It’s deadly attention when it’s a god’s.” Saying that makes her realize others are keeping secrets and she asks Paran if he’s heard from Silverfox. He says she’s alive and that confirms Picker’s suspicion and she thinks it is a bad decision: “the last time us Bridgeburners was kept in the dark, that dark swallowed damn near every one of us.” He tells her Dujek and Silverfox are only three leagues away and they know the Pannions are being driven toward them. Picker wonders how tight the bond is between Paran and Tattersail and why he’s kept it secret. She’s angry as is Antsy who upbraids him “speaking for all the Bridgeburners” because they’ve been fighting and dying and not knowing what was happening with the rest, and if Paran had been killed they would not have known at all. Antsy draws his sword and when Picker tells him to stop, Paran says “I’ll make it easier” and turns his back on Antsy. Picker is horrified that Paran is hurting so bad he wants to die. Mallet tells Antsy to stop and Picker yells at him for also keeping secrets, as he spent a lot of time talking with Quick Ben. Mallet says Paran has been pushing Silverfox away so they aren’t actually talking like Picker thinks, and she’s wrong if she thinks the Bridgeburners are being singled out for betrayal again; Paran simply isn’t talking to anyone, “and if you had as many holes burned through your guts as he does, you’d be pretty damned tight-lipped yourself.” Picker realizes she screwed up.

Paran is barely paying attention, “assailed by the pressure of Silverfox’s presence.” He wants to die, wants it over. He feels her close and senses her power, “that was so much more than just Tattersail. Making its relentless desire to break through his defenses much deadlier of purpose... This isn’t Tattersail at all. It’s Nightchill. Bellurdan. One or both.” Suddenly he has a vision of a card—Obelisk—”a leaning monolith... now of green stone. Jade. Towering above wind-whipped waves—no, dunes of sand. Figures, in the monolith’s shadow. Three... Ragged, broken, dying. Then, beyond... the furred hoof of a god stepped onto mortal ground. Terror. Savagely pulled into the world... Fener was as good as dead... like a babe on an altar. All that was required was a knife and a willful hand.” He wants to step away from the knowledge, from the “choices being demanded of him.” He realizes that as Fener has fallen, another has been pushed into his place, “mortals sworn to one, swear them now to another? Are we to be shoved—flicked—around like pebbles on a board?” He grows angry and his anger drives his pain away: “you wanted my attention. You’ve got it. Listen and listen well, Nightchill—whoever... Maybe there have been Masters of the Deck before... whom you could pluck and pull to your bidding. Hood knows, maybe you’re the one—you and your Elder friends—who selected me... But if so, oh, you’ve made a mistake. A bad one. I’ve been a god’s puppet once before. But I cut those strings... ask Oponn... I walked into a cursed sword to do and I swear I’ll do it again—with far less mercy in my heart—if I get so much as a whiff of manipulation.” At first he senses amusement from the presence, but his anger at that response draws out the beast/hound in him and the amusement quickly changes to alarm. He tells it “I’m taking a step forward. Between you and every mortal like me. I don’t know what that man Gruntle had to lose, to arrive where you wanted him... is pain your only means of making us achieve what you want?... until you can show me another way—something other than pain or grief—I’ll fight you. We have our lives... and they are not for you to play with. Not Picker’s life, nor Gruntle’s or Stonny’s.” He threatens Nightchill (assuming it’s her) with him riding down their connection with the blood of a Hound of Shadow and also with calling the rest of them along: “because in the sword Dragnipur, two Hounds of Shadow returned to the Warren of Darkness. Returned Nightchill. Do you grasp my meaning? They were going home. And I can call them back... Two souls of untamed Dark.” Nightchill finally answers him, telling him he has “no idea what you threaten... My brother’s sword hides far more secrets than you can comprehend.” But Paran tells her, “Worst than that Nightchill. The hand now wielding Dragnipur belongs to Darkness. Anomander Rake... the pathway has never been so straight, so direct . . Should I tell him what happened...” When she says Rake would kill him Paran says don’t be so sure and then demands she show him this vast struggle she says justifies their treatment of mortals and when she says it would drive him insane he calls her a “patronizing bitch.” Angered, she tells him he’s so sure the gods only use pain, but “appearances deceive. When he mockingly asks if keeping mortals ignorant is supposed to be mercy she says yes, actually. But, he says, the Master of the Deck cannot be ignorant. She answers “in time” they will. He asks who she means and she answers herself, K’rul, “the surviving Elder Gods,” but not Draconus, who can now only “act indirectly, for he is chained within the very sword he created.” Paran realizes he spoke to Draconus in Dragnipur and Nightchill tells him Draconus has been changed by his time in the sword; his cruelty has been “blunted.” When Paran asks if she wants him to free Draconus she says yes and when Paran says he wouldn’t do that and let Draconus go after Rake for the sword, she says Draconus will not battle Rake for Dragnipur since to free Draconus the sword must be shattered. Paran says no way, since that would mean freeing everybody in the sword, but Nightchill says he needn’t decide now, and Draconus may have to figure out some way to not allow the rest out. She tells him they are not as cruel as he thinks and he says he’s skeptical of that claim and thinks she wants vengeance still. She agrees, but says only against “the one who voiced” her ancient curse (Kallor). He asks what Nightchill has done with Tattersail and she says nothing; “we shall not harm her... there is honor within her. And integrity.” The conversation breaks off suddenly as Mallet puts his hand on Paran’s shoulder, saying they’d thought they’d lost Paran there. Paran orders them to the Thrall. Gruntle is going with them.

Itkovian stands atop the palace tower, exhausted, knowing the battles are winding down and the Pannion will soon be driven fully off. The Capan recruit, Velbara, is with him. Itkovian says they will head for the Thrall. He wonders at how a surviving Gidrith, “sworn to Hood follows my command.” And he feels something has happened, leaving him feeling hollow and “incomplete... as if I had surrendered my faith... I am... emptied as if I await renewal.”

As they prepare to head out, Itkovian listens to the silence of the city and thinks “Dear Fener, find for me the victory in this... a city has been killed.” As they move through the corpse-strewn streets, he muses on how “what the Pannions had delivered had in turn been delivered upon them. We are all pushed into a world of madness, yet it must now fall to each of us to pull back from this Abyss... From horror, grief must be fashioned, and from grief, compassion. They meet a group of Barghast also heading to the Thrall, who praise Itkovian for the strength and bravery of the Grey Swords. As they walk, Itkovian notes Gruntle’s building and how it hadn’t been touched by fire and realizes it is packed (literally) with dead. The Barghast leader says they fled from it, and that the only similar thing they’d come across was an estate guarded by animated corpses. Itkovian thinks how “The Reve of Fener voiced the truth of war. It spoke true of the cruelty that humanity was capable of unleashing on its own kind... insisted the glory to be found was not to be a blind one, rather a glory born of solemn, clear-eyed regard.” Regard, he thinks, that is failing him, though he swears to himself he will assume the burden. he would redeem the dead, though he worries that his redemption can only come from his god but he cannot find Fener, his realm “seems empty.” And he wonders “who will embrace me?” They enter the plaza and meet the Bridgeburners and Gruntle’s group also coming. Itkovian realizes at the sight of Gruntle that “we are replaced.” The Masked Council and Keruli appear as well. Gruntle tells Itkovian “it is done,” but Paran says not so fast, that while the Grey Swords have lost their god, a “path has been prepared.” He is interrupted though by the appearance of Humbral Taur. Before Paran can continue, Itkovian tells him to wait so he can punish Rath’Fener. When Itkovian says he will invoke Fener’s Reve, the priest says only a Mortal Sword can and Gruntle, who knows of the betrayal, says he’ll do it then. Rath’Trake tells Itkovian that without Fener, the punishment will be especially harsh and suggests mere execution. But Itkovian refuses, though Rath’ Trake says “his soul will be torn apart. Where they (the priest’s hands) will go, there are no creatures of mercy.” Itkovian cuts of Rath’ Fener’s hands, which disappear. Paran says with Fener gone, “he cannot bless you. With what you take upon yourself, there is nowhere for it to go, no way to ease the burden.” Itkovian says he knows. Paran continues that there is another way though, and Rath’ Trake says the Tiger of Summer will welcome them, but Itkovian says no. Paran says this moment was foreseen by Elder gods and they would want the Grey Swords to do this, but Itkovian refuses, saying “I am not yet done.” Rath’ Fener’s body suddenly spasms and “alien script swarmed his flesh as the unknown claimant made its mark, claiming possession of the man’s mortal soul. Words that darkened like burns.” The priest is being tortured, his skin boiling, but he is not dying. Itkovian steps forward and asks the priest if he will accept Itkovian’s embrace and Rath’ Fener, knowing what that would mean to Itkovian, pulls away out of mercy, but Itkovian picks him up: “I see you recoil and know it for your final gesture. One that is atonement... I assume your pain . . I free your soul to Hood, to death’s solace.” All of the priest’s life goes before Itkovian’s vision so that Itkovian understands him fully and he takes his pain and grief but “suddenly, beyond the pain, a mutual awareness—an alien presence, immense power. Not malign, yet profoundly different. From that presence, confusion, anguish. Seeking to make of the unexpected gift of a mortal’s two hands something of beauty... yet that man’s flesh could not contain that gift. Horror within the storm... and grief.” And so Itkovian opens himself to take that presence’s grief as well: “even gods weep. Commend yourself then to my spirit. I will have your pain.” But it is too much for Itkovian: he felt his soul dissolving... there was, beneath the cold faces of gods, warmth. Yet it was sorrow in darkness, for it was not the gods themselves who were unfathomable. It was mortals. As for the gods—they simply paid. We [mortals] are the rack upon which they are stretched.” The alien god manages to extract itself but Itkovian is still overwhelmed by Rath’ Fener’s pain and the pain of the entire city “as his embrace was forced ever wider... Not one he would turn away. Souls in the tens of thousands, lifetimes of pain, loss, love, and sorrow... Memories of piteous, pointless ends... I must atone. I must give answer to every death... to free the souls to find their way to the feet of countless gods, or Hood’s own realm, or indeed to the Abyss itself... Reach gods! Redeem them, sir [Itkovian]! you are the bringer of peace, the redeemer of the fallen... without you death is senseless and the denial of meaning is the world’s greatest crime to its children.” The others watch as Itkovian is overwhelmed, as he drops to his knees, stops breathing. Paran shakes him and Itkovian draws breath again, “such weight! Why? God, you all watched. You witnessed... but did not step forward. You denied my cry for help. Why?” Paran tells him he can feel it; the city has been “cleansed.” And Itkovian thinks “I am not yet done.”

As Gruntle watches, he feels the fog that has been around him lifting and notes how he has changed. He is terrified by the coldness of the killer in him, and tells Trake “you could’ve at least asked.” He recognizes his group are now followers, “sworn” to him, but is thankful Stonny is not, sworn to Keruli’s god instead. Stonny fills him in on what’s been happening and mentions she’s surprised at him, as she never took him for the worshipping type. He says he isn’t and Trake made a bad choice. When she assumes Buke is dead, Gruntle points out the sparrowhawk overhead and explains. They’re interrupted by Rath’Trake who is shocked and disturbed by Gruntle’s noted lack of reverence for their god—Gruntle calls him the “Whiskered One” and says he’ll be the Mortal Sword as a “hobby.” Paran overhears and laughs: “it never goes how you think it should, does it priest? That’s the glory of us humans, and your new god had best make peace with that.”

Blend tells Picker what seems to have happened and says Paran’s power and attitude will be good for them. Taur and Trotts and the Barghast begin moving to the Thrall’s gate to meet their gods.

The sparrowhawk watches everything, sees the Pannions retreating, the city being slowly cleaned up, Barghast heading to the Thrall. It keeps its distance, which is what keeps it sane, “vast dramas of death and desperation were diminished almost into abstraction... the sheer muddiness of humanity, all diminished, the futility reduced to something strangely manageable. Burned out buildings. The tragic end of innocents. Wives, mothers, children... No closer. Ever again.” It heads further skyward—”there was pain the gifts of the Elder Gods. But sometimes, there was mercy.” Back to top

Chapter Eighteen

Quick Ben awakens after days. Talamandas says Quick was raving at times and had talked of opposing the Crippled God and trying to save Burn. Talamandas says he is impressed by Quick’s “integrity.” He catches Quick up on the Capustan events and then asks how Quick plans on taking on the CG without his powers. Talamandas says he and his gods can help, that they are willing to make sacrifices to “armour” Quick from the CG’s poisons; Talamandas will be his shield, impervious as he is to the CG’s poison. When Quick Ben warns him he may take odd paths and won’t waste time explaining, Talamandas says the Barghast gods trust him “because they like you... in your fevered mind you revealed the way your mind works—you wove a net, a web, yet even I could not see all the links... your grasp of causality surpasses my intellect... Perhaps my gods caught a glimmer of your design... triggering an instinctive suspicion that in you, mortal, the Crippled God will meet his match.” Quick Ben agrees to the alliance and asks if Talamandas knows who it is that Quick has sensed “shaping its own opposition to the Fallen One.” Talamandas says there are some Elder Gods, but that their response is “reactionary... a kind of fighting withdrawal. They seem incapable of changing the future, only preparing for it.” When Quick says that seems pretty “fatalistic,” Talamandas replies that has always been “their perennial flaw.” The Talamandas asks what Quick knows of K’rul and Quick responds that he knows K’rul made the warrens and that all who used magic “swim his immortal blood.” Talamandas is stunned by Quick’s knowledge: “no-one knows all about that! No one!” Quick continues with “K’rul is in even worse shape than Burn... makes that fatalism a little more understandable. And... all the last surviving Elder Gods have lived under a host of nasty curses for a long, long time... Your Barghast gods aren’t ready to go it alone... The Elder Gods have been on the defensive—tried to go it alone—... but that wasn’t working, so they’ve gone looking for allies... who was at work refashioning you into something capable of shielding me in the warrens? Hood, for one, I’d imagine... And Fener’s thrown you a bone, or Treach, or whoever’s on that particular roost right now—you can hit back if something comes at you. And I’d guess the Queen of Dreams has stepped in, a bridge between you and the Sleeping Goddess... so you’re all ready to go, but where? How? And that’s where I come in.” Talamandas admits they’re all relying on Quick to do “whatever it is you’re planning to do,” which Quick acknowledges but then he refuses to say just what that might be. The two exit the tent and Talamandas tells Quick the Bridgeburners are still at the Thrall probably. He also says the Barghast are no longer fighting amongst themselves as much since the gods have spoken to the shamans, and that the Barghast will march south against the Pannion with the others. Quick Ben says it’s time to contact his allies in the western army.

The Malazans break the Pannions. A messenger tells Whiskeyjack that Brood has won the south flank, Septarch Kulpath (the Pannion leader) was killed, and the Barghast and Rhivi have broken their opponents as well, with help from the Tiste Andii who took out a Mage Cadre. Whiskeyjack tells the messenger to inform Brood that 200,000 Tenescowri remain nearby, but that he and Dujek do not want “an unmitigated slaughter of these peasants.” Korlat appears out of a warren and says she needs Whiskeyjack to come to Dujek’s command tent.

At first it is full dark in the warren (Kurald Galain—warren of Darkness), but then a grey sliver appears and Korlat warns that the fact that the CG’s poison affect even Kurald Galain “does not bode well.” Whiskeyjack asks what Rake is planning to do about it and what’s taking so long, and Korlat responds “we’re a patient people” and says he’ll act at the “propitious moment.” Whiskeyjack says, like how he’ll use Moon Spawn against the Pannion Seer, and she replies yes. When Whiskeyjack says Korlat seems to have a lot of faith in Rake, she clarifies it is more like certainty based on prior action than faith. And then, when Whiskeyjack asks how she feels about him, she says he is also comforted by certainty there as well, comforted actually in “every facet of that question.” She wants to know if she should ask him the same and he says she shouldn’t have to, but the answer is the same. They step out of the warren in Dujek’s tent to find Quick Ben waiting. He tells Whiskeyjack that he (Quick) can travel the warrens safely now, the White Face Barghast hold Capustan, the Barghast will march with them against the Seer, the Bridgeburners are fine and at the Thrall with Humbrall Taur and survivors, including a few Grey Swords, whom he says acquitted themselves unbelievably. Whiskeyjack says they’ll get there after figuring out what to do about the Tenescowri army and Quick Ben relates the atrocities that army was involved in, mentioning specifically that their leader Anaster skinned the Prince and ate him in the throne room. Whiskeyjack says any who can be charged and convicted of such crimes will get military executions, a punishment that Quick Ben points out is far more mercy than what the Tenescowri showed to their victims. Whiskeyjack agrees and says it’s lucky then for the Tenescowri that the Malazans captured them. Quick, though, says he is worried about how the surviving populace will react to such mercy, then leaves. Korlat says Kallor will not like this, but Whiskeyjack doesn’t think Brood will care much what Kallor says. When Korlat says horrors to answer horrors is an ancient law, Whiskeyjack says he “doesn’t hold to it...We become no better then.” As he speaks of the logistical difficulties in dealing with the Tenescowri, Korlat realizes he actually would rather just leave the Tenescowri. When she asks, Whiskeyjack senses something else behind the question, “the whisper of a hidden wedge, poised to drive itself between us.” He answers they’ll take the leaders, including Anaster, but the “real criminal” is the Seer, “who would starve his followers into cannibalism, into madness. Who would destroy his own people. We’d be executing the victims—his victims.” Korlat points out that would argue for forgiving the Pannion armies as well, and Whiskeyjack answers that he and Dujek agree that “we are not here to annihilate a nation. The armies that impede our march to the Seer will be dealt with. Efficiently. Retribution and revenge are distractions.” Korlat wonders “what of liberation?” and Whiskeyjack says that’s “incidental,” and then he expresses surprise, saying it seemed Brood saw it the same way when they planned to “strike for the heart.” But she says he misunderstood, that “for over a decade the warlord has been waging a war of liberation—from the rapacious hunger of your Malazan Empire. Brood has now shifted his focus... is here to free the Pannions.” Whiskeyjack responds you can’t free people from themselves and she answers Brood means to free them from the Seer’s rule, to which Whiskeyjack says “who exalted the Seer to his present position?” Korlat expresses confusion then, saying “yet you speak of absolving the commonality, even the soldiers of the Pannion.” And Whiskeyjack tries to clarify by saying “neither I nor Dujek will willingly assume the role of judge and executioner should we prove victorious. Nor are we here to put the pieces back together for the Pannions... [to do that means] we must occupy.” Korlat laughs at that and says “is that not the Malazan way?” Whiskeyjack objects that “this is not a Malazan war” and when Korlat says “Isn’t it?”, he tries to use the “we were outlawed” cover story but realizes Korlat knows (or suspects) that isn’t true and that “he had just failed a test. And with that failure had ended the trust that had grown between them.” Korlat walks out after giving him a smile of “pain and regret.”

After she leaves, Whiskeyjack thinks to himself “Should I have told you, Korlat?... That we’ve got a knife at our throats and the hand holding it on Empress Laseen’s behalf is right here in this very camp and has been ever since the beginning.” Dujek enters and Whiskeyjack immediately tells him Brood knows the Malazans aren’t outlawed. They both realize coming clean now is a bit of an insult. Just as Dujek says “the alliance is in trouble,” Artanthos interrupts to tell them Brood is calling a counsel.

The Mhybe reflects on how the wagon bed has become her whole realm. She thinks of how the Nathii bury their dead in wooden boxes similar to the wagon bed. She feels dead, awaiting an end, but is upset others won’t let her end it: “They were keeping it away. Playing out their own delusions of mercy and compassion... Gestures of malice... scenes of torture. The Rhivi woman who takes care of her is brain-injured and the Mhybe thinks how before the woman became her caretaker she had helped prepare the corpses, and wonders if she even knows the Mhybe is alive (the Mhybe also considers it malicious to have put this woman as her caretaker). As the woman sings, the Mhybe believes she does so to keep away the terror she must feel, surrounded by “unknowns, amidst things she could not comprehend.” The Mhybe thinks she would rather live in this woman’s world of terror than face “my daughter’s betrayal—the wolves she has set upon me, to pursue me in my dreams. The wolves, which are her hunger... There have been no rituals severing our lives—we have forgotten... the true reasons for those rituals. I ever yield. And you suckle in ceaseless demand. And so we are trapped, pulled deeper and deeper.” She begs the spirits to kill her, to end this “cruel parody of motherhood,” the bitterness of hating one’s own child, of “remain[ing] a young woman in this aged body.” The caretaker accidentally hurts the Mhybe while brushing her hair and when the Mhybe hisses in pain and looks at her, their eyes meet: “The woman who looked at no one was looking at her. I a young woman in an old woman’s body. She, a child in a woman’s body—Two prisons in perfect reflection.”

Kruppe and Silverfox talk. Silverfox asks about how her mother is doing and Kruppe suggests she ask herself, but Silverfox says she cannot, that she is nothing but “an abomination for my mother—her stolen youth in the flesh.” She tells him things are worse since Korlat told the Mhybe of the Ay and Kruppe asks if Silverfox is beginning to “doubt the journey undertaken.” Silverfox answers it is too late for doubts; theirs (her and Kruppe’s) journey is done and it’s now up to the Mhybe to make hers. Kruppe objects that Silverfox is lying; “your journey is anything but done,” but decides to let it go. He asks of the battles and she summarizes events, ending with Brood’s call to counsel. Kruppe says he’ll attend but when asked, Silverfox says she has other things to deal with. They are about to part when she says she now has a “sudden urge” to go with him to the meeting, a “part” of her wishes to though she can’t tell which part of her it is (Tattersail, Bellurdan, Nightchill). Kruppe suggests she goes, for “if a rift is imminent, your personage could prove essential, for you are the bridge.” She says she doesn’t trust Nightchill and he says most people have parts of themselves they don’t trust (save him of course).

Rake enters Brood’s tent where Korlat, Brood, and Kallor await the Malazans. Korlat says the alliance is at risk and Kallor complains “we’ve been lied to from the very start” and suggests attacking the Malazans immediately, while they’re still recovering from today’s battle. Rake ignores Kallor and tells Brood if he’s talking about the fact of “the hidden hand of the Empress—the daggers poised behind the backs of Dujek Onearm and Whiskeyjack,” then if the allies do intervene, it should be to help them, unless Brood suddenly thinks them incompetent militarily, which today’s battle would seem to belie. Kallor says nobody questions their ability, but “this was to be a war of liberation.” Rake says “don’t be a fool” and Brood replies it isn’t so foolish a statement. But Rake interrupts “the Pannion Domin is just another empire... and represents a threat. Which we are intending to obliterate. Liberation of the commonality may well result, but it cannot be our goal.” He goes on to defend the Malazan Empire:

The Domin is an empire that sows horror and oppression among its own people... consider those cities and territories on Genabackis that are now under Malazan rule. Horror? No...Oppression?... Malazan laws are, if anything, among the least repressive of any empire I have known. Now. The Seer is removed, a High Fist and Malazan-style governance replaces it. The result? Peace, reparation, law, order... Fifteen years ago, Genebaris was a fetid sore on the northwest coast, and Nathilog even worse. And now, under Malazan rule? Rivals to Darujhistan herself. If you truly wish the best for the common citizens of Pannion, why do you not welcome the Empress?... Brood, you and I, we have fought the Malazans as liberators in truth... Our motives aren’t even clear to us—imagine how they must seem to the Empress? Inexplicable. We appear to be bound to lofty ideals... We are her enemy, and I don’t think she even knows why.

When Kallor responds that there wouldn’t be a place for any of them in the Empire, Rake says of course not, “We cannot be controlled. The truth laid bare is we fight for our own freedom. No borders for Moon’s Spawn. No world-spanning peace that would make warlords and generals and mercenary companies obsolete. We fight against the imposition of order and the mailed fist that must hide behind it, because we’re not the ones wielding that fist.” When Brood points out he has no desire to do be the fist, Rake asks, “then why begrudge” the ones who do? Korlat is stunned but incredibly proud of Rake: He is the Son of Darkness. A master worth swearing fealty to—perhaps the only one. For me. For the Tiste Andii.” Brood simply sighs and asks for a drink while Kallor says he’ll hold back his “disgust” and discuss the logistics of the march to Coral, suggesting the army split and march as two parts. Rake says now that makes a sensible subject for the meeting and Brood dryly mentions how surprised the Malazans will be by the choice of subject. Korlat thinks she has done Whiskeyjack a disservice and hopes she can make up for it. The Malazans enter and Dujek apologizes for being late, saying he was just told the Tenescowri are marching toward them, preparing for a battle at dawn. Rake says “leave that to me.” When Dujek asks if Rake means to send the Andii against the Tenescowri, Rake says “Hardly... I mean to scare them witless. In person.” Brood then pours drinks and says they have another issue, dragging it out humorously (to those who know) so Whiskeyjack and Dujek continue to think it’s about their lie. Korlat refuses to let them dangle, so brings up the march and division of armies. Whiskeyjack and Dujek are a bit confused, but Whiskeyjack offers up his view on the division, which he says is complicated by the Barghast joining, the possibility that some Capustan forces will want to join, as well as by the possible presence of Silverfox and the Imass. Kallor spits out “If we allow the bitch and her T’lan Imass into this war... we will have lost all hope of guiding it.” Whiskeyjack says his “obsession” is “twisting” Kallor’s mind. Kallor answers “And sentiment has twisted yours soldier. Perhaps a day will come when you and I can test our respective resolve.” Brood interrupts and says we can decide disposition when all the commanders are present. He then asks Rake about Moon Spawn and Rake says “We will rendezvous at Coral as planned,” and adds that a mysterious force at least partially made up of a T’lan Imass, a she-wolf, and a “very large dog.” is assailing the Seer from the south and that the Seer has fled to Coral. When the Malazans suggest the Imass must be a Bonecaster, Rake says no, he is a warrior with a sword and Bonecasters do not carry weapons. He also tells them the wolf might be an Ay and the dog “rivals those of Shadow.” They all realize that this means when they get to Coral they will face the Seer himself and the battle will be “fraught with sorcery.”

Silverfox and Kruppe, on their way to the meeting, sense the “storm” has passed. Silverfox says she’ll go deal with her own business now and asks Kruppe not to tell anyone of her departure for a while. Kruppe asks if the Gathering has come and she says yes and she wants it to be private. Kruppe asks if he can come and she agrees. When his mule arrives, she wonders “who else will be witness to the Gathering through you?” He swears only him. When Silverfox asks about the mule, he says the mule will merely sleep through it, and Silverfox’s answer is “Sleep is it? No doubt, to dream.”

Rake asks Whiskeyjack to walk with him after the meeting. Rake asks about his leg and when Whiskeyjack admits it hurts, Rake says Brood would heal him, to which Whiskeyjack gives his usual response: “when there’s time.” Rake points out there has been plenty of time, but moves on. He’s happy to hear Whiskeyjack has heard from Quick Ben, and even happier to see Whiskeyjack’s effect on Korlat: “I had not expected to find in her such renewal. A heart I’d believed closed for ever. To see it flowering so... ” When Whiskeyjack worries out loud he may have wounded her with his deception, Rake says only momentarily. He says he defused the anger and Whiskeyjack eventually figures out Rake and the others still need the Malazans. Rake admits perhaps more than ever and says they need pretty much everybody, including Paran as Master of the Deck. Whiskeyjack asks what that role means and Rake explains “The Crippled God has fashioned a new House and now seeks to join it to the Deck of Dragons. A sanction is required. A blessing... or conversely a denial. Whiskeyjack wonders who blessed the House of Shadow then, but Rake says “there was no need. The House of Shadow has always existed, more or less. Shadowthrone and Cotillion merely reawakened it.” When Whiskeyjack asks if Rake means for Paran to deny sanction to the CG’s House, Rake says “I believe he must. To grant the Fallen One legitimacy is to grant him power. We see what he is capable of in his present weakened state. The House of Chains is the foundation he will use to rebuild himself.” Whiskeyjack points out that Rake and the gods “took him down” before via the Chaining, but Rake replies that it was “costly” and that Fener, who is now “lost to us” was vital in that Chaining. When Whiskeyjack asks how Fener was lost, how he was as Rake described “torn from his realm [into] the mortal earth,” Rake says “by a Malazan.” He goes on to explain in detail:

A once-priest of Fener... his hands were ritually severed. The power of the Reve then sends those hands to the hooves of Fener himself. The ritual must be the expression of purest justice, but this one wasn’t... there was a perceived need to reduce the influence of Fener, and in particular that High Priest, by agents of the Empire—likely the Claw... the High Priest’s penchant for historical analysis was another [factor]—he had completed an investigation that concluded that the Empress Laseen in fact failed in her assassination of the Emperor and Dancer... [who] ascended... in any case, those severed hands were as poison to Fener... He burned the tattoos announcing his denial upon the priest’s skin, and so sealed the virulent power of the hands... eventually the priest would die, and his spirit would come to Fener to retrieve [the hands]. That spirit would then become the weapon of Fener’s wrath, his vengeance upon the priests of the fouled temple, and indeed upon the Claw and the Empress herself... but... the High Priest has, by design or chance, come into contact with the Warren of Chaos—an object, perhaps forged within that warren. The protective seal around his severed hands was obliterated... and finding Fener, those hands, pushed... and now the Tiger of Summer ascends to take his place. But Treach is young, much weaker, his warren but a paltry thing, his followers far fewer in number.

When Whiskeyjack says Trake’s ascension is a heck of a coincidence, Rake says the Elder Gods foresaw at least some of this and were involved because “The Fall destroyed many of them, leaving but a few survivors. Whatever secrets surround the Fallen One—where he came from, the nature of his aspect... —K’rul and his kind possess them. That they have chosen to become directly involved... has dire implications as to the seriousness of the threat.” Whiskeyjack says he now understands Rake’s suggestion re Paran’s sanctioning (or not), but warns him Paran “doesn’t take orders well.” Rake asks Whiskeyjack to help convince him and Whiskeyjack says he’ll try. Rake asks then if Whiskeyjack ever finds the voice of river to be “unsettling” and when Whiskeyjack says he finds it calming instead, Rake says “this points to the essential difference between us,” which Whiskeyjack takes to mean between immortals and mortals. He suggests some drinking and Rake thinks it’s a good idea. Whiskeyjack hopes the ale will allow Rake to “find the voice grown calm” but as he looks at Rake, with Dragnipur on his back “like an elongated cross, surrounded in its own breath of preternatural darkness,” he doesn’t think the ale will work.

Quick Ben prepares to enter a warren, with Talamandas riding his shoulder. He enters Rashan and moves toward an estate, which Talamandas recognizes as belonging to the necromancers who ripped him out of his barrow. Quick Ben says he wants to talk to them “to take their measure.” He also wants to test Talamandas’ ability to protect him from the CG’s poison. He tries to decide between using Hood’s warren or Aral Gamelon, a demonic warren, as he senses both kinds of sorcery in the estate. He chooses Hood’s warren and sees all the deaths of the city, piled and layered for generations. He realizes though all he is seeing are echoes, that the dead have been taken through Hood’s Gate, “blessed... their pain ended.” As they move to the estate, they are challenged by a chained Sirinth demon which Quick offers a deal to: he breaks its chain and it leaves peacefully. As he examines the chain, he finds it curious it is in High Korelri script. He frees the demon and escapes its attack, as well as that of the undead guards. Quick uses the D’riss warren (Path of Stone) to enter the estate building. He comes to a room where Bauchelain is reading in a chair, Reese is tending a fire, and Broach in rook form is on the mantel. Bauchelain makes it clear he knows there is a visitor in the house and Quick Ben steps out of the wall to face him. Bauchelain tells Reese to get wine for him and his guest and offers Quick a seat, which he takes. Bauchelain is impressed Quick freed and then escaped from his demon, mentioning he never frees his demons, which shocks Quick somewhat. Bauchelain says “I hold no sympathy for mere tools.” Reese returns with drink and two glasses and when asked, says he tried some down below to make sure it was “flowery” as Bauchelain ordered. When he says it was “thick... like iron,” Bauchelain sniffs it and tells him it’s blood from Korbal Broach’s “collection.” Reese, nervous, asks whose blood and after Quick explains to him why Reese thinks it important, Bauchelain sniffs again and guesses virgin blood because “it’s woody.”

Paran examines the Barghast canoes in the Thrall. He is coming to understand his pain finally: “He was not a aman who welcomed power, but it had been thrust upon him... knowledge of the inter-connectedness that bound all things and everyone to everyone else... an adjudicator. A mitigator of power whose task was to assert a structure—the rules of the game—upon players who resented every challenge to their freedom... pressured by every influence imaginable... transforming even the easiest and most straightforward of decisions into a a nightmare.” He thinks how Gruntle has struck up a seeming friendship with Hetan, which he thinks they’re acting on now, “much to the disgust of the woman Stonny.” Itkovian has led his troop to the barracks to prepare for tomorrow’s retrieval of the underground refugees and Paran thinks it will take some time and doing for Capustan to recover. As he thinks on the apparent fragility of the Deck, and then on Treach’s ascension and Gruntle, he suspects the “Elder Gods had not orchestrated matters to the degree Nightchill had implied., that opportunism and serendipity was as much responsible... Otherwise, against the Elder Gods, none of us stand a chance, including the Crippled God. He thinks of the long chain of many links that would have had to lead to what happened and decides “unless we are all playing out roles that are predetermined and so inevitable—thereby potentially knowable by such things as the Elder Gods—unless that, then, what each adn every one of us chooses to do, or not to do, can have profound consequences. Not just on our own lives, but on the world—the worlds, every realm in existence.” And he recalls how Duiker had made the same argument. He doesn’t see how his normal uncertainty, scepticism, purposelessness, and other flaws will make him a good Master: “gods, talk about the wrong choice... “ Paran comes across Cafal, who refers to him as “The One Who Blesses.” This makes Paran reevaluate his role: “Adjudicator, I’d thought. Obviously more complicated that that... I think I dislike this notion of blessing. But... how else does a Master of the Deck conclude arbitration?” Paran says he was sensing there is a secret in the canoes and Cafal, taking him to one of the boats, shows him a hidden compartment with a remarkably preserved sword inside. Paran suggests it must be sorcery but Cafal says no, they just used to be master craftsfolk and employed “metals that have yet to be rediscovered,” but “we have lost the ancient knowledge.” Cafal tells Paran they swords will be given to children so they can grow up attuned to them. Paran guesses another secret—that the Barghast will learn the canoe-making art again and no longer consider the land their home. Cafal says he is correct, and adds that Taur wants Paran to bless the Barghast gods. Paran says the gods don’t need it, and when Cafal says nevertheless, Paran admits he doesn’t know how. He suggests Cafal gather the shamans and talk about it. He adds that he’ll have to think about the blessing because he is “a cautious bastard.” Cafal tells Paran one with power must act decisively and Paran says he will, but not precipitiously. As Paran leaves, Cafal warns him the Mask Council doesn’t like the idea of him (they have yet to sanction Keruli being added to the Council). He says Keruli will probably also ask Paran’s blessing on K’rul’s behalf.

Bauchelain asks Quick Ben why he entered their estate. Quick begins with a discussion of demonic summoning, calling it the “rarest and most difficult discipline among the necromantic arts... [its] power from Hood’s own warren is deeply tainted with Chaos.” He stops to ask Bauchelain why he thinks summoning is “death-aspected” and Bauchelain replies it is because summoning is “the assertion of absolute control over a life-force... The threat of annihilation is inherently death-aspected.” Quick continues, mentioning that the warrens are poisoned and Bauchelain says there are “many flavours to chaotic power. That which assails the warrens has little to do with the elements... with which I am involved,” though he admits the “infection is an irritant... that threatens to get worse [and] perhaps... I shall need to retaliate upon whomever is responsible.” He adds that Broach, because he works more with Hood’s warren, is more affected and thus more annoyed/concerned. Quick offers to reveal the party responsible and when Bauchelain assumes Quick is looking for allies against that entity, Quick Ben says no and in fact he’ll reject offers of such from Bauchelain. Bauchelain asks if Quick Ben puts himself on a level with gods, then, and Quick says “I don’t rival gods... but sometimes I beat them at their own game.” Bauchelain says he is growing to like Quick’s company, and that he has been a “worthy diversion,” but unfortunately Broach wants to kill Quick Ben. Quick warns Broach should stay on the mantle and when Broach begins sembling out of rook form, Quick uses sorcery to throw him through a wall. Bauchelain asks if he’d like more wine and Quick says yes, and then apologizes for the mess he caused. Bauchelain tells Quick he was impressed, that Bauchelain had never seen six or seven warrens used at once. He asks if Broach will live and Quick answers it would have been rude to kill him. Bauchelain says his curiosity has been piqued, which is too bad for Quick as that often “result [s] in regrettable violence to the one being questioned.” He tells Quick Ben has has concluded that Quick is “used up” thanks to his unleashing all those warrens and says things will go better if Quick Ben just tells him everything he wants to know. Quick says that isn’t possible, though he will reveal the one behind the poison is the Crippled God. Bauchelain tells Quick Ben it’s too bad he didn’t hold back some of his power and Quick answers “But Bauchelain, I did” and strikes Bauchelain with his power.

Quick Ben meets Reese in the front hallway and tells him the necromancers need him. Reese asks if they’re still alive and when Quick Ben says yes, Reese complains about how nobody ever just kills them. Quick and Talamandas leave.

Bauchelain wakes in the garden where Reese dragged him and Broach. Reese tells Bauchelain he also put out the fire. Bauchelain offers him a bonus, but Reese says it’s just his job and leaves. Bauchelain wonders what clothes he has left to change into.

Quick Ben and Talamandas move to the Thrall, employing Serc, Path of the Sky. Quick draws on Talamandas’ power, saying he needs to find the sticksnare’s threshold, what he can take in case of emergency. As he touches Talamandas’ power, he finds what he suspected: “Hood’s. Through and through. Of the Barghast gods barely a drop... wonders what’s drawing on their energies? There’s a card in the deck, in the House of Death, that’s been a role unfulfilled for a long, long time. The Magi. I think it’s just found a fact—one painted on a stupid acorn. Talamandas, you may have made a terrible mistake. And as for you, Barghast gods... never hand your servants over to another god, because... that god’s likely to turn them into weapons aimed directly at your back... Lucky for you I’m here.” Quick Ben draws hard on the power and “pulls”, calling on Hood and then “within his clenched hand was the rough weave of cloth... The breath of Death flowed over the wizard . . heavy with rage. And, in the clutch of a mortal, entirely helpless.” He demands Hood tells him what he’s up to, threatening to drag Hood all the way through so “Fener won’t be the only god who’s fair game.” Hood tells Quick Paran must not sanction the House of Chains, and says the CG is finding “adherents among the pantheon... Poliel, mistress of Pestilence aspires to the role of Consort to the King in Chains. A Herald has been recruited. An ancient warrior seeks to become Reaver, whilst the House has found, in a distant land, its Mortal Sword. Mowri now embraces the Three—Cripple, Leper, and Fool—which are in place of Spinner, Mason and Soldier. Most disturbing of all, ancient power trembles around the last of the dread cards.” Quick tells Hood Paran isn’t dumb and blind, and in fact probably sees more clearly and objectively than Hood. In any case, his concern is the poisoned warrens. Hood warns Quick he’s being led astray, that “the Seer is at the heart of an altogether different tale.” Quick says he’d already guessed that and still plans on taking down the Seer, which Hood says will gain Quick nothing. Quick says he’ll call on Hood again, warning him that the young gods Hood seeks to take advantage of won’t stay young and weak for long (the Barghast gods, Treach) and that since the young gods have held up their end of the bargain, Hood must as well, including releasing Talamandas. And he mentions how Hood screwed up once already with Dassem Ultor. Hood grudgingly accepts what Quick says, though mentioning “You will be mine one day, mortal,” to which Quick replies “let’s just luxuriate in the anticipation, shall we?” before releasing Hood back to his realm. Talamandas comes back, unaware of all that just happened. They continue to the Thrall.

Paran imagines his home in Unta, with his parents dead, Felisin in the prison mines, and Tavore as adjunct. He wonders if she ever rides by or think of it, though he knows she was “cold-eyed, hers a brutal rationality, pragmatism with a thousand honed edges.” And he thinks how Felisin will be unshielded “from the worst of human nature... taken under wing... by some pimp or pit-thug. A flower crushed underfoot.” He assumes Tavore has a plan to rescue Felisin, but it will be too late—Felisin will be child no more—and thinks it would have been more merciful to have simply killed her, “and now I fear you will some day pay dearly.” He thinks “Hood feels close tonight.” Gruntle appears and the two seems to have a natural bond. When Paran says he thinks Trake “chose wisely,” Gruntle replies “not if he expects piety, or demands vows... I don’t even like fighting.” But Paran says that makes him a wiser choice: “reluctance to unsheathe those swords and all that represent seems a good thing to me.” Gruntle says if it weren’t for what happened to Stonny and Harlo, he’d have hid in the tunnels, then asks why the Malazans are here fighting. Paran wryly answers “we ran out of enemies” and when Gruntle asks if fighting is that important to him, Paran replies “no, it isn’t. But for men like Dujek Onearm and Whiskeyjack, it’s the sum total of their lives. They’re makers of history... the soldiers... are the physical will of the commanders they serve, and so are their own makers of history, one soldier at a time.” Gruntle asks what happens when the commanders are idiots, and Parans says generally the Empire has good ones, though “my own noble class has made destructive inroads on that tradition... The Empress has finally recognized the rot, however, and has already acted upon it, though likely too late.” Gruntle points out she just outlawed one of her best, and when Paran says it was “politics,” Gruntle says it “has the sound of a feint to me.” Paran says he can’t say. When Gruntle says Paran may be too open for his own good, Paran opens up even more and tells him of the impending choice re the House of Chains, adding he’s leaning toward listening to the single voice inside him—his own—saying he should sanction it, despite all the voices saying it’s a really bad idea. Gruntle tells Paran he felt his god recoil at that, but he could care less and when Paran asks why it doesn’t scare him, Gruntle says “Right now, the Crippled God’s outside the whole damned game, meaning he’s not bound by any rules . .. he just keeps kicking [the board] whenever he gets the chance.” Paran says Gruntle is right, if he sanctions the House of Chains, the CG becomes “bound.”

Quick Ben appears on the Thrall plaza and heads for Paran and Gruntle, while Talamandas makes himself unseen. After Paran introduces the two, Gruntle says Quick Ben smells of death and he doesn’t like it, but since a Bridgeburner saved Stonny, he’ll wait to see if the smell wears off. Quick Ben tells them Brood is calling a meeting of all the commanders, including Paran, Gruntle, Taur, and whoever leads the Grey Swords. When Quick Ben brings it up, Paran tells Quick he has yet to decide on the House of Chains and Quick shouldn’t try to pressure him. Quick Ben says he has no intention to; in fact, Hood just tried it with him and it “riled” him. When he says it just made Quick want to do the opposite, Gruntle laughs and says he likes this night’s company. Quick goes on to tell Paran that his sickness isn’t from resisting the power but from resisting himself, and he should listen to his instincts. Paran asks if that advice comes from Quick Ben or Whiskeyjack, and Quick says it’d be the same were Whiskeyjack there. Paran admits he and Gruntle had pretty much come to the same conclusion, and he thinks the gods might get angry. Gruntle says “let ’em,” and Quick Ben thinks “one more thing, Hood. You and your fellow gods have been calling out the rules uncontested for far too long. Step back now and see how us mortals fare. I think you’re in for a surprise or two.”

The Capustan survivors exit the tunnels as the Grey Swords stand guard, giving them mental reassurance as well as physical protection. Itkovian thinks the contract with the city is almost ended adn wonders what the Grey Swords will do, having been cut down from seven thousand to three hundred and having lost Fener, which makes them merely a mercenary company seeking gold. He thinks “what I need is fanatics... not Trake’s... There were two other war-aspected gods... northern gods... in [Hetan’s’ eyes I was a wolf. Very well then... “ Having made his decision, he sends the recruit for the captain, saying “We three have a task before us.” As she rides off, he wonders at the feeling of emptiness he has, “as if he personally was to have no part to play in what was to come beyond this act of preparation—no subsequent role in what had to be done... a new Reve.”

Itkovian, the recruit, and Captain Norval ride to the Barghast camp, where a group of old women await him. They sense his “soul is nothing but ashes”, but one says “he would promise a firestorm to a frozen forest. Togetha and Farand, the lovers lost to each other for eternity, the winter hearts that howl . . They come closer—only not from the north, oh no, not the north.” Itkovian points to the recruit and calls her the Mortal Sword, but the old woman says no, another has been found and besides, the recruit has “too much caring” in her hands; she will be Destriant. And Norul Shield Anvil. When Norul is confused, Itkovian explains: “It must be done... Togg, Lord of Winter, a god of war long forgotten, recalled among the Barghast as the wolf-spirit, Togetha. And his lost mate, the she-wolf, Fanderay, Farand in the Barghast tongue... A Reve must be proclaimed, kneeling before the wolf god and the wolf goddess... The Grey Swords are remade.” He tells the two he cannot be part as he is Shield Anvil to Fener and Fener is gone. He advises them to seek “fanatics... people with nothing left to their lives... People who have been made lost... you will find the people you seek, sir, among the Tenescowri.” And as he sees her face, he feels guilt that he gave her no choice. Back to top

Chapter Nineteen

Silverfox and Kruppe, followed by her two marines, head to the Gathering. They are joined by thousands of Ay, then tens of thousands of T’lan Imass. Kruppe senses “Despair. Or perhaps after this seeming eternity, only its ashes.” He wonders if they have memories or feelings: “True Memories? Of enlivened flesh and the wind’s caress, of the laughter of children? Memories of love? When frozen between life and death, in the glacial in-between, what can exist of mortal feelings?... Only memories of ice, of ice and no more than that. Gods below... such sorrow.” He recognizes Pran Chole (from the birth of Silverfox) and is shocked at the change: “my heart breaks... at what you have become.” Pran Chole greets Silverfox and tells her he was with K’rul at her birth and Silverfox’s answer is bitter: “Are you my father then? If so, this reunion has come far too late. For us both.” Kruppe worries over this turn into anger, and watches Pran Chole’s face “wither” at her response. When he tells her he could not follow her after she was born, she answers angrily: “After all, you had a vow awaiting you... the one that turned your hearts to ash. All for a war. But that is what war is all about, isn’t it? Leaving home. your loved ones—the very capacity of love itself... You abandoned everything.” And when she cuts herself off, Kruppe thinks she meant to add they abandoned her as well. Another bonecaster, Okral Lom steps forward and says since they had nothing to do with her birth, they have nothing to do with her anger. He corrects her, though, and tells her Pran Chole, while accepting the burden of her anger, cannot be considered her father—”the one you seek is not among us... Your souls were forged in the Warren of Tellan, yet not in the distant past—the past in which Pran Chole lived... the unveiled warren of which I speak belonged to the First Sword Onos T’oolan. Now clanless, he walks alone, and that solitude has twisted his power... by what he seeks.” When Silverfox asks what Tool wants, Okral answers she’ll hear from him since he’s coming, but he’ll be “rather late.” Kruppe realizes Pran Chole took on Silverfox’s anger silently as a gift, to give her “a focus for her anger” and he recalls the compassion he saw in Pran Chole’s eyes, and wonder if all Imass were once like him. Another Bonecaster, Ay Estros of Logros T’lan Imass steps up and says Logros could only send two because the Logros T’lan Imass are hunting renegades—”our own kin who have broken from the vow.” He then introduces Olar Ethil: “first among the Bonecasters, the First Soletaken,” and says she was set a different task by Logros and so they haven’t seen her in many years. Olar Ethil says Silverfox “commanded” her dreams as she neared the Gathering and Silverfox say she did, though she didn’t know whose they were and they can talk about it later. Olar Ethil says the task Logros gave her was to find the remaining T’lan Imass armies from the First Gathering: The four clans left of the Bentract are trapped in the Warren of Chaos on Jacuruku she thinks (she couldn’t find them); The Orshan, Ifayle, and Kerluhm appear completely lost and she assumes they no longer exist. She tells Silverfox Logros was commanded to seek the other armies by Kellanved after the Emperor took the First Throne. When Silverfox points out Kellanved no longer occupies, Olar Ethil agrees but says he has not yielded it because rather than die he ascended and took the Throne of Shadow, which meant the T’lan Imass stopped serving the Empire. Ethil calls that period an “uncertain” time when the clans were divided (and then distracted by discovering some surviving Jaghut in the Jhag Odhan), but that some clans have returned to the Empire’s service. Silverfox asks if that was the question that led to the renegades and Olar Ethil says no, they “found another path... they have, on occasion, employed the Warren of Chaos.” This last bit makes Kruppe suspicious over just whom the renegades serve. Silverfox asks Olar Ethil what shape she takes and the response is “an undead twin to Tiam, who spawned all dragons.” Silverfox asks Pran Chole to forgive her earlier harshness and says Okral Lom was correct in chastising her. When she begins to say how long she’s waited, Kruppe starts to point out just how old the T’lan Imass before her are and she says “thanks, I’ll handle my self-accusation myself.” She then asks if any Jaghut are left and Pran Chole says they only know of one pure blood in this realm—the Seer—and says in answer to the next question that he does not know how he is commanding K’Chain. When Silverfox starts to question what will happen after the Seer is slain, Kruppe steps forward and says that the fact that you only “know of one” doesn’t mean there is only one. Olar Ethil says other ones “remain. Isolated. Hidden... We believe they exist, but we cannot find them.” Kruppe says they’re looking for an end to the war anyway and when Kruppe asks how he knew that, he says “Sorrow unsurpassed and unsurpassing. They in truth seek to become dust... The T’lan Imass wish oblivion.” Pran Chole says her words can shatter the Ritual’s bindings.” Which Silverfox says she’d grant “if all the Jaghut on this world had ceased to exist... For that is the burden laid upon me. My intended purpose” but widens it to “the threat of tyranny removed, finally, once and for all time.” But Kruppe tells her the T’lan Imass have won the war, and if there is a new tyrant among the remaining Jaghut, they have many more who would oppose them now: Gods, Ascendants, humans—”The time has passed... For the Jaghut, and thus for the T’lann Imass... these indomitable warriors are weary, weary beyond all comprehension. They have existed for hundreds of thousands of years for one sole cause. And that cause is now a farce. Pointless. Irrelevant... Redeem them. Please.” Pran Chole agrees, saying they will end the Seer then request an end for themselves . . “We have no reason to exist, thus we exist without honor, and it is destroying us.” When he tells Pran Chole the remainder of her life shall be hers, she asks “What life? I am neither Rhivi nor Malazan. I am not even truly human... I am your kin, damn you! Your first child in three hundred thousand years! Am I to be abandoned again?” All the Imass but Olar Ethil drop to their knees, and after saying to Silverfox, “We beg you to release us,” Olar Ethil drops as well. Silverfox says “no” and the Ay howl.

Whiskeyjack and Korlat, clearly made up, overlook the Tenescowri army, with Anaster in front along with a dozen women, seemingly mad. Korlat says she senses sorcery among the women, but that they are made uneasy by Rake’s near presence. Suddenly, their power strikes out at the waiting Malazan army and the Tenescowri charge, but the army stands pat and then Rake arrives in “his fullest power” in Soletaken dragon form. The front lines of the Tenescowri, save Anaster, collapse and fall back. Rake swoops and grabs Anaster, then flings him aside as Anaster feels like “poison” to him. He swoops back and breathes Kurald Galain at the Tenescowri, dissolving (literally) a huge swath of the army, cutting it in two. When he wheels for another pass, the army scatters and runs. Rake lands and sembles before a group of the Women of the Dead Seed and before Whiskeyjack’s horrified eyes begins killing them with Dragnipur. Whiskeyjack rides out and between Rake and his next victim. When he tells Rake to stop, Rake says what he is doing “is a mercy,” but Whiskeyjack replies it is a “judgement... and a sentence,” referring to the sword. Rake accepts it but tells Whiskeyjack he must kill them then for they are regaining their powers. He refuses at first—”I am no executioner,” but Rake makes clear he’ll do it otherwise, so Whiskeyjack begins to kill them. When he is done, he looks up to see the army watching and thinks: “To have witnessed this. Now, I am indeed damned. From this, no return. No matter what the words of explanation, of justification. No matter the crimes committed by my victims. I have slain. Not soldiers, not armed opponents, but creatures assailed by madness, stunned senseless, uncomprehending.” And when he turns to see Rake, he begins to see: “This burden—you have taken it before, assumed it long ago... this burden that now assails my soul, it is what you live with, have lived with for centuries. The price for the sword on your back.” Rake says Whiskeyjack should have let him continue doing it, and that he would have, but did not want to fight Whiskeyjack, and so he caused Whiskeyjack pain by trying to spare him. Whiskeyjack realizes and apologizes to Rake for giving him no choice. Rake says Anaster has been captured and Whiskeyjack thinks they now have the luxury of time to use military justice: “that rigid structure that so easily absolves personal responsibility.” As they head off, Whiskeyjack sorrows over his biggest regret: “you asked me to step aside and you called it a mercy. I misunderstood you. A mercy not to the Women of the Dead Seed. But to me... I saw only your brutality—and that hurt you. Better for us both, had you crossed blades with me... I am not worth such friends. Old man.. make this your last war.”

When they find Anaster, held by Korlat and other Andii, he sees tears in her eyes. He notes riders from Dujek and Brood and is shamed again. Looking at Anaster, he sees he has lost an eye, and that he also looks “horrifyingly lifeless... fundamentally indifferent.” Anaster addresses him as his mother’s killer and when Whiskeyjack says he is sorry for that, Anaster replies “I am not. She was insane. A prisoner of herself, possessed by her own demons,” something Anaster says is “a plague, is it not? Ever spreading. Devouring lives. That is why you will, ultimately fail. All of you. You become what you destroy.” Rake answers that “no more appropriate words could come from a cannibal” and asks Anaster what he thinks they should do with him. Anaster momentarily seems to lose his strength/confidence and whispers “kill me.” Korlat says “he lost control. His fear has a face. One I have not seen before” and then tells Anaster “there is darkness within you... virulent cousin to Kurald Galain. A darkness of the soul.” Rake adds “a soldier’s face... From Capustan... one who promises something other than death, something far more terrible.” Anaster says it’s Itkovian and that he would rather they kill him now than let Itkovian take his soul. But Rake says he sees “no absolution in your particular madness... no cause for mercy” and says for now they’ll have him meet Itkovian and then decide. Dujek and Whiskeyjack agree. Anaster unsuccessfully tries to grab a dagger then collapses. Whiskeyjack edges closer to Dujek, who tells him “I comprehend your mercy. Rake’s sword—but could you not have waited.” Whiskeyjack says no and when Dujek says “executions demand procedures,” Whiskeyjack says then demote me. Dujek tells him that isn’t what he meant, “I know well enough the significance of such procedures—the real reason for their existing... A sharing of necessary but brutal acts.” Whiskeyjack finishes the idea—”diminishes the personal cost, aye”—and then says Rake could have handled it easily probably, Whiskeyjack “diminished his personal cost” and it’s done. Dujek says it doesn’t have to be but before he can continue Whiskeyjack cuts him off and says “no.” Korlat interrupts then and says Anaster “could not bear leading his army, could not bear to see the starvation, the loss and desperation, and so was resolved to send it to its death, to absolute annihilation. As an act of mercy... For himself he committed crimes that could only be answered with death. Execution at the hands of those survivors among his victims. But not a simple death... He seeks damnation as his sentence. An eternity of damnation.” When she says she can’t comprehend such “self-loathing,” Whiskeyjack thinks he can “for I feel as if I am tottering on the very edge of that steep slope myself.” Dujek moves off and Korlat tries to comfort Whiskeyjack by telling him the women were powerful with Chaos, that Rake’s attack—meant to kill—had only stunned them and that just momentarily, and that they would have wreaked havoc. Whiskeyjack says he gets it was necessary: “War has its necessities, Korlat, and I have always understood that. Always known the cost. But this day... I have realized something else. War is not a natural state. It is an imposition... With its rules, we willingly yield our humanity. Speak not of just causes, worthy goals. We are takers of life. Servants of Hood one and all.” When Korlat tries to point out the women would have killed hundreds or thousands, he continues: “I have commanded the same in my time. What difference is there between us?” Her reply is that he questions what he does. Whiskeyjack says it doesn’t matter, that his army has seen him commit murder, but he is immediately cut off by her intense response: “Do not dare underestimate them! I have come to know many of your soldiers. They are not fools... they understand... Do you not think that they—each in his or her own way—have faced the choice you faced this morning? The knifepoint turn of their lives? And every one of them still feels the scar within them... They witnessed. The saw, in fullest knowing... I felt the same. They hurt for you. With every brutal blow, they felt the old wounds within them resonate in sympathy. Commander, your shame is an insult. Discard it, or you will deliver unto your soldiers the deepest wound of all.” Whiskeyjack sees she is right (acknowledging it with her own words about human’s “lack of complexity”), but says he still fears to face them. She tells him they will “follow you into the Abyss, should you command,” which he calls “the most frightening though uttered thus far today.” When he mentions Dujek’s displeasure, she says he just want to keep the army alive. When Whiskeyjack objects, saying he has no interest in stealing Dujek’s authority, she tells him too late—you just did. That was, she adds, why Laseen demoted him and promoted Dujek—to upset the “natural order” Whiskeyjack just recreated. At first Whiskeyjack doesn’t buy it, but then realizes she is right, and that at Darujhistan Laseen didn’t want the Bridgeburners dead; she wanted him destroyed. Korlat warns him to be on guard; “your belief in honour is being used against you.”

Coll joins Murillio at the Mhybe’s wagon, tells him Silverfox and Kruppe haven’t been seen since yesterday and fills him in on the just completed events. They both think the Mhybe has been forgotten. Murillio says they are there simply to “oversee the descent,” “prisoners of this unwelcome circumstance as much as she is.” They decide to help her escape, to take her with them and find someone who might be able to help her in Capustan, even though it “will likely mean our financial ruin and all that might be achieved is a kinder end to her life.”

The Mhybe dreams of pursuit again, howls, “the voices of winter, and as she runs she finds a cavern, “a shaping of a soul, a soul lost within itself.” She enters, knowing “it was her mind that moved, her mind alone, leaving her body, questing out, seeking that chained beast. A man’s voice (Toc’s) asking “who?” startles her. She answers “a mother,” and he laughs: “Another game then? You’ve no words Mother. You’ve never had them... Leave me. I am beyond taunting. I circle my own chain, here in my mind. This place is not for you. Perhaps, in finding it, you think you’ve defeated my last line of defense... But you’ve no power here... I imagine seeing my own face as in a mirror. But it’s the wrong eye... staring back at me. And worse, it’s not even human... You and your kind played with winter. Omtose Phellack. But you never understood it. True winter... The face I see before me, Seer, is winter’s face. A wolf’s. A god’s.” The Mhybe tells hm her daughter knows wolves and Toc says “he does indeed.” When she corrects him on the gender, he calls her Seer again and she says “I am not who you think I am. I am an old woman. Of the Rhivi. And my daughter wishes to see me dead... She’s sent wolves after me. To rend my soul... I’ve come here to escape.” Toc refuses to believer her: I defy you... There is a god here, Seer,... Not even your dear mother, who holds me so tight, dares challenge him... he was lost. Lost... . I am helping him to find himself. He’s growing aware.” The Mhybe says she doesn’t understand, she came here to die, she is fleeing her daughter, and Toc answers: “Flight is an illusion. Even Mother comprehends that. I am not her child, yet she cannot help herself. She even possesses memories of a time when she was a true Matron... children who loved her, and other children—who betrayed her. And left her to suffer for eternity.” He describes how when she was free, and found the world so changed, her children dead and entombed, she went to the Seer, “her adopted son,” (“you”) and showed the Seer his power so she could use it to raise her children and rebuild their city, but it was a delusion that drove her crazy. And her insanity allowed the Seer to usurp her, imprison her. The Mhybe says her daughter did the same—asking if this is the curse of motherhood, to which Toc replies it is the curse of love. A howl arises, and Toc, though now in a deeper, different voice, says it is “My mate. She’s coming.” He howls in response and the Mhybe is thrown out of the cavern where the wolves find her. She awakens and Coll and Murillio see she shows the scratches of her dream and wonder if her nightmares are true. They recommit to getting her out of there when they get to Capustan. Back to top

Chapter Twenty

Coral City is described, an extremely narrow harbor like a fjord that nearly bisects the city. Instead of docks, the cliffs are cut into long piers, with netting hanging down to serve as a place for the ships’ anchors. The netting workers were known as cat-men. The Seer had told Toc that Coral, though many times assaulted, had never fallen, and so he is happy to retreat to it via a scorched earth policy, content to give up Setta, Maurik, and Lest to the invading alliance, while the invasion from the south will be halted by a rough sea he has filled with ice. To defend Coral, he tells Toc he has cadres of mages, a thousand K’Chain Kell Hunters, and elite soldiers. As Toc enters the city with a Seerdomin (warrior priest), the Seerdomin points out the corpses in the netting and tells him all the cat-men and families had all starved to death. Toc cannot stand without assistance, his muscles atrophied and bones twisted and broken. The Seerdomin has given him his cloak, a sign of compassion that surprises Toc. As he looks at the ocean, Toc thinks no matter the Seer’s words, Baaljaag would not be bent from the path the wolf goddess has set to rejoin her mate that lies within Toc. Nor would, he thinks, Tool or the Seguleh give up, though he guesses Envy and the wounded Garath will “tire of the hunt,” especially as Envy was less driven than carried by whim. He thinks he should apologize to Envy for his mocking, leaving “detachment... to the gods.” The Seerdomin interrupts his thoughts with memories of his childhood in Coral. He recalls good memories at first, then tells how his father returned home one night to find “his family had embraced the Faith. His wife to the Tenescowri. His sons to the ranks, eldest begun schooling as a Seerdomin... seeing my uniform. Seeing my mother—hearing her mindless shrieks. Seeing my brothers with spears... my sisters naked and clinging to men thrice their age... he tacked into the offshore breeze. I watched his sail until I could see it no more. It was my way... of saying good luck. Of saying well done.” Toc wonders how the Seer could have done these things to his own people. When the bell signals his time to return to the Matron, he thanks the Seerdomin for the cloak. When the Seerdomin offers his help, saying, “Your weight is as nothing,” Toc responds, “easily borne, you mean,” and the Seerdomin replies, “I did not say that.”

Itkovian and Captain Norul watch as Hedge and the sappers take down an unsafe building, before continuing on their way to the meeting of commanders. The new Destriant is in charge of an internment camp set up for the Tenescowri, who will soon be recruited for the Grey Swords. At the gate, they come across Gruntle and Stonny, who tell him the Mask Council has already gone in for a “private chat.” Gruntle tells her not to worry as Keruli is with them, but she’s furious they take any leadership after they hid while the Grey Swords fought and died. Itkovian tells her they are the only leadership left. They spot Humbrall Taur coming and decide to try and catch up with the Council once the Barghast arrive.

Taur, Hetan, and Cafal are angry as well at the Mask Council’s “attempted usurpation.” As they near the carriage with Rath’Hood, Rath’Burn, Rath’Shadowthrone, and Keruli in it, Itkovian grieves for his friends now dead. They catch up to the carriage, and Stonny and Rath’Shadowthrone exchange insults.

Picker and Blend watch Paran and Quick Ben preparing to head over to the meeting. Blend tells Picker what she’s heard: the Tenescowri being fed, the Grey Swords losing Fener and switching gods to Togg and Fanderay and now recruiting among the Tenescowri. Paran and Quick Ben come over looking for Spindle and Picker tells Paran he went off with Antsy and Detoran and maybe a few others to speak to a ruler of a southern city who wanted to meet with a representative of Dujek’s army. Paran is horrified at the idea of Antsy as spokesperson, and tells her to go collect them and send the ruler to the Thrall. Bauchelain and Broach show up and demand supplies—food, water, clothing—and “respect,” and Picker knocks him unconscious with a punch while Blend coldcocks Broach from behind. Reese arrives and Picker tells him to inform the necromancers of the “proper forms of address when they awaken.” She and Blend leave.

As they ride past the internment camp, Paran says there’s going to be trouble with the Capans wanting to kill them all, with the Mask Council’s blessing (as he tells Quick this, he thinks he sees something come and go on Quick Ben’s shoulder—Talamandas). Quick says the Grey Swords will defend the Tenescowri and when Paran says the residents might attack despite them, Quick Ben says they’ll think twice before attacking the Grey Swords who defended them and who survived the siege. They spot some riders from the north, led by Silverfox. Paran tells Quick Ben the Second Gathering has happened, thinking to himself: “she’s stopped reaching out to me. Tattersail. Nightchill. Bellurdan—something’s happened. Something unexpected.” When Quick Ben asks if Tattersail is still dominant, Paran says he doesn’t know, but that Silverfox is not a “Bonecaster in truth” and the Malazans should no longer assume they can predict her actions. They let the riders catch up (Silverfox, Kruppe, the two marines). Paran can tell Silverfox is upset, angry, hurt and senses “she’s thrown up a wall between us... she’s become guarded, a possessor of secrets.” When Quick Ben starts to ask Silverfox cuts him off and says she isn’t going to tell him anything, saying, “The anger you would face is Nightchill’s, and the rest of us will do nothing to restrain it.” Paran realizes “if anything truly existed between us, it is now over. She has left Tattersail behind... Perhaps we have both moved on. The pressure of what we have grown into, our hearts cannot overcome.”

The parties reach the bottom of the hill where the parley is to meet and Itkovian sends Norul ahead to speak for the Grey Swords, as he is no longer part. Realizing his uniform is still that of an officer by the reaction of the Malazan soldiers around, he drops his symbols of rank to the ground and then exchanges his rich helmet for a plain Malazan one with one of the soldiers. Itkovian asks if the soldier thinks the parley group would mind if he went near to watch and the soldier says, “they’d be honored.” Itkovian says he doubts it and then asks how he can go without being noticed. As he passes, the Malazans salute him. He is impressed by the camp he walks through. When he arrives, he sees that the parley hasn’t begun and he wonders if there has already been an argument. Brood notices him there and says they’ve been waiting for him, calling him Defender of Capustan. Itkovian objects, saying to his “shame” that title does not belong to him as he “failed” by not holding the city long enough to be relieved. Brood tells him he only failed because the task was impossible, but Itkovian says he doesn’t wish to debate semantics, and that as he leads nobody, and any “responsibilities that I must one day embrace are mine to bear, and thus must be borne alone,” he wishes to simply observe. Brood says Itkovian is welcome here and the parley begins. Keruli asks where the Andii and Rake are, as well as Moon’s Spawn. Brood says they will not discuss tactics, that Capustan was only a temporary stop on the way to finish this war, and that while Moon’s Spawn and the Andii will play a part, the alliance will not say more about it. Keruli says that while Brood is right that the Masked council’s primary concern is the city, that because it is made up of servants of gods, they know of the concern in the pantheon: the Grey Swords going from lost Fener to the Wolf gods, Gruntle become Mortal Sword of Trake, the Barghast gods reawakening, and Brood with Burn’s hammer. Kallor interrupts to ask harshly why Keruli is the only one on the Council not wearing a mask and thus not revealing his god. When Keruli asks if Kallor still “cart [s] that meaningless throne” around, Kallor recognizes him as K’rul: “I thought it was you” and mocks his disguise. When Keruli/K’rul says, “issues of physical manifestation have proved problematic,” Kallor gloats K’rul has lost his power, but K’rul clarifies that “it has evolved, and so I am forced to adjust, and learn.” Kallor says that means he can kill K’rul, but Keruli/K’rul replies “in your dreams. But then you no longer dream, do you, Kallor? The Abyss takes you into its embrace each night. Oblivion, your own personal nightmare.” Brood warns Kallor his patience with him is wearing thin and when Kallor reveals Keruli is K’rul, Brood answers, “I had gathered as much.” Again, Keruli corrects him, saying he is “a limited manifestation.” Gruntle, angry, brings up Harllo’s death and Keruli says he regrets he couldn’t save him. Rath’Shadowthrone then interrupts, arguing Keruli can’t sit on the Council, which makes Whiskeyjack laugh out loud. Brood tells Keruli/K’rul that he assumes he and the priests will figure out what they can do to deal with whatever threats are affecting the pantheon and the warrens, noting the source of the threats isn’t the Seer himself, but says this meeting is to deal with the march logistics. K’rul says fine, though he expects “a few masks coming off in these proceedings.” The Barghast suggest how to split the forces—one to Setta, one to Lest, then meet at Maurik and march on Coral. The Barghast go with Dujek and the Grey Swords with Brood. They all agree. Rath’Burn then turns to Brood and says, “To you was entrusted the task of awakening [Burn] at the time of her greatest need” and accuses Brood of deceiving Burn by not doing so yet. Brood answers, “I have constrained her.” When Gruntle wonders aloud how the gods never seem to learn with regard to mortals, Rath’Burn calls him a fool and says “If Brood does not act, Burn will die. And when she dies, so too does all life on this world. This is the choice... Topple a handful of corrupt civilizations or absolute annihilation.” She then demands that Brood give her the hammer. Brood, surprising her, does, but when she grabs it her wrists and arms break. While Artanthos, at Dujek’s order, gets a healer, Brood tells the priestess: “The difference between you and your goddess, woman, is faith. You see only two options...so did the Sleeping Goddess, at first. She gave to me the weapon... and the freedom to choose. It has taken a long while for me to understand what else she gave to me. I have withheld acting... and thought myself a coward... yet a small wisdom has finally lodged itself in my head.” K’rul finishes the thought: “Burn’s faith... that you would find a third choice.” Mallet arrives but Brood heals her himself, and the purity of his Denul warren shocks those who can see it. K’rul stands suddenly and looks at the arrival of Paran’s group, specifically at Quick Ben, who makes eye contact with K’rul and shrugs (Itkovian thinks “strangely uneven [ly]—as if some invisible weight burdened his left shoulder), at which K’rul sighs. Kallor demands to know how Brood’s warren was not poisoned and K’rul says, “It seems the illness has been pushed back from this location. Temporary, yet sufficient. Perhaps this is another lesson in the powers of faith, which I shall endeavour to heed,” and Itkovian thinks K’rul is speaking in two layers, one for the general group and one aimed specifically at Quick Ben. Silverfox mentions to Brood about him sending Korlat after her and he says it was merely to find out where she was, though Korlat appears lost since she hasn’t returned. Silverfox says the Ay are guiding her back. Brood asks if the Second Gathering is done and when Silverfox says yes, he wants to know if the T’lan Imass will be joining them. She answers that the T’lan Imass have “tasks... that will require a journey to the Pannion Domin” and says they will deal with any K’Chain. When she refuses to say more about the tasks, Kallor says they want the Seer because he is a Jaghut. Silverfox asks Kallor what they would do if they captured him, calling him insane due to Chaos and the Crippled God’s manipulations. She says execution is the only answer and that killing Jaghut is what the T’lan Imass exist for. Dujek interrupts to say “not always,” saying one of the T’lan Imass freed Raest in Darujhistan. Silverfox admits that is true, and says she doesn’t really understand why, but says in any case Raest was killed. Paran, though, steps in to say Raest is actually alive and K’rul explains he was taken by the Azath house. Silverfox says it doesn’t really matter, and if Tool broke his vow, she’ll deal with him. But Dujek says she’s missing his point: “You make a claim that the T’lan Imass and what they do or don’t do is separate from everyone and everything else. You insist on detachment... what you assert is patently untrue.” She says maybe the Logros were “confused” but no longer. Silverfox asks if anyone will deny their claim on the Seer and when Brood and Dujek say no, Itkovian looks at Kruppe, who is smiling, and thinks: “This is a most fell gathering of powers here. Yet why do I believe that the very epicenter of efficacy lies with this strange little man? He holds even K’rul’s regard, as would an admiring companion rest eyes upon a lifelong prodigy of sort... whose talents have come to overwhelm his master’s. But there is no envy in that regard, nor even pride—which always whispers of possessiveness... the emotion is far more subtle, and complex.” The meeting shifts to discussion of supply and Itkovian turns to leave and is met by Paran, Whiskeyjack, Korlat, and Quick Ben. Looking at Korlat, he is stunned by “such sadness—-an eternity of loss—empty existence... Not for my embrace... some wounds can never be healed, some memories should never be reawakened. Cast no light upon that darkness. It is too much.” He realizes suddenly he has no god protecting him anymore, that he was now fully “vulnerable to the world’s pain, to its grief.” The Malazans ask him to join them for a drink and he agrees. As they head off, Quick Ben mentions Silverfox and Itkovian says, “She has done a terrible wrong yet upon her shoulders it weighs nothing.” Quick Ben says that is not good and Paran says it’s Nightchill: “And to make matters worse, Nightchill was—is—a whole lot more than what we’d thought. Not just a High Mage... She’s all hard edge—her mate Bellurdan was her balance, but of the Thelomen I sense nothing... [and Tattersail] is in the shadows. Observing.” When Paran describes it as a “war of wills,” Itkovian corrects him, saying there is no war, that Silverfox is “in agreement. She is calm within,” which Quick Ben says is the most surprising news of the day. Kruppe joins them and says not to worry about Silverfox. He then relates the story of Togg and Fanderay, how they were separated by the Crippled God’s fall, how the Elder Gods tried to help but they were younger then and “did not find ascendancy walking in step with humans or those who would one day become humans.” He says Silverfox is united: “a spirit of hard edges to hold the others to their course... another to clasp hard the hurt of abandonment until it can find proper answer. And yet a third spirit, filled with love and compassion... and a fourth... Pran Chole’s daughter, the one whose true name is indeed the one by which we all know her.” They head off to drink.

The two marines, still with Silverfox, are joined by Haradas (the Trygalle mage) and Norul. Haradas asks Silverfox if Telann is unaffected by the poison and if the Guild could use it to supply the armies. Silverfox says it is not poisoned but still potentially dangerous due to renegade T’lan and the Throne of the Beast Hold being contested. She asks if Haradas needs Silverfox to make a portal into it and the sorceress says the Guild has long known how to but hasn’t out of respect and because they had other “less uncivilized” warrens available. Silverfox finds this “remarkable,” especially as none of the Empire’s best mages could do it. Norul tells Silverfox the Grey Swords have sworn to Togg and Fanderay, who will soon be reunited. When she expresses surprise at Silverfox’s lack of knowledge about this, Silverfox begins to say she has nothing to do with “ancient wolf-gods” but then realizes what is coming. Norul asks Silverfox to yield the Ay—”the children of our gods.” Silverfox tells her she needs them “for a gift. A repayment. I have sworn.” Norul objects that the Ay are not “owned” and were caught up in the Ritual originally “in ignorance. Bound by loyalty and love to the flesh and blood Imass. As a result, they lost their souls... my gods... demand reparation.” Silverfox says no, not until the wolf-gods come physically and manifest their power.” When she asks Norul if the wolf-gods would actually war with the T’lan Imass, Norul says “Togg and Fanderay are ascended beasts. Their souls are unknowable to such as you and me. Who can predict what lies in the hearts of such creatures?” She adds that they will converge with the armies at Coral. Hetan joins them with food and wine, and expresses an interest in bedding Kruppe.

Coll and Murillio prepare to spirit the Mhybe out.

Envy’s group looks out from shore at a rough ocean filled with mountains of ice. Garath is badly wounded and won’t let anyone come near. Baaljaag is also wounded with a spear shaft in the shoulder still, but will not let Envy or the Seguleh tend to the wound. When she wonders how they’ll follow Tool across, Mok says he will face Tool. When Envy asks how the First or Second would react to his putting self-interest over the mission, he says “the demands of the self have primacy always, else there would be no champions... no hierarchy at all. The Seguleh would be ruled by mewling martyrs blindly trampling the helpless in their lust for the common good. Or we would be ruled by despots who would hide behind an army to every challenge, creating of brute force a righteous claim to honor.” He says they need to talk and when she brings up the fleeing army, he accuses her of sending plague among them and adds that Garath suffers from it. She tells him that’s nonsense, but he tells her it’s the same symptoms as what the Pannions have. She says fine, “but don’t you see the irony? Poleil, Queen of Diseases, has allied herself with the Crippled God... how cunning of me to loot her warren and so beset her allies.” He suggests neither the victims nor Garath appreciate the irony. She heals Garath, who then bares his teeth at her and growls. Mok tells Garath they still need Envy and she says “he can’t understand you. He’s a dog.” Near the shore, they see an iceberg has captured a Meckros city—”cities that ride the oceans.” They decide to use it as a means to cross. They find a T’lan Imass there in very bad shape. She says she has come for the Summons/Gathering: “I am Lanas Tog. Sent to bring word of the fates of the Ifayle T’lan Imass and of my own Kerluhm T’lan Imass... I am the last of the Kerluhm. The Ifayle... are all but destroyed... cannot extricate themselves from the conflict [on] the continent of Assail. Our losses: 29000 Kerluhm. 22,200 Ifayle... We have lost this war.” When Envy says “it seems you’ve finally found a Jaghut Tyrant who is more than your match,” Lanas says, “Not Jaghut. Human.” Back to top

Chapter Twenty-One

The Bridgeburners exit Capustan—”first in, last out.” Silverfox tells Paran her mother has gone missing, as have Coll and Murillio. When Paran asks why she doesn’t use her Ay or T’lan Imass to look, she says she has sent them across the river but refuses to say why. When she accuses Coll and Murillio of “kidnapping” her mother, Paran says kidnapping implies taking away from someone, and since Silverfox abandoned the Mhybe, it can’t be kidnapping. Their conversation gets testier and Paran tells her to give up the guilt, learn to forgive, adding: “I love you still, but with your death... I convinced myself that what you and I had... was of far vaster and deeper import than it truly was. Of all the weapons we turn upon ourselves, guilt is the sharpest, Silverfox. It can carve one’s own past into unrecognizable shapes, false memories leading to beliefs that sow all kinds of obsessions.” Silverfox says Paran has changed so much she no longer recognizes him, while he replies “I find you all too recognizable.” Returning to the conversation’s topic, he tells her not to worry, that Coll and Murillio probably took it upon themselves, since she wouldn’t, to try and help the Mhybe. She says by taking her they have “sealed her doom... my mother is trapped in a nightmare—within her own mind, lost, terrified. Hunted!” When Paran wonders if the true mercy would be to let the Mhybe’s life end, Silverfox refuses: “She is my mother... I will not abandon her!” As she leaves, Paran wishes she would simply tell them what her plans are so they don’t continually think she is betraying the Mhybe. He believes Tattersail has lost to Nightchill, and that Silverfox has “become colder than the T’lan Imass you now command.”

Itkovian watches the barges transporting soldiers. He comes across an artist painting and speaking to a large green toad. The artist introduces himself as Ormulogun of Li Hen, Imperial historical artist: “The old Emperor... Artists with every army! On every campaign!” He introduces the toad—his critic—as Gumble. Ormulogun is shockingly insightful with regard to Itkovian, saying, “His bones may well be iron, their burden that of a hundred thousand foundation stones, or souls to be more precise... though I capture all he is on the canvas... in that image you will see that Itkovian is not yet done.” Gumble then speaks, telling Itkovian “I speak on behalf of the tongue-tied multitudes, otherwise known as... the rabble. An audience, understand, wholly incapable of self-realization or cogent articulation, and thus possessors of depressingly vulgar tastes when not apprised of what they trulylike, if only they knew it.” Itkovian asks why Ormulogun, as Imperial artist, is painting the outlawed Dujek, and the response is that the outlawry must be recorded, and besides, what else would he do? He then mocks the “so called community” of artists in Pale and their “so-called styles of expression.” When he demands if Gumble saw anything good in Pale, Gumble says a single mosaic, which, since the artist was dead, Gumble could praise “effusively.” Ormulogun calls Gumble a leech and vulture, and Gumble replies he is happy that whatever god it was made him a toad and not an artist. Itkovian leaves them to their arguing and continues down to the river. He plans on going with Brood, Kallor, and Korlat to the city of Lest. He finds the military organization muddled at best, and prefers the “far clearer” hierarchy of the Malazan group, with Dujek clearly in charge, seconded by Whiskeyjack, Taur, and Twist. His thoughts are interrupted by the arrival of Whiskeyjack, who asks if he saw Silverfox and the two marines. Itkovian says they passed him some time ago. The two marines arrive and say Silverfox lost them by riding into a hillside. He sends them back to cross, then privately offers his hand to Itkovian: “Among the soldiers of the Empire... where the worn gauntlet is for war and nothing other than war, to remain gauntleted when grasping the hand of another, in peace, is the rarest of gestures.” Itkovian says he understands the significance and that he is honored. Whiskeyjack says he wishes Itkovian were riding with the Malazans so he could get to know him better and when Itkovian says, “we will meet at Maurik,” Whiskeyjack nods and says “until then.” But as he rides off, Itkovian, looking at him, has a grim feeling it is the last time he will see him.

Quick Ben has been using his warrens to help transport due to the lack of barges. Kruppe, after telling Quick he plans on traveling with the Malazan group, says he is impressed by the wizard’s mastery of so many warrens, as well as how “pristine” the warrens are. He calls Quick’s use of magic a “bold challenge” to the Chained God. Talamandas, invisible (allegedly) on Quick Ben’s soldier, has been complaining that Quick is making himself a target, too noticeable. When Quick Ben tells him to be quiet, Kruppe wonders why Quick Ben is being so harsh to him [Kruppe], and Quick says he was just talking to himself, and will continue to do so. “Thinking out loud,” he tells Talamandas he is purposely being noticeable in order to “kick the hornet nests.” Kruppe then hints he sees Talamandas on Quick’s shoulder, though he doesn’t make it clear if that is what he means. The two marines arrive, and then Whiskeyjack, whom Quick Ben has been waiting for as the last of the group.

Coll and Murillio are continuing what has been a daylong, futile, search in Capustan for a priest that can help the Mhybe. They are suddenly attacked by Broach, who knocks out Murillio and sends sorcery toward Coll. Before the magic can strike, it vanishes and a strange figure steps between Coll and Broach. Broach tells him “I can sense the fist of Hood, coiled there in your lifeless chest. He’s kept you here. Wandering.” The stranger corrects Broach, telling him “Not wandering... hunting.” Broach objects he and Bauchelain haven’t really taken all that many souls from Hood, and all he is looking for here is the old woman in the wagon. The unknown warrior tells Broach: “Not for you... Her spirit awaits. And those of her gathered kin. And the beasts whose hearts are empty... You are to release the undead who guard your compound. You and the one named Bauchelain are to leave the city. This night... Or I shall descend upon you and claim your souls.” Broach leaves and the undead warrior tells Coll “you are to have my master’s protection... the Temple of Hood has been prepared.” When Coll objects that the Mhybe needs help, the warrior tells him it’s the kind of help Coll cannot give. The warrior—now identified in the text as The Knight of Death—tells Coll he does not sleep, cannot remember it. He adds that the Mhybe will not awaken and so the two of them “will have need of each other. Soon.” The Knight reveals he cannot release the swords from his hands and asks Coll if he thinks Broach was right, that he is dead. Coll says yes, he thinks that is true. He asks if the Knight has a name and the Knight says he has forgotten it, but he thinks he was not from this continent. The only thing he recalls of his life was that “I once stood within fire... there was pain. Yet I held on... I believe I was, I think, sworn to defend a child’s life. But the child was no more. It may be... that I failed.” When he thinks perhaps one day his memories will fully return, Coll thinks to himself that the fact they have not is evidence of Hood’s mercy, “For I think there was nothing easy in your life. Or in your death. And it seems he does possess mercy, for he’s taken you far away from all that you once knew, for if I’m not mistaken... never mind that strange skin, you’re a Malazan.”

On the other side of the river, Gruntle joins Itkovian on the march, saying it looks like the Seer is using a scorched earth defense. Itkovian replies it’s the smart thing to do. When Gruntle wonders if Dujek and Brood realize how many armies the Seer has, Itkovian says it’s true they’ll find the Seer well prepared, but his end is near, based on what he observed. He tells Gruntle, “Cities and governments are but the flowering head of a plant whose stalk is the commonality whose roots are within the earth, drawing the necessary sustenance that maintains the flower.” The Tenescowri—the commonality—are uprooted, dying, cannibalistic, living in a land that was wasted before the Seer needed to do so as defense—”thus, while the flower still blazes its color, it is in fact already dead.” He believes the cities they all march toward are probably empty, that the Seer has concentrated his forces in Coral, where the defenders will have to also turn cannibal, and in fact, he thinks the Tenescowri were “created for that eventual purpose—as food for the soldiers.” Gruntle says that what Itkovian describes is an empire never meant to sustain itself, or even, if as Itkovian suggests, it might do so via conquest and expansion, would be alive “only on its outer, ever-advancing edges, spreading out from a dead core, a core that grew with it.” When Gruntle thinks the division of forces seems kind of pointless, and that the Malazans will be doing a lot of useless marching, Itkovian says there may have been unvoiced reasons for splitting the army in two, such as less unity than presented, or to avoid a clash of strong wills/egos. He further predicts that the attack at Coral won’t last long, will be a single attempt to overwhelm rather than a patient siege. Stonny comes up and tells them to move along.

Picker watches Detoran drag Hedge into her tent and after some back and forth about it with Blend, muses on how so many of the Bridgeburners have been demoted, starting with Whiskeyjack—Detoran once was a Master Sergeant, Mallet led a healer’s cadre, Spindle captained a company of sappers. Blend says, “None of us is what we once was.” Picker replies she was thinking they were all “losers.” Paran joins them and tells them the Black Moranth have found Setta abandoned and filled with dead. Picker wonders why they’re still marching there and Paran says, “Because we’re not marching to Lest.” He informs them Picker is promoted to lieutenant and will command the Bridgeburners in Paran’s absence. He tells her to keep the Bridgeburners together, “no matter what happens.”

Whiskeyjack meets with Dujek in the command tent. Dujek tells him Artanthos delivered “the orders” to Paran and that the captain “will get the Bridgeburners ready—ready for what they won’t know.” When Dujek seems to under-esteem Paran, Whiskeyjack interrupts and says, “With the loss of Tatter—of Silverfox, I mean, the captain’s value to us can’t be underestimated. No, not just us. The Empire itself... Within him is the power to reshape the world... maybe there’s no chance of Laseen ever regaining the man’s favor, but at the very least she’d be wise to avoid making the relationship worse.” They both agree, though, that Laseen is probably aware of this already. Dujek says he is worried about not having Quick Ben around (he is going with Paran) and Whiskeyjack answers that “what the wizard has in mind, I agree with him that the less Brood and company know of it the better... the wizard’s madness has saved our skins more than once. Dujek apologizes, and says he’s so anxious due to the power of what they’re dealing with: “It was Brood and Rake and the Tiste Andii—and the damned Elder Gods, as well—who were supposed to step into the Crippled God’s path. They’re the ones with countless warrens and frightening levels of potency—not us, not one mortal squad wizard and a young noble born captain who’s already died once. Even if they don’t mess things up, look at the enemies we’ll acquire.” Whiskeyjack says that’s only if their allies don’t understand what they are trying to do and Dujek says “we’re the Malazans, remember? Nothing we do is ever supposed to reveal a hint of our long-term plans—mortal empires aren’t supposed to think that far ahead. And we’re damned good at following that principle, you and I... Laseen inverted the command structure for a reason.” Whiskeyjack says it was to ensure “the right people would be there at the ground level when Shadowthrone and Cotillion made their move,” and says all of that should be told to Quick and all the Bridgeburners. But Dujek says no to the latter and that the former probably already figured it out, and when Whiskeyjack asks why Quick Ben sent Kalam after Laseen, Dujek says Kalam needed to be convinced in person by the empress. When Whiskeyjack bemoans his stupidity, Dujek continues to lay it all out:

“We knew the Crippled God was getting ready to make a move. We knew the gods would make a mess of things. Granted, we didn’t anticipate the Elder Gods getting involved... [but] we knew trouble was coming from more than one direction—but how could be have guessed that... the Domin was in any way related to... the Crippled God?... I don’t think it was entirely chance that it was a couple of Bridgeburners who bumped into that agent of the Chained God [Munug]... nor that Quick Ben was there... Laseen has always understood the value of tactical placement... The Crippled God’s warren wanders—it always has... And we caught him... As for Paran, there’s a certain logic there as well. Tayschrenn was grooming Tattersail in the role of Mistress of the Deck... when that went wrong, there was a residual effect—straight to the man closest to her at the time. Not physically, but certainly spiritually... the only truly thick-witted player was Bellurdan Skullcrusher... What happened between him and Tattersail... ranks as one of the worst foul-ups in imperial history. That the role of Master of the Deck fell to a Malazan and not to some Gadrobi herder... Oponn’s luck played into our hands there.”

Whiskeyjack interrupts to say now he’s worried: “We’re playing shadowgames with the Lord of Shadow, rattling the chains of the Crippled God, and now buying Brood more time without him even knowing it, whilst at the same time defying the T’lan Imass.” Dujek says they’ve got no choice, “It’s up to us to keep Laseen’s head above water—and through her the Malazan Empire. If Brood swings his hammer…”

Whiskeyjack complains it’s left up to the arm she nearly decimated at Pale, which Dujek says “was an accident, and while you didn’t know it at the time, you know it now. Tayschrenn ordered them to remain in the tunnels because he thought it was the safest place.” But Whiskeyjack says, “seemed more like someone wanted us to be a collateral fatality.” Then thinks to himself, “No, not us. Me. Damn you, Dujek, you lead me to suspect you knew more of that than I’d hoped... I hope I’m wrong.” When he brings up Darujhistan, Dujek says it was just miscommunication due to Pale, that everyone was rattled by Pale. He says he learned later that Tayschrenn didn’t know then who Nightchill was, but thought she was aiming to get Dragnipur, along with Bellurdan, who seemed to be her pawn. Laseen wouldn’t allow that, and when Nightchill killed A’Karonys (who had told Tayschrenn he suspected Nightchill), then Tayschrenn hit her. He adds that all these screw-ups seemed to begin when the Tlan Imass slaughtered the people of Aren, which Dujek says was ordered not by Laseen but by Shadowthrone to “wreak vengeance on Laseen, to shake her grip on the empire.” Dujek then tells Whiskeyjack he thinks maybe they don’t know as much as they think they do, but Whiskeyjack says Quick Ben is pretty smart and has probably figured out a lot. He tells Dujek Quick is still “willing” and has also made it clear he has a lot of faith in Paran, whom he says is unpredictable based on a host of factors: walking inside Dragnipur, being used by Oponn, having the blood of a Hound of Shadow in him. He says Laseen shouldn’t assume she can “use him.” When Dujek asks if Whiskeyjack likes Paran, Whiskeyjack says he admires his “resilience, his ability to examine himself with a courage that his ruthless, and most of all for his inherent humanity.” He also confesses his desire to retire after this war, a desire Dujek says he’d expected. When Whiskeyjack wonders if Laseen will let him, Dujek says they shouldn’t let her make the decision. Whiskeyjack asks if he should drown like Crust and Urko, or be seen killed then have his body vanish like Dassem. He adds one day he’ll force the truth about them from Duiker. Dujek asks if Quick Ben has heard from Kalam and Whiskeyjack says not that he knows of. As he rises to leave (noting his aching leg) he asks about the Black Moranth and Dujek says they’ll arrive in two days. Before he leaves, Dujek tells him Tayschrenn wants to apologize and has been waiting for the “proper moment.” They say good night.

Korlat is waiting outside Whiskeyjack’s tent and they enter together. Whiskeyjack asks if she’s found Silverfox and she tells him no; Silverfox travels paths Korlat didn’t even know existed. Korlat was escorted back by two Ay, creatures she confesses disturb her greatly, even more than the T’lan Imass do: “There is, within the T’lan Imass, an emptiness... Within these wolves, I see sorrow. Eternal sorrow.” As she speaks, Whiskeyjack thinks what she sees in the Ay is the same he sees in her—”it is the reflection—the recognition—that has shaken you so.” She tells him when she watched them fall into dust, “I don’t know why, but that disturbed me more than anything else.” His response is only inside his mind: “Because it is what awaits all of us. Even you.” He tells her forget it and come to bed, especially as it will be awhile before they can do this again. She says Crone has returned from scouting and then stops before saying more that she clearly wanted to. Whiskeyjack guesses it is about how the cities in the Domin are all empty, and yet the armies are dividing and marching separately anyway, though neither would admit why. Whiskeyjack wonders where Moon’s Spawn is (the Moranth have been searching for it), if the Malazans will arrive to find Coral taken and the Seer killed by Dragnipur. And he thinks then that the Malazans have their own secrets, such as their plan to send Paran and the Bridgeburners ahead and “a lot more than that.” He tells Korlat she matters more to him than anyone or anything and she tells him not to apologize for what has yet to happen. The Paran watches Quick Ben finish a conversation with Haradas (the Trygalle mage). When Quick Ben rejoins him, Paran tells him “the sappers will howl,” and Quick responds that he’ll talk to Hedge: “After all, Fiddler’s closer than a brother to him, and with the mess that Fid’s got into (the events at the close of DG) he needs all the help he can get. The only question is whether the Trygalle can deliver the package in time.” Paran asks if it was more than munitions and Quick Ben says yes, he added a little something due to the desperation of the situation in Seven Cities. Kruppe joins them, having “overheard,” and tells them the people of Darujhistan would like to contribute. He drops a ball that releases a bhok’arala messenger from Baruk. Quick Ben says he’d be happy to accept, but has to wonder what motivates Baruk. The Bhok’arala spits out “Great! Danger! Azath! Icarium! More! Coltaine! Admire! Allies! Yes!” They are interrupted by a female rider who asks to speak with Paran in private. She is the Destriant of the Grey Swords and wants to claim Anaster to let Itkovian take his pain. At first Paran says the Malazans won’t release him to torture, and when she explains what she wants to do, while admitting Anaster will think it is torture because he feels he has nothing but his pain, Paran says she can have him with “his blessing.” She staggers physically at that, telling Paran “There was weight to your use of that word... you would be well advised to, uh, exercise caution in the future.” As she leaves, Paran thinks to himself: “Take it as a warning and nothing more. You did nothing to Anaster—you don’t even know the man. A warning, and you’ll damn well heed it.” Back to top

Chapter Twenty-Two

As Toc listens, the Seerdomin tells the Seer the Matron is getting worse and that Toc cannot walk anymore. Toc thinks to himself, “there is a wolf... trapped in this cage—my chest, these bones... The wolf cannot call... call... To whom? I’d rested my hand once on her furred shoulder... So close, traveling in step, yet not awakened... such tragic ignorance.” The Seerdomin warns that if Toc is returned to the Matron she will kill him and the Seer becomes angered at the Seerdomin’s impertinence. The Seer asks a bystander—the Septarch Ultentha—who tells the Seer to relieve Toc of his horror, but the Seer refuses: “He is mine! He is Mother’s! She needs him—someone to hold—she needs him!” The Seer threatens to kill them if they persist, then tells them to leave Toc there and asks for reports. Ultentha discusses defense plans. The Seer says he wants Brood’s hammer, Brood dead, Malazans wiped out, and Itkovian delivered as replacement for Toc. The Seer wonders why the armies remain divided despite the Ravens having discovered the empty cities. When the Septarch discusses disease, the Seer says the Domin soldiers will be protected by Poliel, though he cannot say why she does so when the Seerdomin asks. Toc, somewhat crazed, laughs and the Seer wants to know what amuses him. Toc tells him Dujek’s army is the deadliest one in the Empire and it is coming for him, something the Matron senses if the Seer does not. The Seer says the Matron does not fear the Malazans, but is frightened by the ancient terror of Moon’s Spawn. Not Rake and the Andii, who co-opted the flying keep and, according to the Seer, don’t know close to all its abilities, but by the memories it brings up of the K’chain Nah-rhuk—the Short-Tails—who waged war on the K’chain Che’Malle. He says her fears are instinctual and groundless as Moon’s Spawn is nowhere near, possibly even destroyed. His condors have searched for it and found nothing. The Seer says he is breaking all of Toc’s faiths one by one, until all he has left is hope the Seer is merciful. The Seer commands the Seerdomin to return Toc and when he brings him back, he tells Toc the Matron’s chain does not allow her to reach the entire room and he will put Toc out of reach, bring him food, water, and a blanket, saying the Seer will be too distracted to notice. When Toc says, “He will have you devoured,” Seerdomin replies, “I was devoured long ago.” Toc says he is sorry to hear that and the Seerdomin is moved by Toc’s compassion. Toc asks if ice still chokes the sea and the Seerdomin says some “unexpected twist” has cleared the harbor, though there is still ice and raging storms out in the bay.

Envy and Lanas speak on the Meckros City, now roughly 20 leagues from Coral Envy thinks. When Envy mentions Tool, Lanas says she saw him only once, when he spoke out against the ritual. When Envy says Lanas must hate him, she replies no, they merely disagreed and he acquiesced to the majority. Lanas adds that it is typically thought that “truth is proved by weight of numbers. That what the many believe to be right, must be so. When I see Onos T’oolan once more, I will tell him: he was the one who was right.” Envy mentions she’d been wondering why the Seguleh haven’t challenged Lanas and tell the T’lan that it turns out Seguleh will not fight women unless attacked. She warns Lanas therefore not to do so, saying Tool had some trouble with Senu and Thurule and was probably evenly matched by Mok. When Envy continues, complaining about how Garath is still angry with her, Lanas says it is because “the ay has awakened.” Envy says she’s aware of that, and that she feels bad for the wolf-gods: “an eternity alone.” Lanas asks who granted the ay this “edged gift” and Envy answers: “A misguided sibling who’d thought he was being kind... had found the goddess, terribly damaged by the Fall, and needed a warm-blooded place to lay her spirit so that it could heal.” When Lanas says Envy’s sibling has a “misplaced sense of mercy,” Envy agrees.

At Lest, Korlat watches as Crone angrily reports to Kallor, telling him “You still do not grasp the gravity of this! Fool! Ox! Where is Anomander Rake?... I must speak with him—warn him... [that] unknown sorcery lies within those abominable vultures [the Seer’s condors].” When she says the Ravens are being kept away from Coral and that the Seer is preparing, Kallor says of course they are. Crone demands to know where Moon’s Spawn is and when nobody answers, she panics, telling Korlat Rake has failed and “taken three-quarters of the Tiste Andii with him!” Brood asks what is happening with the Malazans and she says they’re close to Setta. Kallor takes their unexpected pace as a sign of deception. Brood tells Crone to keep an eye on Dujek’s army and to have faith in Rake. Korlat’s attention wanders and she realizes it has been doing that a lot lately, that her only concern centers on Whiskeyjack, whom she loves. She recalls the first time she saw him, riding to the parley and how he’d caught her eye even then. She is still stunned that Rake calls him “friend,” something she has known him to do with only one other—Brood—with whom he had forged such close ties of friendship over centuries and then millennia, unlike the speed of his friendship with Whiskeyjack. She thinks they share something of spirit, though she admits she cannot see it: “Anomander Rake cannot be reached out to, cannot be so much as touched—not his true self. I have never known what lies behind my Lord’s eyes. I have but sensed its vast capacity—but not the flavor of all that it contains. But Whiskeyjack... while I cannot see all that is within him, I can see the cost of containment. The bleeding but not the wound. And I can see his strength.” Crone continues bemoaning the state of things, wondering where Silverfox and the Mhybe are, why the Grey Swords and Gruntle’s legion march so far behind the rest, why the Malazans were so quick to divide the army, where Rake is, and even if the Andii are alive. The Itkovian and Gruntle watch two scouts approach to make a report to the Shield Anvil and Destriant. Stonny tells them they’re dumb for watching and wondering and she rides off to find out what the report is about. As the two men wait for her return, Itkovian muses on how Gruntle—with his indifference to discipline or a sense of hierarchy and the way he despises anything military—is his total opposite. Stonny returns and tells them Bauchelain and Broach’s carriage is riding behind them. When he asks about Buke and she says he isn’t there, Gruntle rides off toward the necromancers. Stonny asks Itkovian to go with him. As they ride, Itkovian tells Gruntle he once offered to take Buke’s burden but he refused. Gruntle says Itkovian should have done it anyway, as the new Shield Anvil did with Anaster, who now rides beside her, though Itkovian says he is “but a shell. There was naught else within him but pain. It’s taking has stolen his knowledge of himself,” and asks if that’s really what Gruntle would want for Buke. They reach the necromancers’ carriage and when Gruntle questions him, Reese tells him Buke flew away, which calms Gruntle. Bauchelain steps out and asks what they want, warning them he’s short-tempered. Gruntle says they got what they wanted and before they leave, Itkovian asks Bauchelain why he doesn’t do something for Reese’s toothache. Bauchelain sighs and says he’ll tell Broach to get ready for another surgery, upbraiding Reese for this being the third tooth he’s broken eating olives. Reese turns white and begs no more surgery. Gruntle and Itkovian ride away. When Itkovian asks why Gruntle is laughing, Gruntle tells him Reese will curse him forever, because sometimes the cure is worse than the disease.

Inside Hood’s temple, Coll and Murillio wait while Death’s Knight prepares the Mhybe’s place. Coll thinks depressing thoughts. A poet’s snippet: “The world spins about us unseen. The blind dance in circles. There’s no escaping what you are, and all your dreams glittered white at night but grey in the light of day.” Of Simtal telling him she was pregnant before she’d destroyed his earlier life, though he does not know if there actually had been a child, and if so, what happened to it. He asks Murillio who tells him there were rumors and he thinks she had a child and sent it away. They didn’t tell Coll because he was a drunk and a wreck. Coll says he’ll have Baruk help him find the child. Murillio tells him he can’t just claim it out of whoever’s house the child is in, plus he says Coll can’t raise a child, though he could be a “hidden benefactor.” The Knight returns and leads them to a large hole in the room’s center where the Mhybe will go, and it looks like a sarcophagus to Coll and Murillio.

The Mhybe dreams. The tundra and hunters have disappeared and she wanders “desolation... no grasses underfoot, no sweet cool wind. The hum of the blackflies was gone... The sky overhead was colorless, devoid of cloud or even sun.” She is weakening and feels she will soon dissolve. She thinks now that “nothing had been as it had seemed—it had all been something different, something secret, a riddle she’d yet to work out. And now it was too late. Oblivion had come for her... Perhaps those visions had been the products of her own mind after all.” She comes across a towering mass of bones, “a cage of ribs, each rib scarred, knotted with malignant growths... Between each bone, sing was stretched, enclosing whatever was within.” She wonders if it is her heart inside and wants to flee, but the “it” inside senses her, “demanded that she stay... that she come closer... touch... then it began to pull. And the land beneath her shifted, tilted... the ribs were no ribs no longer. They were legs. And skin was not skin. It had become a web. And she was sliding.” Back to top

Chapter Twenty-Three

Paran and Picker await the return of a scouting group into Setta. Quick Ben joins them and tells Paran Twist’s infection is worsening and he’ll probably only live a few weeks. Antsy reports Setta is empty save for big piles of human bones from feasts and huge condor’s nests on the towers. Paran says they’re bypassing Maurik (which had been the plan) and heading for Coral. Antsy says the sappers are worried about being undersupplied with munitions, especially since Quick Ben sent a bunch to Fiddler. Picker says if what they have isn’t enough, more won’t make much difference. Paran dismisses the group to prepare. Twist arrives and asks Paran if he blessed the Barghast gods. Paran says not yet, but he “acknowledges their place in the pantheon.” When asked why he wants to know, Twist says he wants to know what will happen to his soul. Paran asks what caused the split between Barghast and Moranth, and Twist says the Moranth do not fear or resist change and the Barghast must come to accept that change and growth are necessary for life. He says they have to learn what the Moranth did long ago when rather than fight the Tiste Edur they spoke to them, and learned they were as lost, as tired of war, as ready for peace as the Moranth. Paran asks who the Edur are and Twist explains the “Children of the Shattered Warren. A fragment had been discovered in the vast forest of the Moranth that would become our new homeland. Kurald Emurlahn, the true face of Shadow... The last of them are gone now from Moranth Wood, long gone, but their legacy is what has made us as we are... We did not slay the Tiste Edur. In Barghast eyes, that is our greatest crime.” When Moranth wonders if the Elder spirits—the newly become gods—feel the same way, Paran says they’ve had a lot of time to think: “Sometimes that’s all that’s needed. The heart of wisdom is tolerance, I think.” Twist replies that Paran, then, must be proud. He adds that he thinks the Malazan Empire is “wise” and he wishes it and Paran well. As he watches Twist leave, Paran thinks to himself: “Tolerant. Maybe. Keep that word in mind, Ganoes—there’s a whisper that it will prove the fulcrum in what’s to come.”

Kruppe rides (or is carried by his mule) into the Barghast tent. Hetan asks if he’s noticed something odd about the Malazan numbers, that they seem to be pretending there are more soldiers in the camps than there really are. She also tells Kruppe that she plans on bedding him soon, and then gives him some advice on his mule: “Settle in that saddle as if it were a horse, for it believes itself to be so... Its eyes never rest—have you not noticed? This is the most alert beast this world has ever seen, and don’t ask me why.”

The two marines who had been watching Silverfox ask to rejoin their company and Whiskeyjack says no. When they leave, Artanthos remarks that Dassem’s command style—letting soldiers think, question, argue—sometimes comes back to bite you. Whiskeyjack answers it is why the Malazan armies are the best. Looking at the army, Whiskeyjack realizes they are tired from too many forced quick marches and he’ll have to pace them for Coral. He reports to Dujek the army is tired. The two discuss how the army is dividing—by tonight they’ll each command (separately) roughly half the army. When Whiskeyjack says he’s the one who should fly out tonight due to the risk involved, Dujek says Whiskeyjack is and has always been more important to the army. He tells Whiskeyjack that Seven Cities is in full rebellion and that the Adjunct is going with an army but it will be too late for the Malazans already there. Laseen, he adds, has only two commanders who know anything about Seven Cities and one veteran army—so she knows Dujek is the one to risk in the Pannion war. Whiskeyjack is shocked Laseen might send the Host to Seven Cities and Dujek replies that if the Adjunct falls, what choice does she have? He adds Laseen wants Whiskeyjack to command it while she either thinks Dujek won’t survive the Pannion war or perhaps she’ll send him to the campaign in Korel, which isn’t going well. Whiskeyjack reiterates his intention to retire and when Dujek fondly mocks Whiskeyjack’s vision of domestic bliss and asks if Korlat would settle for that, Whiskeyjack says it’s her idea. Dujek says fine, he’ll take the army to Seven Cities. He asks if Whiskeyjack will share “one last meal” with him and when both realize how that sounds, explains he meant, “One last meal before I leave, I meant.”

Paran flies over the approach to Coral, thinking on their task to figure out the Seer’s preparations and deal with them, “and once that’s done, it’ll be time for me and Quick Ben... ” His thought is interrupted by the discovery of some dead creature on the river bank. Paran at first takes the corpse as a Tiste Andii, but upon examination Quick Ben says he doesn’t thinks so as his skin is too pale. He says the death looks like something caused by a spell of Serc that uses huge pressure to burst the body from the inside out. The Moranth captain identifies the corpse as a Tiste Edur. The captain and Quick Ben agree on several points: the Edur he didn’t die in this spot, didn’t drown and wasn’t killed by sorcery. The Moranth says the Blue Moranth are seafolk and sometimes bring up fish from deep trenches that arrive dead already from the change in pressure. He says the Edur died from the opposite—killed by suddenly appearing in a place of great pressure. Quick Ben agrees and says there is a nearby deep trench in the middle of the river. Paran says that means the Edur opened a warren and stepped into the trench, which seems a complicated way to commit suicide. Quick Ben points out Paran is assuming the Edur intended to appear in the trench or was the one who opened the warren, saying one way to kill someone is to shove them through a portal into a bad place—he thinks the Edur was murdered that way, most likely by a High Mage of Ruse—the Path of the Sea. He calls it the hardest warren to master and says there isn’t a true Ruse High Mage in all the empire. The Moranth says they have none either. Paran interrupts that he just got a hunch that the Edur was killed by another Edur. The three discuss the warren of Shadow. The Moranth says it was broken and “lost to mortals” to which Quick Ben, says “never found you mean.” They agree where Shadowthrone and Cotillion are—Meanas—is “naught but a gateway”, prompting Paran to say, “If a shadow could cast a shadow, that shadow would be Meanas... Shadowthrone rules the guardhouse?” Paran says that’s a “disturbing” idea, and thinks, “The Hounds of Shadow—they are the guardians of the gate... But the warren is also shattered. Meaning that gate might not lead anywhere. Or maybe it belongs to the largest fragment. Does Shadowthrone know the truth?” Quick Ben says he understands why Paran finds it disturbing: “The Tiste Edur are active once more... returning to the mortal-world—perhaps they’ve reawakened the true Throne of Shadow and maybe they’re about to pay their new gatekeeper a visit. Paran wonders if it means “another war in the pantheon.” He moves off and puts himself back in the Azath map room. He decides he wants not the Deck of Dragons but the “Elder Deck, the Deck of Holds.” He transports to the Throne of Shadow and is surprised to find it is in his own world: “A small, tattered fragment of Kurald Galain and the Tiste Edur have come to find it. They’re searching, crossing the seas, seeking this place.” Shadows tell him “The wandering isle. Wanders not. Flees. Yes! The Children are corrupted, the souls of the Edur are poisoned! Storms of madness we elude! Protect us!” Paran realizes he is on Drift Avalii and says he thought there were Tiste Andii there. The Shadows say they’ve left: “Sworn to defend! Spawn of Anomander Rake—gone! Leaving a blood trail, leading the Edur away with the spilling out of their own lives—oh, where is Anomander Rake? They call for him, they call and call! They beg his help!... The Edur have sworn to destroy Mother Dark. You must warn him! Poisoned souls, led by the one who has been slain a hundred times, oh, ware this new Emperor of the Edur, this Tyrant of Pain, this Deliverer of Midnight Tides!” Paran pulls himself out, back to the map chamber, then into Dragnipur. He calls out for Draconus who joins him. Paran says he meant to find Rake and Draconus says Paran found Rake’s sword instead. When Paran says he talked to Nightchill but doesn’t have time to discuss it—he has to talk to Rake—Draconus agrees and says Paran needs to explain the truth to Rake—that Rake is “too merciful to wield Dragnipur. The situation is growing desperate.” Paran asks what he means and Draconus says: “Dragnipur needs to feed.” Too many that pull the wagon are failing and being thrown into the wagon, which makes the burden heavier and slower: “Tell Rake—he must take souls. Powerful ones, preferably. And he must do so soon.” He tells Paran to use his Master’s vision to see what pursues the wagon. Paran sees “Chaos... a storm such as he had never seen before. Rapacious hunger poured from it... Lost memories. Power born from rendered souls. Malice, and desire, a presence almost self-aware, with hundreds of thousands of eyes fixed on the wagon... so eager to feed.” Draconus tells him: “Darkness has ever warred against Chaos... ever retreated. And each time that Mother Dark relented—to the Coming of Light, to the Birth of Shadow—her power has diminished, the imbalance growing more profound. Such was the state... in those early times... Chaos approached the very gate to Kurald Galian itself. A defense needed to be fashioned. Souls were required... Chaos hungers for the power in those souls—for what Dragnipur has claimed... such power will make it stronger... sufficient to breach the Gate. Look to your mortal realm... civilization-destroying wars, civil wars, pogrom, wounded and dying gods—... your kind progress... on the path forged by Chaos. Blinded by rage, lusting for vengeance, those darkest of desires... Memories—of humanity, of all that is humane—are lost.” Paran says how can Draconus want Paran to shatter the sword. Draconus answers he has realized over time he spent in the sword that he had made a “grave error.” He says he believed “only in Darkness could the power that is order be manifested. I sought to help Mother Dark—for it seemed she was incapable of helping herself. She would not answer, she would not even acknowledge her children... we could not find her... Before the Houses, there were Holds. Before Holds, there was wondering... but not wandering but migration. A seasonal round—predictable, cyclical. What seemed aimless, random, was in truth fixed, bound to its own laws. A truth—a power—I failed to recognize.” He tells Paran breaking the sword will return the Gate to its migration, to “what gave it strength to resist Chaos.” The sword forced the Gate of Darkness to flight for eternal, but if the souls in the sword weaken/diminish, it cannot flee. He says Rake needs to send more souls to bide time to shatter Dragnipur. He says he’s learned something else as well since he forged the sword: “Just as Chaos possess the capacity to act in its own defense, to indeed alter its own nature to its own advantage in its eternal war, so too can Order. It is not solely bound to Darkness.” Paran guess he’s referring to the Azath Houses and the Deck an Draconus says “The Houses take souls and bind them in place. Beyond the grasp of Chaos.” When Paran says what’s it matter then if Darkness falls, Draconus replies: “Losses and gains accumulate, shift the tide, but not always in ways that redress the balance. We are in an imbalance that approaches a threshold. This war... may come to an end. What awaits us all, shout that happen... well, mortal, you have felt its breath, there in our wake.” He says Paran must tell Rake this, assuming he is still carrying the sword, which makes Paran wonder what is implied by that idea. Paran goes back to the Azath and tries to find Rake but cannot. He falls unconscious.

He awakes to find Mallet taking care of him. Quick Ben tells Paran they’ve seen several Condors searching, Paran says they aren’t looking for the Malazans; they’re searching for Moon’s Spawn. When Quick asks how you hide something the size of Moon’s Spawn, Paran tells him he sought Rake through the deck and couldn’t find him; he thinks they’ve lost the Andii, that Rake is gone.

The other half of the Malazan army passes through Setta. Hetan makes it clear she has been bedding Kruppe for several days. Kruppe says he can’t take much more.

Picker looks out onto Coral Bay while Paran and Quick Ben meet with the squad mages Spindle, Shank, Toes, and Bluepearl. Mallet tells her the mages are nervous about the condors and Paran’s news about Rake. He also thinks Quick Ben and Paran have some secret plan, another mission Dujek doesn’t know about, though he implies Whiskeyjack does, and his squad, especially Hedge and Trotts.

Brood’s army is becoming stretched on the way to Maurik, with the Grey Swords and Gruntle’s legion lagging behind, becoming a rear guard. Itkovian has been enjoying his time with Stonny and Gruntle, but feeling more and more an outsider with regard to the Grey Swords. He feels bad for the new Shield Anvil, bearing the burden of the position without the veteran support Itkovian had via Brukhalian and Karnadas. Gruntle tells him Itkovian’s sense of guilt reminds him of Buke, but Itkovian says the difference is “the notion of redemption. I accept torment, such as it is for me, and so acknowledge responsibility for all that I have and have not done. As Shield Anvil, my faith demanded that I relieve others of their pain... bring peace to souls... without judgment.” When Stonny asks whom he gives the souls to now that Fener is gone, Itkovian says he still carries them. Stonny is angered the new Shield Anvil, who has a god, hasn’t taken them and Itkovian tells her the Shield Anvil offered, but she isn’t ready or strong enough, nor is her god. He says it’s up to him “I must find a means... of redeeming them. As my god would have done... I must.” They’re interrupted by High Marshal Straw, of the Mott irregulars, who asks where they are marching to and why so fast. Gruntle says Brood is trying to beat the Malazans to Maurik and the Malazans are going quickly for uncertain reasons. Straw says he knows—they have spies with the Malazans—and tells them the Black Moranth are flying whole companies away and that Whiskeyjack’s group is building barges at Maurik River. When asked why he hasn’t told Brood, Straw replies he and the Bole brothers think Brood’s forgotten about them and that Kallor, who had ordered them to go away before the march, has been preventing their people from speaking to Brood. He mentions they’re all getting antsy and even thinking of taking on Bauchelain and Broach. When Gruntle warns they’re necromancers, Straw tells a story of how the Bole brothers killed one back in Mott Woods. Itkovian asks if they should tell Brood about the Malazans and Stonny says what it’s matter, just means Brood’s army will have fewer days to wait at Maurik. Itkovian wonders what he’s doing, why he feels “indifferent, empty of concern” and wonders if he is “done. Finally done.”

Hetan is complaining about her third day on the barge. Whiskeyjack says another day and they should be at Maurik. Taur asks if he thinks Brood knows and Whiskeyjack says at least partially, noting they have Mott Irregulars with them so they know what the spies know. He tells how the Irregulars were created by the Malazans when they pushed into Mott Woods, where the Irregulars defeated both the Malazans and Gold Moranth several times until Dujek just pulled out, but by then Brood had heard and so recruited them. Taur says one day the Empire will march on the White Face Range and when Whiskeyjack says he doubts it, Taur asks if the Barghast aren’t worthy enough foes. Whiskeyjack tells him “We have treated with you and the Malazan Empire takes such precedents seriously. You will be met with respect and offers to establish trade, borders, and the like—if you so desire. If not, the envoys will depart and that will be the last you ever see of the Malazans until such time as you decide otherwise.” Taur calls them “strange conquerors” and asks why they’re even here on Genabackis. Whiskeyjack says, “We’re here to unify, and through unification grow rich. We’re not selfish about getting rich, either.” Taur asks if they really only care about silver and Whiskeyjack answers “There’s more than one kind of wealth... Meeting the White Face clans of the Barghast is one such reward. Diversity is worth celebrating, Humbrall Taur, for it is the birthplace of wisdom.” The last is a quote from Duiker, whom Whiskyjack says speaks for the Empire “in the best of times.” When Hetan complains of sea sickness again, Taur suggests perhaps she is pregnant.

Korlat rides through Maurik, while Brood, Kallor, and the others ride around. She thinks if Rake is OK, she’ll have to end her service with him, after fourteen thousand years. Then she realizes it will be suspending it, rather than ending it, as Whiskeyjack has only a mortal’s lifespan. If Rake is dead, she’ll be the ranking commander, though only of the dozen or so Andii left—those in Brood’s army. She has already decided she’ll simply free them to their desires. She realizes she doesn’t have the strength or personality Rake has used to unify the Andii. She wonders about all the tasks he has set the Andii to: The disparate causes in which he chose to engage himself and his people were, she had always assumed, each a reflection upon a single theme—but that theme and its nature had ever eluded Korlat... wars... enemies, allies, victories and losses. A procession through centuries that seemed random not just to her, but to her kin as well... Perhaps Anomander Rake was equally lost. Perhaps this endless succession of cause reflects his own search. I had all along assumed a single goal—to give us a reason to exist, to take upon ourselves the nobility of others—others for whom the struggle meant something... Why do I now believe that, if a theme does indeed exist, it is something other? Something far less noble... For despair is the nemesis of the Tiste Andii. How often have I seen my kin fall on the field of battle and have known... They died because they had chosen to die. Slain by their own despair. Does Anomander Rake lead us away from despair—is that his only purpose...? Is his a theme of denial? If so... he was right in seeking to keep us from ever realizing his singular, pathetic goal... To choose not to share what I had seen as arrogance, as patronizing behavior... ah Lord, you held to the hardest mercy. And if despair assails us, it assails you a hundredfold... I must needs find the strength... to hide the truth from my kin... Oh Whiskeyjack... The world holds no paradise for you and me... All I can offer is that you join me... [and] that it will, for you, be enough.

Brood, Kallor, Korlat’s second and brother Orfantal, are joined by Korlat as they await the Malazan barges. Korlat marvels at the number of them built so quickly and thinks the Black Moranth must have been involved and that Dujek and Whiskeyjack had planned this for some time. When they land, Brood asks where the rest of the army is. Whiskeyjack says they couldn’t build enough boats so Dujek took half via the Black Moranth to Coral. Kallor and Whiskeyjack insult each other again, then Brood accuses the Malazans of deception. Whiskeyjack answers that since Brood’s group had some secret plan with Rake and Moon’s Spawn, they “started it.” Brood says Moon’s Spawn wasn’t meant to attack Coral alone and gain an advantage on their allies; it was meant to be used in unified effort. Whiskeyjack replies their secret is the same—the Bridgeburners are trying to find out what preparations the Pannion has made while Dujek and his six thousand are following to destroy whatever the Bridgeburners find. Brood sees immediately that Dujek is undermanned and tells Whiskeyjack the Malazans might lose half their army, to which Whiskeyjack says he knows which is why he’s planning on making for Coral with all speed. Kallor suggests letting Dujek get wiped out, especially as the Malazans set themselves up for it. When Korlat calls the idea petty and emotionally motivated, Kallor says of course she’d side with her lover. She says not if his ideas were bad, which is what makes her different from Kallor. She advises Brood to hurry to Coral to relieve Dujek, saying a five-day quick march will do it. Kallor says the army would arrive tired and so they should take eight days. Whiskeyjack says he doesn’t care what they do; he and the Malazans are leaving and hurrying. Korlat asks Brood if he trusts the Andii and he says of course. She then says they will join the Malazans (and the Barghast that are with them). If there is trouble or betrayal, she or Orfantal can take dragon form and return to inform Brood. Kallor insults Korlat again and Orfantal almost comes to blows with him. Brood tells Kallor he trusts the Andii far more than Kallor, whose loyalty he begins to wonder about, and Kallor warns him “beware your fears... lest you make them come true,” though he backs down to Brood. Before leaving, Orfantal tells Kallor he thinks one day he will “come for you.” Korlat and Whiskeyjack share a look of love.

Gruntle and Itkovian wait to cross the river (well after the Malazans). As Brood settles to camp, Gruntle wonders at the different pace of the two armies. Gruntle speaks to High Marshal Sty, who tells him while discussing the barges that Whiskeyjack was once apprenticed as a mason. While Gruntle is trying to convince a Rhivi herder to let his group cross first, Sty knocks out a Rhivi guard and steals a pile of dung.

Whiskeyjack and the others slog onward through rain, two days still to Coral. He looks forward to some time with Korlat later. She and the Andii are trying to use Kurald Galain, trying to purge it of the CG’s poison before battle. He thinks she is different in her command role: “some bleak resolve has hardened all that was within her. Perhaps it was the possible death of Anomander Rake... perhaps it was their future paths they had so naively entwined without regard for the harsh demands of the real world.” He is certain Rake is not dead or lost, trusting utterly he will be there at the attack on Coral simply because he had said he would. As he watches the storm come to an end, he thinks he is pushing the army too hard, and admits to himself he was more shaken by Brood’s loss of faith and unwillingness to march with them than he let on to others. He wonders if this was all a “fatal” mistake.

Kallor watches muddy water flow always south and even uphill, and thinks it is the T’lan Imass: “so you march with us after all. No, understand, I am pleased.” He goes to Brood and says he was wrong; they should have gone to relieve Dujek. While Brood will have to wait to morning to speed up, Kallor says he will go now and offer his experience: “I have walked this land when the T’lan Imass were but children. I have commanded armies a hundred thousand strong. I have spread the fire of my wrath across entire continents and sat alone upon tall thrones. Do you grasp the meaning of this?” Brood’s answer: “Yes. You never learn, Kallor.” When Brood continues, saying the Malazans seem to be doing fine without Kallor, Kallor tells him he hasn’t been defeated with his blade drawn in a hundred thousand years. Not so impressed, Brood notes that Kallor is always very choosy about whom he draws that blade on, pointing out he hasn’t challenged Rake, Dassem, Greymane, the Seguleh First. Kallor says he won’t have to worry about any of them. Though Brood is a bit surprised and suspicious perhaps by Kallor’s newfound “zeal,” he gives him permission to go. Kallor leaves, smiling.

Envy’s group finally lands. Lanas Tog says a group of about 20-50 walked here four days earlier, heading for Coral. She adds they were tracked by a predator—a large cat. They move toward Coral.

Paran and the Bridgeburners have discovered trenches and tunnels filled with weapons—preparations for defense. They’ve spotted a group of 400 or so Pannions coming to stand guard in the command tunnel area. Paran tells Spindle to rig the tunnels to blow if the Bridgeburners get pushed out, then use the rest to booby-trap the approach to the tunnels and also make it appear as if there are a lot more Malazans than the 40 of them. The mage cadre says they’ll take out the sorcerer with the Pannions. They see the other plans.

A little later, Paran is watching the Malazan mages at work as the Pannions approach. Shank takes out the Pannion sorcerer, the sappers (Hedge, Spindle, others) toss munitions, setting afire trees they’d drenched in oil, and the Pannions trapped there. Paran thinks, “We’re not a friendly bunch, are we?” Looking at Quick Ben, Paran thinks he sees a tiny stick figure, but it disappears and he thinks he’s just seeing things. The fire starts to go out and the screams have stopped. Paran looks at the corpses and thinks: “if Hood has reserved a pit for his foulest servants, then the Moranth who made these munitions belong in it. And us, since we’ve used them. This was not battle. This was slaughter.” Mallet joins them and says Dujek is arriving via Black Moranth bringing in waves of soldiers. Paran says good, anticipating the Pannion sending a stronger force to retake the tunnels now that he knows the Malazans are there. Back to top

Chapter Twenty-Four

Coll watches as two masked priests-Rath’Togg and Rath’Fanderay—approach the temple of Hood. He is joined by Rath’Shadowthrone. Murillio and Baudin let the two priests into the temple and when Rath’Shadowthrone is about to join Coll in going in, Coll punches him, knocking him unconscious so he won’t spy. Coll enters to see everyone sitting/standing around the Mhybe’s prepared spot—all of them “waiting.”

Picker and Antsy’s squad are scouting out the gate into Coral. They watch 25-30,000 soldiers, a cadre of mages, and a Septarch exit heading for Dujek’s army. They hope the Seer won’t try to annihilate Dujek, but they fear it’s just what he’ll try to do, before any reinforcements show.

Quick Ben assembles his mages and tells them he’ll deal with most of the Seer’s sorcerers and they’ll handle whatever gets past him. But Dujek worries that’s not enough, and they are also low on munitions. He sees it as a choice between staying to take out 10, 000 or so of the enemy and possibly getting annihilated or just blowing the hillside and retreating. When Paran says that’s up to Dujek, Dujek says it isn’t and looks at Quick Ben. Quick thinks: “I made a promise to Burn. The captain and I had plans. To keep all that... we blow the entrenchments and scamper. But then again, I’m a soldier. A Bridgeburner... it’s more than a fair exchange. We make it for Whiskeyjack. For the siege to come. We save lives.” And he tells Dujek “it’s a fair exchange.” When Paran and Dujek leave, Quick Ben asks what Blend wants (meaning he can see her) and she tells him she picked up a charm that makes it hard for her to be noticed and maybe it can help Quick. He tells her to keep it and go back to her squad and keep an eye out for the condors. When she leaves, he laughs that her charm is a worthless piece of stone; it’s her inborn talent that keeps her unnoticed.

Picker’s squad watches the Pannion front line heading up the ramp toward the entrenchments, protected by their sorcerer’s magic. Picker thinks Quick Ben isn’t enough to handle this, that he’s been good in the past because he does it all in the shadows; he’s no Tattersail or Hairlock, she thinks. Demons suddenly appear among the legions and Blend tells Picker they’re illusions. Even so, because the soldiers believe, they are killed by the demons. The Seerdomin mages attack the “demons” and Quick Ben “kills” them off. The mages then send magic toward Quick Ben’s position and Blend worries he was killed. Another Quick Ben illusion kills some mages then the solders start to move into the trees alongside the ramp—heading for Picker’s squad.

Paran watches Quick Ben appear out of a warren, smoking from sorcerous attack. A messenger tells Paran the legions are heading up through the woods and Paran tells him to pass the word and also tell the soldiers to be aware that Picker’s squad will be coming up ahead of the Pannion soldiers. Quick Ben uses magic to pull up boulders and rocks from the ground, turn them red-hot, and send shadows among them—preparing an avalanche for the enemy. When the Seerdomin mages send waves of sorcery up ahead, Quick Ben opens a warren and redirects the magical attack against the Pannion soldiers. He then let’s loose the avalanche he’d prepared, killing lots of the enemy while avoiding the Malazans. Meanwhile, the sappers and regular soldiers are using munitions and arrows to kill even more. Then a wall of sorcery from a condor kills a lot of Malazans. The Black Moranth try to attack it but are wiped out. Quick Ben grabs Paran and tells him to draw the bird (as a card) on the ground. He does and Quick Ben “thumps” it with his fist and the condor drops to the ground. Quick and Paran go after it but when they’re attacked by another mage and Quick Ben takes them via warren into the river then out, Paran loses his sword. When they reach the condor, Paran pulls his dagger out and when Quick Ben uses an illusion to distract the condor, Paran stabs it but to no avail. He feels the hound rising in him and as Quick Ben watches, he sees “Paran almost invisible within a writhing, shadow-woven Hound. Not a Soletaken—not a veering—these are two creatures—man and beast—woven together somehow. And the power behind it—it’s Shadow. Kurald Emurlahn.” Paran kills the condor, though he is badly wounded and then falls unconscious.

Picker is amazed at all Quick Ben has done, thinking it was as if a “dozen High Mages had showed up to give him a hand... Or a god.” Blend appears and Picker tells her to collect the squad.

Paran wakes and Mallet tells him they survived and Dujek is assembling the army. Mallet says he was sent to heal him but Paran says take care of those who are worse off first. When Mallet objects that Dujek gave the order, Paran says, “I’ll carry my scars.” Paran goes to the command area where Dujek, Quick Ben, and Picker are. Dujek asks if Mallet found him and when Paran says yes, Dujek tells him he’ll be “seamed with scars.” Dujek then informs him that the Pannions retreated, probably because Whiskeyjack and Brood are coming fast. He then says the trenches are indefensible, he won’t get more Moranth killed by trying to send messages to the other armies (the condors are wiping out the Moranth fliers), and so he’s sending the Bridgeburners into Coral to breach a hole in the keep’s wall. They’re to pull out then. Dujek’s group will be coming in behind the Bridgeburners.

Korlat rides to Whiskeyjack, who asks her what Kallor had said upon arriving. She tells him he offered an apology from him and Brood, and the use of his sword and tactical wisdom. She says it “leaves me uneasy.” The two ride to a ridge overlooking Coral and look to the area where the battle of the entrenchments was fought (they saw flashes of sorcery from the battle). Whiskeyjack says that’s where he would have set up an army to deal with an incoming siege and Dujek must have messed up those plans. He thinks Dujek was driven back or is surrounded and says his army needs to pull the Seer’s attention away from Dujek and give him a chance to regroup. Korlat says the army is exhausted and he replies nonetheless—he wants them lined up on the ridge in clear sight. And asks that she and Orfantal take their dragon form. She says her brother wants to go to Dujek and maybe drive off the condors, but Whiskeyjack worries his presence will draw them and he’d rather have the two of them together to guard each other. Korlat says she and Orfantal are pretty formidable even alone, and Dujek has great need. She’ll stay and guard the Whiskeyjack’s army and Orfantal will fly to Dujek. Whiskeyjack says he worries about her and then asks her if she’s sensed Rake at all. She says no. As they turn away, they just miss sight of the Black Moranth taking the Bridgeburners into Coral.

The Bridgeburners get dropped off near the keep. On their way, they noticed a lot of condors on the roof. Hedge says the sappers can take them out and Paran orders them into position. They also plan to bring down a section of the wall. Paran thinks the sappers won’t be able to take out all the condors, and so wants Quick Ben to create another diversion by taking the two of them and Antsy’s group to the roof so the condors don’t attack Dujek’s army. He asks Quick Ben what the condors actually are and Quick speculates they were once actual condors but the Seer put chaos-aspected demons inside them so they are both demon and bird, with the demon having mastery. Paran asks which one does the flying and Quick Ben sees where he’s going. Toes uses his specialty and uses ghosts to carry grappling hooks/rope up to get the sappers into position. Undead K’Chain Che’Malle begin heading out of the keep’s gate towards where Dujek will be attacking. Paran orders Picker’s group to divert them. When he tells her to stay together, she says they’ll probably have to scatter to deal with the K’Chain. She and Paran make a bet on who will die first. Before leaving, she tells Paran “those knives at your back? They’ve been turned the other way for some time. Just wanted to let you know.” He thanks her. Quick Ben opens a Kurald Galain warren and takes them up to the keep’s roof behind the sleeping condors, a dozen of which suddenly exploded from Hedge’s sharpshooters. The others wake and rise to fly when Spindle opens his warren and the suddenly terrified condor-half of the possessed creatures start fighting with the demons for control of their body, letting the soldiers shoot them with crossbows. Then an entire tower is taken down by the sappers. The demons start to regain control of the condors (seemingly not too affected by the crossbows) and Paran’s group runs to the other side of the roof.

At the west wall, Tool takes shape and faces the wall. Rather than fall into dust and go over it or under, he decides he will announce his arrival by going through it.

Dujek’s second wave enters the city. Dujek watches as a wave of sorcery from three condors wipes out a thousand Black Moranth and five companies of his army. Hundreds of Moranth take down the condors via suicide attacks. He orders his men to take defensible buildings rather than aim for the keep and then sends a message to Twist asking him to make a single pass overhead, and warning him they probably won’t make it back, so he should keep a wing in reserve.

The condors on the keep roof are looking for Paran’s group but Quick Ben is managing to keep them hidden. They feel the keep wall being breached again, but not by munitions. Over the ice-filled bay, spouts are exploding and a storm seems to be forming. Paran’s group watches as a wing of Moranth drop heavy munitions on the city then are almost completely wiped out by a half-dozen condors. They worry the munitions may also have killed the Bridgeburners.

Picker’s group is down to twenty-two, with three of them possibly fatally wounded. They’re attacked by another K’Chain but before it can close on them, the wall explodes and another K’Chain falls through, destroyed. Tool steps out and takes out the K’Chain that was threatening Picker’s squad. He heads for the keep and Picker tells everyone to follow him.

Whiskeyjack’s army lines up before the field in front of the city. They had watched the battle and know Dujek is getting wiped out. As they look on, eight hundred K’Chain exit the gate. Korlat thinks how they’re going to get wiped out themselves to “occupy” the attention “for a time” of the K’Chain, so fewer are busy killing Dujek’s army. She thinks Brood’s group are too far behind, the Grey Swords closer but still too late, and Gruntle’s legion seems to have disappeared. She is not surprised the Seer is holding back 20 condors over the keep as the K’Chain are most likely more than enough. When she says the Andii will take first shot at the K’Chain, Kallor mocks her with the fact that the Andii warren is still poisoned and would require a full unveiling—”by all your kin, not just the ones here, to achieve a cleansing. Your brothers and sisters are about to be slaughtered.” She thinks Kallor knows too much of the Andii. Whiskeyjack looks to Artanthos, whose attention is fixed on the plain. The two marines appear and say they found Silverfox, and then the T’lan Imass army appears in front of the K’Chain Che’Malle. Silverfox heads toward Artanthos and then Kallor swings his sword at Korlat. She is struck and hits the ground, feeling a chaotic warren. She watches as Kallor charges toward Silverfox, chaotic magic surrounding him. Silverfox calls out for the Ay to defend her, but they do not appear. Whiskeyjack steps in front of her and engages Kallor. Kallor steps wrong and Whiskeyjack leans forward to stab him but his leg buckles and Kallor kills him. Kallor is shot by two crossbow bolts from the two marines, who then attack him, but are killed, though not before wounding him badly in the gut. He calls out for the Chained God to heal him. Korlat senses another warren, a “hot” one, opening and then sees Kallor attacked by sorcerous fire. Another warren opens and whisks Kallor away. Silverfox kneels over Korlat and tells her to hold on, that Brood is coming to heal her and that Orfantal, in dragon form, is approaching. Artanthos stands over her and Silverfox, identifying him as Tayschrenn, bitterly asks him if the “sorcery that accompanied Kallor’s betrayal was truly so efficacious as to leave you stunned for so long? Or did you hold back? Calculating your moments, observing the consequences of your inaction?” Tayschrenn answers, “Please. I would not,” and when Silverfox says, “Wouldn’t you?” replies “No.” Tayschrenn is badly wounded by chaos and Korlat knows it was more than she could have handled, knows Tayschrenn did not hold back, and thinks that he had done anything at all was “extraordinary.” She tells Silverfox to thank him for saving her life. Korlat thinks “He is yours, now. Hood. Do you smile? My love is yours.”

Itkovian’s mount is failing after Gruntle had woken him before dawn and told him something had gone wrong and they needed to get to Coral fast. Gruntle’s legion went on foot, using Trake’s power to go faster than Itkovian and Stonny could ride. When Itkovian asked what makes Gruntle so nervous, he tells Itkovian he thinks they’re going to be betrayed. He and his legion formed into a large tiger shape and speed away, with Stonny and Itkovian riding after. They reach Coral and arrive at the bottom of the hill where Whiskeyjack was killed, just after Itkovian was struck “with palpable force, a flood of raw pain, of immeasurable loss.” While Stonny and Gruntle head to the top of the hill, Itkovian moves toward the field where the T’lan Imass formed, feeling “cold horror. His god was gone. His god could not deflect it as it had once done... loss and sorrow such as he had never felt before. The truth... I am not yet done.” The T’lan Imass turn to face him.

Gruntle, feeling murderous and predatory, watches Orfantal appear from a warren with Brood and sees Stonny staring down at three corpses. Brood kneels to heal Korlat while Silverfox weeps. As he watches, Kruppe suddenly collapses and is caught by Hetan. Gruntle turns to see Itkovian move toward the T’lan Imass. Silverfox screams and begins running and Gruntle thinks he knows what Itkovian is saying to the Imass: “You are in pain. I would embrace you now.” Gruntle “feels his god’s horror, burgeoning to overwhelm his own—as the T’lan Imass made reply. Falling to their knees. Head bowing. Ah, Summoner. And now, it was far too late.” Back to top

Chapter Twenty-Five

In Hood’s temple back at Capustan, Coll watches as K’rul enters the temple and is welcomed by Baudin as The Knight of Death. When K’rul moves toward the Mhybe, Coll steps before him and says if K’rul plans on sacrificing her on the altar he’ll have to go through Coll. Murillio steps beside him in support. Hood, through Baudin, comments to K’rul on mortal “audacity,” which K’rul calls their most “admirable gift.” To which Hood responds, “Until it turns belligerent, perhaps. Then it is best answered by annihilation.” K’rul calls that’s Hood’s answer, implying it is not his own. He tells Coll and Murillio he is there to save the Mhybe, not kill her, and says due to events far to the south, it is time for her to “dream for real.”

Silverfox is motionless in shock: the T’lan Imass are “gone from her soul” after Itkovian’s embrace, the T’lan Ay have “abandoned” her, Whiskeyjack and her two marines are killed. She looks at the K’Chain Che’Malle and thinks the T’lan Imass will be unable to resist once the Hunters attack, thanks to Itkovian—”you noble fool.” She watches the Grey Swords and Gruntle’s legion prepare to attack, Tayschrenn preparing his warren, the dejected Malazans getting ready, Brood healing Korlat, and thinks it all for naught, as the they will all die at the hands of the Pannions. Despite that, she “had no choice. She would have to begin. Defy the despair, begin all that she had set in motion so long ago.” She disappears into her warren.

The Mhybe thinks she wasn’t ready to be a mother when it happened, thinks she could have said no to Kruppe, K’rul, the Imass. She believes everyone assumed that the mere fact that Silverfox was born of the flesh from the Mhybe like all other children, the maternal bond would be automatic and thinks they should not have made that assumption, and says Silverfox was not born “innocent,” but was born with purpose, out of pity rather than love. She feels now she is expected to act in this dreamworld, with “ancient gods, bestial spirits, a man imprisoned in pain,” and wonders if she and this man are akin to each other: “The beast waits for me—the man waits for me. We must reach out to each other. To touch, to give proof... we are not alone.” Realizing the cage of ribs must be broken from the outside, she begins to crawl toward it, refusing to “forsake” the man, “this brother of mine,” as she believes Silverfox has forsaken her.

Itkovian prepares to embrace the T’lan Imass, who had “twisted all the powers of the Warren of Tellann into a ritual that devoured their souls... left them—in the eyes of all others—as little more than husks, animated by a purpose they had set outside themselves, yet were chained to—for eternity.” But Itkovian knows they are not husks at all, and he feels their memories, a series of them (including some whom we’ve seen earlier): death, love, fear/distrust of the ritual, a realization that “there was no justice in this war. We’d left our gods behind, and knelt only before an altar of brutality.” Itkovian takes it all, but it is too much and he begins to fail. But before he does, Pran Chole tells him he can lead Itkovian to a place. Itkovian reaches out and a hand clasps his forearm.

The Mhybe crawls toward the cage, but then suddenly feels a huge weight, the air suddenly grows hot, and she knows something is happening.

The hand leads Itkovian “through a mindscape” whose land lies far below him. Pran Chole then tells him to “shed these memories. Free them to soak the earth... through you they can return life to a dying, desolate land... Memories belong in the soil, in stone, in wind. They are the land’s unseen meaning... old, almost shapeless echoes—to which a mortal life adds its own. Feed this dreamscape.”

The Mhybe watches clouds form in the sky, then something like rain or hail falls: “Each impact was explosive, something more than simply frozen rain. Lives. Ancient, long forgotten lives. And memories—All raining down. The pain was unbearable.” Kruppe appears and, sheltering her from the rain, begins dragging her forward: “Not much further dear lass. This storm—unexpected... yet wonderful. But you must not stop now. Here, Kruppe will help you.”

Silverfox in her dreamworld thinks how her intent had been to deny the T’lan Imass and Ay only for a “brief time, in which she would work to fashion the world that awaited them. The spirits that she had gathered, spirits who would serve that ancient people, become their gods—she had meant them to bring healing to the T’lan Imass, to their long-bereft souls. A world where her mother was young once more. A dreamworld, gift of K’rul. Gift of the Daru, Kruppe. Gift of love, in answer to all she had taken from her mother.” Now she grieves over all she lost, and the part that was Tattersail “keened with inconsolable grief” over Whiskeyjack, who had stepped in to protect her for all that she had turned away from him. She has lost the Imass, and thinks how she has been defeated by the courage of all around her: Whiskeyjack, Itkovian, Coll, Murillio, Tayschrenn. Then the sky changes and she looks up in disbelief.

The wolf batters against the cage of ribs and Toc feels the pain but also pain from outside, “a storm blistering the skin covering his ribs—yet it grew no stronger, indeed seemed to fade, as if with each wounding something was imparted to him, a gift... lost moments of wonder, of joy, of grief—a storm of memories.” He is suddenly pulled out of the dreamworld and is back to darkness and the sounds of the Matron shrieking and pulling at its chains, trying to reach for him. He can feel/hear the sounds of battle: screams, concussions, yells. Then light arrives and he sees the Matron and the Seer, the latter holding a “lizard’s egg, latticed in grey magic.” As he chants, “something exploded from the Matron’s body, a coruscation of power... snared by the web of sorcery... then drawn into the egg... the Finnest.” The Seer leaves, taking the Matron, and darkness falls again. Toc feels the wolf dying inside of him, trying to get out and failing. Then more sounds, silence, then a hand on his forehead. Tool announces himself “kin to Aral Fayle, to Toc the Younger,” and picks him up.

Picker’s group has followed Tool to the Keep but not inside, but then are forced into where Hedge’s group breached the Keep by the appearance of a K’Chain behind them. They find Hedge, Bluepearl and more Bridgeburners. Before they can do much of anything, Blend throws Picker forward as the K’Chain arrives faster than expected, forcing Hedge to toss his final cusser right at the ground at his and its feet. The explosion blows Picker and Blend through a doorway. She and the remaining Bridgeburners meet up with Envy, who asks if they’ve seen a T’lan or the Seguleh. After a moment’s confusion, she realizes the Imass they mention was Tool, not Lanas. She tells Picker her group is there to rescue Toc and says if they help her she’ll heal them. Picker agrees and has Envy start with the unconscious Blend. Baaljagg joins them.

Paran’s group can’t figure out what is causing all that screaming they hear from below or what is distracting the condors, but they can tell its an enemy to the Pannions so they take advantage of it by heading for a trapdoor leading off the roof (save for Paran and Quick Ben who stay behind).

Dujek’s army had held up well against the first few waves of K’Chain thanks to the munitions, but then they ran out and they began to be slaughtered. His own company has been destroyed. He is found by a soldier sent by Captain Hareb to look for Dujek. She tells him they are killing K’Chain thanks to Twist, who brought in more (the last) munitions and the sappers are using them to drop buildings on top of the Hunters. She starts to lead him to the squad.

The Grey Sword commanders asks if Gruntle will flank them as they attack, and Gruntle says no; his group will lead the attack and hers will follow as they aim for the gate, though they both know their attempt to relieve Dujek will fail. Tayschrenn sends a messenger saying he will deal with the mages on the wall while the Barghast and Andii, led by Orfantal, will help attack the K’Chain. Gruntle looks at his legion and thinks they are “Like D’ivers only in reverse. From many, to one—and such power!” He feels they will transform again for the battle: “his god seemed to possess a particular hatred for these K’Chain Che’Malle, as if Treach had a score to settle. The cold killer was giving way to bloodlust—a realization that left Gruntle vaguely troubled.” He looks up to the hill and sees Korlat rising beside Brood, and senses she is not fully healed, that “Brood’s warren suffers.” He can tell Tayschrenn is paying a price for the magic he will use. His legion forms again into the Tiger and they attack.

Korlat feels Kurald Galain flowing. Brood tells her they don’t have time for the army; she must find Rake and Moon’s Spawn—they need him. He asks if he is in the approaching storm cloud. But Korlat tunes him out, watches as Orfantal veers into dragon form while condors fly out to meet him, Gruntle’s legion attacks and loses people, Tayschrenn uses Telas to attack the Pannion sorcerers, and the Grey Swords come to Gruntle’s aid. Tayschrenn is struck by sorcery and falls to his knees and Brood again begs her to call to Rake. The storm cloud dissipated, revealing no Moon’s Spawn, and she tells Brood “Anomander Rake is no more,” feeling despair within herself and thinking “He is dead. He must be.” As she continues to watch, she sees Orfantal attacked by the condors. She tells Brood “this battle is lost. I fly to save Orfantal” and veers into dragon shape and heads to battle.

Brood watches as the K’Chain wade through Gruntle’s legion, the Grey Swords, the Malazans, the Barghast. Four Malazans appear and lay an unconscious Kruppe on the ground. The T’lan Imass, meanwhile, remain unmoving, kneeling before Itkovian, who is also kneeling. Looking at all the losses, Brood thinks “No choice. Burn, forgive me.” He raises his hammer, but before it falls, he freezes.

Picker’s group, Envy, and Baaljagg move downward. Blend finds tracks: bony ones (Envy assumes Tool or Lanas Tog), but also a woman in moccasins. Envy wonders who might be following the T’lan Imass. The last set of tracks belongs to a man. They hear fighting from above heading toward them, but Baaljagg suddenly takes off farther below and Envy says she must have sensed Toc. As Envy is about to explain the whole Togg/Fanderay thing, the fighting from above arrives via a score of Urdomen.

Detoran, Mallet, Spindle, Antsy, and Trotts, are heading down from the roof and finding lots of dead bodies. They run into enemies above and below. Antsy is badly wounded and Detoran killed. Mallet is wounded by Trott’s sword as he comes falling down the stairs amidst a group of Seerdomin. Trotts kills them despite being badly wounded himself. He and Mallet head down to collect Spindle and Antsy.

Toc is being carried by Tool. He wishes for the Seer to come and free him to “walk through Hood’s Gate.” He can feel the wolf dying. They enter a room and Tool is met by Mok, who waits for Tool to gently put Toc down. Tool asks that when Mok is done with Tool, he takes Toc from here. Mok agrees, then the two begin to fight. As Toc watches, he feels the wolf inside him stir, still trapped in this “cage of bone.” He sees a large beam capped in bronze and slowly drags himself upright.

Kruppe tells the Mhybe “you must touch, lass. This world—it was made for you—... a gift—there are things that must be freed.” The Mhybe thinks, “yes, she understood that word. She longed for it, worshipped it... freed... Like these memories of ice, raining... freed to feed the earth—deliverance, of meaning, of emotion, history’s gift—the land underfoot, the layers...” She reaches out.

Toc staggers toward the beam, then falls toward its end to let it meet his rib cage. It shatters them.

The Mhybe touches.

The wolf feels the cage broken, feels itself freed, and howls.

The howl freezes Brood, and then another answering cry from the T’lan Ay who rise and attack the K’Chain Che’Malle, destroying many of them. Above, the condors break from the two dragons and head for the keep, followed by Korlat and Orfantal and tens of thousands of Great Ravens.

Kruppe, holding the Mhybe, steps back as the wolf erupts from the shattered cage. The rain of memories stops and he feels “a pressure, a force, ancient and bestial. Growing.”

Sudden gloom and weight falls over the city. Quick Ben identifies it as Kurald Galain and says he can use it to get them over the wall. Paran hears condors screaming in terror. He looks up and sees the Seer thirty paces away, holding the Finnest with the Matron beside him—”mindless, her soul stripped, filled with a pain he [Paran] knew she could not even feel.” Two K’ell Hunter bodyguards move toward a pair of Seguleh that appear. Out in the harbor, from below the water, Moon’s Spawn rises “darkness bleeding from it in radiating waves,” as the Andii perform a full unveiling. As Quick Ben and Paran watch, it continues to rise, spilling massive amounts of water from newly formed fissures, and as it turns, Rake comes into view standing on a ledge.

Itkovian tells the T’lan Imass he will take their pain, now that the memories are done. The T’lan Imass tell him he cannot take it, he is mortal, he cannot carry it nor deliver it, but he says “I shall” and as it rises over then falls toward him, he smiles.

Moon’s Spawn, badly damaged, listing, moves toward the keep as waves of Kurald Galain from dragons incinerates the condors. Brood, watching, “overcome with a vast, soul-numbing helplessness,” thinks: “Kurald Galain spreading out, down, into Coral—A true unveiling... the world has never known this—in all the millennia since their arrival—never known this. Burn’s heart, what will come of this unveiling.”

Korlat can tell Moon’s Spawn is dying as it moves toward the parapet where stand the Seer and Matron. She thinks “Darkness comes to this world. To this place, this city. Darkness that would never dissipate. Coral. Black, black Coral.

Envy, taking Picker’s sarcasm as confidence, didn’t help the Bridgeburners at first. Realizing her error, she kills the Urdomen but only three Bridgeburners are left alive by then. Mallet, Spindle, Antsy, and Trotts arrive, but as they do, Trotts dies. Envy says she will help heal the wounded, but before she can begin, Kurald Galain drops down and she tells them they have to head down.

Mok defeats Tool, knocking his sword away, and just as he is about to finish Tool off seemingly, he is thrown against a far wall and knocked unconscious by Kilava in panther from. Tool tells her not to kill him. She cannot believe Tool was beaten by a mortal man and says she will kill him so Tool has no more challengers. Tool tells her “our time—it has passed. WE must relinquish our place in this world. Mok... is the Third. The Second and the First are his masters...Do you understand me?” He looks to Toc’s corpse, impaled on the beam. Kilava tells him Togg is free and asks if Tool can hear it. He says no. She says, “That howl now fills another realm, the sound of birth. A realm brought into existence by the Summoner. As for what now gives it life... something else entire.” Lanas Tog appears, looking for Silverfox. Baaljagg steps into the chamber and mourns at Toc’s corpse. When Tool tells her Togg is free, Kilava says Baaljagg knows and that to find Silverfox, Tool will need to take the path of Togg: “into the Warren of Tellann. Then to a place beyond.” He ask her to come and she refuses, says she has come for the Seer. Toc knows she seeks him “for redemption” and tells her to come to Toc when she is done. He and Lanas fall to dust then vanish. Kilava steps to Baaljagg and says “you grieve for this mortal... for him you hold back on what you so long for—your reunion with your lost mate... This mortal’s soul—it rides Togg’s own—and your mate would deliver it, but not to Hood’s Gate. Go then, pursue that trail.” She opens a warren for Baaljagg, who disappears into it, then Kilava leaves.

Blend steps out of the shadows where she has been watching from and is followed by the others, Envy complaining of Kilava’s “rudeness” in bowling through them in panther form on her way out. She is saddened then by the sight of Toc’s corpse and decides to head for the Seer “before Kilava robs me of my vengeance.” Picker says they’re heading back for Dujek’s army. Envy storms out.

As Paran watches the Seguleh slowly win against the K’Chain, Quick Ben points out that Moon’s Spawn is going to crash into the keep. Kilava, still in panther form, appears on the roof and Quick Ben yells at her to wait. Quick Ben calls on Talamandas as Moon’s Spawn strikes the roof, crushing the Matron and heading toward the Seer and just behind him Kilava. Quick Ben hits her with a bolt of sorcery then, telling Paran to follow him, and leaps for the Seer as Paran grabs hold of Quick just before he opens a warren. All plunge into it, followed by Kilava. Moon’s Spawn sinks into the roof, and a huge chunk of Moon falls, killing the two Hunters while the Seguleh make a run for it.

Gruntle is exhausted and is left with only eight of his soldiers alive. Stonny appears, tells him she’s been doing what she could, mentions that the Mott Irregulars are somehow here. Moon’s Spawn has torn through the keep and drifts overhead, rain falling from it. The Grey Swords’ Destriant appears and tells them they found Dujek and 800 of his soldiers. She tells them the city has fallen and they will be gathering outside the walls. Gruntle says they’ll join her, thinking if it weren’t for the Ay they’d all be dead. He wonders what is happening with Itkovian.

Korlat and Orfantal fly toward Moon’s Spawn and as they do, they sight four Malazan ships of war entering the harbor. Orfantal tells her to go down; he’ll stay and guard the skies, though the enemy is fallen. He tells her: “What you would guard, staying with me, is the heart within you. You would fend it from pain. From loss. Sister, he deserves more. Go down, now. To grieve is the gift of the living—a gift so many of our kin have long lost. Do not retreat. Descend, Korlat, to the mortal realm.” She lands and veers back into human form. As she moves toward Brood, she watches Crone report to him then fly away, and she thinks she has “never seen Brood looks so defeated.” High Marshall Stump reports to Brood that the Boll Brothers took care of the mages atop the wall and asks what the Mott Irregulars should do now. He suggests putting out fires and when Brood says fine, he leaves. As Korlat nears, Brood is trying to figure out how the Irregulars got in the city, behind the wall. Korlat tells him of the ships and Brood says Tayschrenn has already informed him, before heading to the ships. When Korlat mentions the Malazans, due to their losses, won’t be “bargaining from a position of strength,” Brood tells her “as far as I’m concerned, the Malazans have earned all they might ask for. If they want it, Coral is theirs.” Korlat informs him the full unveiling of the Warren of Darkness is permanent, that “the city now lies as much within the Tiste Andii warren as within this world.” Brood asks if the Andii will claim Coral, now that it’s obvious Moon’s Spawn is just about finished. She says she doesn’t know what Rake intends and head for the hill where Whiskeyjack lies. As she walks, she thinks: “Dear Mother Dark, do you look down upon me now... Do you smile, to see me so broken? I have, after all, repeated your fatal errors of old. Yielding my heart, succumbing to the foolish dream—Light’s dance, you longed for that embrace, didn’t you? And you were betrayed. You left us, Mother, to eternal silence. Yet, Mother Dark, with this unveiling, I feel you close. Was it grief that sent you away, sent you so far from your children? When, in our deadly, young way—our appalling insensitivity—we cursed you. Added another layer to your pain. These steps, you walked them once. How can you help but smile.” She steps into rain falling from Moon’s Spawn “weeping down upon her and upon the filed of corpses surrounding her... upon thousands of kneeling T’lan Imass... the Brood watches her cry: “as her head tilted back, face slowly lifting to the shroud of the rain... A heart, once of stone, made mortal once more. This image... he knew, with bleak certainty, would never leave him.”

Silverfox is approached by the Rhivi spirits. As she awaits them, she thinks everything has been ruined: “there were lives within that frozen rain. Entire lives, sent down to strike the flesh of this world, to seep down, to thaw the soil with its fecundity. But it has nothing to do with me. None of this. All that I sought to fashion—destroyed. This dream world was itself a memory. Ghostworld of Tellann, remembrance of my own world, from long, long ago... taken from the Bonecaster who was there at my refashioning, taken from the Rhivi spirits, the First Clan, taken from K’rul, from Kruppe. Taken from the slumbering land itself—Burn’s own flesh. I myself possessed nothing. I simply stole. To fashion a world for my mother... where she could be young...live out a normal life... All that I stole from her, I would give back.” She thinks bitterly that her intent had justified her theft, but it was a lie, and so all she “hoarded was in turn stripped of value... gone to dust.” When the spirits arrive, she thinks she knows they wonder what false promises she will offer this time, what lies. Thinks she had a people for them, a people who had lost their own gods. The spirits tell her they have found two thrones, awaiting “this warren’s true masters.” Angered, Silverfox says the realm was made for the Rhivi, and wonders who dares “usurp” their right. But the spirits say she is wrong, that the realm is too much for them, too “vast, too powerful... we will endeavour to treat with the new masters. I believe they will allow us to remain. Perhaps indeed we will find ourselves pleased to serve them.” And despite the spirit telling her that her goal might still be achieved, if in different fashion, Silverfox thinks, “As I stole, so it has been stolen from me.” She tells the spirits to go and walks away, thinking “My gift to her. My gift to you. . Grand failures, defeats born from the flaws within me... [I am] an abomination.”

The Rhivi elder says they will seek the mother again, as commanded by the Bonecaster. Another says she will simply flee as she did from the Ay and wonders why this would be any different. The first says because “this land... now lives.”

Toc is free, “riding the soul of a god. Within the muscles of a fierce, ancient beast.” He howls and is answered by the appearance of the Ay: “the children of Baaljagg—of Fanderay—ghost memories that were the souls of the T’lan Ay. Baaljagg had held them, within herself, within her dreams—in an ageless world into which an Elder God had breathed eternal life” Then Fanderay arrives and the two wolves/gods are united. Toc looks on with joy as they run toward their thrones.

The Mhybe tries to break free of Kruppe’s hold, afraid of the wolves she senses/hears despite Kruppe’s statement that they have nothing to fear. Kruppe tells her the world is no longer his, it must be “passed on... You are the vessel in truth, now! Within you—take this dream from me. Allow it to fill your spirit.” She breaks free and finds herself seemingly chased by tens of thousands of wolves led by two huge ones. Before her is a bone hut and a group of Rhivi. The wolves arrive but ignore her. She asks what is happening and Kruppe tells her Togg and Fanderay have come “to claim the Beast Throne.” The Rhivi elder tells her the world was created by Silverfox for the Mhybe: “it is for you. Indeed, it exists within you. With this world, your daughter asks for forgiveness,” and “sought to answer” the tragedy of the Rhivi, the T’lan Imass, the Ay. When the Mhybe asks where Silverfox is, the Rhivi answers that “despair has taken her away.” The Mhybe asks if she will awaken and Kruppe says “That woman [the old Mhybe back in Hood’s temple] now sleeps eternal... Your daughter spoke with Hood. Reached an agreement... She believes, having lost the T’lan Imass, that she has broken it.” The Mhybe realizes the agreement was freedom for the Imass, “their souls delivered to Hood.” When she says Hood won’t stand for the loss of the T’lan Imass, Kruppe replies that Hood is patient. The Mhybe wishes for Silverfox so the Mhybe can beg forgiveness of her. Togg speaks to her and tells her that Toc is within him, and that the god would release him if she—the “mistress” of the realm, would give leave. She does.

Itkovian, under the rain of Moon’s Spawn, tells the T’lan Imass he has taken their pain and suffering and will leave them. The T’lan Imass say they do not understand why such a gift. He tells them he was born 30 years ago and his mother, attached to a “hard, just man... smiled but once in all the years I knew her. The moment when I departed. Still, it is the smile I remember. I think now that my father embraced in order to possess. That she was a prisoner. I think, now, that her smile answered my escape. I took something of her with me. Something worthy of being set free... In the Reve, I wonder, did I simply find for myself another prison?” The Imass tell Itkovian his mother is free within him but they still do not understand his compassion and generosity. Itkovian says: “We humans do not understand compassion. In each moment of our lives, we betray it. Aye, we know of its worth, yet in knowing we then attach to it a value, we guard the giving of it, believing it must be earned. T’lan Imass, compassion is priceless... It must be given freely. In abundance.” He dies.

Silverfox meets Tool and Lanas and behind them, the Ay. Tool tells her to free the Ay—”Their spirits await them. They would be mortal once more, in this world you have created.” She releases them: “for too long have they known chains. For too long have these creatures known the burden of loyalty.” Tool thanks her, introduces Lanas Togg, then drops his sword at his feet. She wonders at the act, then realizes what it means.

Baudin says it is time to inter the Mhybe. K’rul wonders since when has Hood become so generous and Baudin says he is “ever generous.” Murillio protests she is still alive and K’rul informs him that it is not a burial; she “will sleep for ever more. She sleeps, to dream. And within her dream lives an entire world.” Coll tells Murillio they should help with the bedding for her. The two priests remove their masks and when Coll asks why they are crying, K’rul says their gods have found each other inside the Mhybe’s dream world.

Paran, Quick Ben, and the Seer fall out of the warren. Quick Ben has the Finnest. Kilava bursts out of the warren behind them and Paran swings his sword, wounding her, before she throws him aside. Quick Ben tells her to stop and attacks her with sorcery, then tells Paran to stand because he’s done. The panther growls at him and Paran growls back, taking the form of the hound again. As Kilava hesitates, Quick Ben tells her they are not her enemies; “we seek what you seek.” When she still looks to attack he yells, “vengeance is not enough.” She veers back into Imass form. She identifies the setting—Morn—and Paran turns to see the rent: “A wound, bleeding pain—such pain, an eternity—gods below, there is a soul within it. A child. Trapped. Sealing the wound... the child of my dreams.” Quick Ben speaks to the Seer and says the Finnest holds the Matron’s power—”Unable to sense itself, yet alive... presumably it feels no pain.” Kilava interrupts and asks what Quick Ben intends and he tells her something where everyone wins. She says she wants vengeance for her brother’s pain over Toc. She relates what happened and says she wants to make the Jaghut suffer. The Seer says haven’t you already? Quick Ben tells them both that the Jaghut’s sister is still inside the rent and that sending the Finnest in will release her. The Seer asks for what purpose: “how long would we survive. . The T’lan Imass will hunt us in earnest... I free my sister to what? A short life, filled with flight? I remember... running. Never enough sleep. Mother, carrying us...” He tells Kilava he remembers her too, sending them into the rent and she says it was a mistake; she thought it was a portal to Omtose Phellack, but he doesn’t believe her. When she protests it was an accident, he asks why she never rectified it and when she says she didn’t find a way he calls her a coward. Quick Ben says enough—free his sister with the Finnest, and Kilava says while the Jaghut is right—they will be hunted and killed—that is still a better fate. He says he’ll just wait for somebody to probe the portal, exchange themselves. Quick Ben says he has a better idea. He tells the Seer he knows that the Imass will seek Omtose Phellack whenever it is unveiled, but he knows of a place they will not be able to find it, where Omtose Phellack can not only survive and thrive but heal. When the Seer calls Quick a liar, Kilava says perhaps he should listen, then Paran points out the Seer has been manipulated by the Chained God, used to wreak havoc and pain, and he asks “since when were the Jaghut interested only in destruction... Do you still feel as twisted inside? Do you still delight in thoughts of delivering pain?” The Seer says he feels empty and asks why he’d believe them. Paran tells Quick Ben to let him go – then tells the Seer that if he accepts the offer, he will be safe with his sister and could even make the Chained God pay. When Kilava says the Seer will twist/corrupt his sister, Paran says the Seer will not be alone with her. Quick Ben tells Talamandas to release the Seer, and he rises to his feet, then asks Quick Ben if the place is far.

The sister, the same young age, steps out of the warren. When Kilava asks what she will remember, Quick Ben says hopefully nothing and tells her he and Talamandas will work to ensure that. The Seer stays back and Paran tells him go to her. When he says she remembers a brother, Paran says he can be her uncle. The Seer then says, “We Jaghut are not known for compassion among our blood-tied” and Paran replies “And we humans are? You’re not the only one who finds such things a struggle. There’s much you have to repair, Pannion, starting with what is within yourself, with what you’ve done...let the child—your sister—be your guide... you need each other.” The Seer tells Paran he regrets what he did to Toc, then tells Kilava she has her own road to redemption. They both agree they cannot forgive the other, yet. He goes to meet his sister.

Inside Burn’s cavern, Paran can see the Crippled God’s infection dissolving the giant. They are joined by the old witch Quick Ben had spoken to about Burn earlier. She tells Pannion she has been chosen by Burn to help him take care of his sister. But that first he must unveil Omtose Phellack and use its cold to fight Burn’s fever/infection. He does so and Quick asks if it’s cold enough for the witch. He tells her it was Picker and the witch’s hints about cold that gave him the idea. The witch tells Kilava the warren is not to be assailed and she cannot tell anyone of its existence. Kilava says this is where she begins her own path toward redemption. Quick Ben tells Paran to think of a card in his mind and lead them out.

Atop the hilltop where Whiskeyjack was killed, Korlat stands over the three Malazan bodies. As Gruntle looks outward, he sees the T’lan Imass are gone, Itkovian’s body lying on the ground as the Grey Swords approach, Brood standing with Taur, Hetan, and Cafal, and Dujek’s devastated army exiting the city. Dujek himself is heading up the hill. A warren opens and out steps Tayschrenn and the Malazans from the ships. One of Gruntle’s survivors asks to raise the Child’s Standard and he tells her to do so down among the dead, in the darkness, and also to stop calling him Lord. She says it was a title and position “purchased in blood” and he relents, but says, “I’m not a soldier. I hate war. I hate killing.” Tayschrenn is introducing the Malazan Ambassador to Brood, who says formal negotiations need to await Rake, due soon. Dujek arrives and looks to Korlat standing over the bodies.

Toc feels the joy of running, then sudden pain, a rush of breath. He finds himself in Anaster’s body. A Grey Sword asks if he well “leave your gods” and he answers no, and she welcomes him as “Mortal Sword of Togg and Fanderay.”

Lanas Tog leads Silverfox to the gathered T’lan Imass, now “unburdened.” She asks forgiveness of Pran Chole, who says there is nothing to forgive. She says she will now free them, as she has the Ay, but he tells her no. They have heard from Lanas of their kin trapped on Assail and they must save them first, then they will return to her to have her end them. She says she will join them and he tells her they would be honored. She then asks what Itkovian has done and Pran Chole tells her to sense what he has done, sense the power in the ground. She says the realm is home to the Beast Thrones, the Rhivi spirits, and the Wolf Gods, but he says even more. “You have, perhaps unwittingly, created a realm where the Vow of Tellann unravels... Itkovian freed our souls and found, in this realm you created, a place for us.” She asks if they have been “redeemed,” and he tells her only she can do that, “the T’lan Imass have been awakened. Our memories—they live once more, in the earth beneath our feet. And they are what we will return to, the day you release us. We expected nothing but oblivion, upon that release. We could not have imagined that an alternative was possible... it surpasses us what one mortal man so willingly embraced.” He tells her they have one more thing they must do before leaving.

Picker watches the Rhivi looking for more bodies. The Bridgeburner corpses had already been retrieved (with the help of the Andii) and she suspects they didn’t find Paran or Quick Ben’s corpses because they weren’t there. She thinks of how the Bridgeburners are destroyed—had been destroyed at Pale. Envy, Garath, and the three Seguleh appear, and then Rake. Rake asks Envy what she wants and when she tells him she’s traveled far to tell him something, he asks what. She says they should go somewhere private and he tells her just say it. She informs him Draconus is plotting to escape Dragnipur and Rake says he wonders what has taken Draconus this long. Envy says “in case you’ve forgotten, we worked damned hard to slay him the first time.” Rake points out she just watched the battle and anyway, there isn’t much Rake can do until Draconus actually frees himself. Envy asks what he knows of the Master of the Deck and when Rake makes it clear he knows a lot, she’s infuriated. She warns him they will try to break the sword and that his “very life totters on the whim of a mortal.” Rake says, “I’d best step carefully then,” and leaves. Picker tells Blend to gather the last Bridgeburners and they’ll head for the gate, where waits the wagon holding their dead. Blends tells Picker she did what she could, but Picker replies “wasn’t good enough, was it?” Blend leaves and as Picker moves away Rake asks if he can join her group on their way to the command position. She says they aren’t very pleasant company but he responds they are “worthy company,” and then tells her he regrets he arrived so late. He says he would pay his respect to a fallen soldier, and she answers they all would. He and the five remaining Bridgeburners head for the hill.

Stonny tells Gruntle she wishes Harllo were there, even just his body with all the other fallen rather than out in the middle of nowhere alone. Brood and Dujek approach Korlat and Dujek asks who saw what happened. Korlat tells him and Dujek asks if the leg was responsible for Whiskeyjack’s death. Korlat lies and says his leg broke after Kallor killed him. Dujek says “We kept telling him to have it properly healed. ‘Later,’ he’d say. Always ‘later.” He asks her again and she lies again and he muses that Whiskeyjack was an excellent swordsman, gave Dassem trouble. He asks how long it took Tayschrenn to recover from Kallor’s attack and the mage said only moments, but too late. Korlat tells Dujek Kallor is “a formidable warrior,” but Dujek still seems troubled by the story. Stonny tells Gruntle the broken leg must have come first and he grabs her and shakes his head. Dujek says, “I have lost a friend.” The simple statement strikes Gruntle hard as he recalls Harllo and Itkovian. Rake arrives with the Bridgeburners and Crone. Dujek’s army—under a thousand—line the slopes of the hill, with the Barghast, Rhivi, Andii, and Brood’s army behind them, silent, mourning, honoring. Mallet steps up and sees immediately that it was the leg and collapses. Rake asks Korlat how she will answer Whiskeyjack’s murder and she tells him she and Orfantal will hunt Kallor down. He tells her to leave him alive for Dragnipur and she agrees. Rake tells the others that Moon’s Spawn is dying and will be sent over the ocean to sink there. He ask that the three Malazans be interred there, along with the other Bridgeburners. Picker agrees.

The Mott Irregulars are packing up their loot when their table glows and out of the “card” underneath step Paran and Quick Ben and Kilava.

Shortly afterward, Quick Ben calls the Bole Brothers the “scariest mages we’ve ever faced,” though he changes it to “warlocks” rather than mages, and says they have a sister “you wouldn’t want to meet, ever.” Kilava had already left them by then. Paran feels numbed by everything: “He was unused to being the hand of redemption... . So long ago, outside Pale, I’d felt her [the Jaghut girl], felt this child, trapped in her eternal pain, unable to comprehend what she had done to deserve what was happening to her. She had thought she was going to find her mother... and then it had all been torn away. Suddenly alone. Knowing only pain. For thousands of years.” He thinks how Quick Ben and Talamandas had taken her memory of it, with Hood’s help, how the Seer still has issues, and how Quick Ben had told Paran that “I needed to find a way to slow the infection, weaken the poison. I’d warned the Crippled God, you know. Told him I was stepping into his path. We’ve knocked him back, you know.” He thinks with pride of all they’d accomplished, including “we gave a child her life back.” But just then they reach sight of the hill and Quick Ben says, “I don’t like the feel of this.”

The bodies had disappeared into Kurald Galain and Rake himself took care of interring them. As Gruntle looks after Moon’s Spawn, he sees a group of soldiers standing around a bier and pile of stones. He takes Stonny with him and leads her to where the Grey Swords stand around Itkovian’s body on the bier. Gruntle notices that Anaster is no longer empty, and in fact now feels like Gruntle’s “rival.” The Destriant gives a small speech, but before they can lay the body in the shallow grave, a Malazan soldier steps forward, holding Itkovian’s helm, and tells her he would replace it for his helm he had exchanged earlier. She says no, Itkovian would refuse as he was pleased by the soldier’s gift, but if the soldier wishes, he could return it to... “She tails off at the sight of all the survivors of Dujek’s Host lining up at the slope, along with the Andii, etc, and then the Imass. The first T’lan Imass steps forward and tells the Destriant each will offer a gift in turn for the gift Itkovian gave them: Together, they shall become his barrow, and it shall be unassailable. If you refuse us in this, we will defy you.” She doesn’t refuse and he lays a shell on Itkovian’s chest. This continues throughout the night and at dawn, the Malazans start, beginning with the soldier placing the helm. At the end, Gruntle looks at the massive barrow and sees Tellann sorcery in it, holding each object in its place. He leaves the torcs there—thinking “Sorry, Treach. Learn to live with the loss. We do.”

Paran and Quick Ben had watched, but not joined. Paran feels too broken by Whiskeyjack’s death as well as by him and Quick Ben arriving too late to take part in the ritual farewell since they had arrived after Whiskeyjack’s body was already gone. As he and Quick Ben watch Moon’s Spawn drift toward the sea, Quick Ben tells him to draw Moon’s Spawn. He does and then takes them through to a chamber at the end of which was a raised dais, a throne pushed aside to make room for three sarcophagi. Along the approach were others, warded by Kurald Galain. Quick Ben identifies who lies in them, including Twist, Hedge, Shank, Toes, Detoran, and Trotts. They reach the dais and Quick says Rake did those spells himself. Quick Ben adds it was the leg that killed Whiskeyjack, that he had Kallor. Paran thinks how Picker and the others are watching Mallet, worried he’ll try to kill himself out of guilt, though “Mallet, he kept pushing you away... It wasn’t your fault, Mallet. Soldiers die.” Quick Ben leaves one of his pebbles behind in case he wants to visit, maybe with Kalam. As they prepare to leave, the mage tells Paran the Andii left everything behind in Moon’s Spawn. Paran wonders why, since they’ll settle in Black Coral and the city is empty. Paran opens a portal and Quick Ben steps through. Paran turns for a final farewell: “Whiskeyjack, for all that you have taught me, I thank you. Bridgeburners, I wish I could have done better by you. Especially at the end. At the very least, I could have died with you. It’s probably far too late. But I bless you, one and all.” He leaves and the portal blinks out, but a new glow appears in the chamber, “seeming to dance with the black web on the sarcophagi.”

Gruntle awaits the approach of the necromancer’s carriage. Reese halts the carriage and bangs on the sides. Bauchelain and Broach exit and says, “This is a place I could call home.” Gruntle laughs and says neither the Andii nor the Malazans will tolerate Broach’s activities. Broach agrees but Bauchelain says think of all the corpses, plus the dismembered K’Chain. Broach smiles. Bauchelain asks Gruntle to move out of their path but asks first if he could answer a question. They’ve received a strange note from a Jib Bole and brothers asking if they could visit the necromancers and Bauchelain wants to know if Gruntle knows them and if so, what sort of etiquette advice he’d give with regard to hosting them. Gruntle smiles and tells him to “Wear your best.” Bauchelain thanks him. Gruntle leaves for the temporary camp set up by the Grey Swords near Itkovian’s barrow. Tenescowri are flocking there, having heard of Anaster’s rebirth and hoping for salvation. Gruntle thinks the Tenescowri “too need to be reborn. The stranger within Anaster... has much to do.” Gruntle decides he should “take the man’s measure,” assuming Toc/Anaster will be “a better Mortal Sword than I am. Likely smug, sanctimonious.” When they meet, Toc asks him what it means to be a Mortal Sword. Gruntle, surprised, asks, “You don’t know?” Toc says “No. Do you?” and Gruntle laughingly admits “not really.” The two take an immediate liking to one another as they share experience and head off for a drink. Gruntle says he’ll get Stonny and the two part calling each other friend.

Paran watches as Quick Ben speaks to a Trygalle mage and Kruppe. Picker joins him and tells him he shouldn’t have left her in charge, that she messed up. Paran tries to take the blame, saying he abandoned them, but Picker says Quick Ben told them what the two of them did and they were all thankful that at least some kind of victory came out of all this. Paran then tries to buck her up by saying she came out of Coral with survivors and nobody could have bettered that. Dujek appears and says Paran is right. Dujek looks awful, as if he’s aged years, and his single arm trembles. He calls the Bridgeburners (the five beside Paran and Picker) together and tells them there’s a full complement of back pay in one of the Trygalle carriages and the guild will take them to Darujhistan. As far as he and Tayschrenn “know,” and will report, all the Bridgeburners were killed in Coral. Before anyone can speak, he adds that this was Whiskeyjack’s wish for the company and himself. Finally, he says, he’s giving them one more mission—to deliver someone to Baruk, someone who is not well and who, he says, needs “Malazans. Soldiers.” He dismisses them all but Paran and tells Picker to send “High Mage Quick Ben” up. When Picker is startled by the title, Dujek tells her “That bastard can’t hide any longer. Tayschrenn insisted.” Alone with Paran, Dujek informs him Dujek is taking the Host to Seven Cities to support Tavore’s army and invites Paran, who tells him no thanks. Dujek says he’ll add Paran to the casualty list and he can go with the Bridgeburners. When Paran diminishes his soldiering, Dujek tells him he is truly a “noble man”—not by birth but earned, something he calls “damned rare.” Paran disagrees, saying he’s been “humbled, again and again, by those around me.” Dujek sends him off to his “fellow Bridgeburners” and the two say goodbye. As Paran walks, the significance of that—”fellow” Bridgeburners strikes him: “My fellow Bridgeburners he said. Well, the achievement is shortlived, but even so. I made it.”

Toc/Anaster retrieves the beer for his meeting with Gruntle and Stonny. As he prepares to meet them, a stranger (Tool—whom Toc has no memory of) steps forward to him. He looks like a Barghast Toc thinks, “covered in scars—more scars of battle than Toc had ever seen in a single person before. Despite this, there was a comfort there in his face—a gentleman’s face, no more than twenty years of age... framed in long black hair devoid of any fetishes or braids. His eyes were a soft brown.” Tool tells him “I only sought to look upon you to see that you were well,” and Toc thinks, “He believes me to be Anaster. A friend of old perhaps—not one of his lieutenants though—I would have remembered this one.” He tells Tool he is well and Tool replies “This pleases me... I will go now, brother. Know that I hold you in my memory,” then heads off into the forest. Something about his walk nags at Toc but before he can place it, the Grey Swords Shield Anvil interrupts with a question. Toc tells her not now and heads off to drink with Gruntle and Stonny.

Kilava meets Tool at the edge of the forest and asks if he is done. He says yes and she tells him she’s missed him. He says he’s missed her as well. She notes the absence of his sword and when he asks if she thinks he’ll need one, she tells him “now more than before I would think.” She tells him of a quarry and says she’ll “invest it, of course, to prevent it shattering,” as she did once before, “so very long ago.”

Envy reawakens Mok and tells him his mask has cracked, saying, “I reluctantly admit, none of our facades have survived unfractured.” She adds Rake has banished them from the city and yes, he awakens in the same forest they had spent days in earlier. But, she says, your punitive mission is done, “perhaps satisfactorily, perhaps not,” though the Pannion Domin is done. When she tells them it’s time to head home, Mok replies they will demand an audience with the Seventh (Rake). She tells him it’s futile—Rake won’t see them and the Andii will blast them with sorcery rather than cross swords. She ends by saying she’s decided to escort them home.

On the way north, Hetan and Cafal meet up with Tool and Kilava. Hetan asks the stranger’s name and Tool says Onos Toolan. She says she can tell he hasn’t bedded a woman in a long time and he smiles. She likes his eyes, “my lover’s eyes.” Back to top

Epilogue

Paran enters the Finnest House (the Azath in Darujhistan) with a pack of gold and tells Raest he’s decided to live there after spending three weeks in an inn. Raest asks what Paran plans to do with the two bodies in the hallway (Vorcan and Rallick Nom) and Paran replies he doesn’t know yet. He tells Raest tonight is the opening of Picker’s new tavern (in partnership with the Bridgeburners) which they’ve made out of K’rul’s old temple/belfry.

As Paran exits the House, he stumbles over an old hooded figure with useless legs who asks for a coin. Paran gives him some silvers and the beggar tells him he is seeking a treasure buried in the Tahlyn Hills. Paran tells him he’s got enough money, and warns him hanging around outside the House probably isn’t a great idea, that “The House does not welcome strangers.” The beggar says, “Not this House... but I know one that does.” Paran leaves.

Picker stares at the man they had brought back to Baruk (Duiker). She thinks how Baruk “had done all he could to restore life to what had been a mostly destroyed, desiccated body.” Duiker hasn’t spoken a word since the resurrection. She looks around the nearly empty bar (only the Bridgeburners, Kruppe, Murillio, and Coll), depressed at the failure of opening night at K’rul Bar. Baruk enters. Picker says the hell with the opening, time for some stories, and she suggests that the Daru might like to hear how Coral was taken. But nobody wants to tell it. Spindle says, “Too close... a story to break our hearts all over again! Where’s the value in that?” Duiker answers: “There is value,” but says Spindle was right—it is too soon for the story of Coral. He begins to tell the story of the Chain of Dogs.

House of Chains

Back to top

Prologue

The prologue opens on a scene of devastation due to flood, a “drowned world,” with bloated corpses being fed upon by small black crabs. A city lies mostly under water due to the flood, seemingly caused by a “warren’s sundering.” The new sea arose due to a river from another realm—a massive river filled with silt and giant catfish and water-spiders—that had been shunted into this one and left to flow for months. Those that didn’t drown were done in by plague, before the rent closed the night before the book’s opening. Silt had piled up against a huge wall that had held back the waters, due perhaps to sorcery. The wall was set at regular intervals with large iron rings at the top. Trull Sengar is being dragged to the wall by his “captors,” whom he also names brothers and kin, by whom he had stood through “all that had happened, the glorious triumphs, the soul-wrenching losses.” He is chained to the wall, a steel plate lodged in his mouth. Then he is shorn ritually: his hair cut and scalp rubbed with a cream to keep him permanently bald, his forehead scarred by a circle with a slash through it to break the circle. The Shorning represents him being cast out, as if he had never existed at all. His captors speak of how Trull has betrayed one of them in particular, intoning that Trull had told them that the unnamed speaker that was betrayed had “severed your blood from ours...served a hidden master...betrayed our people.” The one betrayed refutes this accusation by listing his accomplishments: “the southlands are aflame. The enemy’s armies have fled. The enemy now kneels before us and begs to be our slaves. From nothing was forged an empire.” And to continue growing stronger, he tells his brothers they must continue to search and when they “find what must be sought,” they are to deliver it to him. He asks if they understand this requirement as well as the sacrifice he makes for their people and his brothers answer yes, and agree that Trull had not only spoken against their seeming leader but had also defended their enemies, calling them “the Pure Kin and [saying] we should not kill them.” When they agree Trull betrayed their brother, their leader says Trull betrayed them all, and there is a momentary hesitation before they agree to this as well, though Trull hears doubt in their voices. Trull thinks to himself this was clever as the leader now “shares out this crime of yours.” His captors leave and Trull thinks how Nature fights “but one eternal war...to understand this was to understand the world. Every world. Nature has but one enemy. And that is imbalance.” He muses how the wall holds back the sea, but only “for now,” for the “flood would not be denied.” He thinks he will drown soon, but not much sooner than his own people, for “his brother had shattered the balance. And Nature shall not abide.” Back to top

Chapter One

Centuries ago, before the “Seven Gods opened their eyes,” a dog, displaying no wounds or sign of rabies, suddenly turned on people mysteriously, killing two and wounding one. The dog is put down by a group of warriors who stab it to death with spears. The people consider how madness “could remain hidden, buried far beneath the surface. The surviving victim, a baby, is brought down to the “Faces in the Rock”—the “Seven Gods of the Teblor,” where he dies soon after.

Karsa Orlong revels in his grandfather’s tales of raids on Silver Lake, of “farms in flames, children dragged behind horses...small ears nailed to every wooden post.” The tales confirm for Karsa his grandfather’s bravery and his father’s cowardice and smallness. This despite his father, Synyg, defending his horses against the other clans’ raiders and doing a good job of training Karsa in the “Fighting Dances” and the use of his bloodsword as well as other weapons, so that Karsa, though young, became the best warrior of his clan. Karsa has sworn he will be more like his grandfather than father and that he will lead his people back to the old ways, beginning by leading his two friends Delum Thord and Bairoth Gild on another raid of Silver Lake like his grandfather did in his youth. He believes that in the decades since his grandfather’s raid, Silver Lake has grown from its previous two farms to perhaps as many as three or four, offering more potential victims. He vows before his gods, particularly Urugal—his own clan’s god—to slaughter the inhabitants of Silver Lake and bring glory and pride back to his people the Teblor. He thinks how Dayliss will offer her blessing to his raid and then take him as husband, now that he is a “warrior in truth,” having arrived at his 80th year.

After Karsa leaves the glade of the gods, seven figures rise from the ground, some “missing limbs, others stood on splintered, shattered, or mangled legs. One lacked a lower jaw...Each of the seven, broken in some way. Imperfect. Flawed.” They reflect on how they had been sentenced to inhabit a sealed cavern for centuries, left behind “as was the custom of their kind. Failure’s sentence was abandonment...When failure was honorable their sentiment remains would be placed open to the sky,” but these had failed dishonorably. Their rebirth came about from “breaking a vow and swearing fealty to another.” Their kin, those that had left them in the cavern, had marked the site with carved faces and their ritual of binding had “lingered in this place with a power sufficient to twist the minds of the shamans of the people who had found refuge in these mountains.” The seven’s freedom is so far limited to the glade, but their freedom would soon “break free of its last chains” as “service to the new master promised travel...and countless deaths to deliver.” Urual (Urugal to the Teblor) says that Karsa will “suffice.” Sin’balle (Siballe) is more skeptical, saying the Teblor don’t even know their true name, to which Ber’ok says “their ignorance is our greatest weapon.” Urual agrees, saying it is their ignorance of “their legacy” which made it so easy for the seven to “twist” the Teblor’s faith. Sin’balle points out they thought Karsa’s grandfather would “suffice” too but failed. Haran’alle says the seven were too impatient, and too weakened by the “sundering of the Vow.” Thek complains their new master hasn’t given them enough power, but Urual says he “recovers from his ordeals as we do from ours.” Urual says in any case, if Karsa fails they will turn to Dayliss’ unborn child (Bairoth is the father), which maks Emroth complain that it will take another century due to the long lives of the Teblor. Urual thinks of Emroth’s “Soletaken proclivities, and its hunger that had so clearly led to their failure so long ago. He tells Emroth to stay close to Dayliss’ unborn child and she says she is already influencing it, saying “what I make within is neither a girl nor a child.” They all return to the earth as night falls.

Karsa goes home and finds his father Synyg grooming his (Synyg’s) horse Havok. Karsa complains his own horse is not there and they rehash an obviously old argument that Karsa’s horse isn’t ready for the journey. Karsa is surprised when his father says he is giving Karsa Havok. His father then tells him Bairoth and Delum are waiting at the river’s ford, and also that Dayliss blessed Bairoth. Karsa asks if his father will bless him and Synyg says Karsa’s grandfather Pahlk has already done so and Karsa should be satisfied with that. When Karsa presses him, Synyg asks what he should bless: “the Seven Gods who are a lie? The glory that is empty? . . The slaying of children?” He adds that Pahlk his more interested in his own youthful “glory” than in Karsa’s. Karsa rides away to meet his two friends. Bairoth and Karsa spar a bit over Dayliss, then the three head out.

Watching the three depart are twenty-three “silent witnesses,” blood-kin of the three friends who had been sacrificed in the glade to Siballe, who called them her “Found.” They dwelt unseen among the Teblor, though some suspected, such as Synyg, or Synyg’s wife and Karsa’s mother, who was considered a threat by the Found and so dealt with via “extreme measures.” Each of them had been scarred along the left side of the face by Siballe. One of them, watching Karsa and the other two leave, says one only will return.

Synyg is cooking when his father, Pahlk arrives and he offers him dinner. The two clearly do not like each other. Pahlk is surprised that Synyg gave Karsa Havok, and when Synyg says “Havok deserved a final battle, one I knew I would not give him,” Pahlk says “as I thought...for your horse but not for your son.” He continues that Karsa is ashamed of Synyg and that is why he came to Pahlk. Synyg mockingly asks for more of Pahlk’s raid stories and Pahlk says Synyg sounds more and more like Karsa’s mother, “that damned woman.” When Pahlk finishes his bowl of food, Synyg throws it into the fire and tells him with Karsa gone, if Pahlk ever comes to his door again he will kill him. He then throws him, literally, out of the house.

Karsa and his friends head off toward other clan’s lands and Karsa thinks how he doesn’t plan to sneak through them but to “carve a bloody path.” When Bairoth says his horse needs to rest, Karsa mocks him. Delum also says his horse needs a rest and Karsa gives in: “Two weighted chains about me, then...So be it.” At camp, Delum suggests traveling only at night by lower elevations but Karsa says they’ll travel by day and when Bairoth says Karsa will put them into war, Karsa agrees, saying “we shall gather souls.” Karsa does not like Bairoth’s mocking tone, his seeming unwillingness to follow. Bairoth says Karsa doesn’t get the humor and that he is indeed content to follow Karsa. Bairoth then instructs Karsa in politics, how the elders who did not bless this journey will claim they did when the three return, how the facts will be rewritten and the villagers will all “remember” lining the street to see the three off. As they sleep, Karsa wonders if Bairoth’s clever mind and mouth will help him in actual battle.

They comes across a group of nine Rathyd, another Teblor clan. Karsa plans an attack though his friends are skeptical of the odds. Karsa leads and kills or fatally wounds all but a single “youth” (forty years old). Bairoth and Delum arrive behind him and begin to cut the limbs off one of the Rathyd that Karsa had sliced a leg off of. The youth runs away. When Bairoth complains about Karsa letting the youth escape, Karsa says he did so on purpose to trick the Rathyd into looking for three warriors on foot (they had hid their horses before attacking). Delum then complains that the youth will grow up recalling the horror of this night and will lead his people, becoming “an enemy for the Uryd, an enemy to pale all we have known in the past.” Karsa tells them that “one day...that Rathyd warrior shall kneel before me. This I vow, here, on the blood of his kin.” Bairoth says it is the impossible, for “no Rathyd kneels before an Uryd.” Karsa replies it will happen, and they can “witness” his vows becoming truth. They take trophies (ears, tongue, a bear fur and skull) and then prepare to ride out.

They continue on, killing a few more Rathyd and taking their horses. Karsa’s wounds from the first attack are already healing, a common ability of the Teblor. Karsa tells his friends they will attack the Rathyd village while their warriors are out hunting for them. He will then lead the avenging Rathyd toward the neighboring clan’s lands and start a war between the Rathyd and the Sunyd.

The three find the village filled only with elders, women, and youth. They attack and kill many and then round up the women. Two “eager” ones go off with Bairoth and Delum. The chief’s wife mocks Karsa’s belief his clan’s women would act differently. Karsa names himself and his lineage, and when he talks of how her people must curse his grandfather, she laughs and tells him Pahlk “bowed his head to beg passage.” She asks how many women they will mate with and he tells them all of them, since they are young and have blood-oil. She says the blood-oil will indeed keep them stimulated enough, will last for days, but that for the women the effect will “haunt” them for months. When Karsa’s turn arrives and the chief’s wife offers her daughter, Karsa takes the wife instead, though she says her husband will curse him for it.

Karsa takes the chief’s daughter last. He tells her their village is done and the women should go live with his clan, and that she and her mother should go to his own village to raise his children and wait for him. She asks if she wants to know his name and unaware of how it shames her, tells her no, he’ll just call her Dayliss. He impregnates both her and her mother.

After riding onward from the village, they come across a pack of Rathyd dogs. Karsa grabs and dominates the pack’s leader, Delum kills one dog that doesn’t submit, and they now have control of the pack. Delum tells Karsa he now believes Karsa will do all he says and Karsa tells him he will not be content to lead just their clan but all their people, who have “slept for far too long” and whom he will lead against the outlands.

They start to cross a walkway above untrustworthy, sodden ground and Karsa tell them that sixty years ago, when his grandfather had met with the other Elders, “the river of ice filling the Fissure [a geographic feature to the north of the Teblor valleys] had died suddenly and begun to melt.” When Bairoth says the elders never said what they found up there, Karsa says Pahlk had told him of “beasts that had been frozen in the ice for numberless centuries...The river had a black heart...but whatever lay within that heart was either gone or destroyed. Even so, there were signs of an ancient battle...weapons of stone.” They are interrupted by the appearance of Rathyd warriors behind and before them on the walkway. They kill all but a few who run away. When Karsa tells Bairoth that it was his (Bairoth’s) act that led to victory, Bairoth is surprised and tells him “I am content to follow you, Warleader.” To which Karsa replies in his mind, “you ever were...and that is the difference between us.” Back to top

Chapter Two

The Rathyd warriors have pulled back the hunt, planning on attacking the three when they return back through their lands. They decide to avoid the other Rathyd villages until the very last one, so as to draw hunters into the Sunyd lands and spark a conflict. They continue on the ride, with Karsa showing surprising concern for a dog wounded in the last fight (now three-legged) and the lead pack dog he had dominated and then named Gnaw. They find a cave along what Phalk had called Bone Pass. Inside strange glyphs cover the back wall—Teblor language but strangely “ornate.” Karsa begins to read the inscription: I led the families that survived...Through the [ice]...We were so few. Our blood was cloudy and would grow cloudier still. I saw the need to shatter what remained. For the T’lan Imass were still close...and inclined to continue their indiscriminate slaughter...I fashioned new families and...proclaimed the Laws of Isolation, as given us by Icarium whom we had once sheltered and whose heart grew vast with grief upon seeing what had become of us.” When Delum says the words disturb him, Karsa calls them the mad ravings of an elder. He continues to read: “To survive, we must forget. So Icarium told us...We must forget our history and seek only our most ancient of legends...when we lived simply. In the forests. Hunting . . .When our laws were those of the raider...murders and rapes. We must return to those terrible times. To isolate our streams of blood, to weave new, smaller nets of kinship. New threads must be born of rape, for only with violence would they remain rare occurrences, and random.” When he recognizes the names of the clans listed, Karsa refuses to read farther and commands that they sleep outside the cave.

Two nights later, they are at the edge of Sunyd lands, but they haven’t been able to lure Rathyd warriors with them and in fact found the last few villages abandoned. It appears the Sunyd lands are also abandoned, the people flown, but not from Karsa and his friends since the running away seemed to take place long ago. They plan to attack Silver Lake the next day. As they camp for the night, they discuss the cave writing and Bairoth says he believes there is truth amid the ravings and that the language is from a time when the Teblor language was more sophisticated. Karsa says the idea that the Teblor are a “fallen people” is nothing new, that there are tales of past glory. But the other two argue those tales are tales “of instruction, a code of behavior, the proper way of being a Teblor,” and that the cave writings explained why. Delum points out all the children given to the Faces in the Rock due to birth defects caused by inbreeding. Karsa says they are missing the point—if they were defeated, had fallen the job is to rise once more. Bairoth wonders if the Sunyd lands are empty because the Teblor have been defeated yet again. When Karsa argues they can change that, Bairoth says he prays that Karsa’s mind “ever remains free of doubt.” When Karsa takes that as Bairoth saying Karsa is as weak as his father, Bairoth tells him Synyg is not weak, and if anything should be doubted it should be Pahlk’s stories. He sees potential in Karsa to become his father’s son and says he lied when he said he prayed Karsa never faced doubt, that in fact he prays that doubt “tempers [him] with wisdom. Those heroes in our legends...they were terrible, they were monsters, for they were strangers to uncertainty.” Karsa challenges Bairoth, but Bairoth refuses to fight and when Karsa demands an apology, Bairoth does so.

In the village they realize that lowlanders had attacked the Sunyd village. Karsa says their mission now changes from a raid by Uryd to vengeance as Teblor. As they move toward Silver Lake, they come across a huge flat slab of stone with a blue-green hand with a strange number of joints sticking out from under it. It moves when Karsa nears it. He calls it a “demon pinned for eternity beneath that stone,” and Delum names it Forkassal, from their legends—the One Who Sought Peace. They rehash the old tales of the Spirit Wars, invasions involving foreign gods and demons who battled in the mountains until only one group remained. Icarium was in those stories and Delum wonders if the T’lan Imass mentioned in the cave were the victors in that war, and it was that war that shattered the Teblor. Bairoth says they should free the demon. He recalls how the legends say the Forkassal tried to make peace between the opposed forces and it was destroyed. Then Icarium tried, but came too late, but the victors didn’t even try to fight him, knowing how futile it would be. He points out that the cave inscription said it had been Icarium who gave the Teblor the Laws that let them survive and that the Imass would have pinned him under a stone as well if they could have. Delum worries the demon may have gone mad, and that the Imass only pinned it because they could not kill it, meaning it could easily handle the three Teblor. They lift the slab and free the creature. When Bairoth goes to help her rise, Karsa tells him she has known such pressure from the slab she will not wish to to be touched most likely, an insight which surprises Bairoth. Delum goes to get water and Karsa notices that when she looks up, her smile “mocks her own sorry condition. This, her first emotion upon being freed. Embarrassment, yet finding the humour within it.” This response makes him vow that the T’lan Imass who imprisoned her (or their descendants) shall be his enemy. Delum returns but before he can offer the water, she suddenly attacks, knocking Karsa down and throwing Delum hard to the ground. She stands above Karsa and tells him “They will not leave you, will they? These once enemies of mine. It seems shattering their bones was not enough...Your kind deserves better...I must needs wait...and see what becomes of you.” When Bairoth calls her Forkassal, she tells him “you have fallen far , to so twist the name of my kind, not to mention your own. I am Forkrul Assail...I am named Calm.” When he wonders how she could attack them after they freed her, she says “Icarium and those damned T’lan Imass will not be pleased that you undid their work...but I do know gratitude and so I give you this. The one named Karsa has been chosen. If I was to tell you even the little that I sense of his ultimate purpose, you would seek to kill him. But I tell you there would be no value in that, for the ones using him will simply select another...Watch this friend of yours. Guard him. There will come a time when he stands poised to change the world. And when that time comes, I shall be there. For I bring peace. When that moment arrives, cease guarding him. Step back, as you have done now.” She leaves. Delum’s skull is cracked and is leaking brain fluid. Bairoth regrets his advice to free her and is shamed he did not try to fight. Karsa tells him at least one of them is healthy. They bandage Delum though they know he will not regain his thoughts. They return to camp.

Delum moves happily among the dogs, but seems not to even see Karsa or Bairoth. Bairoth is clearly feeling guilty, but Karsa “had little understanding of such feelings, this need to self-inflict some sort of punishment. The error had belonged to Delum...The Faces in the Rock held no pity for foolish warriors, so why should Karsa Orlong? Bairoth Gild was indulging himself, making regret and pity and castigation into sweet nectars.” When Bairoth appears with game, Delum acts like a dog in taking a piece and baring his teeth at the “other” dogs. Bairoth says Delum would have been better killed and when Karsa tells Bairoth to kill him then, Bairoth says he will no longer follow Karsa. Karsa calls him weak and foolish and says if he wishes to survive, he needs to follow Karsa. Bairoth tells him how Bairoth and Dayliss had been lovers for a long time and had laughed at Karsa’s strutting. He believes only Karsa will return to their village and when he does so he will wed Dayliss, but, he tells Karsa, in that case it will be Karsa who followed, not Bairoth. When Karsa says he will instead denounce Dayliss for sleeping with a man not her husband and will claim her as his slave, Bairoth attacks him, but before he can do much damage the dogs attack him. Karsa calls them off. They’re interrupted by torchlight coming closer. They see lowlanders come to where the Forkrul Assail had been imprisoned. Karsa attacks and kills the soldiers then, to the shock of the four mages in the group, he walks through their sorcerous fire attack and kills them as well, though one guard manages to escape. Bairoth agrees to follow Karsa in this war.

They trail the escaped guard and come across two dogs he had killed with crossbow bolts. Karsa decides to go by him and beat him to Silver Lake. They move on and come to a notch in the mountains with water pouring through cracks in the rock. Karsa realizes the scene makes no natural sense and Bairoth agrees, saying the notch wasn’t carved by the river but looks as if some god had “broken a mountain in half...It has the look of having been cut by a giant axe.” They find a staircase of bones leading down, confirming at least part of Pahlk’s tale. The stairs were made by “an army had been slain, their bones then laid out, intricately fashioned into these grim steps” and based on the length and depth, Bairoth estimates tens of tens of thousands had been killed. They descend and make camp in a place which according to Pahlk’s description should be only a few days from Silver Lake.

They grow very close and make camp for the night. Bairoth wonders what the lowlanders had been doing at Calm’s imprisonment site and Karsa says maybe they were going to free her. Bairoth says he thinks they came to worship, that maybe Calm was their god, and maybe her soul could be drawn out like the Faces in the Rock. Karsa tells him “that demon was not a god. It was a prisoner of the stone. The Faces in the Rock are true gods. There is no comparison.” Bairoth replies he wasn’t making one, pointing out “The lowlanders are foolish creatures, whilst the Teblor are not. The lowlanders are children and are susceptible to self-deception.” When Karsa wonders why Bairoth is harping on the issue, Bairoth says “I believe the bones of Bone Pass belong to the people who imprisoned the demon...it may be the lowlanders are kin to that ancient people.” Karsa says he doesn’t care; tomorrow they will slay the lowlanders.

In the morning, Bairoth paints Delum’s face in the manner that warriors do who know they ride to their own deaths, usually aged warriors. Karsa complains Bairoth is dishonoring all Teblor who have worn the battle-mask, but Bairoth answers “Do I? Those warriors grown old, setting out for a final fight—there is nothign of glory in their deed...in their battle-mask...They come to the ends of their lives and have found that those lives were without meaning. It is that knowledge that drives them...to seek a quick death.” He asks Karsa what he sees in Delum’s eyes and when Karsa says “nothing,” Bairoth says “Delum sees the same, Warleader. He stares at nothing. Unlike you, however, he does not turn away from it. Instead, he sees with complete comprehension. Sees and is terrified...We can offer Delum no comfort...he will die this day Karsa Orlong, and perhaps that will be comfort enough.” As they prepare, Karsa goes over the description of the farmstead Pahlk gave him. Bairoth wonders how many lowlander generations have passed and Karsa dismisses the question with “enough.” They charge around a pinnacle of rock and where they had expected to see a single farm or perhaps a few, stands a walled town with a gate and towers, stone buildings and piers, and a lot more lowlanders than planned on. An alarm bell begins to ring as Karsa and Bairoth charge, killing a few lowlanders on the way to the town. Havok leaps the wall (about the height of a man), separating Karsa from Bairoth momentarily before he rides in through the gate that Karsa breaks down by hand. The two, along with the dogs and even Delum (who attacks like a dog) wreak slaughter throughout the town. As they ride and fight, they come across a pile of “bleached bones, from which poles rose, skulls fixed to their tops. Teblor skulls.” Bairoth’s horse is killed, then Havok is as well, and the two are separated. Karsa sees Delum killed. He kills Delum’s slayer, then rescues a badly wounded Gnaw and leaves him in a barn, before making his way to a raised platform in a warehouse. He jumps down to kill a lowlander, but his impact collapses the floor and falls into the cellar and is impaled above the shoulder blade by a spike of wood (he has already been “festooned with arrows and quarrels). A lowlander (turns out to be the guard who had earlier escaped at Calm’s site) speaks to him and when Karsa names himself and mentions Pahlk, the lowlander asks “the Uryd who visited centuries ago?” Karsa says yes, “to slay scores of children.” But the man says that Pahlk killed nobody, “not at first. He came down from the pass half starved and fevered” and after farmers nursed him back to health, he killed them and fled. The lowlander says they know all about the Uryd from the Sunyd slaves, and that while they haven’t reached Karsa’s tribe yet, they will, and “within a century there will be no more Teblor in...Laederon Plateau [save those] branded and in chains.” Karsa is bound and brought up, where he is surrounded by cursing lowlanders. When he smiles at them, the lowlander wonder is Karsa “is the one the priests spoke of. The one who stalked their dreams like Hood’s own Knight?” A new lowlander arrives—Master Silgar—and after speaking to him the lowlander guard says Silgar has “prepared for you a lesson of sorts.” They drag Karsa out to see Bairoth, badly wounded and tied to a spoked wheel. The guard tells Karsa Bairoth refuses to give up any details of the Uryd and Karsa says he will tell them as it won’t matter. The guard draws his sword then and just before he kills Bairoth, Bairoth yells out “Lead me, Warleader.” The guard tells Karsa after he talks Silgar will add him to his slaves. A soldier appears then and the guard tells Karsa it is a Malazan captain, and it was bad luck for Karsa that his attack was while a Malazan company was staying in Silver Lake on their way to Bettrys.

After Karsa tells them of the Uryd, he is brought to a slave pit in a warehouse and chained to a tree trunk. He concentrates on forcing a remaining arrowhead out of his shoulder. Once he does so, he wonders about Bairoth’s last moments. He didn’t understand why he had refused to speak, as the lowlanders wouldn’t be able to defeat the Uryd no matter what they learned. And he wondered why Bairoth’s last words had sounded like a curse, why Bairoth had abandoned him. He worries his tribe will not follow him when he declares war against the lowlanders but then thinks they will have no choice once the lowlander armies arrive. He finds the arrowhead he forced out of his body and starts using it to chip away at the log where his chains connected. He manages to weaken the shackles somewhat and while he rests, the guard enters to check on him. He tells Karsa Silgar seems to have been right that it will take time to break Karsa’s spirit, but he adds that it will happen eventually. Karsa asks his name and the guard answers he is Damisk, “once a tracker in the Greydog army during the Malazan conquest.” Karsa then asks if it was a conquest, then whose spirit has been broken, and then points out that Damisk ran away in their earlier meeting, and now taunts Karsa only because he is chained. When Damisk leaves, a slave speaks to Karsa and asks if he will succeed at whatever he is attempting with the tree and chains. He says he was part of a group that refused to accept the Malazan conquest and fought from the forests until they were caught. He tells Karsa to spin the log to shorten their chains. He then says it will drag him and his fellows under so they will drown and when Karsa asks if he means for Karsa to kill him, the slave says “More souls to crowd your shadow.” But he then points out by spinning the log he will get water into the shaft and soften things and weaken them more. Karsa spins the log and eventually, to his surprise, the slave appears. He introduces himself as Torvald Nom and the two agree the Malazans are their shared enemy. He says he’s a Daru and just as he is about to launch into a long-winded bio, Karsa says it’s time to turn the log again.

Karsa continues to work on the chains and log. Torvald tells him they have some time as Silgar will wait to travel with the Malazans to protect him from bandits (whom Nom says he helped organize). Karsa says he will kill Silgar. They are interrupted by the return of some Sunyd slaves. Karsa is disgusted with them, with their letting themselves be defeated, enslaved. One tells him they lost the old ways “long ago. Our own children slipping away in the night to wander south into the lowland, eager for the cursed lowland coins—the bits of metal around which life itself seems to revolve...some even returned to our valleys as scouts for the hunters...To be betrayed by our own children, this is what broke the Sunyd.” When Karsa says they should have killed those children, and that he will do it for them, another Sunyd calls his words empty and points out Karsa is a slave just like them. Karsa straddles the log and pulls on his chains and splits the log, freeing himself. He moves to kill the one who mocked him—Ganal—but Torvald warns him it will raise a cry and Ganal says if Karsa spares him they will stay quiet so he can make good his escape. Karsa frees Torvald for the courage he has shown. They escape the pit, with Karsa killing three guards. When Torvald suggest a direction to run, Karsa tells him he has no plans to flee, but he will avenge his friends and in so doing will create enough of a distraction for Nom to escape easily. Torvald leaves and Karsa finds a shack, kills the person in it, and looks for a weapon, coming across as he does so “a low altar...Some lowlander god, signified by a small clay statue—a boar, standing on its hind legs. The Teblor knocked it to the earthen floor, then shattered it with a single stomp of his heel.” He kills a few more and searches more huts before finding a Sunyd bloodsword, some Teblor armor made of bloodwood, and some blood-oil. He enters a house, kills most in it, then rapes a young girl he finds upstairs. He moves on house to house killing more, losing his awareness. When he comes back to full thought, he watches the Malazans ride out through the gate. He hears slavers enter the house below him and discuss how they think Karsa is heading for T’lan Pass where the Malazans will get him. He exits when they leave and makes his way across to the Malazan barracks where he is captured by a Malazan squad including Sergeant Cord, Limp, Shard, and Ebron—a mage who uses a sorcerous net. When Cord asks if it causes Karsa pain, Ebron says if it were Cord in it he’d be screaming and then dead, but Cord notes how Karsa isn’t even trembling. Silgar arrives and thanks Cord for capturing his “property,” but Cord says Karsa is now a Malazan prisoner, and also tells him “The Fist’s position on your slaving activities is well enough known. This is occupied territory—this is part of the Malazan Empire now...and we ain’t at war with these so-called Teblor.” He says Karsa will probably be sentenced to the otataral mines, in Cord’s homeland, which he says is rumored to be heading toward rebellion, though he doesn’t buy it. Silgar points out the Malazan hold “on this continent is more than precarious at the moment, now that your principal army is bogged down outside the walls of Pale...To so flout out local customs.” Cord interrupts, disgusted: “The Nathii custom has been to run and hide when the Teblor raid. Your studious, deliberate corruption of the Sunyd is unique, Silgar. Your destruction of that tribe was a business venture...The only flouting going on here is yours with Malazan law...What in Hood’s name do you think our company’s doing here, you perfumed piece of scum.” Tension rises and Ebron tells Silgar, whom he names as a Mael priest, to release his warren and Cord warns Silgar to call off his men or he’ll arrest him and send him to the mines with Karsa. Silgar send his men out then tries to bribe Cord. They are interrupted by the return of the other Malazans led by Captain Kindly, who arrests Silgar for bribery, and says to put him in a cell away from the bandit leader they just captured (Torvald). Kindly then asks what sort of spell Ebron is using on Karsa and Ebron says it’s used to “snare and stun dhenrabi” which stuns Kindly as he realizes how strong Karsa must be, and/or how resistant to magic. He tells them to leave Karsa enspelled and figure out how to load him on a wagon. Karsa can already feel the spell net weakening around him. Back to top

Chapter Three

Three days later Karsa is lowered onto a wagon next to the recaptured Torvald Nom. Next to them are Silgar, Damisk, and three other Nathii prisoners. Shard notices that the spell net on Karsa is weaker and Ebron orders him to get lots of heavy chains. He wonders if Karsa has Otataral in his blood. As soldiers arrive with chains, Karsa begins to break free but is knocked out from behind. He wakes up six days later wrapped in chains still on the wagon. Torvald explains a bit of their likely journey to the mines, then tells a story of how in Darujhistan once a group arrived with a grey bear chained up and charged money to see it, but the bear broke its chains and escaped into the hills. He says Karsa has the same look of “Chains will not hold me.” Karsa tells him unlike the bear he will not hide in the hills. Karsa thinks how the world is not what he had expected: the lowlanders weak individually martially but strong in other ways as evidenced by their buildings, towns, ships; Teblor enslaved, lowlander soldiers who stood and fought rather than ran; Malazans as conquerors wholly different in kind seemingly from the Nathii. He sees there must be a flaw or poison within the Teblor themselves to allow them to be so corrupted, and recognizes that Pahlk’s stories were just that, but that his greatest crime was his inability or refusal to wrest free of the Tebrlor’s ways and customs, unlike, Karsa has finally understood, his father, whom he now realizes was not weak, though he faults him for not doing more to challenge his people. He vows to free his people not only from the lowlanders but themselves; he will “shatter their rules...unite the Teblor and...march.... into the lowlands. He decides to feign brain damage to lull the Malazans into false confidence, then falls back into unconsciousness.

He awakens to a lot of excitement and Torvald tells him the Malazans have just received news that Pale has fallen and Moon’s Spawn retreated and while the soldiers are happy at the news, they’re also upset they weren’t there for it. When Nom asks Shard why, Shard tells him “she don’t trust us...We’re Seven Cities and the bitch don’t trust us.” Torvald then asks if that were true, why would she send them to Seven Cities which might rebel rather than keep them on Genabackis? Shard says he won’t say any more; for all he knows Torvald is a Claw. Torvald says if so, he’ll make sure to mention his poor treatment and Shard’s attitude toward the Empress in his “report.” Shard leaves and Karsa tells Torvald of his plan. Torvald agrees to help on condition that Karsa frees him when he manages to escape, and then adds a codicil that Karsa “shall not kill [him] unless given cause.” Torvald asks him to delineate the causes and as he talks on Karsa says he’s decided Darujhistan will be the first city he will conquer. Cord arrives and Karsa feigns unconsciousness while Torvald says all Karsa’s done is drool and grunt. Cord says Torvald doesn’t look like a Claw and the soldiers will continue to treat him like a bandit unless Torvald proves them in error; otherwise Torvald will end up in the mines. Torvald asks what if his mission as a Claw is to assume the disguise of a prisoner in the mines? Cord leaves cursing and Karsa tells Torvald he is playing a deadly game. They start to get loaded onto a ferry.

They spend weeks traveling, with Karsa tormented by lying down chained for so long. Torvald saves him during this time, feeding him, talking to him to give him an anchor to hold to instead of really going mad. They are transferred to a ship and the guardianship of another group of soldiers. Karsa continues to weaken and starts to lose hold mentally, drifting in and out. They pull into the city of Malyntaeas and Torvald explains how the Nathii, Genabarii, and Korhivi were so busy fighting amongst themselves they didn’t even notice the Malazans arrive in the form of Dujek, the Bridgeburners, three legions, and two High Mages—all of them needed to sink the Nathii fleet attacking Malyntaeas, kill the Genabari royal family, and force the surrender of the Korhivi fortress. Torvald says it was enforced peace, but now the city’s Fist is losing soldiers and he says this is a lesson in “what happens when your tribe gets too big...the simplest things become ungainly, unmanageable. Confusion seeps in like fog and everyone gropes blind and dumb.” The First Mate mocks Torvald’s pontificating and Torvald says he’s seems tense—anything wrong in Malyntaeas? The Mate notes that Torvald is the one who might be a Claw, so he tells him the Crimson Guard are in the city stirring up the Korhivi and with the loss of Malazan soldiers things are going to get bad. Torvald points out the Empress would be “remiss to discount the opinions of her officers.”

Days pass and they are transferred to a huge ocean-going vessel. The new crew is scared of Karsa and when Torvald starts to play on those fears, the captain knocks him down and tells him if he or Karsa gives any trouble he’ll chain them both and toss them overboard. He then tells Karsa to quit smiling or else and Torvald interrupts to say Karsa can’t understand him due to brain damage. The captain orders Karsa gagged.

Karsa speaks to Urugal standing before the other Faces and tells him he has failed them. Urugal says, “Yes. You have abandoned us and so in turn we must abandon you. We must seek another of greater strength. One who does not accept surrender.” Then Karsa finds himself atop a hill of bones with hundreds of chains falling from his wrists down the hillsides. At the end of each chain is a corpse (many decapitated) with the chains running into their chest. They begin climbing toward him chanting, “Lead us Warleader.” He wakes on the ship to a voice saying, “Perhaps we will not abandon you yet. Breathe, Karsa Orlong. Unless, of course, you wish to once more meet your dead.” Torvald has climbed up the chains to try and remove the gag, which has been nearly suffocating Karsa. Karsa looks up into the sky and sees flashing colors “bleeding out from what seemed huge, open wounds...Then he notices “the chains, snapping down through the clouds...hundreds of chains, impossibly huge, black.” Torvald gives Karsa some water and tells him he’s been lost for weeks and weeks, keeping barely any food down so that he’s down to bones. They’ve been becalmed for days until Karsa began screaming and now the sailors think he’s called this strange storm. The captain arrives and when Torvald tells him Karsa may not even be responsible for the storm, the captain decides to toss him overboard (still chained to the platform), though Torvald says he’ll drown. Suddenly, “from overhead, chains snapped down, massive, plunging, reaching directly for—it seemed—Karsa’s own chest.” The ship is wrecked and Karsa falls into the water. He sees the ship destroyed and a “virulent, massive wound” in the sky, then goes unconscious. He wakes to Torvald crawling onto the platform, after having collected water, a box he hopes is food, and Karsa’s sword and armor from the wreckage. He believes Karsa had called the storm and when Karsa denies it, Torvald tells him those chains of lightning, Karsa—not one missed its target. Not a single Malazan was left standing.” He says Silgar and his men escaped in the dory, and he overheard Silgar talking about how they’d entered a warren—they’re no longer in the ocean. When they open the box of supposed food, they discover Moranth munitions instead.

They drift timelessly while Torvald works on freeing Karsa. They come across a group of ships and Torvald says it “looks like there was a battle. With plenty of sorcery being flung back and forth.” There are two groups of ships, some “low and sleek...cedar...single-masted, square sailed...The remaining ships were larger, high-decked and three-masted...fashioned from wood that was true black—not stained.” Torvald slips into the water and realizes he can stand. Bodies swirl around him as he drags them over to the ships. Torvald climbs aboard one of the ships and ties the platform to try and stop it from sinking while he explores. Karsa speaks to Urugal again, who criticizes him. Karsa says he’s no longer as sure as he once was of his gods, and asks about the strange word Urugal used: bhederin. He wakes to find Torvald climbing down with tools to free him, then goes in and out of consciousness. He wakes again with Torvald gone. He looks at the smaller ships and notes that the prow of one is carved with scenes of battle: “the figures were long-limbed, standing on versions of ships closely resembling the raiders...yet the enemy...were not it seemed the one’s the ship’s owners had faced here, for the craft...were smaller and lower...The warriors looked much like Teblor, thick-limbed, heavily muscled.” He sees a number of spiked, black shapes in the water—huge catfish feeding on the bodies. The catfish begin to attack the platform and Karsa barely is able to climb to safety aboard the ship. Torvald harpoons one of the fish and it pulls them into a collision with one of the large ships. Water starts pouring in and Karsa finds his bloodsword and kills the catfish, though he falls unconscious again. He wakes and Torvald tells him he’s found a dory and food and water. He wonders if Karsa’s gods have a warren and Karsa replies he’s never heard the word—the Seven “dwell in the rock and in the dreamworld of the Teblor.” Torvald asks if this looks like it, if it had been flooded. Karsa answers no, that according to the shamans the dreamworld is a “place of no hills, where mosses and lichens cling to half-buried boulders, where snow makes low dunes...brown-haired beasts run in packs,” though he adds that the place he himself had visited was different, was a land of “colored mists.” Torvald says he’s trying to figure out where they are and Karsa says it doesn’t matter; they prepare to leave the ship.

They’ve been rowing the dory for days, with Karsa strengthening but Torvald weakening and growing sick. Finally, they near land—a beach with a large wall running the coastline. A ship similar to the larger ones from the battle scene heads for them. Torvald looks at all the wreckage washing ashore and says it is as he suspected—”this sea doesn’t belong here,” adding nor do the ships. The large ship pulls alongside and Karsa and Torvald climb aboard to find a group of grey-skinned warriors and a pile of severed heads—”most similar to the grey-skinned warriors, though with skins of black.” The eyes on the heads turn to look at Karsa. The warriors demand Karsa and Torvald kneel and when Karsa doesn’t and the warriors move toward their sword hilts, Karsa kills several. He kills all on deck then more in a cabin, including a mage, whom he kills by impaling him with a harpoon that pins him to the chair he was sitting in. As he does so, yelling “Urugal! Witness a Teblor’s rage!” he feels “something cold...the breath of someone unknown, nameless, but filled with rage.” Torvald discovers the oarsmen are decapitated bodies. Based on the fact the cabin group were looking at maps, Torvald thinks the grey-skinned warriors were as lost as he and Karsa. Back on deck, he wraps the severed heads in hides—”it’s too much to bear...Darkness would better suit them, all things considered.” When Karsa asks why, Torvald tells him they are Tiste Andii, who worship darkness. When Karsa says it’s a strange thing to worship, Torvald says “Perhaps the most realistic worship of all...How many of us bow before a god in the desperate hope that we can somehow shape our fate? Praying to that familiar face pushes away our terror of the unknown—the unknown being the future. Maybe these Tiste Andii are the only ones among us all who see the truth, the truth being oblivion.” When he adds it’s probably a good thing the Andii can’t speak or they’d have a “ghastly debate,” and Karsa asks if Torvald doubts his words, Torvald replies “Always Karsa.” As he speaks with Torvald, Karsa realizes he is no longer the same warrior who left the Teblor homelands, his experiences “had served as instruction on the complexities of the world. Subtlety had been a venomed serpent slithering unseen through is life. Its fangs had sunk deep...yet not once had he even understood the source of the pain. The poison itself had course deep within him, and the only answer he gave—when he gave one at all—was of violence, often misdirected, a lashing out on all sides...Who has dragged the cloth from my eyes...awakened Karsa...Not Urugal. He knew that for certain, for the otherworldly rage he had felt in the cabin...that had belonged to his god. A fierce displeasure—to which Karsa had felt himself oddly indifferent. The Seven Faces in the Rock never spoke of freedom. The Teblor were their servants. Their slaves.” A “milky, slimy” rain begins to fall and they load up the dory and head out toward the coastline.

Once they’ve left the ship, the seven Faces in the Rock rise from the slime, worrying about Karsa slipping their knots and about his increased doubts. One says, “The failure belonged to the Tiste Edur” and says they should be punished, to which another replies “Not for us to demand...We are not the masters in this scheme.” When one complains they’ve had “scant success thus far,” another argues “Untrue. The Shattered Warren stirs awake once more. The broken heart of the First Empire begins to bleed...We need only set our chosen warrior upon the proper current.” Their leader orders Ber’ok to scatter the Otataral dust in the cabin and says the Edur’s warren remains open and will quickly become a wound. He then says they have to move fast as they are being hunted: “there are kin upon our trail.”

Karsa and Torvald make it to the coast and a breach in the large wall is causing a current pulling them in toward it. They spot Silgar and his men—their boat wrecked in the breach. They land near them and as Karsa moves toward Silgar to kill him, the slave master says he can save them by opening a portal. Torvald convinces Karsa they should let Silgar try so they take Silgar and his men into the dory. Silgar says he couldn’t try before because there was “no path before...But now, here, someone has opened a gate. Close...I can follow.” He guides them toward the breach where the water seemed to vanish, and they go over the edge into darkness then into water, the closing portal Silgar had borrowed closing over the dory, shearing it off and killing one of Silgar’s men—Borrug—(though nobody realizes this at first, thinking him merely unconscious). Torvald spots a light and they begin to swim toward it, Karsa taking Borrug on his back, realizing along the way that he was dead—his legs having been severed just below the knees by the portal closing. A huge shark attacks and grabs Borrug’s corpse off Karsa’s back. Karsa kills the fish, slicing its belly, then pulls Borrug’s body out of it. They make it to shore and Torvald wonders at Karsa going after a dead man. Karsa tells him “He was in my care...The shark had no right to him, whether he was dead or alive.” Torvald suspects the shark—Mael’s chosen beast of the sea—may have been called by Silgar, a priest of Mael.

Karsa and Torvald leave Silgar and Damisk on the beach and walk on, spotting a tower (the source of Torvald’s light) with a path leading to it. As they near it, Torvald realizes the tower is made of fossils. A huge man (by “lowlander standards”) steps out onto the path and speaks to them. Torvald says he recognizes a Malazan accent and assumes by his skin color he is Napan. The stranger leads them into the tower, past a huge stone skull—as long as Karsa is tall—that formed the doorway’s lintel. The stranger says he’s also collected most of the body, which has strangely “puny” forearms. Inside the tower is hollow and contains a framework supporting the lower half of a large skeleton. The man says he had built the tower too small and he’ll have to extend the roof. When Torvald introduces himself, the stranger recognizes the family name as being of the House of Torvald of Darujhistan, and tells them they are on Seven Cities’ northern coast, near the Otataral Sea and the city of Ehrlitan. He gives them tea and introduces himself as being known “locally” as Keeper, “Beyond that, in the fierce and unpleasant world, I’m not known at all, except as someone who died long ago.” He says in return for food they can spend a day or so helping him dismantle the roof. Karsa says he will not and calls what Keeper is doing pointless and a waste of his life and proclaims when he is hungry he will simply take food. Keeper lashes out with his fist and cracks several of Karsa’s ribs (breaking a few bones in his hand as well). Karsa thinks “He had never been hit so hard in his life” then passes out. He awakens the next day and finds Torvald and Keeper working on the ceiling. He joins them on the scaffold, painful as it is, much to Keeper’s surprise. Karsa shoves over a huge part of the wall and almost falls over with it, but is saved by Keeper, who says they’ve earned breakfast. Torvald tells Karsa that Silgar and Damisk had left the beach and probably headed for Ehrlitan.

Torvald suggests to Karsa they head for Ehrlitan as well and take ship for home. Karsa says he will return to his people one day, “Urugal guides my steps still—I can feel him. Secrets have power so long as they remain secret. Bairoth Gild’s words, to which I gave little thought at the time. But now that has changed. I am changed. Mistrust has taken root in my soul and when I find Urugal’s...will warring with mine, I feel my own weakness. Urugal’s power over me lies in what I do not know, in secrets—secrets my own god would keep from me...I follow for our journey is to the truth.” When Torvald says Karsa may not like what he finds, Karsa says he suspects Torvald is right. Torvald tells him that Keeper says it’s unsafe being around Karsa, that “it’s as if you’re dragging a thousand invisible chains behind you, and whatever’s on the ends of each one of them is filled with venom.” Karsa, troubled by Keeper’s insight, tells Torvald the man is right—he is dangerous to be around—and so he will accompany Torvald to the port and see him board ship then part ways, thinking him a friend. He tells Torvald if it were not for his words on board the prisoner ship he would have gone mad: “I was a Teblor warleader. I was needed, but I myself did not need. I had followers, but not allies, and only now do I understand the difference. And it is vast...I have come to understand what it is to possess regrets. Bairoth Gild. Delum Thord. Even the Rathyd, whom I have greatly weakened. When I return...there are wounds I shall need to mend.” When they prepare to leave, Keeper gives them a lot of money, telling them “when a man arranges his own death, he needs to plan ahead...I emptied half of Aren’s treasury a day before my tragic drowning.” Karsa tells him he will return to repay him one day and when Keeper asks if he means for the money or the broken ribs, Karsa simply smiles. Keeper laughs and they leave. Back to top

Chapter Four

After a few days of travel, Torvald and Karsa enter a village and Torvald purchases a sword, complaining that the merchant spoke Malazan but wouldn’t admit it. Karsa says the Malazans in Genabaris had mentioned that Seven Cities would rebel and says this is why the Teblor way is better—instead of conquering they let the enemy keep their land so the Teblor can raid over and over. Torvald says the imperial way is “Possession and control...no doubt the Malazans have thought up countless justifications...It’s well known that Seven Cities was a rat’s warren of feuds and civil wars, leaving most of the population suffering and miserable and starving...and that with the Malazan conquest, the thugs ended up spiked...or on the run. And the wilder tribes no longer sweep down out of the hills...And the tyranny of the priesthoods was shattered, putting an end to human sacrifice and extortion. And of course, the merchants have never been richer, or safer on the roads. So, all in all, this land is rife for rebellion.” Karsa stares at him, then replies, “yes, I can see how that would be true,” to which Torvald responds: “you’re learning friend.” When Karsa refers to the “lessons of civilization,” Torvald says “just so. There’s little value in seeking to find reasons for why people do what they do...Hatred is a most pernicious weed, finding root in any soil. It feeds on itself.” As they walk through the village, they pick up signs not all is right, then realize they are walking into an ambush. They are caught between two groups (Arak tribesmen) totaling about 50 men with bows. Karsa asks how much damage the bows could do and Torvald says enough: “a year ago and Karsa would have attacked nonetheless. Now he simply reslung his bloodsword.” They are shackled and chained, Karsa so tightly as to cut off the blood to his hands and feet. Silgar appears, leading the men, and says he’s fine with that result. Karsa is knocked out and wakes tied to a sled amidst the Arak camp, his hands and feet numb and already turning blue. Torvald stuffs his and Karsa’s clothes with grass and nudges them against the small campfire sending up easily noticed flames/light. The Arak quickly decamp, muttering “Gral” with fear.

As one of the Arak puts his knife to Torvald’s neck, a group of Gral suddenly attack. The Arak slices Torvald’s neck then is killed. Damisk and Silgar escape via magic with Karsa, leaving the writhing Torvald behind. They arrive in a city and Silgar orders Karsa unshackled as the city is under Malazan control and they don’t abide slavery unless the slave is branded a criminal (which Karsa is not). When they unshackle him, Karsa screams in pain, then continues, throwing off the magic Silgar tries to hit him with. He goes unconscious just as he hears a group of Malazan soldiers confronting Silgar and demanding to see Karsa’s brand when Silgar claims they are just subduing an escaped slave.

As he swims back into consciousness he hears a Malazan healer saying he’d never seen such fast healing before and that any normal person would have needed their limbs amputated. The two Malazans wonder if he is a Fenn due to his size. Karsa pretends to still be unconscious as the Malazans leave, then sits up to find himself sharing a small room with a stranger who speaks a Seven Cities language, then switches to Malazan. The stranger tells him Silgar and Damisk have been arrested and are in the stocks, but had told them Karsa was en route to the Otataral mines and had cursed the ship to destruction. Karsa is being sent to the mines again, as is the stranger. He mentions Silgar has been collared on the ankle with an Otataral anklet, which he explains is a powdery rusty-colored substance that defies magic. Karsa says they use something similar to make their blood-oil, which they use on the swords, armor, and taste before battle. When the stranger asks how well magic works on him, Karsa replies not very well at all. The stranger tells him the Malazans control Otataral production very tightly and believe it to only be found on Otataral island and warns Karsa to not let it slip there is another source or the Empire will try to crush his people. When Karsa says “The Teblor have many enemies,” the stranger laughs at what they call themselves. Before he can say why, though, a group of soldiers enters to transport them. They tell Karsa he’s been tattooed as an escaped prisoner: “‘shattered, the other prisoner said, ‘the brand makes your face look like it’s been shattered.” As they move, the soldiers discuss how their Fist is “cowering in his keep” and how they worry that regiments (such as the Ashok we met earlier) from Seven Cities might join the rebellion if it happens. When they were passing Silgar in the stocks, Karsa asks what will happen to him. When the soldier mentions Silgar’s claim that he is rich back in Genabackis and Karsa mocks a system that would let Silgar buy freedom, the soldier tells him that doesn’t happen under Imperial law if the crimes are serious, but he may be just fined—which for a merchant hurts a lot. Karsa is chained (more humanely) alongside his cellmate, who proposes the two partner to guard each other’s back in the mines. At night, Torvald Nom appears with some Gral and trading agents of the House of Nom. He frees both Karsa and his partner. Torvald tells Karsa the Gral saved him to try and ransom him. He adds his kin have offered him a place, but the Gral won’t take Karsa, as he is too noticeable. The stranger offers Karsa a place of safety and Karsa agrees to go with him. As the alarm rings out, Torvald gives Karsa his bloodsword that he’d saved from before and tells Karsa to come to Darujhistan in a few years to visit. The stranger leads Karsa out of the city, passing through a doorway held by a man named Mebra. Outside, the stranger tells him it will take some days of travel to reach safety. Karsa warns him he will not be taken prisoner again and the stranger says Karsa is free to head off his own way at any time.

The next day Karsa and the stranger are pursued by horsemen; the stranger suspects Mebra betrayed him. When they can’t lose them, the stranger concludes they have a mage. Karsa decides he will attack them at dark.

Night falls and the stranger and Karsa spy on the pursuers, which include Silgar and Damisk. Karsa attacks, killing several and driving others off. He cuts off Silgar’s hands and feet, then binds them so Silgar doesn’t die: “he has not earned swift death. He is as a mad dog, to be driven into a hut and killed...once I have driven him mad.”

Eight days later they cross a path and look over the desert Raraku. Karsa asks why his people’s name—Teblor—continually amuses the stranger. The stranger tells him: “Your kind walked this earth when the T’lan Imass were still flesh. From your blood came the Barghast and the Trell. You are Thelomen Toblakai.” He then names himself Leoman, and says he serves Sha’ik. Back to top

Chapter Five

Back in Aren, Commander Blistig has been ordered by Fist Gamet (head of Adjunct Tavore’s newly landed army) to find Squint, the archer who killed Coltaine. The scene opens with them pulling him—drunk, covered in vomit—out of a tavern. Gamet complains about the lack of decorum/discipline. Blistig reminds him angrily how he and his garrison, under orders, were forced to watch Coltaine and his men get cut down, then watch again as Pormqual led the army out to slaughter. He tells Gamet “Go to Hood with our military decorum.” Gamet thinks how he’s seen Blistig’s anger before, how all those who had survived the Chain of Dogs—either those Duiker brought in or those forced to watch the end—were filled with rage; he believes their hope had shattered and they were too brittle, too broken to be used as soldiers and melded with Tavore’s untested recruits. Gamet orders Squint cleaned up and locked up, then tells Blistig that his plan to be obviously insubordinate and thus get imprisoned and sent back to Unta won’t work—that he and his soldiers were needed. Blistig says it would have been better had they died with Coltaine and Gamet answers they hadn’t died, though, and so needed to be models for the recruits. Blistig disparages Gamet, mocking that Tavore turned her House Guard captain into a Fist. Gamet replies that he is a 23-year veteran of the Fourth Army and of the Wickan Wars and was retired after a wound that should have killed him. Gamet informs Blistig Tavore is calling a meeting of all the commanders tonight.

On the last transport, Strings watches Aren draw closer, thinking it had changed little since he saw it last years ago. He thinks how he has left his old life behind, save for one item buried in his kit bag. He is joined by Lieutenant Ranal, who in Strings’ mind “embodied the worst of Malazan military command. Nobleborn, commission purchased...arrogant and inflexible and righteous...a walking death sentence to his soldiers.” Ranal remarks how Fiddler is old enough to be most recruits’ father, and how the recruiting officer had seen that he was a veteran and considered him a “valuable resource,” suggesting that Ranal make him a sergeant. Ranal says he thinks Strings is a deserter. Strings replies he’s met a bunch, but one thing he can guarantee is deserters don’t end up putting themselves back into recruiting lines. He heads off to another part of the ship. Another soldier, a half-Seti named Koryk, tells him that Ranal has it out for Strings. Strings tells Koryk that despite rumors, there are survivors and veterans of the Chain of Dogs in Aren. Along with the Aren Guard and the Red Blades as well as some coastal marines and Nok’s fleet, though he says Nok will probably keep the fleet intact. When asked why by another recruit (one which reminds him of another young woman “who’d marched alongside him a while ago,” he answers that Nok can be used to recapture coast cities—the ports the ground army will need. One of the recruits says Tavore is likely a fool as she’s nobleborn and Strings thinks she may be right, though then thinks that she is sister to Captain Paran and he “had shown some spine in Darujhistan.” A soldier asked where he got the name Strings and he replies, “That tale’s too long to tell, lass.”

Lostara Yil awaits someone who had sent a cryptic message to meet in a bar, though she’s pretty sure she’s figured out it’s Pearl. She is Tene Baralta’s aide (Baralta commands the Red Blades) and she thinks how the Red Blades are being kept separate from the army, despite the army’s noted lack of veterans. Baralta, despite having met with Tavore three times, still can’t tell if Tavore doesn’t trust the Blades. Pearl arrives and when Lostara says he probably knows what Tavore thinks of the Red Blades, he says the Adjunct “is as unfathomable to me as she is to you,” but that the Red Blades aren’t alone in being left out of her counsel—she speaks to hardly anybody. He informs her of the meeting tonight and says that he has gotten permission from Lostara to have her as his aide in a particular upcoming task, which the two of them will learn the details of after the meeting.

Gamet awaits Tavore’s arrival at the meeting. He feels intimidated due to his belief that his promotion to Fist had nothing to do with “merit” but instead was based on the fact that Tavore knew him and was familiar with him as an organizer/administrator and was going to use him in the same manner as Fist, something he is aware that everyone else knows as well. Nok, Blistig, and Baralta are also present. Gamet thinks how Nok is the last of the Emperor’s commanders, the “only admiral who didn’t drown.” He believes had Pormqual not kept Nok’s fleet in Aren, the Chain of Dogs never would have happened and the rebellion would have most likely already been over, though Nok’s own thoughts on the matter are impossible to know. Gamet knows Baralta is concerned over Tavore’s attitude toward the Red Blades, but Gamet has no idea what Tavore has concluded about them. Tavore enters, plainly dressed and wearing an otataral sword. Without ceremony, she divvies up command assignments for the Fourteenth Army, with Gamet, Blistig, and Baralta each commanding one legion. The Chain of Dogs survivors and other unattached units are broken up and dispersed among the larger army. She dismisses Blistig and Baralta (now named Fists) and then Nok, though she says she wishes to meet with him later. Alone with Gamet, she remarks how easily that went and Gamet says they were probably in shock as usually “the imperial style of command includes discussions, argument, compromise” at which she only smiles. When asked, he says he thinks Baralta will choose his officers from among the Red Blades, Blistig will choose Captain Keneb who had warned Blistig about Mallick Rel but beyond Keneb the pickings are slim. When Gamet says he “feels for Blistig,” Tavore says she thinks what bothers Blistig most is not that he had to watch Coltaine’s fall, but that he “disobeyed a High Fist’s order. He stands before me, his new commander, and believes that it would be best for everyone concerned if I were to send him to Unta, to face the Empress.” Nil, Nether, and Temul enter, with Nil and Nether looking terrible and disinterested. Tavore informs the two that they are now Mages in the Fourteenth Army and when they try to say no, she says they have no choice. When they tell her the “warlock spirits within us are silent,” she simply informs them they have to find some way to wake them up again. She asks Temul if the older Wickan warriors resent his command and he adamantly says no. She attaches the Wickans to her personal entourage as bodyguards, saying she doesn’t have the forces to really use cavalry. Temul begins to object, referring to Coltaine, and she interrupts and bluntly tells him “This is no longer Coltaine’s war.” She dismisses them, then asks Gamet why he thinks Nok didn’t simply take command from Pormqual, why did he permit the loss of Coltaine and the others. Gamet has no answer. She mentions that the Empress never had reason to doubt Nok’s loyalty and Gamet mutters she had not reason to doubt Dujek either, which raises a smile from Tavore.

She leads Gamet into another room and he sees a momentary vulnerability in her eyes before she recovers and then tells him “in this room the Empress is not present.” Pearl and Lostara enter. Pearl notes Tavore has taken care to ensure this meeting was secret, and also that he has angered/disappointed both Laseen and Topper (the Claw master), making him “something of a loose end at the moment.” She says she’s considering asking him to perform a more personal, private task, which makes Lostara uncomfortable as the Adjunct “is the will of the Empress. No other considerations are permitted her.” Tavore agrees, then asks Pearl about the Talon. He says they no longer exist and when Tavore challenges his honesty, he admits they do, digging in deeper whenever the Claw try to root them out. Tavore says they do serve a “certain function,” and Pearl connects that to support among the nobility and when Tavore says yes, he thinks for a moment then says, “name him.” Tavore says “Baudin” and when Pearl scoffs he was assassinated years ago (leaving Claw corpses “scattered in alleys throughout the city), she informs him that was Baudin Elder, but she is referring to the son, whose skills are as good. She says she employed him but now fears something has gone wrong and Gamet mentions Felisin. Pearl asks when she lost contact and she tells him the night of the uprising, though there had been a “loss of control for some weeks before then.” She gives Pearl and Lostara a scroll with more information and asks them to find her sister.

Gamet flashes back to Unta, the Season of Rot and the Cull. He is at the gatehouse with a trio of guards while inside hides Felisin—her parents already arrested and taken, her brother thought dead, and her sister become adjunct. He dismisses the three guards but only two leave. The other, about whom Gamet knew nothing but had sensed hidden martial skill and confidence, stays. Gamet thinks he is working for the Empress but the guard, known as Kollen, tells him he is under Tavore’s orders: he is to see “no harm is to come to her [Felisin].” Gamet is suspicious, noting Tavore had done nothing for her parents and had said nothing to suggest Felisin would fare differently, to which Kollen (Baudin) says the Adjunct options are “limited. She is under some scrutiny.” He tells Gamet Felisin is to spend a “brief stint in the otataral mines” with a guardian—him. Gamet warns Baudin that if any harm comes to Felisin he will hunt Baudin down no matter that he is a Claw. Baudin responds he is not a Claw, but unfortunately “there will be some [harm]; it cannot be helped. We must hope she is resilient—it is a Paran trait, yes?” Gamet accepts what Baudin says and asks, willing to accept this as well, if Baudin is supposed to kill him and the other guards now or later. Baudin says not at all, but Gamet is to escort him to a safe house on the Avenue of Souls, which Gamet sadly realizes means Felisin will face “Judgment’s Round. To the chains.” He goes to wake Felisin.

Pearl and Lostara are alone in the room; Pearl has been studying the information for a while. Lostara tells him she won’t have anything to do with the job. Pearl says fine, but he’ll have to kill her so she doesn’t say anything. She asks wince when does he do the Adjunct’s bidding and he answers since she “unequivocally reasserted her loyalty to the Empress.” Lostara says she didn’t hear that and he explains the “unnaturally swift” return of the nobles to power has been linked in rumor to the Talons, but none of those who confessed to being a Talon weren’t even close to the real things. Tavore has told Pearl that the Talons exist and have been making use of the nobles, “placing sympathetic agents in the military and administration.” Now that Tavore has shifted from being a noble to being Adjunct, her “old loyalties must needs be severed...She has given us the Talons. We will find this Baudin Younger, and from him we will unravel the entire organization.” He continues explaining that Tavore didn’t tell him and Lostara that the mission directly helps the Empire because it is secondary to Tavore’s primary goal (finding Felisin) and because the Empress wouldn’t be thrilled to learn about Tavore’s deceit re Felisin. Lostara agrees to take on the mission.

Tavore and Gamet meet with Nok. Gamet feels superfluous to the whole thing and recalls how when Tavore first brought him in he’d thought of slipping away, but hadn’t out of simple curiosity. Continuing his conversation with Tavore, Nok says he heard the transport ship she asked about had sank in Malaz harbor, with Pormqual’s treasure aboard, while none of the crew seemed to have survived; lots of empty dories were found. When Tavore expresses some skepticism that sharks ate everyone and left no remains. Nok says he knows of a dozen examples. Tavore interrupts to name one—the Twisted, Kellanved’s flagship “which mysteriously slipped its moorings the night after the assassinations, then promptly plummeted into the deeps, taking its resident demon with it.” When Nok begins to speak, she interrupts again and says only Nok and three others “are left.” Gamet thinks of Tayschrenn, Dujek, and Whiskeyjack, listing the fallen: Tattersail, Bellurdan, Nightchill, Duiker. Tavore continues, telling Nok she isn’t interested in the details, nor does she ask for the Empress, but she is personally curious as to “why they abandoned her.” Gamet thinks Tavore “asks questions of loyalty, as would someone who has never experienced it. You reveal...what can only be construed as a critical flaw. You command the Fourteenth Army, Adjunct, yet you do so in isolation, raising the very barricades you must needs take down if you would truly lead.” Nok says the answer to her question “lies in what was both a strength and a flaw of the Emperor’s family . . .. Kellanved began with but one companion—Dancer. The two then hired a handful of locals . . .. Myself, Ameron, Dujek...Hawl my wife...The Napan Isles has just been annexed by Unta and were providing a staging point for the Untan king’s planned invasion of Kartool...Our residency in the Deadhouse rewarded us with—as is now clearly evident—certain gifts. Longevity, immunity to most diseases, and other things...Dancer later bolstered our number by recruiting among the refugee Napans who’d fled the conquest: Cartheron Crust and his brother, Urko. And Surly—Laseen. Three more.... Toc Elder, Dassem Ultor...and a renegade High Septarch of the D’rek Cult, Tayschrenn. And finally, Duiker.” He says his wife was one of the casualties in the drive toward conquering Malaz Island and Mock, then said “To answer you Adjunct. Unknown to the rest of us, the Napans among us were far more than simple refugees. Surly was of the royal line. Crust and Urko had been captains in the Napan fleet, a fleet that would have likely repelled the Untans if it hadn’t been virtually destroyed by a sudden storm. As it turned out, theirs was a singular purpose—to crush the Untan hegemony—and they planned on using Kellanved to achieve that. In a sense, that was the first betrayal within the family, the first fissure. Easily it healed, it seemed, since Kellanved already possessed imperial ambitions, and of the two major rivals on the mainland, Unta was by far the fiercest.” Tavore says it seems clear that Surly’s killing of Kellanved and Dancer wrecked the family “irrevocably, but that is where my understanding falters. Surly had taken the cause to its penultimate conclusion. Yet it was not you, Tayschrenn, Duiker, Dassem Ultor, or Toc Elder who disappeared. It was Napans.” When Gamet points out Ameron was the exception, Nok tells them Ameron was half Napan. When Gamet wonders why only Napans deserted the new Empress, who was of the royal Napan line, Nok tells them “Shame is a fierce, vigorous poison. To now serve the new Empress—complicity and damnation. Curst, Urko, and Ameron were not party to the betrayal, but who would believe them?” He says Laseen hadn’t included any of them in her scheme and just used the Claw. Gamet asks where the Talons were, and Nok says he has no idea, as he wasn’t in Malaz City; he just knows they disappeared and it was thought the Claw got rid of them. Tavore dismisses him and Gamet, after asking Gamet where T’amber was.

Strings enters the stables where the other recruits are. He watches as Koryk, the half-Seti, cuts long strands from a piece of hide and thinks how he’s seen Koryk’s type before—the ones “obsessed” with tying things—fetishes, loot, etc.—to their bodies. He recalls the Seti past: fighting a centuries-long war with the city-states of Quon and Li Heng, greatly outnumbered as they defended the “barely inhabitable lands that had been their traditional home.” Their lands had been “pacified” for sixty years now—”almost three generations had lived in that ambivalent, ambiguous border that was the edge of civilization. The various tribes had dissolved into a single, murky nation, with mixed-bloods coming to dominate the population.” Strings believes that had been the cause of Coltaine’s rebellion/the Wickan Wars, as Coltaine tried to prevent the same happening to his own people. Strings divides up cultures not into right and wrong but into “inward-looking...and aggressive.” The first can’t fight the second, “without metamorphosing into some other thing, a thing twisted by the exigencies of desperation and violence” and he thinks how the Seti—known now as horse warriors—had never even ridden them before. He wonders if Koryk’s choice to follow the old ways, join the army not as a horseman but a marine, was evidence of “the clash in the man’s scarred soul.”

He introduces himself to the 4th squad as their sergeant and tells them their commander (of the 9th Company) is Captain Keneb while the entire 8th Legion is commanded by Fist Gamet. He asks their names and the squad introduces themselves. Tarr is from Li Heng and was nicknamed that because he can’t be moved once he’s planted behind his shield. Strings makes him corporal. One of the women recruits is named Smiles because “she never does.” Another recruit is called Bottle. He asks who their drill sergeant was and when Koryk answers Braven Tooth, Strings is surprised “that bastard’s still alive.” He remembers how it had been Braven who’d named most of the Bridgeburners: Whiskeyjack...Hedge...Toes. Fiddler himself had avoided a new name through his basic training; it had been Whiskeyjack who’d named him on that first ride through Raraku. Smiles asks who named Braven Tooth and Strings say he doesn’t know, but thinks “I did, after the bastard left one of his in my shoulder the night of the brawl...Gods, so many years ago.” Strings asks Bottle where his sword is and Bottle says he doesn’t use one; he uses “this and that” instead and is good at scouting. Strings thinks he “smells like a mage...only he doesn’t want to advertise it.” Smiles says she scouts as well but unlike Bottle “finishes” with her knives. Six more soldiers appear—the 5th squad led by Gesler and Stormy. Strings notes the “strange, burnished cast” to their skin, as well as on a younger soldier (Truth). Strings names them Adjutant Stormy and Captain Gesler but Gesler interrupts and says those titles aren’t theirs anymore; he’s a sergeant and Stormy his Corporal. He introduces the others: Truth, Tavos Pond, Sands, and Pella, mentioning that Pella was a guard at the otataral mines. Stormy’s eyes narrow “suspiciously” when Strings introduces himself and asks “Hey Gesler, think we should have done that? Changes our names? This Strings here is Old Guard.” Gesler replies, “let the bastard keep whatever name he wants.” Strings and Gesler exit for a private talk and Strings says “I can picture Whiskeyjack’s jaw dropping—the day I tell him you was my fellow sergeant in the new 8th Legion.” He asks about the Adjunct and Gesler says, “She’s as cold as Hood’s forked tongue” and says she confiscated the Silanda. He wonders about how she hasn’t ever commanded anything other than her noble house and yet she’s been given an army and told to reconquer a continent. He mentions he knows of only one Falari in the Bridgeburners and Strings admits he’s Fiddler. They head to a tavern to swap stories, each thinking they have the best one. Back to top

Chapter Six

Apsalar, her father Rellock, and Crokus have returned to Sorry’s home—Itko Kan—to find it empty of people. The night before Rellock died in his sleep and Hood himself or one of his minions appear to have come to collect Rellock’s soul. While Apsalar mourns over the body, Crokus thinks how he has come to know her less and less and feels what lies at her core is not fully human. He muses on Cotillion who had possessed her and his move toward ascendancy: “it seemed to him, to ascend was also to surrender. Embracing what to all intents and purposes could be called immortality, was, he had begun to believe, presaged by a turning away. Was it not a mortal’s fate—fate he knew was the wrong word, but he could think of no other—was it not a mortal’s fate, then, to embrace life itself, as one would a lover? Life, with all its fraught, momentary fragility. And could life not be called a mortal’s first lover? A lover whose embrace was then rejected in that fiery crucible of ascendancy? Crokus wondered how far she had gone down that path—for it was a path she was surely on.” He is attracted himself and wonders if she wants him to ascend with her, and if so, is it him or could it just be anyone, someone. He ponders if “fear of dying lies at the root of ascendancy” and believes if that’s the case, “he would never make it, for...[he] had lost that fear.” He recalls how Shadowthrone had sent him, Apsalar, and Rellock to an alley in Kan (rather than the village as promised) and he and Apsalar had contracted to kill men who had been extorting a bookmaker in the alley. The next morning “Crokus has acquired a new name, Cutter. At first, he had rejected it...Murdering killers was still murder, the act like the closing of shackles between them all, joining a line of infinite length, one killer to the next, a procession from which there was no escape. His mind had recoiled from the name...But that had proved a short-lived rectitude. The two murderers had died indeed—at the hands of the man named Cutter. Not Crokus, not the Daru youth, the cut-purse—who had vanished, probably never to be seen again.” He decides he, or “Cutter” would walk the path of ascendancy with Apsalar: “The Emperor had Dancer, yes?...a companion was what was needed, is needed. No she has Cutter...Who dances in his chains as if they were weightless threads...And therein resided the final truth. Anyone could become a killer. Anyone at all.”

Kalam rides through Shadow and stops beside some broken pillars from which chains descend into the ground. He pulls on a chain and a desiccated limb rises and when the hand twitches, he drops it. “Pillars, columns, tree stumps...for every dozen there was one among them holding a prisoner. None of whom seemed capable of dying...their minds had died—most of them—long ago. Raving in tongues...begging forgiveness, offering bargains, though not one had yet—within Kalam’s hearing—proclaimed its own innocence.” As he rides on, he wonders what is going on with Quick Ben (he hasn’t heard anything from him) or Fiddler, whom he knows reenlisted. He envies that at least they were doing something more than babysitting 1300 children, and besides, he thinks Minala and Apt had it in hand without his help, teaching them “a host of life skills...stealth, tracking, the laying of ambushes, the setting of traps...countless other weapon skills, the weapons themselves donated by the warren’s mad rulers—half of them cursed or haunted or fashioned for entirely unhuman hands. The children took to such training with frightening zeal and the gleam of pride in Minala’s eyes left the assassin chilled. And army in the making for Shadowthrone.” He pulls up in front of a gate swarming with shadows. Cotillion and two hounds appear and caution him to be careful because the shadows “have lost their masters but anyone will do” and then he asks if Kalam is seeking to leave. Kalam tells him he’s bored and Minala has banished him, then asks what Cotillion wants. When Cotillions remarks on Kalam’s lack of “obeisance to [his] patron”, Kalam replies: “Since when have you expected it...if it was fanatical worshippers you hungered for, you should never have looked to assassins. By our very natures, we’re antithetical to the notion of subservience—as if you weren’t already aware of that...Mind you, you stood at Kellanved’s side, through to the end. Dancer, it seems, knew both loyalty and servitude.” When Cotillion questions “servitude?” Kalam says “Mere expedience? That seems difficult to countenance, given all that the two of you went through.” He then tells Cotillion to spit out what he obviously is there for: “you need me for something, only you’ve never learned how to ask.” Cotillion says he’s going to be very busy but he needs other things taken care of and it’s been hard to find someone “of practical use.” When Kalam laughs “you went fishing for faithful servants and found your subjects wanting,” Cotillion dryly responds, “We could argue interpretation all day.” Kalam finds Cotillion’s irony appealing: “he admitted that he actually liked Cotillion...Certainly, between the Patron of Assassins and Shadowthrone, only the former seemed to possess any shred of self-examination—and thus was actually capableof being humbled.” After some words, Kalam asks Cotillion if he thinks his realm is being contested (Cotillion murmurs “my realm”) and Cotillion says it’s hard to tell, but there have been “trembles, agitation.” Kalam assumes Cotillion wants to “know more of your potential enemy” and Cotillion agrees and says Kalam should start at “a confluence to your own desires, I suspect.”

Crokus/Cutter is on the beach trying to figure out what he and Apsalar are gong to do. He feels a stranger in the Malazan Empire and recognizes the same is not true for Apsalar: “She seemed possessed of absolute calm...the confidence of the god who once possessed her had left something of a permanent imprint on her soul. Not just confidence...deadly skills and the icy precision necessary when using them and...many of the god’s own memories remained with her. Cotillion appears with the hound Blind to speak to Apsalar (she’s gone for a walk). Cutter tells him of Rellock and Cotillion says it is “unfortunate” then, looking at Cutter, asks if Cotillion is now his patron. Cutter says he thinks so and Cotillion declares himself pleased. Cotillion asks if he should bless Cutter’s knives and Cutter answers only if he can do it without magic. Cotillion wonders if Cutter wishes to follow Rallick’s path and Cutter says he’d find it hard to do because Rallick was so good. Cotillion agrees Rallick was “formidable” but says Cutter is selling himself short, adding that Cutter needn’t use the past tense re Rallick—saying he suspects Rallick and Vorcan are alive. He asks if Cutter will do a service and when Cutter replies, “isn’t that expected” Cotillion says he won’t take advantage of Cutter’s inexperience. Instead, he says, they’ll “begin things on a proper footing. Reciprocity, Cutter. A relationship of mutual exchanges.” Cutter says Cotillion should have done the same with Apsalar and Cotillion agrees, saying, “Consider this new tact the consequences of difficult lessons.” Cutter says in payment then, he wants answers to why Cotillion and Shadowthrone plotted against Laseen and the Empire; he wants to know why they did what they did to Apsalar. After a long pause, Cotillion replies: “necessities...Games are played, and what may appear precipitous might well be little more than a feint. Or perhaps it was the city itself, Darujhistan, that it would serve our purposes better if it remained free, independent. There are layers of meaning behind every gesture, every gambit. I will not explain myself any further.” Cutter challenges him whether he feels regret and Cotillion says, “Yes. Many, many regrets. One day, perhaps, you will see for yourself that regrets are as nothing. The value lies in how they are answered.” After telling Cotillion about throwing Oponn’s coin into the sea because he didn’t like their attention, he demands that in return for his service he gets to call on Blind if he gets in trouble, saying “her attention comforts me.” Cotillion agrees.

Apsalar returns and senses right away that Cotillion had been there. Cutter says they are to explore an island that “is getting farther by the moment.” Apsalar responds “Ah. Of course.” The two set sail.

Onrack wanders through the Nascent, looking at catfish that had climbed onto the wall. He examines one and thinks it isn’t dead, that this is metamorphosis. He notes the many breaches in the wall and the shallow sea forming, thinking soon the wall’s fragments will eventually be islands. He thinks “The sea’s torrential arrival had caught them unawares, scattering them...Other kin had survived...to link once more so that the hunt could resume. But Kurald Emurlahn, fragmented or otherwise, was not amenable to the T’lan Imass...Onrack could not extend his Telann powers, could not reach out to his kin . . .For most of his kind, that alone would have been sufficient cause for surrender. The roiling waters...offered true oblivion. Dissolution was the only escape possible from this eternal ritual and even among the Logros—Guardians of the First Throne itself—Onrack knew of kin who had chosen that path. Or worse.” He rejects the idea, though, “far less haunted by his immortality than most T’lan Imass. There was always something else to see, after all.” As he walks on, he thinks, “This fragment of the long-fractured Tiste Edur warren was by far the largest he had come across, larger even than the one that surrounded Tremorlor, the Azath Odhanhouse. And this one had known a period of stability, sufficient for civilizations to arise...although those inhabitants had not been Tiste Edur.” He can sense Edur have passed through recently. Eventually he reaches Trull, chained to the wall. He looks at him, then begins to move on. Trull says he wants to bargain for his freedom and Onrack says he isn’t interested. Trull says he can tell Onrack of his enemies and when Onrack replies he never said he had any, Trull responds, “Oh, but you do. I should know. I was once one of them, and indeed, that is why you find me here, for I am your enemy no longer.” When Onrack wonders why he should trust a traitor to his own kind, Trull says, “To my own kind, I am not a traitor. That epithet belongs to the one who chained me here.” Trull piques Onrack’s curiosity when he says he is plagued by the need to be truthful and Onrack breaks Trull’s chains and drags him along the top of the wall. After a while, when Trull warns he’ll die soon, Onrack stops dragging him and agrees to help find food. Trull asks if Onrack can open a portal to get them out of the warren and Onrack says no. They exchange names, each labeling himself “clanless.” Onrack kills one of the catfish which sparks a birthing as bodies tear themselves free of the other catfish: “the beasts moved on squat, muscular legs, three-toed feet thickly padded and clawed. Their tails were short.” They attack and Onrack kills them all and brings back one for them to cook. Trull tells him “Our encounters with your kind...were few and far between. And then, only after your ritual. Prior to that, your people fled from us at first sight. Apart from those who traveled the oceans with the Thelomen Toblakai, that is. Those ones fought us. For centuries, before we drove them from the seas.” Onrack says “The Tiste Edur were in my world...just after the coming of the Tiste Andii. Once numerous...” Trull informs him the Edur are “far fewer...We came here—to this place—from Mother Dark, whose children had banished us. We did not think they would pursue, but they did. And upon the shattering of this warren, we fled yet again—to your world...where we thrived [until our enemies found us]. The first of those were fanatical in their hatred. There were great wars—unwitnessed by anyone, fought as they were within darkness, in hidden places of shadow. In the end, we slew the last of those first Andii, but were broken ourselves...and retreated into remote places...Then more Andii came, only these seemed less interested. And we in turn had grown inward, no longer consumed with the hunger of expansion...We had forgotten it all...Until a short while ago. My people—the last bastion it seems of the Tiste Edur—knew almost nothing of our past...And what we knew was in fact false. If only we had remained ignorant.” Onrack looks at him and says, “Your people no longer look inward.” Trull replies that “there are your kind, Onrack, among the Tiste Edur. In league with our new purpose...A terrible purpose.” When Trull would continue, Onrack tells him not to, thinking to himself “Because your truth would burden me. Force me to find my kin...chain me to this world—to my world, once more. And I am not ready for that.” As the sky lightens, Trull says, “The suns return. Here in the Nascent, the ancient twin hearts of Kurald Emurlahn live on. There was no way of telling, for we did not rediscover this warren until after the Breach. The floodwaters must have brought chaos to the climate. And destroyed the civilization that existed here.” When Onrack asks if they were Edur, Trull replies, “No, more like your descendants, Onrack...They are as vermin, these humans of yours.” When Onrack denies humans are “his”, Trull wonders if he takes no pride at their “insipid success.” Onrack says “They are prone to mistakes...The Logros have killed them in their thousands when the need to reassert order made doing so necessary. With ever greater frequency they annihilate themselves, for success breeds contempt for those very qualities that purchased it...More than my kin, perhaps, the edge of my irritation with humankind remains jagged.” Trull tells him bitterly the Nascent “required cleansing...or so it was judged” and Onrack replies “your methods are more extreme than what the Logros would choose,” to which Trull says, “sometimes what is begun proves too powerful to contain.” They leave the wall and head for some hills, Onrack carrying Trull eventually as a storm arrives. Onrack notes “a strange regularity to the hills...There were seven in all, arrayed in what seemed a straight line, each of equally height though uniquely misshapen.” When they get nearer, they can see “The hills...were edifices, massive and hulking...Twenty or more man-lengths high. Dog-like beasts...the vast pits of their eyes faintly gleaming a deep, translucent amber.” Onrack asks what Trull senses and Trull answers “Nothing, but I know what they are meant to represent. As do you. It seems the inhabitants of this realm made t hem into their gods.” Trull tells Onrack there should be a gate beyond, then asks why Onrack is hesitating. Onrack tells him two of the statues are alive. Back to top

Chapter Seven

Back near Sha’ik’s camp in Raraku, Heboric is climbing up a rise to collect hen’bara flowers on it, which can be dried and steeped to make a soothing tea. Heboric thinks how life cannot be “bloodless. Spill that of those blocking your path. Spill your own. Struggle on...with all the frenzy that is the brutal unveiling of self-preservation. The macabre dance in the tugging currents held no artistry, and to pretend otherwise was to sink into delusion.” He believes he has no delusions any longer; “He had drowned them one by one with his own hands.” For others in the camp, however, he thinks “such clear-eyed vision was absent...guided by a will...that was drowning in delusions.” His bemoans that his vision has been failing, as well as the fact that he is trapped in the desert, the Whirlwind wall impassable in either direction. He is joined atop the ridge by Felisin’s adopted daughter—Felisin Younger, who carries scrolls of Felisin’s poem “Call to Shadow, a continuation of a poem by Felisin’s own mother. Felisin Younger tells Heboric that Korbolo Dom, whom army he has named “dogslayers,” is afraid and lists whom he is afraid of when Heboric rejects the idea: Leoman. Toblakai. Bidithal. L’oric. Mathok. And the one he finds most terrifying of all: Sha’ik” She adds that Felisin has banished Mallick Rel and Pullyk Alar, and Dom sees that as the removal of two of his allies. Heboric tells her “the Whirlwind Goddess whispers in the Chosen One’s ears. There are secrets with the Warren of Shadow...containing truths that are relevant to the Whirlwind itself...The sundering of an ancient warren scattered fragments throughout the realms. The Whirlwind Goddess possesses power, but it was not her own, not at first. Just one more fragment, wandering, lost and in pain. What was the goddess, I wonder, when she first stumbled onto the Whirlwind? Some desert tribe’s minor deity, I suspect...it did not take her long for her to destroy her old rivals.” Felisin Younger questions how that explains all that came afterward—the Seven Holy Cities, the prophecy of Dryjhna, etc. Heboric answers that religions feed on each other, coopt other myths. Seven cities, he says, built upon an earlier legacy—an ancient civilization that itself was built upon the ruins of an even older one—the First Empire of the T’lan Imass. Anything that is still recalled is mere chance. Felisin Younger tells him she was sent to say Leoman wanted to see him in the pit temple. The two return to camp and Heboric, noting its “ills” sees it as a microcosm of Seven Cities and as proof that the Empire’s conquest was beneficial as it ameliorated or removed many of them. Passing through the Circle of Temples, he thinks of how the children that once thronged there have been adopted by Felisin: “her private retinue, the Whirlwind cult’s own acolytes...over three thousand.” The act had angered the pimps exploiting the children. As they prepare to head down to the pit temple, Heboric thinks how Sha’ik had looked into Leoman’s soul “and found it empty, bereft of faith, by some flaw of nature inclined to disavow all forms of certainty.” She could no longer trust him fully and so put him as second to her general Mathok. Heboric recalls the rumors that Karsa and Leoman has once “shared a chain” as Malazan prisoners. Felisin leaves and Heboric climbs down into the pit temple, which smells of Leoman’s durhang use. Leoman tells Heboric that Bidithal is “back to his old ways...with children...Girls. His unpleasant hungers.” When Heboric asks what Leoman expects him to do about it, as Felisin appears to no longer listen to him while Bidithal is her High Mage. Leoman says that all three of them (Heboric, Leoman, Karsa) care about Felisin Younger and she has “caught Bidithal’s eye. But that attention is more than simply sexual...Bidithal believes she must be shaped in a manner identical to her mother...As the mother was broken inside, so too must the child be broken inside.” Heboric says Sha’ik should be told, but Leoman says she has been, but because she needs Bidithal to balance out Febryl and L’oric (the other High Mages), she won’t do anything outright, but has told Leoman, Karsa, and Heboric to “be watchful.” In response to Heboric saying Bidithal should just be killed, Leoman says Bidithal actually isn’t the problem; he may in fact be Sha’ik’s savior as he will divulge Febryl’s co-conspirators when Febryl invites him into the conspiracy. Right now Leoman is only sure of L’oric, but he says traitors could be Dom, Kamist Reloe, the lesser mages Henaras and Fayelle. Heboric worries that all the command structure might be compromised, but Leoman says it won’t matter: Sha’ik has the Whirlwind, she has Mathok and him to lead the armies, and L’oric as a mage, but Dom is more of a liability than a plus. Heboric realizes then that Leoman lied, that Sha’ik actually hasn’t been told and this is a way for Leoman to get back into her good graces. Leoman says Heboric is partly right—Sha’ik was told that Bidithal was harming girls again, but wasn’t told anything about Felisin Younger. Furious, Heboric leaves. Karsa thinks he’ll go straight to Sha’ik, but Leoman says he won’t, not to Sha’ik.

Looking at the temple Bidithal now resides in, Heboric recalls how Bidithal had not always been a High Mage; he had once been the archpriest of the Cult of Rashan, a cult which long pre-dated Kellanved’s claiming of the Throne of Shadow. The cult hadn’t liked the ascension of Shadowthrone and Dancer and had “torn itself apart...blood had been spilled within temple walls...only those who acknowledged the mastery of the new gods remained among the devotees...the banished [such as Bidithal] slunk away.” Heboric believes the fact that the Rashan cult exiles found refuge with the Whirlwind is confirmation of his theory that the Whirlwind is a fragment of the shattered Shadow warren. Which makes him wonder whom Bidithal is loyal to. “The unknown player” he thinks, “the unseen current beneath the rebellion—indeed, beneath the Malazan Empire itself—was the new ruler of Shadow and his deadly companion...I now wonder, whose war is this!” Before he can enter Bidithal’s temple, L’oric steps out and warns Heboric that he just was with Bidithal and Bidithal is highly upset over something and short-tempered. L’oric confesses it might have been something he said to Bidithal that upset him. L’oric leaves and Heboric continues, passing Silgar who sits outside Bidithal’s tent, using one of his stumps to draw patterns in the dust, “surrounding himself in linked chains, round and round, each pass obscuring what had been made before.” Inside the tent, it appears Bidithal is talking in gestures with his shadow. He interrupts and Bidithal tells him to step closer; he wants to see if Heboric’s ghost hands have shadows. Heboric refuses and then brings up Bidithal’s “appetites.” Bidithal waves Heboric’s complaints off and Heboric tells him if he even looks at Felisin he’ll kill him. Bidithal says there are plenty of others and when Heboric says all of them are under the protection of Sha’ik and she will not permit it, Bidithal says perhaps Heboric should ask Sha’ik if that is so. He dismisses Heboric, but Heboric pauses, considering whether he should just kill Bidithal now and wondering how Sha’ik could allow him to do what he does. Bidithal warns Heboric that he has resanctified the temple. When Heboric asks if Bidithal really thinks Sha’ik will let him have a temple to Shadowthrone, Bidithal rages “that foreigner? The roots of Meanas are found in an elder warren. Once ruled by...Oh, not for you, ex-priest. There are purposes within the Whirlwind. . . Challenge me Ghost Hands and you will know holy wrath.” Heboric informs him he’s known such wrath before, then steps out of the tent. Silgar has gone, leaving behind “an elaborate pattern...Chains, surrounding a figure with stumps instead of hands, yet footed.” Heboric scuffs through the pattern as he leaves.

Karsa thinks how Heboric, despite his near-blindness, had “seen clearly enough those trailing ghosts, the wind-moaning train of deaths that stalked him [Karsa] day and night now, loud enough in Toblakai’s mind to drown out the voice of Urugal...mortal faces each and every one twisted with the agony and fear that had carved out the moment of dying...the children among those victims—children in terms of recently birthed as the lowlanders used the word—had not all fallen to the bloodsword...They were...the progeny that would never be, the bloodlines severed in the trophy-cluttered cavern of the Teblor’s history.” He wishes for solitude and peace but “the rattle of chains was unceasing, the echoing cries of the slain endless. The name he now goes by—”Toblakai, a name of past glories, of a race of warriors who had stood alongside mortal Imass, alongside coldmiened Jaghut and demonic Forkrul Assail”—he senses is full of “blinding irony,” and he vows vengeance on those who deceived his people, assisted them in their fall, though “the enemy had so many faces.” Karsa knows the Whirlwind is a lesser stepchild of the true power of Raraku itself and recalls how he knelt to Felisin as the reborn Sha’ik not out of faith but relief that he could drag Leoman from the spot where they had failed to protect the first Sha’ik. He knew Felisin was “but a hapless victim that the insane Whirlwind Goddess had simply plucked from the wilderness, a mortal tool that would be used with merciless brutality. That she had proved a willing participant in her own impending destruction was equally pathetic in Karsa’s eyes.” He thinks Felisin is similar to the old Karsa—the Karsa that led his two friends out to attack Silver Lake. Now he is witness to “the madness that was the soul of the Whirlwind Goddess seep[ing] out like poison in the blood to infect every leader among the rebellion.” He believes they rebel, though, not against the Malazan Empire, but against “sanity itself...Order. Honorable conduct. Rules of the common as Leoman called them.” Karsa knows that Leoman’s seemingly heavy use of durhang is a sham, that Leoman hasn’t ever actually used the drug but pretends to.

He believes Leoman is “biding his time,” as is Karsa, as is the desert itself: “Raraku waited with them. Perhaps, for them. The Holy Desert possessed a gift, yet it was one that few had ever recognized...a gift that would arrive unseen, unnoticed...too formless to grasp in the hands as one would a sword.” Leoman has been showing him the secrets of the desert, hidden springs, ancient sea-god temples, petrified remains of ships, fossils, ancient docks and piers, etc. He thinks how “Raraku had known Apocalypse first-hand, millennia past” and he wonders if it really wants to see it again, if the Whirlwind was really aligned with it: “did the goddess war with the desert?” In the grove he’s been walking to, he finds Felisin waiting for him. She says she wanders in the grove to think and says she’s concluded, “The gift of the goddess offers only destruction.” He tells her the grove and its stone will resist and she answers “for a while...but there remains that within me that urges creation.” When he suggests she have a baby she laughs. Pointing to the book of prophecies she is reading, she says “There are naught but bones in this tome...obsessed with the taking of life, the annihilation of order...not once does he [Dryjhna] offer anything in its stead. There is no rebirth among the ashes of his vision.” When she asks if this makes him sad, he brings her deeper into the grove and shows her a clearing ringed with petrified tree trunks, two of which he had carves into shapes of warriors (Bairoth and Delum). She asks if all the trunks will be warriors and he answers that the others will be different. She hears a snake and Karsa tells they always come to watch. She senses power and asks what it is, stating it isn’t the Whirlwind. Karsa agrees but says he doesn’t know what it is, perhaps he says it is the desert itself. Felisin says she thinks it’s actually Karsa’s own power. She asks how many carvings he will make and he says seven more, adding that these two were his friends, his only friends. He then points to them and says “creation.” She tells him she has “resurrected the habit” of writing poetry and he hopes it “serves her well.” She bridles a bit and answers “but that is never its purpose, is it. To serve. Or to yield satisfaction—self-satisfaction...the drive to create is something other, isn’t it?” He tells her the answer can only be found “in the search—and searching is at creation’s heart.” When she asks what he was searching for when he carved his friends, he says he doesn’t know, to which she responds, “Perhaps they will tell you, one day.” She thanks him and adds she is “humbled and revived.” He tells her the camp is troubled and she says she knows. As they work their way slowly through the many snakes now surrounding them, she says she should be “alarmed by all this,” and he thinks to himself “it is the least of your worries,” but only says he will keep her updated. She leaves. He turns to begin carving.

Heboric sits alone in his tent, dreading the nightly visions that come of “a face of jade, so massive it challenged comprehension. Power both alien and earthly, as if born of a natural force never meant to be altered. Yet altered it had been, shaped, cursed sentient. A giant buried in otataral, held motionless in an eternal prison.” He wonders who abandoned whom—he Fener or Fener him. He feels sure that someday he’ll have to return to the giant, though he doesn’t know what for. He thinks how he’d always thought Fener had taken his hands “into keeping, to await the harsh justice that was the Tusked One’s right,” but now that Fener had been dragged into this world, “Heboric’s severed hands had found a new master, a master possessed of such immense power that it could war with otataral itself. Yet it did not belong. The giant...was an intruder, sent here from another realm for a hidden purpose. And instead of completing that purpose, someone had imprisoned it.” He drinks more hen’bara tea, hoping it will narcotize him and keep the dream visions away. Felisin Younger appears and tells him her mother is calling a counsel. The confusing trip to Sha’ik’s tent reminds him of being led by Baudin out of the mines. He thinks “Tavore, you were not wrong to place your faith in him. It was Felisin who would not co-operate. You should have anticipated that...you should have anticipated a lot of things. But not this.” Inside the command tent/”Throne Room” are all the leaders save Leoman and Karsa, including Korbolo Dom, Kamist Reloe, Henaras (“a witch from some desert tribe that had for unknown reasons banished her.”), L’oric, Bidithal, Febryl, Fayelle, and Mathok. Felisin seems excited and she tells Heboric that “distant catastrophes have rocked the Malazan Empire...Less than a week [ago]. The warrens have been shaken, one and all, as if by an earthquake.” L’oric then announces, “the brutal reshaping of the pantheon...usurpation. Fener, Boar of Summer, has...been ousted as the preeminent god of war...In his place, the once First Hero Treach. The Tiger of Summer.” Heboric blames himself and Sha’ik and he share a glance of shared knowledge. Dom interrupts and says who cares, “War needs no gods, only mortal contestant...and whatever reasons they invent in order to justify killing each other.” When Sha’ik asks what his reasons are, he answers, “I like killing people. It is the one thing I am very good at.” Heboric asks if Dom is referring to “people in general” or does he mean just the Whirlwind’s enemies and Dom simply replies, “As you say.” L’oric continues with the news, telling them that the Beast Throne was taken by Togg and Fanderay and adds “I would suggest personally to those Soletaken and D’ivers among us ‘ware the new occupants...They may well come to you eventually to demand that you kneel before them.'” He then laughs about “the poor fools who followed the Path of the Hand,” at which Fayelle says “We were the victims...of deception. By minions of Shadowthrone,” and she vows vengeance. L’oric then informs them that Dujek’s army allied with Brood and Rake and Darujhistan to fight the Pannion Domin. He notes how this had been a matter of concern as a Genebackan peace would free Dujek’s Host to work with Tavore to deal with the Rebellion. Dom interrupts to say Tavore isn’t a concern, but Dujek is another matter, especially as Dujek owns his men “body and soul.” “Barring a few spies,” Sha’ik mentions “flatly.” Felisin Younger points out that Dujek had been outlawed, but L’oric says it was just a ruse. As Dom starts to tick off all the bad things about Dujek’s army coming to Seven Cities, L’oric says not to worry, “The Pannion War proved devastating. [The Host] lost close to seven thousand...The Black Moranth were similarly mauled. They won in the end but at such a cost. The Bridgeburners gone. Whiskeyjack dead...And Dujek himself a broken man...the scourge that is the T’lan Imass is no more. They have departed...Thus, what has the Empress left? Adjunct Tavore.” Dom starts to celebrate the news and Reloe asks about Quick Ben. L’oric tells them Ben is alive, as is Kalam. He adds a handful of Bridgeburners survived but were listed as casualties on purpose by Dujek. Reloe asks who and L’oric asks if it really matters since they are so few. When Reloe says yes, L’oric asks Sha’ik for permission to contact his spy and she gives it. Meanwhile, she tells her counselors that the Rebellion will deal the “killing blow” to the Empire. But Heboric hears “the hollowness of her words. Sister Tavore stands alone now. And alone is what she prefers. Alone is the state in which she thrives...[Felisin], your fear of sister Tavore has only deepened. Freezing you in place.” L’oric starts to list the survivors and at Paran’s name Sha’ik pales in shock. L’oric adds Quick Ben has been made High Mage, the Bridgeburners seem to have gone to Darujhistan though it isn’t definite, Moon’s Spawn was abandoned and became the tomb of Whiskeyjack and the others. He finishes by saying Whiskeyjack was killed by one of Brood’s commanders. Reloe worries about Quick Ben and the remaining Host but L’oric says the army is broken, “hence the wavering souls among them who sought me out.” Reloe asks about Kalam and Dom says the assassin “is nothing without Quick Ben...Even less now that his beloved Whiskeyjack is dead.” Kamist, seemingly terrified, asks what happens if the two of them reunite? Dom says he and Reloe weren’t the ones who killed Whiskeyjack; Quick Ben and Kalam will focus on vengeance for that. Sha’ik abruptly orders everyone out except for Heboric. When they leave, she breaks down, sobbing “My brother lives.” She goes into Heboric’s arm and he holds her, “the child in his arms—for child she was, once more—cried in nothing other than the throes of salvation. She was no longer alone, no longer alone with only her hated sister to taint the family’s blood.” Back to top

Chapter Eight

Tavore is reviewing an assembly of the 14th Army, which isn’t going well. Gamet’s legion arrived late and disordered while the other two legions wait. Nok, meanwhile, has sailed with the fleet. Cuttle arrives with a dozen others, all looking pretty ragged in mismatched armor, and he explains they were in jail and he himself had killed an Untan noble called Lenestro. He tells Gamet he can get the legion under control. Gamet begins to lead him to where Tavore stands, just after Fiddler frees himself of the mob and heads toward her as well. Fiddle and Cuttle (both of whom are unknown to Gamet) make eye contact then communicate via gestures. Cuttle tells Fiddler to “draw us a line” and as Fiddler does that, Cuttle extracts munitions from his bag, telling Gamet and Tavore to withdraw some distance and to warn the Wickans to get off and hold their horses. Tavore begins to object but Cuttle interrupts and tells her to move. Fiddler and Cuttle discuss munitions placement as Gamet shakes his head thinking “sappers.”

The explosion gets the legion’s attention (as well as knocking a third down) and Cuttle and Fiddler gets them in order. Gamet asks if Cuttle’s dead nobleman was on the Chain of Dogs. Cuttle says ye and he was too until he was wounded and put on the Silanda. He said he would have preferred to have killed Pullyk Alar, but he’s run off with Mallick Rel, whom he’d also like to kill. Gamet offers him a command position, but Cuttle says he’s assigned to Fiddler’s squad (he calls him Strings) and prefers to stay there. Gamet asks how he know Fiddler and Cuttle, obviously lying, tells him he’s never met him before.

After reviewing the now ordered 8th legion, Tavore tells Baralta and Blistig to send their legions in a company at a time. She’s interrupted when the 8th suddenly goes quiet, reacting to the appearance of Gamet’s toddler son Grub appears and walks to the exact spot where Tavore had just been reviewing the soldiers. Grub sees Keneb and raises his arms, revealing that he is holding a human bone. Keneb picks him up and explains to Tavore Grub was given him by Duiker, an orphan of the Chain of Dogs. He apologizes and she murmurs, “It is far too late for that.” Gamet thinks she is right: “Soldiers—even recruits—recognized an omen when it arrived. A child in the very boot prints of the woman who would lead this army. Raising high a sun-bleached thighbone. Gods below.”

Fiddler calls a meeting of veterans, including Stormy, Gesler, and Cuttle. They are all depressed: There was no doubt among them concerning the meaning of the omen and Strings was inclined to agree. A child leads us to our deaths. A leg bone to signify our march, withered under the curse of the desert sun...this army of recruits now see themselves as already dead.” Fiddler tells them of a similar situation years ago when Nok commanded a half-dozen ships. They were going to meet pirate ships blessed by priests of D’rek, the Worm of Autumn. Nok’s fleet drew water at a river and sailed on with the barrels stored. When they opened the first, a paralt snake came out and bit the sailor that opened the barrel, killing him. Nok “shrugged the whole event off” and then, when he’d heard sailors and marines were dying of thirst because nobody wanted to open the other barrels, he ordered one brought up and opened it himself. It was full of snakes, as were all the others. The fleet never met the pirates and returned with half the crew dead. They sank all the ships in the harbor as an offering to D’rek. Nok had to wait another year to deal with the pirates. Fiddler tells them that was a story of how not to deal with this sort of thing: “You don’t destroy an omen by fighting it. No, you do the opposite. You swallow it whole.” He tells them he’d heard of a nearby cemetery “blown clear, the bones exposed to all” and tells them that’s where they’re heading.

Tavore addresses a meeting of commanders and tells them they march in two days. Gamet thinks to himself they should just disband the 14th; it’s useless after Grub’s action. Tavore tells them, as if she knew what Gamet was thinking, they can’t afford not to march; even if they are “annihilated” at least they’ll reduce Sha’ik’s army. She tells them to tell the officers she’ll be visiting each company tonight, restrict all men to barracks, have the Red Blades confiscate all alcohol, durhang, and the like. She dismisses them and calls for T’amber. Gamet thinks mentioning T’amber publically was a mistake, “That perfumed lover of yours has been kept from the sights of everyone here but me. They know of course. Even so.”

Blistig pulls Gamet and Baralta aside and tells Gamet Tavore is crazy: “We cannot march at all. There will be a mutiny at worst, at best an endless bleeding of desertions. The Fourteenth is finished.” Gamet asks if Blistig and Keneb set up the scene with Grub. Baralta stops Blistig from drawing his sword in indignation, but also tells Blistig he had wondered the same. Blistig says Keneb would never do such a thing. Gamet tells them Tavore asked for two days and when Blistig objects that it was an order, Gamet tells him he wasn’t paying attention: “The Adjunct, young and untested as she is, is not a fool. She sees what you see—what we all see. But she has asked for two days...Trust her.” They other two agree. Baralta asks about T’amber: “Why is the Adjunct being so cagey? Women who take women for lovers—the only crime is the loss to men and so it has always been.” Gamet tells him Tavore isn’t being cagey, just private. Baralta wants to know what T’amber is like and if she has “undue influence” and Gamet replies he has no idea. He says he thinks she was a concubine in the Grand Temple of the Queen of Dreams back on Unta, but he’s hardly spoken to her. Before leaving, he tells Blistig he no longer suspects him.

Lostara Yil finishes stowing her Red Blade equipment. She had enjoyed being a Red Blade. She recalls growing up on the streets of Ehrlitan—”It had been common practice—before the Malazans came with their laws for families—among many tribes to cast out their unwanted children once they reached the fifth year of life.” Many were taken up by various temples and cults, though nobody knew what happened next with those children. She was rounded up at seven by the Rashan cult, where she spent two years doing menial labor, then was selected to be taught Shadow Dancing:

You are nothing child. Not a dancer. Your body is in service to Rashan, and Rashan is this realm’s manifestation of Shadow, the drawing of darkness to light. When you dance, it is not you that is watched. IT is the shadow your body paints. The shadow is the dancer, Lostara Yil, not you.” Meanwhile, the Malazan Empire came and purged many Seven Cities cults, but not Rashan, “for it was a recognized religion.” She remembers the night the cult was destroyed.

A High Priest from another city was visiting. Come to speak with Master Bidithal...There would be a dance...She remembered the stranger...Tall, thin, a laughing face, remarkably long-fingered, almost effeminate hands—hands the sight of which awakened in her new emotions...that stuttered her mechanical dancing.” Bidithal grew angry she had tainted the dance, drawn attention to herself, but the stranger’s “eyes held Lostara, in fullest recognition of the desire that overwhelmed her...Recognition and a certain pleased, but cool acknowledgment. As if flattered, but with no invitation offered in return...Of course, Delat had not come to steal the heart of a Caster. He had come to destroy Rashan. Delat, who it proved, was both a High Priest and a Bridgeburner, and whatever the Emperor’s reason for annihilating the cult, his was the hand that delivered the deathblow. Although not alone. The night of the killings...there had been another...an assassin...Lostara had been the only resident spared. OR so she believed for a long time, until the name of Bidithal rose once more.” And she thinks, “I was more than spared that night, wasn’t I? Delat’s lovely long-fingered hands.”

She joined the Red Blades—seen by the Seven Cities people as the “deliverers of Malazan justice” and she was fine with that as these people had betrayed her, had let be cast out at five, be dragged away by Bidithal at seven. She wonders if she now is a betrayer, and wonders as well what caused the Talons to turn against the Empire. “Betrayal was a mystery. Inexplicable to Lostara. She only knew that it delivered the deepest wounds of all.” Cotillion suddenly appears in her room. He tells her he was there that night in Ehrlitan: I was witness to your unexpected performance. Did you know Delat—or rather, the man I would eventually learn was Delat—would have taken you for his own? Not just he one night. You would have joined him as a Bridgeburner, and that would well have pleased him. Or so I believe. No way to test it, alas, since it all went—outwardly—so thoroughly awry...Delat, who had a different name for that mission and was my partner’s responsibility besides—Delat let Bidithal go. I suppose it seemed a betrayal, yes? It certainly did to my partner...who was not Shadowthrone then, simply a particularly adept and ambitious practitioner of Rashan’s sister warren, Meanas.” He introduces himself as both Cotillion and Dancer and implies a connection between that last name and what she was trained to do, telling her “it was never meant for performance, Lostara. It was, in fact, an art most martial. Assassination.” He calls upon her loyalty to the Empire and she assumes he’s going to say Laseen shouldn’t be the ruler. He, though, replies Laseen is “welcome to it...but she could do with some help.” Lostara responds “She supposedly assassinated you...She betrayed you.” But Cotillion shrugs it off, saying, “everyone had their appointed tasks. The game being played here is far larger than any mortal empire. Btu the empire...its success is crucial to what we seek...and the Empress sits on a tottering throne.” When she asks didn’t Cotillion betray Shadowthrone, he tells her “sometimes I see further than my dear companion. Indeed, he remains obsessed with desires to see Laseen suffer—I have other ideas, and while he may see them as party to his own, there is yet no pressing need to disabuse him of that notion...I admit to having made grave errors, indeed to knowing the poison of suspicion. Quick Ben. Kalam. Whiskeyjack. Where did their loyalty truly reside? Well, I eventually got my answer but I am not yet decided whether it pleases me or troubles me. There is one danger that plagues ascendants in particular, and that is the tendency to wait too long...I would make amends for past, at times fatal, hesitation.” He tells her he’d rather she doesn’t tell Pearl. She asks where Delat is and he answers “I have no hold over him these days...He is too powerful. Too mysterious. Too conniving. Too Hood-damned smart...Sometimes one must simply trust in fate, Lostara. The future can ever promise but one thing and one thing only: surprises. Btu know this, we would all save the Malazan Empire in our own ways.” She asks if he’s making her a Talon and when he says they no longer exists, she angrily tell shim not to play her for a fool. He reiterates that Surly destroyed them and asks if she has knowledge otherwise and she says she just assumed. She asks what he wants her to do.

Later, Pearl enters and says he senses magic. She tells him she was doing the Shadow Dance moves—keeps her flexible for fighting—and they can sometimes evoke Rashan. He tells her she should avoid that so as not to draw attention.

Pearl and Lostara go to question Gesler, Stormy, and Pella. They find Gesler in the barracks and Stormy asleep. Gesler tells Pearl if he wants to talk to Stormy, he can wake him up. Pearl rips the covers off Stormy, who grabs Pearl and throws him across the room. When he advances on Pearl, Gesler says let him be, he’s a Claw and Lostara is a Red Blade. Lostara tells them Pearl wants to hear their story and then asks where Pella is. She’s told out back and she goes to talk to him, finding him drilling holes into lots of small bones. She asks about his time as guard in the mines and as she tries to be discrete, he figures out she’s asking about Tavore’s sister Felisin: “I was wondering when somebody would find me about that. Am I under arrest?” When she asks why he would be, he answers he helped them escape the night of the Uprising—she and Baudin and Heboric. He describes them and their plan but he doesn’t know if they ever made it to a rendezvous on the other side of the island, but Truth might. She notes that Truth has the same strange skin as Gesler and Stormy and then asks about Felisin’s group. He tells her Kulp, sent by Duiker, was involved in order to help Heboric. Pella warns her against slandering Duiker: “This is Aren after all. The city that watched. That saw Duiker delivering the refugees to safety. He was the last one through the gate they say.” She tells him she knows, that Blistig had freed them from jail but after Pormqual led his army out. She has no interest she says in besmirching Duiker or his freeing of Heboric; she’s interested in Felisin. Truth figures she was sent by Tavore and he and Pella say they’ll keep it secret. Truth, though, says they’re all dead; Gesler is just telling Pearl that. Pella gives her one of the bones before she leaves and tells her to wear it prominently, but not why. She and Pearl leave and Pearl says he needs a handler—that Stormy was unnaturally strong and that there is something strange about all three: Stormy, Gesler, and Truth. He adds Gesler merely assumes Felisin’s group died; he doesn’t actually know. He plans to check out the Silanda. He also tells her Stormy was lucky she stepped between him and Pearl and she says Pearl obviously missed the T’lan Imass sword—that “probably weights as much as I do”—under Stormy’s bed, which shuts him up. At the Silanda, Pearl tells her most of the wood is from Drift Avalii, a drifting island filled not with “demons and spectres” as Lostara says is rumored, but with “hardly anything so frightening.” He uncovers a pile of severed heads, mostly Tiste Andii, and tells Lostara the ship is filled with layers and layers of magic: Kurald Galain, Telann, Kurald Emurlahn, Rashan.” Inside he finds the Tiste Edur killed by Karsa and otataral dust on the floor. He tells her Felisin was there and wonders who killed the Edur and what happened to the whistle that animates the rowers. He tells her they’re going to head for where Felisin’s group may have left the Silanda as it journeyed through warrens—across the mainland from the Otataral Sea to Aren Bay. Lostara says they may have ended up in the middle of the rebellion and Pearl says that may have seemed a good thing compared to what they’d been through.

The army forms for Tavore’s review. Ranal notes the bones everyone is wearing and blames Fiddler for it, saying he’ll tell the Adjunct that when she wonders who “is responsible for this last spit in her face over what happened yesterday.” Fiddler calls him an idiot. Eyeing Keneb, Fiddler thinks of what he’d heard of how he’d ended up in Aren and wonders if Keneb is a coward who ran. He’s surprised when Tavore points to something around Keneb’s neck and he realizes Keneb’s wearing a bone. Tavore asks Ranal about the bones and he tells her it’s against his orders. She interrupts and tells him to make them more standardized in how they are worn and that the looted graveyards should be returned to their former state as much as possible. She adds he should get one himself. Fiddler thinks “oh well done lass.”

Gamet thinks whoever came up with the bone idea deserved a kiss: “they’ve turned the omen. Turned it!” He notes the “rekindled fire in Tavore’s eyes” as she orders him to make a standard inspired by the bones. He agrees. A messenger arrives and informs Tavore 300 Wickans with horses and dogs have arrived as volunteers: “Clan of the Crow. The Crow! Coltaine’s own! Back to top

Chapter Nine

Kalam is shopping at a G’danisban shop selling decks, weapons, other items, some clearly looted from tombs, some blessed by gods. The shopkeeper tells him the Decks are in flux due to a new House. When Kalam scoffs it’s probably just some fake cult, the keeper says he believes it’s a real House because “for, a new Unaligned card, a card denoting that a Master now commands the Deck. An arbiter, yes? And then...the new House. Sanctioned? Undecided. But not rejected out of hand...And the Readers—the patterns. The House will be sanctioned—not one Reader doubts that.” Kalam asks the about the House’s name and ruler and the shopkeeper tells him it is the House of Chains, but as for who rules it or what throne, “there is naught but confusion...Ascendants vie. But...the Throne where the King will sit—the Throne, my friend, is cracked.” Kalam asks if he means the Chained One and the keeper confirms the House belongs to the Crippled God. When Kalam muses that “the others must be assailing it fiercely,” the show owner replies “You would think, but not so. Indeed, it is they who are assailed.” The owner shows Kalam a pair of Wickan knives—”booty from the Chain of Dogs.” One of them is “alloyed with otataral” and the other invested with Elder magic impressed with a serpent’s tail and Kalam recognizes the stamp: “Fenn. Thelomen Toblakai . . I know that mark. I know precisely who invested this weapon [Bellurdan].” Kalam buys the weapons with diamonds from Cotillion and the shopkeeper recognizes their Shadow. The shop owner tells him of a group of several hundred Malazans besieged in a nearby fortress—B’ridys—though he imagines they’re almost finished. As Kalam walks away, he thinks, “You damned fool, Cotillion. You were there at the last Chaining, weren’t you? You should have stuck a knife in the bastard right then and there.”

Kalam walks on the road toward B’ridys thinking the Malazans there were probably starving. Looking ahead, he assumes the known water sources have been fouled in preparation of Tavore’s army approaching, though he’s not worried, as he knows several secret sources. He realizes Sha’ik “had drawn the Whirlwind close, a tactic that suggested to the assassin a certain element of fear” or perhaps the makings of a trap, leading Tavore into the heart of Raraku which Sha’ik’s forces knew better. Though Kalam knows of “at least one man in Tavore’s army who knows Raraku. And he’d damn well better speak up when the time comes.

Kalam arrives at the besieging camp mid-morning and notes a lack of sharpness among the besiegers, as well as a note of impatience as they prepare for a final assault, apparently coming tomorrow. The besiegers are mostly former Malazan soldiers from Seven Cities. As Kalam moves toward the lieutenant seemingly in charge, he observes his uniform labels him Ashok Regiment and he thinks “Stationed in Genabaris a few years past. Then sent back to Ehrlitan...I’d have thought they would have stayed loyal.” The lieutenant introduces himself as Captain Irriz and Kalam wonders if he felt “underappreciated in the regiment,” based on his self-promotion. The captain says a mage just arrived who says she can blow a big hole in the easy-to-defend balcony entrance. She arrives—young, Malazan—and tells Kalam to keep his otataral knife away from her. Greed flashes through Irriz’s eyes as he asks Kalam where he got it; Kalam tell him form the Wickan he killed on the Chain of Dogs. The besiegers pray and voice blessings on the Chain of Dogs. Irriz demands to know why Kalam isn’t with Sha’ik and wonders why Korbolo Dom would have let Kalam leave. Sinn—the mage—says, “Because Korbolo Dom is an idiot, and Kamist Reloe even worse. I am amazed he didn’t lose half his army after the Fall. What true soldier would stomach what happened there?” She asks Kalam if he deserted Dom’s Dogslayers and Kalam responds he went “looking for a cleaner fight. She mocks him for coming to B’ridys then and Kalam thinks to himself “her mind is broken” before saying out loud that he finds it “odd that you are here, seemingly so eager to kill fellow Malazans.” She tells him she has her own reasons then tells Irriz she wants to speak to him alone. Irriz tells Kalam they want to take the besieged alive “to give us sport. Punishment for being so stubborn. I especially want their commander [Captain Kindly].” He continues that he knew Kindly from the Ashok and “this is a personal argument for me...it’s why I want those bastards alive.” Sinn points out that Kalam’s knife can neutralize the Malazans’ mage and Kalam agrees to enter the breach first, thinking “first in, last out” before saying “It won’t be my first time sir.” As Sinn and Irriz leave, Kalam thinks “Captain Kindly. Never met you sir, but for years you’ve been known as the meanest officer in the entire Malazan military. And, it now seems, the most stubborn too. Excellent. I could use a man like that.”

He finds an empty tent to sleep in. When he wakes up at night, he approaches the fort but stops at the sight of sorcery around the base of the siege towers. He watches Sinn for a while, then moves toward her, getting her attention when his otataral blade interferes with her magic. He tells her it’s “a nasty nest of snakes for you to play in,” and she says she wasn’t sure which side Kalam was on and still isn’t. He says he was going to weaken the towers just as she’s done, but he wanted to keep one. He realizes how young she is. She tells him she’s only just learning magic and had been tutored by Fayelle “who slid her knife across the throats of my father and mother. Who went hunting for me too. But I slipped away.” She says this is the beginning of her revenge and she needs soldiers and one of Kindly’s sergeants is her half-brother, though she doesn’t know if he still lives. When Kalam says he’ll work with her she asks why, and he responds, “Fayelle is with Korbolo Dom, yes? Well, I have a meeting pending with Korbolo. And with Kamist Reloe. So we’ll work together in convincing Captain Kindly.” The relief in her voice makes him recall the thirteen hundred children he’d saved: “And there, in those faces, was the true horror of war. Those children had been alive when the carrion birds cam down for their eyes.” Sinn tells him she’s already taken care of Irriz and his warriors by poisoning their water with Tralb, which she thinks will just make them a bit sick and thus useless in the morning. When she tells Kalam how much she’d used and when, he realizes only a few guards had probably drunk it, but also that the amount would mean they’d die horribly. Kalam leaves her for a moment and kills the three guards as an act of mercy. As he thinks about staving in the water casks to prevent more poisonings, he sees three Malazans come down via rope from the fortress and realizes they’d been watching. The lead soldier asks Kalam who he is and just responds a soldier, then tells the soldier he needs the mage with them to empty the camp’s water casks due to the poison. When the soldier says he’d be fine with the besiegers dying that way, Kalam suggests he take it up with Captain Kindly. Another Malazan says they didn’t come down to deal with the besiegers but to retrieve Kalam. When Kalam wonders what for, he realizes the soldiers don’t look starved or parched. They tell him they can leave whenever they want by back tunnels but they’ve got nowhere to go as the “whole land is out for Malazan blood,” saying they haven’t heard any news for a long time. Kalam says he’ll go with them, along with Sinn, if they empty the water casks. The Malazans say they want Irriz too and Kalam tells them he’ll bring him. He leaves to get Sinn, whom he finds dancing under the towers, “hands fluttering like capemoth wings.” He brings her to the Malazans and they take her with them as he turns back to the camp. He pulls out one of Cotillion’s diamonds and takes out a bone whistle that Cotillion had given him, telling him “Blow hard and you’ll awaken all of them. Blow soft and directly at one in particular and you’ll awaken that one alone.” Kalam uses the whistle and an Azalan demon arises, “From a territory in the Shadow Realm bordering that of the Aptorians.” Kalam thinks how to phrase his request—”Get Captain Irriz. Alive, but kept quiet. Join me at the rope”—especially as the demon possesses no language, but his thoughts are interrupted when the demon urinates and the stench drives Kalam out of the tent. The demon exits and disappears toward Irriz’s tent and Kalam realizes it must have read his mind. He sees smoke rising from where the demon had urinated and heads toward the rope hanging down the wall, reaching it as his tent bursts into flames. He hears shouts then screams, “each one ending in a strange mangled squeal.” As he climbs he’s passed by the demon, carrying Irriz. Kalam gets into the fortress just as the balcony collapses (the demon held it for him until he was safe). Kalam tells the Malazans his real name, which silences them. The mage—Ebron—says he thought Kalam and the others were outlawed and Kalam tells them it was a feint. They introduce themselves as Sergeant cord, Bell, and Corporal Shard—Sinn’s half-brother. Kalam asks about Kindly and Cord says they lost him and the lieutenant days ago when they fell down a well shaft and drowned, swept away by an underground river. Cord, saying he outranks Kalam, drafts him to join the Ashok Second Company—51 soldiers (including Limp, who broke his leg in a rock slide). When Kalam tells him he’s got news and alternatives to staying at B’ridys, Cord says when he wants advice he’ll let Kalam know and then says to get rid of the demon. Kalam informs him the demon just killed 500 besiegers in a few minutes and he can’t claim for surety it does what he wants. Cords asks if that’s a threat and Kalam tells him he’ll take Cord’s squad and even follow his orders “unless they happen to be idiotic” and if Cord has a problem with that he can bring it to Kalam’s sergeant Whiskeyjack because outside of the Empress, that’s the only person he answers to. Ebron guess Kalam is on a mission for the Empress, probably back with the Claw.

Cutter and Apsalar approach Drift Avalii as a storm nears. He’d told her of Cotillion’s visit and she’d been distressed and furious, seemingly that Cotillion had recruited Cutter. He realizes his thought that making Cotillion his patron would bring the two of them closer was an error and had been surprised to learn she wasn’t happy with the path she was on, didn’t find “pleasure or satisfaction from her own cold, brutal efficiency as a killer.” He’d thought competency alone would be reward, but Apsalar believed “competency was not justification.” When he mentions that Cotillion has said there’d be trouble on the island, she tells him the inhabitants are Tiste Andii—”Rake’s own—placed there to guard the Throne. She remembers a conversation Cotillion had with them and says, “These Tiste Andii have known isolation for far too long. Their master left them there, and has never returned...There are complications.” Trying to land, their boat is wrecked and Cutter gets yanked down by a current under the island then spat out into an underground pool but he’s too weak to pull himself up out of the water. He’s saved by an old Tiste Andii who calls himself Darist. He tells Cutter he was the only one in the pool and that Apsalar probably drowned, adding they need to leave quickly because “the very presence of life in this place risks his awakening.” Cutter asks whose awakening but Darist doesn’t answer. They take stairs up into a hall (still below ground) and Darist tells him the island is under attack. When Cutter asks about the Throne, Darist wonders what brought him to the island. Cutter replies he was sent by a mage, Baruk of Darujhistan, whose studies had made him think the island and Throne were at risk. Cutter guesses the Tiste Edur have returned to try and retake the Throne of Shadow and mentions Rake. Darist interrupts and says if Rake isn’t happy with how they’ve protected the Throne he should come himself. He then guesses Cutter lied about Baruk sending him and demands if it was Rake who did so, also asking if Rake “renews his claims to the blood of the Tiste Andii? Has he renounced his Draconian blood?” When Cutter says he doesn’t know, Darist asks if Rake looks as old as he does, then assumes based on Cutter’s facial reaction Rake does not and starts to tell Cutter what he can say to Rake when he returns to him. Cutter tells him he wasn’t sent by Rake and doesn’t know him, only saw him in passing while Rake was fighting a demon. Darist stops talking and moves on. Cutter realizes he should have thought more about what Cotillion would do with the knowledge Cutter brought him of the island and thinks his old self—Crokus—would have asked more questions. He believes “This new persona was imposing a certain sense of stricture—he’d though it would bring him more freedom. But now it was beginning to appear that the truly free one had been Crokus.” Cutter asks again about Apsalar and Darist answers that above them they can sense Tiste Edur and no one else. When Cutter feels sick at the thought, Darist tells him “Death is not an unkind fate...you will miss her company, and that is the true source of grief—your sorrow is for yourself...I speak from experience. I have felt the deaths of many of my kin, and I mourn the spaces in my life where they once stood. But such losses serve only to ease my own impending demise.” Cutter calls Darist a “fool” and tells him to shut up. Cutter asks about the battle and Darist says they lost, there is only himself left here in the Hold where the Throne is. He warns Cutter to rest for they will soon have “company.”

Back in the Nascent, Onrack can hear the “howls of rage” coming from the spirits trapped inside two of the statues. Trull asks what Onrack knows of the Hounds of Shadow and he replies “Very little. The Logros crossed paths with them only once, long ago, in the time of the First Empire. Seven in number. Serving an unknown master, yet bent on destruction.” Trull questions is he means the human or Imass first Empire and Onrack says the Imass one; he doesn’t know much about the human one: “We were drawn into its heart but once...in answer to the chaos of the Soletaken and D’ivers. The Hounds made no appearance during that slaughter.” Looking at the statues, he relates how bonecasters believe “to create an icon of a spirit or god is to capture is essence within that icon...In this way power is chained, and so becomes manageable,” and asks if the Edur believe the same. Trull asks if he thinks the Edur made these statues and if his bonecasters “also believe that power begins as a thing devoid of shape, and thus beyond control? And that to carve out an icon—or make a circle of stone—actually forces order upon that power?” Onrack thinks then says, “It must be that we make our own gods and spirits. That belief demands shape, and shaping brings life into being. Yet were not the Tiste Edur fashioned by Mother Dark? Did not your goddess create you?” Trull says he doesn’t know of his kind make the statues, and “as for Mother Dark, it may be that in creating us, she but simply separated what was not separate before. When Onrack asks if he means that the Edur are Tiste Andii shadows, “torn free by the mercy of your goddess mother,” Trull responds, “we are all torn free.” Onrack notes that the statues cast no shadow and Trull informs him the Hounds don’t either, to which Onrack replies “If they are but reflections, then there must be Hounds of Darkness, from which they were torn . . .yet there is no knowledge of such.” When he turns abruptly silent, Trull laughs that Onrack clearly knows more about the human First Empire than he’d let on, and asks “what was that tyrant emperor’s name?” Onrack answers “Dessimbelackis...The founder of the human First Empire. Long vanished by the time of the unleashing of the Beast Ritual. It was believed he had veered [into seven beasts].” Trull looks again at the statues and says he doubts that were built by Edur: “I feel no empathy. They are ominous and brutal to my eyes...The Hounds of Shadow are not worthy of worship. They are indeed untethered, wild and deadly. To truly command them, one must sit in the Throne of Shadow—as master of the realm. But more than that. One must first draw together the disparate fragments. Making Kurald Emurlahn whole once more.” Onrack points out Trull’s kin are trying to do just that, and adds the idea “distresses” him. Trull says he didn’t worry at first, but cam to see that “another power acts behind the veil in all this” and he would learn what it is because “it has made of my people an abomination.” Trull continues to say Onrack doesn’t know what it’s like to “see your kin fall into dissolution, to see the spirit of an entire people grow corrupt, to struggle endlessly to open their eyes.” Onrack replies “true “before Trull continues: “Nor is it mere naiveté...Our denial is willful, our studied indifference conveniently self-serving to our basest desires. We are a long-lived people who now kneel before short-term interests.” Onrack interrupts to comment that “if you find that unusual,...the one behind the veil has need for you only in the short term” and points out that such a power would either discard its pawns if they were merely useless or annihilate them if they posed a threat. Trull agrees, then changes the subject and wonders why the two spirits of the Hounds are there. Onrack says “The stone has been shaped to encompass them...No one asks the spirit or the god, when the icon is fashioned, if it wishes entrapment. Do they? The need to make such vessels is a mortal’s need. That one can rest yes on the thing one worships is an assertion of control at worst, or at best the illusion that one can negotiate over one’s fate.” When Trull asks if Onrack finds such notions pathetic, Onrack answers “I find most notions pathetic.” Trull asks him if he thinks they’re trapped for eternity, if this is where they go when destroyed and Onrack gets frustrated, saying, “you possess your own knowledge and suspicions yet would not speak them. Instead, you seek to discover what I know...I care nothing for the fate either way of these Hounds of Shadow” and he bemoans that apparently there are only five left alive because it decreases his chance of killing one. Trull laughs and says he doesn’t think Onrack would walk away from such an encounter. Onrack breaks one of the pillars and it explodes, followed quickly by the second one. The Hound is as tall at its shoulders as Trull is and it casts shadow below it. The two Hounds attack and one throws Onrack to the other, who catches him and shatters his left arm, tearing it from his body, before tossing him to the ground where he can’t move. The attack ripped the Vow from him; “He was now, he realized, as those of his fallen kin, the ones that had sustained so much physical destruction that they had ceased to be one with the T’lan Imass.” The Hounds leave and Trull stands over Onrack and tells him “I do not know if you can hear me...But...those were not Hounds of Shadow. Oh no, indeed. They were the real ones. The Hounds of Darkness, my friend. I dread to think what you have freed here.” Onrack replies, “so much for gratitude.

Onrack tells Trull “if my kin were present they would complete the necessary rites. They would sever my head from my body, and find for it a suitable place so that I might look out upon eternity. They would dismember the headless corpse and scatter the limbs. They would take my weapon, to return it to the place of my birth.” He adds since Trull can’t do any of that, he’s forced to continue on. He stands and retrieves his sword. Trull asks Onrack, if his kind had been there, would they have done all Onrack had mentioned even though Onrack could still move. Onrack says he is, like Trull, “shorn.” He is shorn from the Ritual and from his fellow T’lan Imass: “My existence is now without meaning. The final task left to me is to seek our the other hunters, to do what must be done.” They walk through the city. The reach a bridge and at the near end they find a box of Moranth munitions, which Onrack explains to Trull. They head toward an arch—the portal they’ve been seeking. It’s emitting a lot of heat, which they assume is a ward. Onrack thinks the munitions might shatter the ward. They toss a munition and it breaks the ward, revealing the warren. Trull senses something coming and Onrack tells him to flee: “He could feel the power of the ones on the other side of the gate, a power brutal and alien. The breaking of the ward had been noted, and the emotion reaching through the barrier was one of indignant outrage.” Trull runs across the bridge and out of sight as Onrack slowly backs up, ready to purchase time for Trull with his life. Four riders on white horses come through the gate: tall, pale, wearing enamel armor, wielding curved scimitars. As they try to ride down Onrack, he wounds one of them but his body takes a terrible toll, losing bone shards and the side of his face. The four wheel around to face him and one asks him if he “can understand the Language of Purity.” When Onrack says it seem no more pure than any other, the other responds “We do not forgive ignorance. You are a servant of Death. There is but one necessity when dealing with a creature such as you, and that is annihilation.” But the wounded one (called seneschal Jorrude by the others) interrupts (calling the other Enias), saying Onrack is not “one of the trespassers we seek...none of them are here.” He adds he needs healing and asks another one, Orenas, to help him. He says Onrack might have answers and if they want, they can kill him later. Enias asks Onrack what sorcery holds him together and when Onrack mentions he seems to be of Tiste blood, he says “Only among the Liosan is the Tiste blood pure. You have crossed paths with our tainted cousins, then. They are little more than vermin.” When Onrack starts to say what he knows about the Tiste Andii, including they were the first, Enias interrupts with “The first!...and so tragically imperfect. Bereft of Father Light’s purifying blood. They are a most sordid creation. We tolerate the Edur, for they contain something of the Father, but the Andii—death by our hands is the only mercy they deserve.” Onrack replies “My kind has much experience with arrogant creatures. Although that experience is singular: in answer to their arrogance we proclaimed eternal war, until they ceased to exist. I have always believed the T’lan Imass should seek out a new enemy. There is, after all, no shortage to be noted among arrogant being. Perhaps you Tiste Liosan are numerous enough in your own realm to amuse us for a time.” Malachar, Enias’ brother, tells him Onrack is an example of the “lesser races” and their lies that he’s been warning Enias about. Malachar and Enias exchange words, then Jorrude tells Onrack if he doesn’t answer their questions they’ll destroy him. The four Liosan and Onrack draw swords, but before they fight Trull appears at the end of the bridge and tells Onrack he is sorry, but he’s brought assistance. Four T’lan Imass swirl up next to Trull. Onrack identifies Monok Ochem and Ibra Gholan and tells them he is the sole survivor of the flood from his group of Imass hunting the rebels. Monok says Onrack has “failed the Ritual” and so needs to be destroyed, but Onrack tells him the “that privilege will be contested” as the Liosan claim him as their prisoner. Three of the Imass approach and Jorrude says the Liosan are happy to give them Onrack; they have no quarrel with the Imass. Jorrude then asks if Trull wants to go with them, saying “we have need of a servant.” Trull says no and suggests they rotate the role amongst them. Jorrude tells his brothers it’s time to go, but Monok says they won’t find it very easy: “This warren is a shattered fragment of Kurald Emurlahn...your kind have remained isolated for far too long. You know nothing of the other realms, nothing of the Wounded Gates. Nothing of the Ascendants and their wars.” Jorrude interrupts to say they serve only one Ascendant—Osric, Father Light’s son. Monok asks when Osric last walked among them, then informs them he is one of the “contestants in the other realms. He has not returned to you because the is unable to do so. Indeed, he is unable to do much of anything at the moment...He is lost.” This is news to the Liosan, but before they can continue the conversation, Monok suggests they all work together in a ritual to make a gate, using Telann, Liosan, and the Edur’s blood. When Trull asks what that was about needing his blood, and Monok replies “Not all of it, Edur. If all goes as planned.” Back to top

Chapter Ten

Karsa wishes Bairoth were still alive to help him with his carvings of the seven Teblor “gods;” he feels “something essential was missing from the seven faces had had carved...though that did not seem the case with the carvings of Bairoth and Delum. The energy of their lives seemed to emanate from their statues...as with the entire forest, in which there was the sense that the trees but awaited the coming of spring, of rebirth...it seemed that the two Teblor warriors were but awaiting the season’s turn.” As he faces Urugal’s statue, he feels the grove is no longer a refuge for “he had brought is own life to this place, the legacies of his deeds.” He thinks also how Raraku gives a false illusion that time stands still, but outside armies are marching and his people are under siege. Leoman arrives and asks what the seven statues are (he recognizes the other two as Toblakai). When Karsa says “my gods,” Leoman is shocked. Karsa adds some explanation and then says his gods still call him, haunt him. Leoman asks what they’re demanding of Karsa. Karsa doesn’t answer and Leoman tells him he came because of news about the Malazans. Leoman believes Tavore’s march should be contested, but not by big battles as Dom desires. Sha’ik has given permission for Leoman to ride out with a company, and when Karsa rightly assumes the permission is to scout only rather than harass/attack, Leoman says once he’s out, he’ll do what he wants. Karsa warns him Sha’ik will know and Leoman shrugs. When Leoman starts to complain about her, Karsa answers that she is Malazan. Leoman argues she was reborn and “became the will of the Goddess,” so her past doesn’t matter, but Karsa says it does: “It is those memories that chain her so. She is trapped by fear, and that fear is born of a secret which she will not share. The only other person who knows that secret is Ghost Hands.” When Leoman says Karsa sounds defeatist, Karsa shrugs and said he’s had good years: “Your company, Leoman. Sha’ik Elder. I once vowed that the Malazans were my enemies. Yet, from what I now have seen of the world since that time, I now understand that they are no crueler than any other lowlander. Indeed, they alone seem to profess a sense of justice. The people of the Seven Cities—who so despise them and wish them gone—they seek nothing more than the power that the Malazans too from them. Power that they used to terrorize their own people. Leoman, you and your kind make war against justice, and it is not my war.” Leoman says he won’t disagree, perhaps he has “seen too much” and that is why there is, as Sha’ik says “no loyalty” in him. He asks Karsa if he’s ever wondered then why Leoman has stayed and he answers his own question: “The Apocalyptic, Toblakai. Disintegration. Annihilation. Everything. Every human, lowlander. With our twisted horrors—all that we commit upon each other. The depredations, the cruelties. For every gesture of kindness and compassion there are ten thousand acts of brutality. Loyalty? I have none. Nor for my kind, and the sooner we obliterate ourselves the better this world will be.” Karsa, though, is paying attention to his carvings and thinks he’s figured out it is the light causing the problem; the light “makes them look almost human.” Leoman struggles to not say anything.

Heboric, L’oric, Sha’ik, Febryl, Young Felisin, and Bidithal are looking at a Deck, specifically at cards of the House of Chains. Heboric senses flaws in each while L’oric senses great power. When he says it’s even greater than Shadow’s power at birth, Bidithal explodes: “Those deceivers could never unveil that realm’s true power...In this House, the theme is pure. Imperfection is celebrated, the twist of chaotic chance mars one and all.” Sha’ik tells him to shut up. Heboric wonders if this new House will be ally or enemy; he leans toward enemy, as—he thinks—does L’oric, while Bidithal seems to think it will be a “source for renewed strength.” Sha’ik asks again to see the new unaligned card and Bidithal puts it down, saying the idea that this person is a Master of the Deck is absurd. Sha’ik asks, yet again, if Heboric senses anything, and he tells her there is no link of power between his hands and the Deck. She tells him she isn’t asking because of his hands, but because of his past life as a priest and historian. She starts to describe the picture, noting his average height, a scar or blood running down one side of his face. She adds: “he stands on a bridge. Of stone, shot through with cracks. The horizon is filled with flames. It seem she and the bridge are surrounded, as if by followers or servants.” L’oric points out they could also be guardians, especially as they look like soldiers. Heboric asks what they soldiers are standing on and after wondering how Heboric knew there was something to see there, Sha’ik says “bones...Not human. Very large. Part of a skull is visible, long-snouted, terribly fanged. It bears the remnants of a helmet of some sort.” Heboric begins to rock, feeling a “sourceless keening in his head, a cry of grief, of anguish.” Sha’ik continues: “The Master...stands strangely. Arms held out, bent at the elbows so the hands descend, away from the body.” Heboric asks if his feet are together and she answers “almost impossibly so.” Heboric thinks to himself it is like the Master is “forming a point,” then asks what the figure is wearing. Sha’ik answers, “Tight silks . . .Black...a chain. It cuts across his torso, left shoulder down to right hip...black wrought iron. There are wooden discs on his shoulders—like epaulets...four.” From his questions and responses, Sha’ik and L’oric can tell Heboric knows something. Febryl asks him why the Master is standing as he does and Heboric replies, “Because he is a sword,” and then thinks: “but not any sword. He is one sword, above all, and it cuts cold. That sword is this man’s own nature. He will cleave his own path. None shall lead him. He stands now in my mind. I see him. I see his face. Oh, Sha’ik.” L’oric describes the figure as a “lodestone to order in opposition to the House of Chains,” but points out he stands alone, despite the possible guardians, while the House has many servants. Heboric says “Alone? He has always been thus.” L’oric asks why Heboric smiles like “a broken man” when he says that and Heboric refuses to answer, though he thinks, “I grieve for humanity. This family, so at war with itself.” Sha’ik says she will speak alone to Heboric, but he tells her he will say no more but “have faith in the Master of the Deck. He shall answer the House of Chains. He shall answer it.” He stands up to leave and Young Felisin guides him out. Outside, he can hear Dom’s army training and he thinks how militarily Tavore’s and Sha’ik’s armies will be evenly matched and trained, and that Tavore’s advantage in munitions will be answered with Sha’ik’s advantage in sorcery, as it appears Tavore has no mages save the “broken” Nil and Nether. He thinks Sha’ik might actually win. Younger Felisin tells Heboric he needs to leave the camp and “retrace your path, else what haunts you will kill you . . .. Something is contained within you. Trapped within your moral flesh. What will happen when your flesh fails?” He says his death may seal the portal, put things back as they were, but she answers it won’t happen: “It’s here—the power behind those ghostly hands of yours—not the otataral, which is fading...Have not your dreams and visions worsened? Have you not realized why?...An entire island of otataral was created to contain that statue, to hold it prisoner. But you have given it a mean to escape—there through your hands.” He asks if Sha’ik told Younger Felisin [hereafter referred to by me as just Felisin] about herself on that journey and when Felisin says it doesn’t matter, he says it does, but then stops before saying what he is thinking: “Because she is Malazan. Because she is Tavore’s sister! Because this war is no longer the Whirlwind’s—it has been stolen away, twisted by something far more powerful, by the ties of blood that bind us all in the harshest, tightest chains! What chance a raging goddess against that?” Felisin says she’ll go with him and he is horrified by the idea and its terribly perfect symmetry. She says she’ll find a warrior as well. He tells her say nothing to anybody, including Leoman, whom she’s considered asking.

Leoman asks if Karsa will come with him when he rides out and Karsa says there are no horses for him. Leoman says there are some to the west in the Jhag Odhan, wild horse once bred by Jaghut, that would fit him. He tells him how to get there, two weeks travel past Y’Ghatan, which is itself a ways away. He adds the nomadic Jaghut, who had fallen nearly into savagery due to predation, were all killed by the Logros T’lan Imass. Karsa says that is a name from the Teblor past and Leoman mutters “Closer than that.” He tells Karsa to ask Sha’ik leave to go and Karsa says he will, but that Leoman shouldn’t wait for him. He will join him if they are still in the field upon his return. Worried about Felisin, Karsa says he should kill Bidithal before going, but Leoman says he’s pretty sure Heboric will soon leave the camp and take Felisin with him, adding he’ll send someone with them and had actually been considering Karsa. Karsa says he will not travel with Heboric and Leoman replies that Heboric “holds truth for you, Toblakai. One day, you will need to seek him out. You might even need to ask for his help.” Karsa scoffs that he needs nobody’s help, then says he’ll leave tomorrow. Leoman mentions maybe all this will distract Sha’ik from the new House of Chains and Karsa says, “chains...I so dislike chains.” Leoman leaves and Karsa thinks “Chains. They haunted him, had haunted him ever since he and Bairoth and Delum rode out from the village. Perhaps even before then. Tribes fashioned their own chains after all. As did kinship, and companions, and stories with their lessons in honor and sacrifice. And chains as well between the Teblor and their seven gods. Between me and my gods. Chains again, there in my visions—the dead I have slain, the souls Ghost Hands says I drag behind me. I am—all that I am—has been shaped by such chains. This new House—is it mine?” The air grows suddenly cold and the snakes flee the grove. Karsa watches as Urugal’s face wakens and he hears in his mind “a thousand souls moaning, the snapping thunder of chains.” Urugal speaks, telling Karsa they have waited a long time for this fashioning of a sacred place and he complains of Karsa wasting time carving his two friends, demanding Karsa destroy them because of the sentimentality that taints the temple and because they offend the gods, all of who are now awake. Karsa warns Urugal that he is the one that brought them here, freed them of their prison in the Teblor land (pointing out he knows more than they think he does), and what he made he can shatter. The seven are angry and Urugal eventually says Karsa has brought them close enough so they can sense the location of what they desire and he orders Karsa to go there. Karsa asks what they want in that place and Urugal answers, “like you warrior, we seek freedom.” He tells Urugal he is to travel west into the Jhag Odhan and they are shocked and excited and want to know how he knows this. He doesn’t say it, but thinks “Because at last, I am my father’s son.” He tells them he will leave at dawn and find what they desire. They fade out and he knows they are not as powerful nor as close to freedom as they want him to think. He turns to face his friends, “those for whom this place had in truth been sanctified. By Karsa’s own hands. In the name of those chains a mortal could wear with pride.” He tells them “My loyalty was misplaced. I served only glory. Words my friends. And words can wear false nobility. Disguising brutal truths. The words of the past that so clothed the Teblor in a hero’s garb—this is what I served. While the true glory was before me. Beside me. You.” Bairoth’s statue speaks “Lead us Warleader.” He tells Karsa “WE have walked the empty lands...Empty, yet we were not alone. Strangers await us all Karsa Orlong. This is the truth they would hide from you. We are summoned. We are here.” Delum speaks and says “none can defeat you on this journey” and Bairoth asks who their enemy is now. Karsa answers, “Witness my answer my friends. Witness.” Delum says, “We failed you Karsa Orlong. Yet you invite us to walk with you once again.” Bairoth says the same, but Karsa replies, “It is I who failed you. I would be your warleader once more, if you would so permit me.” Bairoth says “At last, something to look forward to,” and Karsa thinks, “Dear Urugal, you shall witness. Oh, how you shall witness.”

L’oric enters Heboric’s tent as he is musing on death and dying, the ultimate journey for all mortals. L’oric says he is there to offer an exchange of knowledge that will stay between the two of them. Heboric asks why he should trust L’oric and says anyway, L’oric has nothing of interest to him: Febryl is a fool, Bidithal will be killed by a child he abuses, Dom and Reloe will be brought before the Empress and treated as criminals, and the Whirlwind Goddess gets nothing but contempt from him. L’oric, though, says he can tell Heboric of the Jade statue. Heboric says OK, but tomorrow because he is too tired. L’oric offers to make his tea for him and Heboric, struck by his kindness, asks L’oric to promise to be long gone form the camp when the final day arrives. L’oric says it’s a hard promise to make, but he’ll think about it. As he makes the tea, he ruminates on the warrens: “some of the oldest scholarly treatises on the warrens speak of a triumvirate. Rashan, Thyr, and Meanas. AS if the three were all closely related to one another. And then in turn seek to link them to corresponding Elder warrens...There certainly seems to be a mutual insinuation of themes between Darkness and Shadow, and, presumably, Light. A confusion among the three, yes. Anomander Rake himself has asserted a proprietary claim on the Throne of Shadow...set kin to guard it, presumably from the Tiste Edur. It is very difficult for us mortals to make sense of Tiste histories...human history is ever marked by certain personalities, rising....to shatter the status quo. Fortunately for us, such men and women are few and far between, and they all eventually die or disappear. But among the Tiste, well, those personalities never go away, or so it seems. They act, and act yet again. They persist. Choose the worst tyrant from...human history, Heboric, then imagine him or her as virtually undying. In your mind, bring that tyrant back again and again and again. How, having done so, would you imagine our history then?” Heboric answers human history would be far more violent than Tiste, and says he has never even heard of a Tiste tyrant. L’oric says perhaps tyrant isn’t the right word; he meant “in human context, a personality of devastating power, or potential. Look at his this Malazan Empire, born from the mind of Kellanved, a single man. What if he had been eternal?” Heboric laughs that maybe he is, and tells L’oric he’s missing something: “the Tiste are no longer isolated in their scheming. There are humans, now, in their games—humans, who’ve not the patience of the Tiste, nor their legendary remoteness...Kurald Galain and Kurald Emurlahn are no longer pure, unsullied by human presence. Meanas and Rashan? Perhaps they are proving the doors into both Darkness and Shadow. Or...how can one truly hope to separate the themes of Darkness and Light from Shadow?...An interdependent triumvirate. Mother, father, and child—a family ever squabbling, only now the in-laws and grandchildren are joining in.” L’oric is stunned into silence, then says he’d come to warn of Tiste meddling in human affairs and Heboric ended up warning him about the opposite. As L’oric speaks, Heboric feels ” a strange, whispering suspicion...as if tickled into being by something in L’oric’s voice.” But he dismisses it as “Too outrageous, too absurd.” Instead, he asks L’oric to tell him about the statue. L’oric says what about Heboric’s side and when Heboric says he doesn’t know who might be listening, L’oric tells him he has raised wards and illusions to prevent it. Heboric says if L’oric wants details about Sha’ik and the new Master of the Deck, it’ll have to be in Sha’ik’s presence and L’oric will have to reveal more of himself. L’oric then says “tell me this...He was created in the wake of the Malazan disaster on Genabackis...he was of, or is somehow related to, the Bridgeburners, for they were destroyed in the Pannion Domin.” Heboric says he can’t be certain but it seems likely. L’oric continues: “So the Malazan influence ever grows—not just on our mundane world, but throughout the warrens and now n the Deck of Dragons.” But Heboric points out that L’oric is making a common mistake in assuming the Empire is monolithic; “I do not believe this Master of the Deck is some servant of the Empress. Indeed, he kneels before no one.” When L’oric asks why the Bridgeburner guardians then, Heboric replies “some loyalties defy Hood himself.” L’oric then connects that the Master was a soldier in the Bridgeburners and says that makes sense. He explains that Kimloc, a Spiritwalker, has given the Bridgeburners a Tanno song that “begins here, in Raraku...the birthplace of the Bridgeburners.” He asks if Heboric knows the significance of this, but then goes on to say the significance has waned, “since the Bridgeburners are no more, there can be no sanctification...For the song to be sanctified, a Bridgeburner would have to return to Raraku...and that does not seem likely...Tanno sorcery is elliptical. The song must be like a serpent eating its tail. Kimloc’s Song of the Bridgeburners is at the moment without an end. But it has been sung and so lives...like a spell that remains active, awaiting resolution.” Heboric interrupts to ask about the jade giant and L’oric tells him the first one was found in the otataral mines (more than one surprises Heboric)...and the miners who got too close vanished. Sections of two other giants were found and those veins have been closed off. He says they are “intruders to our world from some other realm,” and Heboric adds, “arriving only to be wrapped in chains of otataral.” L’oric says it does appear that the arrival has been anticipate each time and is making sure the threat is negated. But Heboric disagrees, arguing that the passage of the giants through a portal is what creates the otataral, though he can’t be certain. He says one scholar though otataral was created by the “annihilation of all that is necessary for sorcery to operate. Like slag with all the ore burnt out...the absolute draining of energy—the energy that rightfully exists in all things, whether animate or otherwise...Perhaps the magnitude of the sorcery unleashed—a spell that is all-devouring of the energy it feeds on.” L’oric objects even the gods couldn’t wield so much power, but Heboric says he thinks a ritual, a collective sorcery could do it. L’oric says like the Telann Ritual and Heboric says yes, or the calling down of the Crippled God, which leaves L’oric speechless for a while. L’oric then says he has one last piece of information that he sees he must give, though it will reveal much about himself. As Heboric listens, “the confines of his hut dimmed to insignificance, the heat of the hearth no longer reaching him, until the only sensation left came from his ghostly hands...at the ends of his wrists, they became the weight of the world.”

Leoman sees Karsa off. Karsa warns him not to strike so hard at Tavore’s army that he “awaken[s] the bear,” but Leoman scoffs. In turn, Leoman warns Karsa that “if ou must kneel before a power, first look upon it with clear eyes.” Karsa heads off, flanked by his two friends, whom he can see and hear.

Reloe tells Dom Karsa has left. Dom thinks of how he has nothing but contempt for Reloe and for sorcerers in general. They both anticipate Leoman soon-departure and think Febryl will now “advance his plans.” Dom worries about Heboric still, but Reloe calls him a “doddering fool” who isn’t even aware that the hen’bara tea he drinks to alleviate his visions is actually enhancing them. The two discuss their plans that will lead them to the final goal: “the throne that will one day belong to us.” The plans include:

• Febryl kills Sha’ik.
• Tavore kills Febryl
• Dom and Reloe destroy Tavore and the Malazan army
• Dom and Reloe destroy the Seven Cities rebellion themselves
• The Empress calls them back to reward them
• They kill the Empress (not clear if them literally or someone else wielding the knife)
• The Talons destroy the Claws
• Dujek is helpless a continent away

Also involved in the conspiracy is Mallick Rel, to what extent is unclear.

Reloe brings up L’oric as a concern, but Dom just tell him to “deal with him.” As Reloe leaves, Dom thinks of how he’d get rid of all magic if he could, “return the fate of mortals to the mortals themselves.” Then the world would belong to him and people like him, “and the empire he would shape would permit no ambiguity, no ambivalence. His will unopposed, the Napan could end, once and for all, teh dissonant clangor that so plagued humanity, now and throughout history. ‘I will bring order. And from that unity, we shall rid the world of every other race, every other people, we shall overpower and crush every discordant vision...” And he revels in the fact that the opponents he feared—Whiskeyjack and the Bridgeburners—are no longer in the game against him: “You are now at Hood’s feet, Whiskyjack...You and your damned company...None left to stop me now.” Back to top

Chapter Eleven

Gamet, Tavore, and Baralta have left the city ahead of the army, which is marching today, and are looking over Coltaine’s Fall. The hill is riddled with ants and filled with memorials—braids woven into chains, dog skulls, crow feathers, etc. Tavore asks who is responsible for all these things and Baralta identifies a number of clans—Khundryl, Semk, and others. When Tavore asks how it came to be that those who fought Coltaine now make pilgrimages and honor him, Baralta has no answer, though he says this is nothing compared to what’s at Aren’s Way. Gamet believes he knows what Tavore is thinking: “We must walk, step by step, the legacy. We? No. Tavore. Alone...she now realizes...that she will stride that man’s shadow all the way to Raraku.” Tavore dismisses both men. Before leaving, Gamet tells her the Crow Clan isn’t accepting Temul as commander and she says she’ll deal with it. As he rides back, Gamet thinks on Duiker’s final acts before being staked to a tree, and also on the fact that his body was never found. Baralta asks Gamet to convince him that Tavore is equal to her task, and when Gamet replies she is, Baralta says some day Gamet will have to tell him what she had done “to earn such loyalty.” Gamet thinks to himself “can you not see the truth before you? She has done nothing. I beg you. Leave an old man to his faith.”

Fiddler and Gesler are following a supply wagon on the Aren Way, in the midst of a conversation. We come in as Gesler says “faith is for fools,” and Fiddler replies that “Every soldier knows...without faith, you are already as good as dead. Faith in the soldier at your side...and no matter how delusional...faith you cannot be killed.” Gesler points out the trees still showing the spike holes and bloodstains and says to ask the ghosts about faith. Fiddler says that faith was betrayed doesn’t ruin the idea of faith, but Gesler answers that “some things you can’t step around with words and lofty ideas. And comes down to who is in that vanguard...The Adjunct. Who just lost an argument with that pack of hoary Wickans.” He adds that Fiddler has been lucky in his commanders, but Gesler had Dom, who thought Whiskeyjack was “unfulfilled potential [Dom thought] If only the bastard had been hard enough, he could’ve taken the damn throne.” Gesler says Dom thought Whiskeyjack’s failure was a betrayal. Fiddler says Dom can complain to WJ in person since the Empress will probably send the Genabackan army over. As they walk, they pass trees laden with fetishes or painted with the figures of the soldiers that had been spiked on them. Tavore had forbidden the cutting down of the trees when the idea had been mentioned, and Fiddler wonders if she regrets that now. He looks at the Fourteenth’s standard—a thin figure holding up a bone before a sandstorm—and he thinks Tavore at least understood that whole thing well, though he also wonder at the “curious coincidence” that the standard “could as easily apply to Sha’ik’s army of the Apocalypse...As if Tavore and Sha’ik—the two armies, the forces in opposition—are in some way mirrored reflections of the other.” He finds that there have been a lot of strange things happening, including the fact that he was “feeling strangely fevered...Strains of a barely heard song rose up from the depths of his mind on occasion, a haunting song that made his flesh prickle. And stranger still, the song was entirely unfamiliar.” He muses as well on how the reflections isn’t just Tavore and Sha’ik but is also Tavore and Coltaine as they reverse-walk Coltaine’s path, and himself and Raraku as he returns to “the desert that saw me destroyed only to rise once more, mysteriously renewed—a renewal that persists, since for an old man I neither look nor feel old. And so it remains for all of us Bridgeburners, as if Raraku stole something of our mortality, and replaced it with something else.”

As they walk his thoughts turn to his squad. Koryk and Tarr look good he thinks, Smiles reminds him of Sorry, Bottle he thinks of as a young mage with a handful of minor spells, and Cuttle he sees as a “burlier, more miserable version of Hedge. Having Cuttle there was like coming home.” Gesler points out the tree where they found Duiker, saying they hadn’t said anything because Truth was so hopeful, but when they returned the body was gone. Strings starts to say Tavore should call a stop but is interrupted when she does just that. Gesler, Borduke, and Fiddler discuss how their mages are all Meanas (Gesler’s mage is Tavos Pond and Fiddler’s is Bottle) and maybe they can use that, maybe with illusions. Ranal comes by and after some words with Gesler, says Keneb wants an inventory of mages. Gesler begins to say they have none, but Fiddler interrupts and says they have three, but only minor ones. Ranal leaves and Fiddler tells Gesler to go easy on him and maybe Keneb will teach him some things. Gesler isn’t so sure about Keneb either though, suspicious that Keneb was the only one of his company to survive. Fiddler tells him it’s a bit early to “start honing the knives,” and Gesler says he can wait.

At the end of the first day, Gamet thinks they haven’t gone very far at all, unsurprisingly. He looks at the Wickans and thinks they’re all either very old or very young: the old here for Coltaine’s memory he may have fought against; the young he thinks are here because they “were being fed the singular poison of bitter old fighters filled with tales of past glory.” He pities Temul for his problems with the Wickan elders. He joins Tavore in her tent as she is sealing away her otataral sword. She tells him they await news, then Topper (Claw Master) appears from a portal and gives greetings from the Empress. He tells them he comes from Genabackis, where he got drunk with Tayschrenn, the clear implication being that he comes with bad news. Tavore steels herself and asks what the new is. Topper begins his report with “Losses...terrible losses.”

Bottle is off a ways magically eavesdropping on Tavore’s tent via “riding” the small creatures nearby. He thinks of his grandmother’s advice back in Malaz City: “never mind those damned warrens, child, the deep magic is far older. Remember, seek out the roots and tendrils...the invisible web woven from creature to creature. Every creature...they are all linked. And it is within you...to ride those tendrils.”

Tavos Pond and Balgrid tell Fiddler Bottle is out there but they can’t sense him. Bottle shows up and tells them all a portal opened in Tavore’s tent. Then tells them the news he heard: Dujek’s army nearly wiped out, the Bridgeburners annihilated, and Whiskeyjack dead. Fiddler goes numb and walks away. He comes across Temul weeping beside his horse. Temul puts his hand to his knife and Fiddler tells him “Relax...I’m in grief’s arms this night myself” and then when Temul starts to leave, Fiddler tells him “Face me. I will be your witness this night and we alone will know of it.” Temul tells him his tears were of self-pity, “Proclaim me—I am done with commanding, for I cannot command myself.” Fiddler says he isn’t going to say anything to anyone. He guesses Temul’s problem and says he had a commander once who had the same problem, having to lead a bunch of children. When Temul asks what the commander did, Fiddler says “not much and ended up with a knife in his back,” adding he isn’t one for “stories with lessons in life.” He continues, saying Tavore probably shares Temul’s frustration over his position and would like to help him but worries about Temul losing face. He suggests stealing the Wickan’s horses; “If children your kin must be, then take away their favored playthings...hard to look tall and imperious when you’re spitting dust behind a wagon.” Fiddler asks about the scroll hanging from his horse and Temul tells him it was Duiker’s, then talks of how impressed he and the others (Coltaine, Bult) were with Duiker. He says Coltaine even gave Duiker the “soul trapper” stone from Baruk, adding the elders have spoken of a child born to the tribe “once empty, then filled, for the crows came.” Fiddler asks if Coltaine has been reborn and Temul says yes, then says he keeps Duiker’s horse for “when he returns.” Fiddler reminds Temul that Duiker looked to him, not just Nil and Nether, to guard the refugees. Temul stands stronger and says he goes to tell the Adjunct what he plans with the Wickan horses. The two agree that Fiddler saw nothing this night, then Temul leaves and Fiddler buries his head in his hands.

Topper has finished his report, including Paran’s “heroism, then his death. Not a single Bridgeburner left alive. Tayschrenn himself saw their bodies, witness their internment in Moon’s Spawn. But lass, Ganoes redeemed himself—redeemed the family name.” Gamet, though, thinks that cuts Tavore even more, for she made so many sacrifices and Paran had never been a renegade or responsible for Lorn’s death—”thus, the sacrifice of young Felisin might have in the end proved unnecessary.” Topper also informed them that Laseen had planned to land Dujek’s Host on the north to open up a second front and have Dujek take overall command (news of which Gamet thinks will be a blow to Tavore’s confidence), but while Dujek will still be coming, it will be late and as a broken man in charge of a devastated army. Gamet thinks Tavore should have been told all this before; now she’s been told the Empress never had confidence in her but now has no choice but to leave the fate of the Empire in Seven Cities to Tavore. When Tavore asks if that’s it, Topper is surprised and says, yes, then asks if Tavore wants to send a message to Laseen. Tavore says no. Topper says one last thing is that some in the army may grieve over the fall of Fener and there may be desertions, but Tavore interrupts and says there will be none, then dismisses Topper. When Topper tries to give her some last military advice, Tavore tells him his role is Clawmaster; from Dujek—a solider, commander—she’ll take advice but otherwise follow her own instincts and if Laseen doesn’t like the results, she can replace her. Topper leaves, as does Gamet after Tavore tells him to get T’amber.

Fiddler returns to camp; Cuttle is the only one still at the fire. Cuttle tells Fiddler “it’s all far away” and Fiddler answers “But it feels close.” Cuttle thanks him for the munitions and Fiddler says how weird it is that “we always find more, and they’re meant to be used, but instead we horde them, tell no-one we have them—in case they order us to put them to use.” When Cuttle says he’ll use them to get Dom even if he has to “go to Hood” himself at the same time, Fiddler says he thinks that’s what Hedge did, adding he wish he could have been there with them all, naming them. Cuttle corrects him on Quick Ben, saying he’s alive and made a High Mage by Tayschrenn. Fiddler says he isn’t surprised, and then when he wonders if Paran was still captain, Cuttle says he was and died with them. Fiddler is curious if Tavore is grieving and Cuttle answers that “wondering’s a waste of time. We got lads and lasses that need taking care of right here.” The two of them discuss what sort of “iron” their army will or should be.

Iron, Strings smiled...Since we’re looking for revenge, you’ll want it hot I expect.

You expect wrong. Look at Tavore—there won’t be any heat from her...She’s just like Coltaine. It’s obvious Fiddler. The iron needs to be cold. Cold. We get it cold enough, who knows, we might earn ourselves a name.

Strings...tapped the finger bone hanging from Cuttle’s belt. We’ve made a start, I think.

We might have at that, Sergeant. Them and the standards. She knows what’s in her, give her that. She knows what’s in her.

And it’s for us to bring it out into view.

As Fiddler goes to bed, he thinks “Iron. Cold iron. Yes, it’s in her. And now I’d better search and search hard to find it in me.” Back to top

Chapter Twelve

Cutter watches as Darist arms himself for battle. Darist tells him they probably won’t survive the Edur’s attack, saying five Edur ships survived the storm and two have reached the shore. He adds there would have been more, but a Malazan fleet “happened upon them by chance...Your human kin did well—far better than the Edur no doubt anticipated...There was a skilled mage among the humans—the exchange of sorcery was impressive.” When Cutter complains the Andii didn’t help, Darist says they haven’t left the island for decades and doesn’t answer when Cutter asks why. Darist picks up his sword and Cutter says it looks like it would snap in contact with a heavier weapon. Darist replies it won’t: “There are many names for this particular sword...Its maker called it Vengeance. T’an Aros, in our language. But I call it K’orladis . . .Grief.” Cutter asks who made it and Darist answer it was Rake, “before he found one more suited to his nature.” Darist asks if Cutter plans to fight and when Cutter says “yes,” Darist wonders why since it isn’t his fight. Cutter replies that Rake and the Andii fought for Genabackis even though it wasn’t their battle either, which makes Darist smile. They climb up and out of the hall into ruins. Darist informs Cutter that the buildings were constructed by the Edur and were in ruins when the Andii arrived. They cross to a courtyard and await the Edur. Cutter asks if Vengeance/Grief is invested, and Darist says, “The power of Grief lies in the focused intent in its creation. The sword demands a singular will in its wielder. With such a will, it cannot be defeated.” He also implies he doesn’t have that kind of will. A group of Edur arrive and attack and Darist and Cutter hold them off (Darist takes some major wounds) until they are relieved by a group of young Andii and Apsalar. Apsalar tells Cutter she found the Andii hiding at Darist’s (Andarist’s) command. Darist tells her now the young ones will die, “for the Edur will now hunt them down in earnest, the old hatred, rekindled once more.” Apsalar answers that the Throne has to be protected. Darist angrily says, “if he truly wants it protected, then he can come here and do it himself.” Apsalar asks who the “he” is and Cutter tells her Rake, Darist’s brother.

Cutter thought Darist’s expression was confirmation enough that Darist is Rake’s younger brother. He learns that the youths are Rake’s grandchildren (by different mothers). Darist is badly wounded, and Cutter is impressed he was able to fight on as he did. Cutter says he’s surprised by the Andii youths, and by their lack of training in fighting. Apsalar worries Darist’s overprotectiveness may doom them, and her words have, to Cutter, a sense of harsh judgment. He muses he had though, based on his experience with Rallick Nom that “a singular capacity to inflict death engendered a certain wisdom—of the fragility of the spirit, of its mortality” but he senses none of that in Apsalar. He thinks she took no pleasure in killing the Edur, though she “had not intended” that they died slowly, and thinks it’s as if she were trained as a torturer, though Dancer was not one. He worries the ugly aspect is part of her own personality. Saying Cutter is in no shape to fight, Apsalar suggests he find the Malazan survivors on the island and ask their help. Cutter agrees to go.

Cutter travels through the forest which is built upon the ruins of a great city. He finds a cave (Apsalar had discovered the Malazan earlier). He calls out to the Malazans inside and a group come out. He tells them of the Edur, their attack, and asks their help, saying the Edur are after something that could doom the Malazan Empire and “all of humanity.” When they scoff, he tells them it’s the Throne of Shadow. The Dal Honese man startles at this while one of the woman, horribly burned, says, “True words...a fleet set out on a search...and now they’ve found it. Ammanas and Cotillion are about to be usurped, and what of it?” She’s angered they fought the Edur for the Throne, losing ships, people, and probably her own life. Another woman declares it isn’t their fight, but the Dal Honese, called Traveler by the women tells them “the Throne must not be claimed by the Edur...the lad speaks without exaggeration when he describes the risks...The Warren of Shadow is now human-aspected...and it well suits our natures. This battles is ours—we face it now or we face it later.” When one woman, the Captain/Commander asks if he claims this in the name of the Empire, he answers “More than you know.” Cutter asks if the burned woman is a sorcerer and the captain says yes, but she’s dying and is about to add more when they hear a distant noise and Cutter yells “they’ve attacked again, with magic this time—follow me.” Cutter reaches the courtyard, spotting a group of Edur coming up from the coast. Leaving them to the Malazans, he heads into the courtyard to see a line of Edur warrior and four Edur mages sending out waves of magic to attack Darist, who stood alone with Apsalar unconscious at his feet and behind him the scattered bodies of the young Andii. Darist is horribly wounded, bones visible through his chest, but he stands before the magic, Grief white hot and keening. Cutter calls for Blind. The Hound appears, but one of the Edur mages says something and Blind “cowered.” Shadows suddenly appear in the courtyard then Cotillion is there, wielding his rope and killing the four sorcerers in a blink, then the dozen plus Edur warriors as well. It all took “four breaths.” Cotillion starts to yell at Blind, then sees the Hound trembling and dismisses it. Cutter tells him the Malazans need help, but Cutter says, “No they don’t.” Darist finally falls and Cotillion tells Cutter “When he’s done out there, guide him to this sword. Tell him its names.” He vanishes. As Cutter is bent over Apsalar, Traveler walks in carrying a broken sword, the only Malazan survivor. When Cutter looks out he sees 50+ Edur corpses. Traveler reaches for Darist’s sword and Cutter tells him “it is named Vengeance or Grief. You can choose which best suits you.” Traveler asks if Cutter wants it, and Cutter replies, “It demands its wielder possesses a singular will. I am not for that sword, no, I think, will I ever be.” Traveler names it Vengeance, then asks who Darist was. Cutter gives his name (but not his relation to Rake) and says he guarded the Throne and now it has no guard. Traveler says he will stay for a while, help tend the wounded and bury the dead. Cutter says he’ll help, but Traveler tells him there’s no need; Cotillion killed all the Edur on the ships as well, and so Cutter and Apsalar can take a small boat and supplies and head out. Apsalar starts to waken and Traveler says it’s time for them to go. Cutter sees sorrow in his eyes for the first time and again offers to help bury the dead, but Traveler says it won’t be the first time he’s buried companions. As Cutter turns to go, carrying Apsalar, Traveler says, “Thank your god, mortal, for the sword.”

Kalam is examining the well shaft Kindly went down and asks what drove the Captain to go down there. Cord points out there’s “something lying on the bottom, maybe twice a man’s height in depth...Looks like a man all in armor, lying spread-eagled.” Cord doesn’t like Kalam’s attitude and Kalam pulls rank on him, tells him Kindly and the lieutenant aren’t coming back and he’s taking them out. Kalam is left alone and lowers a stone down to the figure to measure depth and the creature’s true size. The figure yanks on the rope and Kalam is pulled downward into the underground river. He’s grabbed by the rotting creature, which mentally speaks to Kalam: “The other two eluded me, but you I will have. I am so hungry.” Kalam stabs it with both his long knives and the creature throws him upward, back into the chamber above. Cord runs in and asks what happened. Kalam, seeing the river below is running red with blood, tells Cord to stop using the well.

The others join Kalam and help pry his knives out of his hands—the grips had scorched his palms with cold. Kalam and Ebron the mage discuss the history of B’ridys. Kalam says the fortress had been a monastery of a long extinct cult—the Nameless Ones. Ebron says the “Tanno cult claims a direct decent from the cult of the Nameless Ones. The Spiritwalkers say their powers, of song and the like, arose from the original patterns that the Nameless Ones fashioned in their rituals.” Kalam says the Nameless ones used to chain demons and he and Ebron realize that anyone drinking the water tainted with the creature’s blood: “The demon takes that person’s [or animal’s] soul and makes the exchange. Freedom.” They also realize that once it’s free, it will come after Kalam and both agree the others need to get far away from Kalam. Kalam tells them of Tavore’s march from Aren and tells them she could use their veteran experience. He adds he’ll be heading for Raraku. He tells them the demon told him their two officers got away, then they all leave.

Kalam exits the fortress. As he travels west, he hears the distant scream of an enkar’al (a huge winged reptile). He heads for the Whirlwind, getting abraded as he nears it. He’s attacked by the demon—possessed enkar’al, It toys with him, causing Kalam to lose consciousness at one point. He awakens and when it asks if it’s ready to play again, he says it broke his back. When it nears to attack, he shoves rocks and sand down its throat while stabbing it with a dagger. He crawls to his serpent dagger and kills the demon/enkar’al, then passes out.

The enkar’al that drank the blood of the demon was “exchanged”—the demon possessed the enkar’al body while the enkar’al soul entered the body back in the fortress, a pureblood Toblakai that had been possessed by the demon long ago. The wolf gods on the Beast Throne, in need of a champion, calm the soul and speak to it, offering a time of service in exchange for later reward of “rejoin [ing] its kin in the skies of another realm.” The enkar’al agrees.

Pust finds Kalam (he says he’s been looking for him) and tells him “you have something for me, something to deliver. A bone whistle? A small bag, perchance? Given to you in a shadowy realm by an even shadowier god? A bag, you fool, filled with dusky diamonds?” Kalam replies “You’re the one, are you?” and reaches for the bag but then passes out again, just after seeing the azalan demon behind Pust.

Kalam awakens feeling healed, though stiff. Pust appears, tells Kalam to be quiet because his wife is hunting him (Pust), then disappears. Mogora appears right after, saying, “the bastard was here, wasn’t he?” She mentions veering and Kalam figures out from what Pust had said she’s Soletaken/spiders. She leaves, Pust reappears.

Severed from his vow, Onrack can no longer see his kin’s “ghost-shapes;” he can see only their physicality: “Withered corpses. Ghastly. Devoid of majesty. Duty and courage had been made animate, and this was all the T’lan Imass were, and had been for hundreds of thousands of years. Yet, without choice, such virtues as duty and courage were transformed into empty, worthless words. Without mortality, hovering like an unseen sword overhead, meaning was without relevance, no matter the nature—or even the motivation—of the act.” He thinks he is seeing what all non-T’lan Imass see when they look upon his race: “An extinct past refusing to fall to dust. Brutal reminders of rectitude and intransigence, of a vow elevated insanity.” He wonders how this is or should make him feel, and then wonders when it last was that feeling even mattered to him. Trull mentions that he is surprised Onrack doesn’t flee his kin who want to dismantle him once they reach their realm and Onrack says that is what the renegades he hunted did, and now he understands them. Trull points out though they did not simply flee but found someone else to serve, an option not available to Onrack unless he serves the Liosan. “Or you,” Onrack says, adding that Monok Ochem would see that as a crime similar to that of the renegades. Onrack tells Trull he’s the one who should flee, but Trull says Monok told him they need only a drop or two of his blood for the portal ritual. Onrack says that’s true, if all goes well, but points out that Seneschal Jorrude is not a sorcerer but a warriorpriest and to use Kurald Thyrllan, he must “kneel before his power,” rather than command it as sorcerers do. He explains the assumption is that the power is benign, but if the power has been usurped, one may not be able to tell, “and then you become a victim, a tool, manipulated to serve unknown purposes.” He goes on to say that Osseric is “lost. Osric as humans know him...Thus, the hand behind the seneschal’s power is probably not Osseric, but some other entity, hidden behind the guise and the name of Osseric. Yet these Tiste Liosan proceed unaware...[they are] in pursuit of trespassers who passed through their fiery warren...Kurald Thyrllan is not a sealed warren. It lies close to our own Tellann—for Tellann draws from it. Fire is life and life is fire. Fire is the war against cold...our salvation. Bonecasters have made use of Kurald Thyrllan...For it seemed there were no Tiste Liosan. Monok Ochem considers this now...Where are these Liosan from?...Why are they now awakened to resentment? What does the one hidden behind the guise of Osseric seek?” Trull asks him to stop; it’s all too much. Silent now, Onrack muses on the two Hounds he’d freed. He feels they are no longer in the Nascent and thinks of them as “shadow and spirit reunited...As if each were shaped of two distinct powers, two aspects chained together.” He wonders if he had merely “unleashed” them rather than “freed” them. “Shadow from Dark. That which is cast from that which has cast it.” He looks on his own shadows and wonders if there is “tension between him and them...Silent kin of mine. You precede. You follow...Your world finds its shape from my bone and flesh. Yet your breadth and length belong to Light. You are the bridge between worlds, you cannot be walked. No substance then. Only perception.” Monok asks what Onrack is thinking and he tells the bonecaster he remains “bound to your path...The renegade kin must be found. They are our shadows. I now stand between you and them and so I can guide you...Destroy me and you shall lose an advantage.” Monok asks if he is bargaining for “persistence” and Onrack answers he is, and then refuses to tell Monok what path the renegades took until “it becomes relevant.” The Tellann warren is readied and Jorrude says he’ll begin his prayers and thus prove that Osric is not lost to the Liosan. When Trull says he wants Onrack to be the one to draw his blood, Jorrude says it should be him instead as “blood lies at the heart of Osric’s power,” a statement that startles Monok. Trull says it’ll be Onrack or nobody and reveals he’s holding a pair of munitions; Monok tells Jorrude to back down and he does, though angrily. The “godfire” appears and they all enter the ritual’s circle. Onrack can sense the approach of the “outermost layers of disguise” of whatever is passing for the Liosan’s god. Onrack gives Trull his knife and tells him to cut himself when Onrack gives the order, saying he doesn’t want to be distracted during the crossing. As the fire grows, Onrack wonders again at what being is behind it: “if these Liosan were any indication, it found sustenance from purity, as if such a thing was even possible. Intransigence. Simplicity. The simplicity of blood, a detail whispering of antiquity, of primeval origins. A spirit, then, before whom a handful of savages once bowed. There had been many such entities once, born of the primitive assertion of meaning to object, meaning shaped by symbols and portents, scratchings on rock faces and in the depths of caves...but tribes died out...The secret language of the scratchings...all lost, forgotten. And with that fading away. . so too the spirits themselves dwindled, usually into oblivion. That some lingered was not surprising to Onrack...What was new...was the sense of pathos. In the name of purity, the Liosan worship their god. In the name of nostalgia, the god worships what was and shall never again return.” Jorrude cuts himself and Onrack tells Trull to do the same and a gate tears open with tunnels reaching from it, chaos between tunnels. Blood is spraying from Trull’s hand. Onrack sees Ibra Gholan, Olar Shayn, and Haran Epal vanish down a tunnel of fire while the Liosan rush to Jorrude unconscious body. Onrack drags Trull close and grabs Trull’s bloody hand, then swears service to Trull, pledging to defend his life. Then they move into a tunnel. Monok veers into his Soletaken form—a giant ape—and pursues, but then vanishes in a surge of chaos. Onrack and Trull land on ground back in their home realm and Onrack says they have to leave as the T’lan Imass will pursue, even if only Monok remains. Trull asks where the others went and Onrack tells him they went into Kurald Thyrllan to kill the Liosan god.

Pearl and Lostar Yill are moving through bones and armor scraps—the remains of an army buried in ash inside the Imperial Warren. Pearl says last time he passed this same way there were no ruins, bones, or the pit. He adds he’s found a portal (“a lively one”), but it’s down in the pit. He leaves it to her if they look for a more accessible one, but she chooses the pit. She asks if he knows who the dead soldiers are and he says no, but he can tell they fought in the ash, so they were either survivors of whatever calamity caused the devastation or they were intruders afterward. They fall down a sandslide into the pit, Lostara ending up next to an edge. Pearl cast a magical light and they see “An X-shaped cross, tilting over them, as tall as a four-story building. The glint of enormous, pitted spikes. And nailed to the cruciform—a dragon. Wings spread, pinned wide. Hind limbs impaled. Chains wrapped about its neck, holding its massive wedge-shaped head up as if staring skyward to a seas of stars marked here and there with swirls of glowing mist.” Pearl points out it is enclosed in a “pocket warren, a realm unto itself.” Lostara says it could also be sealing an entranceway and Pearl thinks she may be right. He tells her the dragon is aspected: “Otataral. Her aspect is otataral, woman. This is an otataral dragon.”

Pearl uses magic to free them from the sandslide and they examine the dragon. Pearl tells her it’s still alive and when Lostara asks who could have done this, he says whoever they were should be thanked: “this thing devours magic. Consumes warrens.” When Lostara objects, saying all the old stories say dragons are the “essence of sorcery,” he responds: “Nature always seeks a balance. Forces strive for symmetry. This dragon answers every other dragon that ever existed, or ever will.” Lostara asks what the Imperial Warren was before it was turned to ash, but he doesn’t answer. They head deeper down toward the gate, which Pearl assumes was used by whoever nailed the dragon onto the cross.

They reach the gate, which Pearl identifies as “The Elder Warren from which Thyr derived...Kurald something. Tiste. Not Edur, not Andii.” He points out dragon tracks, at least six, and says that solves the question about who could chain/crucify a dragon. The step through the gate “into a realm of gold fire,” that was, “for the moment, survivable” though it sears their lungs. In front of them is a pillar shaped like a pyramid, carved with the names of those who chained the Otataral Dragon. A wall of flame heads for them and Pearl, reacting, slips on a trail of blood. They run around the pillar into a cavern splattered in blood and with pieces of a T’lan Imass scattered around. Pearl grabs the head then uses his warren to send them home. Pearl tells the head if it answers his questions, he’ll find it a nice view. Olar Shayn identifies himself and tells Pearl, when asked about what he was doing, that he and his kin killed “a false god.” Pearl asks if this ledge is a good enough spot and Olar says yes. Pearl secures him a spot and he and Lostara prepare to pick up the hunt for Felisin. Back to top

Chapter Thirteen

Leoman’s 2000-strong force is ready to leave. Dom watches as Leoman speaks to Sha’ik, thinking he’d be just as happy if Leoman didn’t return and gloating over Sha’ik’s clear ignorance of his plans that were “settling into place to achieve her own demise.” Sha’ik reminds Leoman he is not to engage the Malazan army. Leoman tells her they’ve already probably been harassed by local tribes, but she responds those are mere skirmishes and those tribes are sending people to her everyday. Leoman’s would be easily their largest foe and she doesn’t want Tavore facing such a foe yet. Leoman agrees, then tells Heboric if he needs anything to seek out Mathok, a statement that gets both Dom’s and Sha’ik’s attention. Sha’ik calls it “an odd thing to say” since Heboric is under her protection. Leoman said he just wanted to ensure Sha’ik wasn’t distracted from preparing her army, an army, Dom points out, she entrusted Dom to run. Leoman says goodbye and as he moves away, Dom tells Sha’ik that Leoman will disobey orders. She replies, “of course he will.” Dom says he shouldn’t be allowed to leave then and Sha’ik asks if Dom is now suddenly fearful of Tavore’s army? She says Leoman’s attacks will be irrelevant; Tavore’s army is weak and shaky and young. Dom argues for keeping Leoman “leashed,” and Sha’ik says what he really means is “killed,” but if Leoman is a “mad dog” then where better to send him than against their enemy. She adds that Febryl is impatiently waiting for Dom in Dom’s tent, dismissing him cavalierly, and telling him “brittle self-importance” is a flaw in “aging men”, speaking allegedly of Febryl.

After Dom leaves, Heboric asks Sha’ik if she is trying to goad the conspirators into acting though Leoman and Karsa, the only ones to trust, are gone. Sha’ik tells him she trusts none but herself. As for Leoman and Karsa, “when they look upon me they see an imposter.” Heboric asks if she trusts him, and she answer that he cannot leave now, before the battle, but afterward she will extend the Whirlwind all the way for him so as to ease his journey. Heboric asks what doesn’t she know and she replies far too much, naming L’oric specifically as a mystery, saying he can block even the Whirlwind’s magic. Heboric tells her what L’oric has revealed to him was in confidence, but he can say L’oric isn’t her enemy. She’s relieved, but when she asks if that means L’oric is her ally, Heboric doesn’t answer. She accepts that and moves on to ask about Bidithal’s “explorations” of Rashan, his old warren. Heboric and Sha’ik discuss that the Whirlwind is a fragment of Kurald Emurlahn whose “true rulers had ceased to exist, thus leaving it vulnerable,” and that the Whirlwind is the largest such fragment and it’s power is growing. She says Bidithal sees himself as the fragment’s “penultimate—[its] High Priest,” but he doesn’t know such a role doesn’t exist as Sha’ik is “High Priestess...single mortal manifestation of the Whirlwind.” She says Bidithal wants to “enfold Rashan into the Whirlwind” or use the Whirlwind to “cleanse the Shadow Realm of its false rulers,” the former leaders of the Malazan Empire. So many parts, she adds, to this upcoming battle, and the challenge is to “cajole all those disparate motives into one, mutually triumphant effect.” To do so, she says, she needs the secret of Heboric’s hands—they are defeating otataral and she needs to know how to do that. Heboric starts to answer she really doesn’t, as the fragment’s Elder magic will be unaffected, but Sha’ik interrupts and says Tavore will use her otataral sword to negate Sha’ik’s advantage in her High Mages. Heboric asks what that matters as Tavore can’t defeat the Whirlwind, and Sha’ik answers because the Whirlwind can’t defeat Tavore. At first this shocked Heboric, but then he realizes it makes sense as Kurald Emurlahn is so weak—in pieces, “riven through with Rashan—a warren that was indeed vulnerable to the effects of otataral.” He realizes the two magics will obviate each other, leaving it up to Dom, “who knows it and he has his own ambitions.” Heboric says he understands what she needs and why, but he has no control over the power of his hands and she says he’s getting closer because of the tea. This crushes Heboric as he had thought her suggestion of the tea for his nightmares was “compassion...a gift. He felt something crumbling inside of him. A fortress in the desert of my heart. I should have known it would be a fortress of sand...Stay? He felt no longer able to leave. Chains. She has made for me a house of chains.”

At Leoman’s pit, Silgar appears and tells Felisin the warrior from Mathok doesn’t want to meet there due to concerns over prying eyes, but he is waiting for her in the ruins across the plaza. Felisin accepts the need for secrecy and follows him to the temple there, where Bidithal takes her captive. He tells her he plans to “drink all the pleasure from your precious body, leaving naught but bitterness, naught but dead places within. It is necessary...I take no unsavoury pleasure in what I must do. The children of the Whirlwind must be riven barren to make of them perfect reflections of the goddess herself...the goddess cannot create, only destroy. The source of her fury no doubt.”

Silgar smiles as he hears what Bidithal does to Felisin. He thinks how Bidithal has also offered vengeance against Karsa and to raise Silgar’s place. He hears Felisin weeping and thinks “That lass would no longer look upon him with disgust.”

Earlier, L’oric’s tent had briefly glowed brightly. Now, at dusk, another burst of light occurs and L’oric entered from a portal covered in blood, carrying a “misshapen beast,” an “ancient demon.” Its cries of pain had been breaking L’oric’s heart and it’s with some relief they finally end as it dies. He grieves over its death and is angry at himself for allowing it, for “too long proceeding as if the other realms held no danger to them. And now his familiar was dead, and the mirrored deadness inside him seemed vast.” As he strokes its face, he tells it “ah my friend, we were more of a kind than either of us knew. No, you knew, didn’t you. Thus the eternal sorrow in your eyes...each time I visited. I was so certain of the deceit. So confident that we could go on undetected, maintaining the illusion that our father was still with us.” He recalls how he had killed all the T’lan Imass involved save for the clan leader, whom he swears to hunt down. He thinks, “I need help. Father’s companions. Which one? Anomander Rake? No. A companion yes, on occasion, but never Osric’s friend. Lady Envy? Gods, no Caladan Brood? But he carries his own burdens, these days. Thus, but one left.” He calls on T’riss in “Osric, my father’s name.” He finds himself in a walled garden speaking to T’riss, Queen of Dreams. She compliments him on his skill at hiding his “Liosan traits” and says all the Tiste have gotten good at such thinks, mentioning how Rake one spent nearly 200 years disguised as a human royal bodyguard. She tells him his father Osric “Sleeps. We all long ago made our choices...Behind us our paths stretch, long and worn deep. There is bitter pathos in the prospect of retracing them. Yet for those of us who remain wake, it seems we do nothing but just that. An endless retracing of paths, yet each step we take is forward, for the path has proved itself to be a circle. Yet—and here is the true pathos—the knowledge never slows out steps.” L’oric tells her the Malazans call it “wide-eyed stupid.” When he informs her that Kurald Thyrllan lost its guardian, she says, “Yes. Tellan and Thyr wren ever close and now more than ever,” which he thinks is a “strange statement that he would have to think on later.” She realizes he’s there to ask her to help find a new guardian and wonders how his “desperation urges you to trust where no trust has been earned.” He argues she was his father’s friend, but she replies: “Friend? L’oric, we were too powerful to know friendship. Our endeavors far too fierce. Our war was with chaos itself, and at times, with each other. We battled to shape all that would follow. And some of us lost that battle...I held no deep enmity for your father. Rather, he was as unfathomable as the rest of us.” However, she agrees to help, telling him it will take a while and that “the present vulnerability will exist in the interval. I have someone in mind, but the shaping towards the opportunity remains distant. Nor do I think my choice will please you.” Her expression suddenly changes and she dismisses him, saying, “Another circle has been closed—terribly closed,” pulling her hand from a pool of blood. He appears back in his tent, sends his powers out and senses Felisin crawling in the night towards Karsa’s grove. He finds her and says he’ll go to Sha’ik, but Felisin says no; Sha’ik still needs Bidithal, a sense of priority and self-sacrifice that horrifies L’oric. She also forbids him from telling Heboric or trying to kill Bidithal. He agrees to let her stay in the grove and bring her healing elixirs. He’s furious with everyone and himself: “We knew he wanted her. Yet we did nothing.”

Heboric is in his tent after several days of imbibing the tea. He has a vision of a jade giant with a “resigned” looking expressions)flying by, then sees “scores more” emerging from a single point in the dark [lots of quotes coming up]

Each has a unique posture, they range from perfect condition to battered into fragments

He thinks “an army” at first, then notes they are “unarmed, naked, seemingly sexless”

Their “perfection” makes him think they were never alive, thus “statues in truth”

He turns to see where they are going and sees “a vast—impossibly vast—red-limned wound cut across the blackness, suppurating flames along its ragged edges. Grey storms of chaos spiraled out in lancing tendrils and the giants descended into its maw. One after another. To vanish. Revelations filled his mind. Thus the Crippled God was brought down to our world. Through this terrible puncture. And these giants follow. Like an army behind its commander. Or an army in pursuit.

He realizes they can’t all be appearing in his home realm because there are too few

He begins moving toward a giant, one that was “but torso and head.”

He can see into it: “Figures. Bodies like his own. Humans, thousands upon thousands, all trapped within the statue. Trapped and screaming, their faces twisted in terror...Mouths opened in silent cries—of warning, or hunger, or fear—there was no way to tell...He thought he understood now—they were prisoners, ensnared within the stone flesh, trapped in some unknown torment.”

He strikes the finger of another one and enters it. He:

“…found himself amidst a crowd of writhing, howling figures...A prisoner. There were voices roaring through his skull...in languages he could not recognize...Then a string of words reached through the tumult...and he understood them.

‘You came from there. What shall we find, Handless One? What lies beyond the gash?’

Then another voice spoke, louder, more imperious. What god now owns your hands, old man? Tell me! Even their ghosts are not here—who is holding on to you? Tell me!’

‘There are no gods,’ a third voice cut in . . .

‘So you say...in your empty, barren, miserable world!’

‘Gods are born of belief, and belief is dead. We murdered it with our vast intelligence. You were too primitive—’

‘Killing gods is not hard. The easiest murder of all. Nor is it a measure of intelligence. Not even of civilization. Indeed, the indifference with which such death-blows are delivered is its own form of ignorance.’

‘More like forgetfulness. After all, it’s not the gods that are important, it is the stepping outside of oneself that gifts a mortal with virtue—’

‘Kneel before Order? You blind fool—’

‘Order? I was speaking of compassion—’

One mentions only Heboric can leave but should do so soon while he can. Heboric looks at his missing left hand: “A god. A god has taken them. I was blind to that—the jade’s ghost hands made me blind to that.” He returns to his tent, thinking, “A god has found me. But which god?”

In them morning his hands are still “ghostly, but the otataral was gone. The power of the jade remained [with] slashes of black through it...barbs banded the backs of his hands. . His tattoos had been transformed.” His vision is now “inhumanly sharp” and then he realizes who the god is Treach: “In need of a Destriant, Treach? So you simply took one? Stole from him his own life...Is this how you recruit followers? Servants? By the Abyss, you have a lot to learn about mortals.” But his anger soon dies as he tests his heightened senses. He smells a hint of violence and blood, but dismisses it as some domestic argument. As he eats, “the burgeoning of some senses perforce took away from others. Leaving him blissfully unaware of his newfound single-mindedness. Two truths he had long known did not for some time emerge to trouble him. No gifts were truly clean in the giving. And nature ever strives for balance...a far grimmer equilibrium had occurred between the past and the present.”

In Karsa’s grove, Felisin is awakened by serpents slithering over her. She recalls Bidithal’s words during the cliterectemy: “‘I shall bring this ritual to our people, child, when I am the Whirlwind’s High Priest. All girls shall know this in my newly shaped world. The pain shall pass. All sensation shall pass. You are to feel nothing, for pleasure does not belong in the mortal realm. Pleasure is the darkest path, for it leads to the loss of control. And we mustn’t have that. Not among our women. Now you shall join the rest, those I have already corrected.’ Two such girls had arrived then, bearing the cutting instruments. They had murmured encouragement to her...spoken of the virtues that came of the wounding. Propriety. Loyalty...the withering of desire...Passions were the curse of this world...The lure of pleasure had stolen Felisin’s mother away from the duties of motherhood.” Felisin thinks it hadn’t been pleasure but “Hood who embraced her [Felisin’s mother].” She believes Felisin will kill Bidithal, though not yet and though it may be too long until it happens: “Bidithal takes girls into his arms every night. He makes an army, a legion of the wounded. . And they will be eager to share out their loss of pleasure. They are human after all and it is human nature to transform loss into a virtue. So that it might be lived with, so that it might be justified.” Karsa’s gods awaken and Ber’ok speaks to her: “Vengeance swarms about you, with such power as to awaken us...We would ease your pain...You seek vengeance?...The one who has damaged you would take the power of the desert goddess for himself...the [Felisin’s] wounding is of no matter. The danger lies in Bidithal’s ambition A knife must be driven into his heart...Serve us and we in turn shall serve you...We shall ensure that Bidithal’s death is in a manner to match his crime, and that it shall be timely.” When Felisin asks how she is to be the knife, Ber’ok answers, “Child, you already are.” Back to top

Chapter Fourteen

A dozen wolves are pacing Karsa as he moves through the snow-covered mountains. Expecting attack, Karsa is surprised when the wolves speak to him in Malazan. He realizes it is a D’ivers and threatens them, saying he’s killed others. They say they no longer are interested in killing him, but want to warn him that he is on the trail of two people and they worry that should he cross one of them “the world will come to regret it.” He says he has no interest in fighting but can’t be responsible for what happens if he is crossed himself. The wolves reply that he should tell them “that Ryllandaras sought to dissuade you. Before you make your last living act one that sees this world destroyed.” Karsa considers it a “potent” warning and when Bairoth asks what he will do now, Karsa says, “I would meet these dire travelers of course.”

Karsa calls Ryllandaras’ words “portentous” and Bairoth says they were that, but “absurdly so. There are no powers...that pose such absolute threat. Spoken through the frenzied current of fear. Likely personal in nature.” Delum, however, is troubled, and reminds Karsa that the D’ivers was powerful and he advises caution. He finds a road and stops to sleep. He wakens and he hears rocks being moved from far ahead. He eventually catches up to the noise: a rockslide had buried half a city and one person was clearing rocks while another was sitting on a rock eating (Icarium and Mappo). Mappo speaks firs, offering Karsa some food, saying the mountain goat he was eating had fallen from the cliff: “You always see them scampering and clambering way up there, and so you naturally believe they never make a misstep. Well, another delusion shattered.” Icarium and Karsa eye each other for a long moment, then Icarium continues digging his way into the buried city. Mappo introduces himself and Icarium and Karsa says that name has appeared in his people’s legends. Mappo comments at this meeting: “A Trell, a Jhag, and a Thelomen Toblakai and we each are likely the only one of our respective kinds in all of Seven Cities.” He adds he’s heard of Karsa as Sha’ik’s bodyguard. Karsa asks if that makes them enemies and Mappo says not unless Karsa chooses so, though he advises against it. Karsa says Mappo isn’t the first to offer such counsel, saying a group of wolves did the same, though he doesn’t know or care what makes the pair so allegedly dangerous; if they get in his way he’ll just kill them. Mappo asks if they have reason to do so, and when Karsa says it’s up to them and Mappo responds then it would be best if they stay ignorant. He adds, though, that they already know a lot about Karsa: he’s formidable based on the Soletaken skin he wears (one belonging to someone Mappo and Icarium know though weren’t friends with), he has ghosts—both his two kinsmen next to him but also the “appallingly numerous” ones who trail behind him and “whose hatred for you is a palpable hunger” leading Mappo to conclude Karsa has been cursed. Mappo talks of convergence then, telling Karsa that “when curses collide...singular purpose. Powers and wills are drawn together, as if one must by nature seek the annihilation of the other. Thus, you and Icarium are now here, and we are moments from a dreadful convergence.” Icarium emerges then and tells Icarium he has traveled far to die. Karsa asks why he talks so much if he’s so eager and Icarium answers “I am never eager. This is a moment of pathos, I believe. The first time I have felt such a thing.” He asks Mappo if they have had these kinds of moments before and Mappo says yes. Icarium and Karsa face off and Icarium immediately (and shockingly quickly) breaks Karsa’s sword. Karsa punches Icarium and Icarium goes unconscious. Mappo then knocks Karsa out from behind, then looks at the two and says, “Better than I could have hoped for I think.”

Karsa wakes alone. He checks out where Icarium had been digging and finds a black statue of a seven-headed hound.

Six days later, he’s reached a small village with a tower in its center. As he crosses fields at night, he thinks, “The notion of a life spent tilling fields was repellent to the Teblor warrior. The rewards seemed exclusive to the highborn landowners, whilst the laborers themselves had only a minimal existence, prematurely aged and word down by the continuous toil. And the distinction between high and low status was born from farming itself...Wealth was measured in control over other people and the grip of that control could never be permitted to loosen. Odd, then, that this rebellion had had little to do with such inequities...[was] little more than a struggle between those who would be in charge. Yet the majority of the suffering had descended upon the lowborn, the common folk. What matter the color of the collar around a man’s neck, if the chains linked to them were identical? . . This blood-soaked Apocalypse was pointless, a misdirected explosion of fury that when it passed left the world unchanged.” He comes across a pit filled with garbage and the bones/bodies of the killed Malazans. Delum tells him a “place of haunting” is ahead, and Bairoth adds that the place is damaged, but the Elder power lingers.” He passes to the center of a group of barrows and to a stone ring. Bairoth tells him it is the burial place of a shaman and it offers a path via the dreamworld to greatly shorten the time of their journey. His two friends say they can guide him as they are between life and death and Hood cannot find them, which is partly why Hood hates Karsa, because “you have taken and would not give to him. Will not. Would you become your own Keeper of Souls. So he must now fear. When last did Hood know a rival?” Karsa says he’d break the chains and free his ghosts if he knew how and when Bairoth says his two friends would rather he didn’t, Karsa replies the two are probably the only ones who feel that. He then thinks “To cast of my enemies, I must also cast off my friends. And so Hood follows, and waits. For the day that must come.” Karsa enters the warren which begins as Tellann and then becomes Jaghut, and Bairoth tells him it is the border between two warring races, adding Karsa has already reached near the beginning of the Jhag Odhan. As he walks he passes rocks with bodies pinned beneath them and when Delum asks if he’ll free them, Karsa says no. Deluth tells them the bodies are not Forkrul Assail and while some are dead “many remain alive and will not die for a long time...do you no longer believe in mercy?” Karsa says he will not “undo what I do not understand.” He comes across a field of ice and bones and a tower. He enters it and finds a Jaghut female pinned. He notes the army didn’t kill her and she corrects him to say it couldn’t, at least no immediately, but the Tellann Ritual is slowly destroying the Omtose Phellack, which will mean the death of the Jhag Odhan. Karsa realizes it also will mean her own death and when he says she speaks as if the death of the Odhan is more important than her own, she says it’s because it is: “On the Jhag Odhan, the past lives still. Not just my fallen kin, the Jhag—the few that managed to escape the Logros T’lan Imass. There are ancient beasts...that have died out everywhere else, mostly on the spears of the T’lan Imass.” He asks if that includes horses and she says yes, there are a few feral ones, though many have been killed off by hunting Trell. Karsa asks why she didn’t stop the Trell and she says she was hiding, but was found by an Imass scouting party of eight, which she destroyed all of save one. Karsa says, “Enemies should be killed, not imprisoned” and adds he senses nothing evil of her. She tells him it’s been a while since she’s heard that word; “in the wars with the T’lan Imass, that word had no place.” Karsa declares he must answer injustice,” and frees her, despite the High Tellann sorcery. She is shocked at his ability and calls it “ignorance, honed into a weapon.” She asks how she can repay her and he answers with a Jhag horse and further talk of the seven T’lan Imass she destroyed. She, Aramala, tells him she will do so, then informs him she will free the half-bloods that are imprisoned and asks if he is curious at what the non-Jhagut half is. He frowns at that and she says there is much she has to tell him.

Karsa emerges from the warren at the edge of the Jhag Odhan. As he makes his way he finds he is walking through vast flint mines. Karsa thinks “IN this single valley, an entire army could have fashioned its weapons of stone,” and Bairoth tells him “you circle the truths as a lone wolf circles a bull elk.” Karsa enters a large cave and within it a large cavern where he sees a huge projection of pure flint. Beyond is another cavern filled with stone weapons: “hundreds upon hundreds...the next niche contained the same...Twenty-two chambers in all. The weapons of the dead. The weapons of the failed.” He calls upon the Seven and tells them he has delivered them here. Urugal appears and says, “You have found that which was taken from us, Karsa Orlong. You have freed your gods...you have found our weapons.” Karsa mentions the weapons might not be there and Urugal says “They did not fail us,” and when Karsa replies “But the Ritual did,” Urugal says “You understand then.” He informs Karsa that the Seven’s physical bodies are coming, held together “only by our wills,” though Karsa corrects him to add “and the one you now serve. “Urugal says it is time for Karsa’s reward and Siballe interjects, telling Karsa that the Seven have gathered the sacrificed Teblor into an army for Karsa to lead against the lowlanders. Karsa replies “I shall” and Urugal says the Seven gods of the Teblor will not become the Eight. Halad steps up to tell Karsa they will teach him how to make a flint sword for himself, but Karsa says he already knows. He moves to the massive projection of pure flint, but the Seven say none of the T’lan Imass have never been able to draw out a large flake from it, which is why they abandoned it. They suggest he try one that isn’t impossible, but Karsa rejects their advice. When he displays strange knowledge of stone and flint, Urugal demands how he came by such knowledge and Karsa replies: “Foolish Teblor. Or so you believed. So you would have us. Fallen Thelomen Toblakai, but he who has fallen can rise once again. Thus you were once T’lan Imass. But now you are the Unbound...From wandering to hold, from hold to house.” He moves up and prepares to strike a flake and thinks to his two friends: Hear me when none other can. One day, I shall break my chains, I shall free the souls that now hound me. You would not be among them, or so you have said. Nor would I wish Hood’s embrace upon you...I have fashioned an alternative.” Bairoth answers that see his intent and are impressed by his “genius,” they will accept the alternative. Their ghosts flow into the flint to find a shape, then he strikes and catches a shard of flint nearly as tall as he is. Watching, Halad whispers, “You surpass us.” Urugal says they will invest the weapon so it can’t break and Karsa is fine with that, but when Urugal continues that Karsa will become the Eight God, Karsa rejects him: “I man not as you Urugal. I am not Unbound. You yourself closed the chains about me. By your own hands you saw to it that the souls of those I have slain will pursue me eternally. You have shaped my haunting, Urugal. Beneath such a curse, I can never be unbound.” Urugal tells him there is a place for him anyway in the House of Chains, and Karsa says he knows—”Knight of Chains, champion of the Crippled God.” Surprised, Urugal says, “You have learned much,” to which Karsa, looking at his hands bloodied by catching the flint shard, says, “I have, T’lan Imass. As you shall witness.” Back to top

Chapter Fifteen

Fiddler and his squad are scouting an army of 3000 trailing them, different and larger than the harassing raiders they’ve dealt with for several weeks. Fiddler sends off a message to Tavore to prepare for a fight, then as he looks more closely at the 3000 he begins to wonder. Fiddler’s group is surprised by the new army, but rather than attack, the strangers wait for Tavore to arrive. As Tavore, Gamet, and Temul ride to meet them (Temul seems to recognize them), the chieftain of the strangers tells Fiddler his group has taken care of the raiders that have been attacking the Fourteenth. Tavore arrives and the chief is introduced as Gall, leader of the Burned Tears of the Khundryl. He recalls for them how the Khundryl met Coltaine (Blackwing to them): “My warriors sought to challenge, to see who were the greatest warriors of all...we were humbled. Blackwing is dead, his clan destroyed, and Korbolo Dom’s Dogslayers dance on his name. That must be answered, and so we have come...We are changed...other than we once were. We grieve the loss of ourselves, and so we shall remain lost, for all time.” He asks to join and fight with the Fourteenth and when Tavore wonders if they seek revenge on Dom, Gall answers yes, but that isn’t why they are here; they’ve come to “make amends” for simply riding away and not fighting with Coltaine at the end. Tavore welcomes him and Fiddler and Cuttle think this may actually give them a chance. Gall then rides to Temul, hands him his broken sword and kneels before him, saying, “We are not Wickans...but this I swear, we shall strive to be.” Temul freezes, not knowing what to do, and Fiddler signals him some advice. Temul tells Gall he accepts the Burned Tears as “of the Crow Clan, of the Wickans.” Fiddler thinks Temul has just solved his problem with the old Wickans. Tavore invites Gall to a “modest” meal, and Gall says they’ve brought food and tonight will be a feast. Cuttle and Fiddler realize that while Temul’s problem is solved, Tavore’s problem—being in Coltaine’s shadow—just got worse.

The camp is celebrating. Gamet enters Tavore’s tent where Tavore and Gall remain after the commanders meeting. Gamet tells Tavore the army is drunk and Gall responds, “Like us, your army is lost.” Gamet explains how young and untested they are and Gall changes his analysis to “not yet found.” Gamet asks if Gall regrets his decision and Gall tells him his shaman’s have foretold something of Tavore’s army: “The Fourteenth shall know a long life, but it shall be a restless life. You are doomed to search, destined to ever hunt for what even you do not know, nor, perhaps, shall you ever know.” Gall rejects the idea of divination or of destiny. When Gall asks what about the Deck, Gamet says he’s not one of those who puts much stock in it. Gall wonders if Gamet doesn’t notice the patterns, cycles of history: “The past is all patterns, and those patterns remain beneath our feet, even as the stars above reveal their own patterns...the past lies beneath and above the present.” Tavore asks what they’ll find the next day at Vathar Crossing, and Gall answers it’s for her to decide, calling it a “place of death.” Gamet feels odd, out of place, thinks how drunken oblivion is like “a small temporary death.” He exits the tent, thinking he’s too old for the war. He sees a massively scarred cattle dog walk by and then Keneb walks after it, saying he’s taken to following it. He tells Gamet the dog survived the Fall though it should not have, impaled as it was by several spears. When Gamet asks how it survived then, Keneb replies Gesler found it and another dog and then the two dogs recovered from what they shouldn’t have. He adds that Gesler himself, along with Stormy and Truth are another mystery due to their strange skin color and connection to the Silanda. Gamet asks if they’ve made a pace with a god, which is forbidden in the Malazan armies. Keneb says he doesn’t know and has no evidence. Gamet tells him he finds all this disturbing, the lack of trust Keneb has for his own soldiers. Keneb answers they don’t trust him either, due to a rumor he abandoned his soldiers when the uprising began. He adds that he did not, responding to Gamet’s unspoken question, but he admits some of what he did might call his loyalty to the empire into question, explaining nothing mattered more than his family. But Gamet interrupts and says he’d prefer not to know the details, though he does ask about Keneb’s family. When Keneb mentions he managed to save them with help for Kalam, Gamet is surprised. He tells Keneb to keep an eye on Gesler, but at some point they’ll have to see if they can trust him. Listening to the cattle dog wandering nearby, Keneb tells Gamet he believes it’s looking for Coltaine, to which Gamet says the dog must be blind and or dumb to miss the fact that Coltaine is right here.

Fiddler sits by the fire with the other cattle dog—Roach. He’s lonely and miserable and wondering why Keneb is punishing them by marching them at the back of the army in the dust. He thinks that now with the Burned Tears, the army doesn’t actually need him anymore. And also that he doesn’t really want to return to Raraku: “I hated it the first time. I’m...not what I once was. Did I really think I could recapture something in that holy desert?...That charging momentum that belongs to the young? . . Revenge [is not] filling my belly like it used to—Hood knows, nothing does anymore. Not revenge. Not loyalty. Not even friendship. Damn you Kalam, you should have talked me out of it.” The other cattle dog appears and then Fiddler calls out for Gesler to join him. Gesler sits across from him and tells Fiddler he, Stormy, and Truth can’t get drunk any more, calling it a curse. He says they can’t sleep now because they’re not looking forward to seeing Vathar Crossing again. After some silence, Gesler asks if Fiddler is thinking about running, saying it’s bad, losing friends, wondering why you’re the one left: “Then what? Nothing. You’re not here, but wherever you are, you’re still there.” Fiddler tells Gesler it isn’t just losing the Bridgeburners; it’s about doing soldiering all over again: “There’s got to come a point, Gesler, when it’s no longer the right place to be, or the right thing to do.” Gesler says “Maybe, but I ain’t seen it yet. It comes down to what you’re good at,” and he asks what Fiddler would do instead. When Fiddler mentions he once apprenticed as a mason, Gesler interrupts and tells him apprentices are ten years old. Fiddler’s too old to change: “There’s only one thing for a soldier to do, and that’s soldiering. You want it to end? Well, there’s a battle coming. Should give you plenty of opportunity...But that’s not the problem. It’s because now you’ve got a new squad and you’re responsible for ’em. That’s what you don’t like and what’s got you thinking of running.” Fiddler walks away. On the ridge a half-dozen wolves stand quiet after their howling. Fiddler hears singing and he goes to its source, finding Nil and Nether sitting with a bowl between them and butterflies fluttering around the bowl. Nil calls him closer and Fiddler is swarmed by butterflies so he can’t see. Inside he hears a presence speaking to him: “Bridgeburner, Raraku waits for you. Do not turn back now...I am of this land now. What I was before does not matter. I am awakened. We are awakened. Go to join your kin. In Raraku—where he will find you. Together, you must slay the goddess. You must free Raraku of the stain that lies upon it...The song wanders Bridgeburners. It seeks a home. Do not turn back.” The presence then the butterflies disappear. Nether and Nil are crying, upset the presence spoke to Fiddler and not them though they called it. They tell him it was Sormo E’nath. As he speaks to them he yells to them to “stop that damned singing,” and at their blank looks realized neither of them is singing, thought the song is filling his head. He heads back to camp, thinking, “Sormo had not words for them. Nor did he. Nor did he want to see their faces—their helpless desperation, their yearning for a ghost that was gone—gone forever. That was not Sormo E’nath. That was something else—Hood knows what. ‘We are awakened.’ What does that mean? And who is waiting for me in Raraku? My kin—I’ve none barring the Bridgeburners—gods below! Quick Ben! Kalam! One, or both?” The sun starts to rise and the wolves begin howling.

Gamet begins the descent with the army toward the crossing, noting the bones and bits of cloth and iron in the ground, and all the detritus of the old battle. Long poles rise out of the mud and water, adorned with carcasses of sheep and goats, maggots falling from them into the river. Keneb joins him, pointing out the blood amidst the flotsam. Keneb and Gamet believe the offerings are to welcome the Fourteenth, though Keneb thinks if so the tribes are crazy: “This notion of seeing the world metaphorically has ever driven me to distraction. The Seven Cities native sees everything differently. To them, the landscape is animate—not just the old notion of spirits, but in some other, far more complicated way.” When Gamet asks if it’s worth thinking of, Keneb points out if the Malazans could have better read the signs, they would have seen the uprising coming. Tavore, overhearing, tells him “sometimes, knowledge is not enough.” Tavore orders the sappers forward to blow up “a bridge of detritus held in place by blood.” Tene Baralta tells Gamet the tribes will consider it an insult, but Gamet says Tavore is aware of that, but the footing is too unsure, something the tribes would certainly know. Baralta suggest Gall sends out a rider to meet with observers just to make sure. When Gamet says it’s a good idea, Baralta goes off to do so. Keneb points out that Tavore probably wouldn’t like that the two made that decision on their own. Gamet tells him he’s right and heads back to Tavore. He sees Nil and Nether kneeling in the water near her and thinks, noting that and Tavore’s obvious anger: “Aye, they cling still to the chains, and it seems letting go is the last thing they would do, given the choice.” Out loud, he announces “I see the children are playing in the mud...I advise we assign a minder to them, lest they injure themselves in their exuberance. After all, Adjunct, I doubt the Empress intended you to mother them, did she?” Tavore answers, “No, they were to be my mages” and after a bit more back and forth, gives Gamet leave to act in her place. He grabs the two by their shirts and yanks them upright, then shakes them, telling Tavore, “This is what a Wickan grandmother would have done.” Nil and Nether go from anger to sulking and Tavore tells them someone should make contact with any observers to make sure they don’t take blowing up the bridge the wrong way. Gamet tells her Baralta suggested the Khundryl and she says both can do it, and sends the two warlocks to Baralta. When they’re gone, she tells Gamet to tell Baralta that next time he should bring his suggestion to her personally.

Cuttle and Fiddler return from setting the munitions. They blow it and the ford clears. Cuttle tells Fiddler it’s good he didn’t run. Keneb tells them good job and gives Fiddler’s squad the privilege of first crossing. Fiddler doesn’t feel the usual pleasure because “the broken song whispered on in his mind, a dirge lying beneath his every thought.” When Cuttle tells him “the way ahead seems clear,” Fiddler thinks, “Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

The army continues to cross as Gamet and Tavore climb the butte on the other side. From the summit, they look down on the city of Ubaryd, its harbor crowded with Nok’s ships, which have retaken the city. Tavore points out the Whirlwind in the distance. She asks if Gamet thinks Sha’ik will contest their approach and when Gamet says she’d be foolish not to, Tavore wonder if Sha’ik wouldn’t rather face untested recruits. Gamet calls that a big gamble, saying just the march will harden the soldiers. He says if he were she, he’d rather face a bruised army, adding harassing them will also give Sha’ik knowledge of Tavore’s tactics. Right now, he says, Sha’ik cannot take the measure of Tavore. Tavore agrees, saying, “Curious, isn’t it? Either she is indifferent to me, or she feels she has already taken my measure—which of course is impossible. Even assuming she has spies in our army.” Gamet is struck that he’d never even considered that possibility. The two are silent as the sun goes down and the Whirlwind “held its own fire.” Back to top

Chapter Sixteen

Kalam has been in Pust’s temple for over a week and is itching to move on, now that’s he’s delivered the diamonds and is healed. He hears singing and thinks Mogora’s voice is grating. Pust gives him a few of the diamonds and says he can go, telling him to “breach the Whirlwind—into the heart of Raraku.” Kalam asks how he can do that without being detected and Pust says with his help: “High Priest and Master of Rashan and Meanas and Thyr”

Kalam and Pust exit a warren near the Whirlwind. Kalam asks Pust what that singing is, realizing it hasn’t been Mogora all along as he’d thought. Put tells him he can’t hear any singing, then, in one of his “monologues” says it’s “the Tanno song.” Kalam asks how they’ll enter the Whirlwind without the goddess knowing and Pust tells him they’ll use “misdirection.” The azalan demon appears, swoops up Kalam, and breaks through the whirlwind, tossing Kalam into a crevice in the ruins of a city, then running out again. Kalam, noting he can no longer hear the song, settles in to wait.

Cutter, carrying Apsalar, heads out on the trail leading to the ships. Cotillion is standing amidst the many corpses, but looking at one in particular—the old with who had been burned. Cutter is surprised by the god’s expression: “the ravaged look that made him suddenly appear twenty years older.” Cutter asks if Cotillion knew the woman and Cutter says her name was Hawl and adds, “I’d thought Surly had taken them all out. None of the Talon’s command left. I thought she was dead...I made them good at hiding...Good enough to hide even from me, it seems.” When Cutter asks what she was doing here, Cotillion says the real question is why was she with Traveler. He wonders first if Traveler knew who she was, then answers his own question with of course Traveler did. He pulls the talon off Hawl and tosses it to Cutter, telling him to go to the Edur ship and that Cotillion is sending them to meet another “agent of ours” to wait there in case they’re needed to “take down the Master of the Talon.” Cutter inquires if Cotillion knows where that Master is and the god replies, “I have a suspicion. Now, finally, a suspicion about all of this.” He picks up Hawl in his arms and walked away, but not before pointing out the similarity between himself and Cutter at that moment. Cutter yells after him “it’s not the same. It’s not! We’re not…“ Cotillion disappears into shadow and Cutter heads for the ship.

Cotillion reaches a glade and puts Hawl down gently. Shadowthrone appears. After some silence, Cotillion tells him Traveller is in the Edur ruins and Shadowthrone says Traveller is too stubborn to answer any of their questions. He confirms it is Hawl, then says “How many times do our followers have to die, Cotillion? Then again, she clearly ceased being a follower some time ago.” When Cotillion tells him she thought they were dead and gone, Shadowthrone says she was right, “in a way.” Cotillion agrees, but says, “not in the most important way...she was a friend.” Shadowthrone says “Ahh, that most important way” then asks if Cotillion will pursue the matter. Cotillion says yes, they seem to have little choice in finding out what the Talon is up to and stopping them. Shadowthrone says “No, friend. We need to ensure that they fail.” Cotillion tells him he’s realized who is masterminding the whole thing and he’s sent Cotillion and Apsalar there. When Shadowthrone asks if they’ll be enough, he says no, he has other agents there. He wants Apsalar close just in case something goes wrong. Shadowthrone asks where all this is and when Cotillion answers Raraku, Shadowthrone grins and says “Ah, dear Rope, time’s come, I think, that I should tell you more of my own endeavors.” Cotillion says he’d been wondering about those diamonds he’d given Kalam. Shadowthrone tells Cotillion they should bring Hawl home and talk, adding being so close to Traveler makes him nervous. They exit.

Cutter reaches the damaged ships and as he looks upon them, Apsalar comes to. He tells her Darist was killed, along with all the Edur, thanks to Traveler. She says, “I felt him. Such anger...Dancer knew him. Knew him well. They were three. It was never just the two of them . .. just Dancer and Kellanved. No, he was there. Almost from the very beginning. Before Tayschrenn, before Dujek, before even Surly.” He informs her they are on another task for Cotillion and she tells him “Do not walk this path, Crokus.” He says he thought she’d “appreciate the company.”

Pearl identifies where he and Lostara are as the Pan’potsun Hills. They’ve been traveling for several days. Pearl wants a buried city to perform a ritual to open a sorcerous trail and Lostara tells him they’re standing on top of one. He performs a ritual, speaking to the ghost of local earth spirit. Pearl leads them to a flat area where they find the wreckage of a trader’s wagon, bones, and a burned circle. Pearl tells them the bones are from rats that were part of a Di’vers named Gryllen, who seemingly was badly harmed in this area. He walks over to a heap of ash and uncovers it to reveal the gnawed bones of a corpse, pulling out a melted piece of metal he thinks is a Malazan badge—mage cadre. They uncover one of the four remaining ash heaps to find another corpse. This one opens its eyes and speaks, telling them its name is Clam and it dies a horrible death before becoming Gryllen’s porter. Pearl tells Lostara the sorcery animating Clam is fading, leading him to think Gryllen is far away or dead. He also says the warren of fire that was used here has left a trail they can follow. Lostara, though, says it’s too dark and they should camp for the night. He tells her the trail isn’t far and so she agrees to follow. Soon they come to another, larger, burned corpse. Pearl tells Lostara “Hood was here...The god himself came to take this man—not just his soul—but also the flesh—all that had been infected by the warren of fire—the warren of light, to be more precise...There’s been a change in Hood’s household.” When Lostara asks what this has to do with their quest for Felisin, Pearl replies: “Remember Stormy’s tale...Heboric, Kulp, and Baudin. We found what was left of Kulp back at Gryllen’s wagon. And this...is Baudin. The damned Talon...Remember their strange skin? Gesler, Stormy, Truth? The same thing happened to Baudin...That warren changed them.” Lostara figures out the timeline and deduces that Felisin and Heboric are with the Apocalypse army in Raraku: “Think man. Felisin’s hatred of the Malazan Empire must be all-consuming. Nor would Heboric hold much love for the empire that imprisoned and condemned him. They were desperate, after Gryllen’s attack...and probably hurting.” Pearl nods in agreement, then asks why Lostara’s attack on Sha’ik with the Red Blades failed. She answers it didn’t; they killed her. When he asks who then is commanding the uprising, she says she doesn’t know. He asks to see the ambush sight and she agrees to take him in the morning.

Onrack is flooded by memories—”what had lain within...layered, indurated by countless centuries, was a landscape Onrack could read once more.” He looks at the setting and rather than the mesas and sand, sees it as it once was: an inland sea, reefs. He sees Imass—Renig Obar’s clan—walking down the strand to trade whale ivory and dhenrabi oil. The cold weather, perhaps, “hinted of something darker. A Jaghut, hidden in some fasthold, stirring the cauldron of Omtose Phellack.” This Onrack had stepped aside as Bonecaster for Absin Tolain, who was “far superior in the hidden arts and more inclined to the hungry ambition necessary among those who followed the Path of Tellann.” This Onrack had found his mind “drawn to other things. To raw beauty...he was not one for fighting, for rituals of destruction. He was always reluctant to dance in the deeper recesses of the caves, where the drums pounded and the echoes rolled through flesh and bone as if one was lying in the path of a stampeding herd of ranag—a herd such as the one Onrack had blown onto the cave walls around them. His mouth bitter with spit, charcoal, and ochre, the backs of his hands stained where they had blocked the spray from his lips, defining the shapes on the stone. Art was done in solitude...on unseen walls, when the rest of the clan slept...Onrack had grown skilled in the sorcery of paint out of that desire to be apart, to be alone. Among a people where solitude was as close to a crime as possible. Where to separate was to weaken. Where the very breaking of vision into its components—from seeing to observing, from resurrecting memory and reshaping it beyond the eye’s reach, onto walls of stone—demanded a fine-edged, potentially deadly propensity...And when you [young Onrack] broke the unwritten covenant and painted a truthful image of a mortal Imass, when you trapped that lovely, dark woman in time, there in the cavern no one was meant to find . . .you fell to the wrath of kin. Of Logros himself, and the First Sword. But he remembered the expression on the young face of Ono T’oolan, when he had first looked upon the painting of his sister. Wonder and awe, and a resurgence of an abiding love...He had never known if Kilava herself had gone to see the painting.”

Trull interrupts Onrack’s walk through memory, saying Onrack’s silence always make him nervous. Onrack tells him how he was supposed to be banished from his tribe the night before the Ritual for committing “a crime to which there was no other answer.” Instead, he says, that was interrupted by four Jaghut tyrants had joined in a compact and tried to destroy the land, “as indeed they have.” Onrack continues, telling Trull the night before he was to be banned, he was in the cavern where he’d committed his crime and some unknown woman came—not his wife who had been “among the first to shunt me, for what I had done, for the betrayal it meant.” He wonders in his mind if it was Kilava: “I will never know. She was gone in the morning...even as the Ritual was proclaimed...She defied the call—no, more horrible yet, she had killed her own kin, all but Onos himself...Was it her? Was there blood unseen on her hands? That dried, crumbled powder I found on my own skin, which I’d thought had come from the overturned bowl of paint. Fled from Onos, to me, I my shameful cave. And who did I hear in the passage beyond? Did someone come upon us?”

Trull says Onrack needn’t say more, and Onrack thinks were he mortal he’d be weeping, but Trull still sees his grief. Onrack changes the subject to tell Trull the trail of the renegades is fresh. When Trull says Onrack enjoys killing, Onrack answers “Artistry finds new forms, Edur. It defies being silenced.” He says though he can’t pursue freely, as he’s vowed to serve Trull. Trull agrees though, since the renegades are somehow involved in the corruption of Trull’s people. When he says Onrack can kill them once he’s spoken to them, Onrack says he thinks he is too damaged to do so, adding though that Monok Ochem and Ibra Gholan are still chasing him and Trull and so they can kill the renegades. He also says they are holding off dealing with Onrack in hope Onrack leads them to the renegades, whom they believe Onrack will join once he finds them. When Trull asks if Onrack would do that, Onrack replies only if Trull does.

They walk through hills “where the T’lan Imass had broken the ice sheets, the first places of defiance. To protect the holy sites, the hidden caves, the flint quarries. Where the weapons of the fallen were placed. Weapons those renegades would reclaim. There was no provenance to the sorcery investing those stone blades . . .They would feed the ones who held them, provided they were kin to the makers—or indeed made by those very hands...Finding those weapons would give the renegades their final freedom, severing the power of Tellann from their bodies.” Trull asks about Onrack’s memories of betrayal and Onrack replies “Perhaps we are destined to repeat our crimes.” Trull inquires as to the nature of the crime and Onrack tells him “I trapped a woman in time. Or so it seemed. I painted her likeness in a sacred cave. It is now my belief that in so doing I was responsible for the terrible murders that followed, for her leaving the clan. She could not join in the Ritual that made us immortal, for my by hand she had already become so. Did she know this? Was this the reason for her defying Logros and the First Sword? There are no answers to that. What madness stole her mind...She was a Bonecaster, a Soletaken.” Trull realizes she wasn’t Onrack’s mate and says; “yet you loved her.” Onrack answers, “Obsession is its own poison.” Trull says he doesn’t accept the idea of being doomed to repeat one’s mistakes, believing that one’s experiences lead to lessons learned, to wisdom. Onrack points out he has just betrayed Monok Ochem and Ibra Gholan, and the T’lan Imass by not accepting his fate—the same crime he committed long ago. He says he always longed for solitude and was content by himself in the sacred caves, or in the Nascent. Trull asks about this moment, and Onrack replies, “When memories have returned, solitude is an illusion, for every silence is filled by a clamorous search for meaning.” Trull’s response is Onrack is sounding more and more mortal every day. Onrack answers “Flawed, you mean,” and Trull agrees, then points out what Onrack is about to do—return home.

The Tiste Liosan are camped a ways away, “battered, but alive.” They’ve also been bitten by bloodflies, though they don’t know what they were, just that “those bites seemed to crawl, as if the insects had left something behind.” Malachar senses an air of “unwelcome” to this strange realm they’ve entered. Jorrude looks up from grieving and tells them the Guardian is dead, “our realm is assailed, but our brothers and sisters have been warned and even now ride to the gates.” He also tells them their mission to find the trespassers continues. He adds that he senses “the [nearby] presence of an old friend to the Tiste Liosan...The Maker of Time.” Malachar nods his head at the name, thinking “A friend of the Tiste Liosan indeed. Slayer of the Ten Thousand. Icarium.” Back to top

Chapter Seventeen

Karsa makes his flint sword, feeling his companions in it: “Bairoth Gild, whose cutting irony seemed to have somehow infused the weapon, as had Delum Thord’s fierce loyalty.” Done, he faces the Seven, now in their “battered, broken bodies” and carrying their own swords. Urugal tells him “We are now free of the Ritual’s bindings. The chains, Karsa Orlong, are broken.” Another informs Karsa his weapon has been invested with Tellann and will not break. Karsa, though, points out broken weapons in the caverns and Urugal admits “Elder sorcery...Inimical warrens. Our people have fought many wars.” Karsa asks which battle killed them but Urugal says it doesn’t matter: “We have known wars beyond counting, and what have they achieved? The Jaghut were doomed to extinction—we but hastened the inevitable. Other enemies announced themselves and stood in our path. We were indifferent to their causes, none of which was sufficient to turn us aside. And so we slaughtered them. Again and again. Wars without meaning, wars that changed virtually nothing. To live is to suffer. To exist—even as we do—is to resist.” Siballe picks up: “This is all that was learned...every creature that ever lived—all share the same struggle. Being resists unbeing. Order wars against the chaos of dissolution, of disorder. . This is the only worthy truth, the greatest of all truths. What do the gods themselves worship, but perfection? The unattainable victory over nature, over nature’s uncertainty. There are many words for this struggle. Order against chaos, structure against dissolution, light against dark, life against death. But they all mean the same thing.” Another continues: “The ranag has fallen lame. It is distanced from the herd. Yet walks on its wake...time will heal. Or weaken. Two possibilities. But the lame ranag knows naught but stubborn hope. For that is its nature. The ay have seen it and will close.... the ay attack all at once...Until the ranag is dragged down. And stubborn hope gives way, Karsa Orlong. It gives way, as it always must, to mute inevitability.” When Karsa says the Crippled God, their new master, would “harbor the lame beast...offer it a haven,” Urugal agrees and Siballe adds: “Perfection is an illusion...mortal and immortal alike are striving for what cannot be achieved. Our new master seeks to alter the paradigm, Karsa Orlong. A third force, to change for ever the eternal war between order and dissolution.” Karsa says “A master demanding the worship of imperfection,” and Siballe says “yes.”

Karsa tells them they are not gods, saying, “To be a god is to know the burden of believers. Did you protect? You did not. Did you offer comfort, solace? Were you possessed of compassion? Even pity? To the Teblor, you were slave-masters, eager and hungry...expecting cruel sacrifices—all to feed your own desires. You were the Teblor’s unseen chains. And you woman [Siballe] were the taker of children.” Siballe points out they were “imperfect” ones who would have died otherwise and argues the children don’t regret it. To what Karsa replies “No...the regret remains with the mothers and fathers who surrendered them. No matter how brief a child’s life, the love of the parents is a power that should not be denied. And know this Siballe, it is a power immune to imperfection...Worship imperfection you said. A metaphor you made real by demanding that those children be sacrificed. Yet you were—and remain—unmindful of the most crucial gift that comes from worship. You have no understanding of what it is to ease the burdens of those who would worship you. But even that is not your worst crime. No. You then gave us your own burdens.” When he asks Urugal what the Teblor had done to deserve that, Urugal says “You failed,” and Siballe adds “We too failed, once, long ago...Such things cannot be undone. Thus, you may surrender to it, and so suffered beneath its eternal torment. Or you can choose to free yourself of the burden...our answer to you is simple: to fail is to reveal a flaw. Face that revelation...It is done. Celebrate it! That is our answer, and indeed is the answer shown to us by the Crippled God.” Karsa says he’ll now give his answer, and he cuts Siballe in half. The other six do nothing and Karsa tells them “Her army of foundlings will follow me...You will leave my people—leave the glade. You are done with us...If you ever appear before me again, I will destroy you...You used us. You used me. And for my reward what did you just offer?.... A new set of chains. . . .Get out.” They leave Karsa alone with Siballe, who is still sentient. She asks if he’ll leave her there and when he asks if there is “no oblivion” for her, she answers, “long ago a sea surrounded these hills. Such as sea would free me to the oblivion you speak of.” When he asks of her master, she informs him the Crippled God has abandoned her—”it would appear there are acceptable levels of imperfection and unacceptable levels”—and Karsa says he is “another god that understands nothing of what it means to be a god.” He puts her head, shoulder, and arm into his pack and leaves the cavern, just as Trull and Onrack rise up at its entrance. He uses the flat of his sword to sweep them off the edge and leaves.

As they recover from their fall, Onrack senses the Tellann warren still active in the cavern and rushes into the cave then into the Tellann fire to fuse Siballe’s other arm to himself. Trull eventually catches up just as Onrack finishes, and Onrack tells him the renegades have just left and are close. They leave just as Trull realizes Onrack now has two arms.

Karsa enters the edge of the Jhag Odhan and feels a kinship with it: “Its scale matched his own in ways he could not define. Thelomen Toblakai have known this place, have walked it before me.” He kills a deer and as he continues comes across an emaciated Jaghut sitting in a circle of flattened grass beside a brazier. The Jaghut—Cynnigig—offers an exchange of deer meat for his cooking fire and Karsa agrees. Cynnigig then tells him Aramala contacted him and so he came to meet Karsa. He informs him that both he and Aramala had helped the T’lan Imass against the Tyrants. Cynnigig says he’s going to bring Karsa to another Jaghut—Phyrlis—who will summon the Jaghut horses—they will come to her because it was “by her hand and her will that the horses came into being.” They converse and at one point, Karsa tells Cynnigig “I care not for fame, I did once...I changed my mind.” Cynnigig explains how he hid using magic, but not Omtose Phellack since the T’lan Imass would have sensed it and there is no law that a Jaghut can only use Omtose. On a tangent, he mentions the Forkrul Assail: “saving us the bloody recourse of finding a Forkrul Assail to adjudicate, and believe me, such adjudication is invariably bloody. Rarely indeed is anyone satisfied. Rarer still that anyone is left alive. Is there justice in such a thing? Oh yes, perhaps the purest justice of all.” He continues in a torrent of words, discussing the “preening empires that have risen only to then fall . . .Pomposity choking on dust, these are cycles unending among short-lived creatures” and other things.

Cynnigig takes Karsa to a lone huge tree atop a hill, telling him the tree is “An Elder species...A sapling when an inland sea hissed salty sighs over this land...Hundreds of thousands [of years old]. Once these were the dominant trees across most of the world. All things know their time, and when that time is past they vanish.” This one has not because Phyrlis is part of it: “The tree and all its branches were wrapped in spiders’ webs that somehow remained entirely translucent...and beneath that glittering shroud, the face of a Jaghut stared...the tree had indeed grown around her, yet a single shaft of wood emerged from just behind her right collarbone, rejoining the main trunk along the side of her head.” Cynnigig tells Karsa that Phyrlis was a baby when she and her mother were caught by T’lan Imass. Phyrlis was spitted on a spear that was then shoved into the ground and the spear took part of her life-spirit and was reborn as a tree, whose own life-spirit helped keep her alive. When Karsa asks what her connection is to the horses, she says her blood gives them their longevity, which is lucky since they breed too infrequently to maintain themselves. She is happy to hear Karsa’s news that his people still breed them, as the Odhan horses are being hunted to extinction by the Trell. When Karsa asks if she means people like Mappo, she says yes, “Mappo Runt, who travels with Icarium. Icarium, who carries arrows made from my branches. Who, each time he visits me, remembers naught of the previous encounter. Who asks, again and again, for my heartwood, so that he may fashion from it a mechanism to measure time, for my heartwood alone can outlive all other constructs...It would kill me [so] instead I bargain. A strong shaft for a bow. Branches for arrows.” Karsa wonders if she has no defenses and when she replies none do against Icarium, he tells her he fought him once and now that he has a better sword, the outcome will be different next time, a statement that causes some alarm to the Jaghut. She then calls for the horses, telling Karsa usually no more than a dozen or so come, but soon a herd of 10-15,000 arrives. Cynnigig tells Karsa they have come not in answer to Phyrlis’ call but to Karsa’s, though neither of the Jaghut knows how or why. Phyrlis tells him the horses can smell the bloodoil in him: “It courses in your veins Karsa Orlong. Bloodwood has not existed in the Jhag Odhan for tens of thousands of years. Yet these horses remember.” Karsa picks out a stallion and names him Havoc, and then the herd leaves. Cynnigig says he had never imagined Thelomen Toblakai horse warriors and asks Karsa why the Teblor haven’t conquered all of Genebackis. Karsa answers one day they will and he will lead them. Cynnigig says then he and Phyrlis have “witnessed the birth of infamy” to which Karsa replies in his mind “Witness? Yes, you are witness. Even so, what I, Karsa Orlong, shall shape, you cannot imagine. No one can.”

Cynnigig sits with Phyrlis after Karsa has left. The two discuss how she did a good job disguising the remains of the Azath House under her. Cynnigig calls the T’lan Imass fools for driving the spear into a House’s ground, but Phyrlis says, “What did they know of Houses, Cynnigig? Creatures of caves and hide tents. Besides, it was already dying and had been for years. Fatally wounded. Oh, Icarium was on his knees by the time he finally delivered the mortal blow, raving with madness. And had not his Toblakai companion taken that opportunity to strike him unconscious . . .. ” Cynnigig finishes the thought, “He would have freed his father...[who] had no desire to be saved. And so the House died, weakening the fabric...” Phyrlis finishes for him “sufficiently for the warren to be torn apart.” She asks if Cynnigig sensed the six T’lan Imass standing beyond the House walls and he said yes, “Servants of the Crippled God, now, the poor things. They would tell [Karsa] something...They possess knowledge with which they seek to guide the Thelomen Toblakai.” He thinks they stayed back because of the House, but she says the House is dead; it was Karsa they feared, not the House. Cynnigig says then perhaps they aren’t so foolish, those Imass. Back to top

Chapter Eighteen

A memory belonging to Felisin of Tavore recreating with Paran’s toy bone and antler toy soldiers a classic battle when the Royal Untan army defeated the rebellious House of K’azz D’Avore. Tavore had taken on the role of D’Avore and was working through every possible way to attempt victory, though military scholars had long thought it impossible. Felisin never learned if Tavore had succeeded. She remembers Tavore as never really being a child, never really playing: “She had stepped into their brother’s shadow and sought only to remain there, and when Ganoes went off for schooling . . It was as if she had become his shadow, severed and haunting.”

Sha’ik looks out over the edge of the ruined city, where the harbor had once been, and now, where rise the remains of coral islands, ramps of hardened sand, a salt flat, bordering dunes. She imagines the placement of her army here where they will meet the Fourteenth, or so Dom plans. She thinks Tavore will once again be playing the role of D’Avore. Mathok stands nearby, her protector now that Karsa and Leoman are gone, though she doubts she needs one as far as Tavore as concerned: “The Whirlwind Goddess could not be breached undetected. Even a Hand of the Claw could not pass unnoticed...no matter what warren they sought to employ. Because the barrier itself defines a warren. The warren that lies like an unseen skin over the Holy Desert. This usurped fragment is a fragment no longer, but whole unto itself. And its power grows. Until one day, soon, it will demand its own place in the Deck of Dragons. As with the House of Chains, a new House, of the Whirlwind. Fed by the spilled blood of a slain army.” She imagines what then, with Tavore bent before her in surrender, “her legions a ruin behind her...shall I then remove my war helm? Reveal to her at that moment my face? We have taken this war...We have supplanted, you and I Tavore, Dryjhna....for our own private apocalypse.... when I show myself to you. . . at that moment you will understand. What has happened. What I have done. And why I have done it.” She thinks executing Tavore would be too easy, that survival is the sentence, “staggering beneath the chains of knowledge, a sentence of not just living but living with.” She is joined by L’oric, whom she knows is not simply a mortal man as he is so able to completely hide from her and the goddess. She tells him Heboric has stayed in his tent refusing to see anyone for weeks now and notes L’oric was the last to speak to him, a fact which surprises L’oric. His reaction tell her Heboric’s actions have nothing then to do with whatever he and L’oric had discussed. In reply to her question as to why Heboric might be distressed, L’oric tells her he “grieves for your sacrifice,” which Sha’ik says she finds strange as he never thought much of her as Felisin. She asks which sacrifice in particular he mourns and L’oric says she’ll have to ask Heboric. She changes to subject to Korbolo Dom’s happiness with the battle setting. L’oric says that makes sense as Dom thinks he can make Tavore go where he wants as if Tavore were stupid, but L’oric wonders why Tavore would fight where Dom wants her to, adding there is “danger in trusting to a commander who wars with the aim of slaughter...[rather than] victory.” Sha’ik argues slaughter achieves victory but L’oric says Leoman long ago pointed out the error of “sequence” in that thinking-that “victory precedes slaughter, not the other way around.” Sha’ik demands to know why neither Leoman nor L’oric brought this up at the discussions and he laughingly points out Dom doesn’t “welcome” discussion. When Sha’ik says Tavore doesn’t either, L’oric labels that irrelevant: “Malazan military doctrine—something Coltaine well understood but...Pormqual lost sight of. Tactics are consensual. Dassem Ultor original doctrine...‘Strategy belongs to the commander, but tactics are the first field of battle, and it is fought in the command tent.'” L’oric points out, though, that such a doctrine was predicated on good officers, a core of quality corrupted by the nobleborn infiltration of the officer corps. He goes on to say that Tavore’s personality will have some relevance as tactics come from strategy. He speaks of cold and hot iron, placing Coltaine and Dujek in the cold category but saying Tavore is unknown as of yet. When prompted to explain the idea further, he calls over Mathok to help. Mathok names the following as cold iron: Coltaine, Dujek, Nok, K’azz D’Avore, Inish Garn of the Gral. He continues: “Cold iron, Chosen One. Hard. Sharp. It is held before you and so you reach [and become stuck]...the warchief’s soul either rages with the fire of life or is cold with death. Korbolo Dom is hot iron, as am I. As are you...we must pray that the forge of Tavore’s heart blazes with vengeance.” Sha’ik says why must Tavore be hot iron and Mathok says, “for then we shall not lose.” Sha’ik is staggered by this and ask what happens if Tavore is cold iron instead. Mathok calls it the “deadliest clash of all,” and L’oric adds “cold iron defeats hot iron more often than not. By a count of three or four to one.” Sha’ik points out that Coltaine lost to Dom though, but Mathok tells her Coltaine and Dom fought nine major battles and Dom won only once, and that was with the help of Reloe and “Mael, as channeled through the jhistal priest, Mallick Rel.” Seeing Sha’ik’s panic, L’oric asks her if she knows Tavore, and if Tavore is cold iron and she nods yes to both. L’oric immediately asks Mathok who among the rebels is cold iron. Mathok replies that Karsa can be both cold and hot, and the only other one is Leoman, who is cold.

Corabb Tehnu’alas is introduced, the sixth son of a deposed Pardu chief who had been purchased and saved from a trio of Gral by Leoman. Since then he has sworn his life to Leoman and believes he knows him as well as any. He and Leoman are watching the Fourteenth’s outriders. They plan to attack this night, despite Sha’ik’s orders to the contrary.

L’oric heads for Karsa’s grove, evading probes from the goddess, Febryl, Reloe, Bidithal. He had been surprised to find Sha’ik so “unprepared.” He had expected far worse questioning, especially about where Felisin was, though he wonders if perhaps she had no need to ask, already knowing the answer. An idea that chills him in its implication she may know as well then what Bidithal did to her, and may not care. He senses that the grove is invested, sanctified and hopes it might be a blind spot to the goddess. Though he also thinks Sha’ik is also blinded by her obsession with Tavore, an obsession which grows as Tavore nears; he worries that she is seemingly so afraid of Tavore, whom she clearly knows somehow. He finds Felisin in the grove. She asks him how one can tell Bidithal’s murdering cult from Dom’s and says she’s glad to be able to hid in the glade. She asks if Sha’ik inquired about her and L’oric says no. Felisin responds that “She knows then. And has judged as I have—Bidithal is close to exposing the plotters. They need him, after all, either to join the conspiracy or to stand aside...so Mother needs him to play out his role.” L’oric wonders if that is so, and Felisin says that would mean “The Whirlwind Goddess has stolen the love from her soul...she [Sha’ik] has been under siege for a long time...in any case, she was not my mother in truth...a chance occurrence.” L’oric tries to say Sha’ik was returned to the living, but Felisin laughs that off, saying she knows, as she’s sure L’oric, Leoman, and Karsa do, that “Sha’ik Reborn is not the same woman as Sha’ik Elder.” When L’oric says it doesn’t really matter, Felisin disagrees, saying she knew Sha’ik Elder, “knew the truth of her and of her goddess...that we are, one and all, nothing but slaves. We are the tools she will use to achieve her desires. Beyond that, our lives mean nothing to the goddess.” She continues that Sha’ik Reborn seemed different, but it seems the “goddess is too strong. Her will too absolute. The poison that is indifference, and I well know that taste L’oric. Ask any orphan and they will tell you the same. We all sucked at the same bitter tit...And now...every one of us here. We are all orphans...Bidithal, who lost his temple, his entire cult. The same for Heboric. Korbolo Dom, who once stood as an equal in rank with great soldiers...Febryl [who] murdered his own father and mother. Toblakai, who has lost his own people. And all the rest of us here L’oric—we were children of the Malazan Empire once...We cast off the Empress in exchange for an insane goddess who dreams only of destruction, who seeks to feed on a sea of blood.” When L’oric asks if he too is an orphan, she doesn’t bother to answer, “for they both heard the truth in his own pained words. Osric.” Felisin says that leaves only Leoman “unchained.” He tells her he thinks he convinced Sha’ik that Leoman was their last hope. As night falls, L’oric feels an “avid regard” from the two Toblakai carvings and Felisin says they do haunt one. L’oric says it is a mystery that the others are T’lan Imass and Felisin finishes his thought by saying yes, Karsa thought them gods, but Leoman had told her to say nothing to him, adding it would be “a fool indeed to step between Toblakai and his gods.” L’oric says there’s nothing simple about Karsa, to which Felisin replies, “Just as you are not simply a High Mage . .. . You must act soon, you know” and she tells him he needs to make his choices before they are made for him. He says the same could be said about her. They eat.

Sha’ik tries to enter Heboric’s tent and is painfully thrown back by surprisingly powerful wards. She demands he open up and he lets her in: “She stepped forward. There was a moment’s pressure...[then] a sudden absence...bursting like the clearest light where all had been, but a moment earlier, impenetrable gloom. Bereft, yet free. Gods, free—the light.” She asks what he did and Heboric says the goddess isn’t allowed in his temple. She feels herself returning to herself, “all that I was. Bitter fury grew like a wildfire as memories rose...Beneth you bastard. You close your hands around a child, but what you shaped was anything but a woman. A plaything. A slave to you and your twisted, brutal world. I used to watch that knife in your hands...that’s what you taught me, isn’t it? Cutting for fun and blood. And oh, how I cut. Baudin. Kulp. Heboric.” Heboric mentions Treach and looking at him, she realizes his tattoos are different and notes his cat-eyes. When he calls her Sha’ik, she tells him not to: “I am Felisin Paran of House Paran...Sha’ik waits for me out there, beyond this tent’s confines.” Heboric asks if she wants to go back to the goddess and when she says she has no choice, he can only say “I suppose not.” She suddenly recalls Felisin Younger and how she hasn’t seen her for weeks. She asks where she is, telling him the goddess hasn’t told her when he says the goddess must know. She sees something that scares her in his eyes then and starts to ask what he knows, but he interrupts and pushes her toward the outside, telling her the two of them spoke of Tavore and Febryl and Bidithal and “all is well” then shoves her outside of his wards. She reverts to Sha’ik and thinks just what he’d told her. As she heads back to the palace, Heboric slips out of the tent toward Karsa’s grove.

Bidithal sits amongst shadow thinking of Febryl and how “even betrayers can be betrayed.” He believes Febryl and the other conspirators want the warren for themselves, though he doesn’t know why. He knows Sha’ik wants him to find out and he plans to, though he has goals beyond hers, including vengeance on “those foreign pretenders to the Throne of Shadow.” He feels a “they” coming closer, sensing them when he listens very carefully. He thinks “Rashan and Meanas. Meanas and Thyr. Thyr and Rashan. The three children of the Elder Warrens. Galain, Emurlahn, and Thyrllan. Should it be so surprising that they war once more? For do we not ever inherit the spites of our fathers and mothers?...But he had not understood the truth of what lay beneath the Whirlwind Warren, the reason why the warren was held in this single place and nowhere else. Had not comprehended how the old battles never died, but simply slept, every bone in the sand restless with memory.” He speaks to his army of shadows, closing his ritual chant, asking if they “remember the dark” then being asked in turn. As they depart, he shivers at “that almost inaudible call...They were getting close indeed. And he wondered what they would do when they finally arrived.”

Dom sits in his tent with his chosen eleven assassins, his whore “plied with enough durhang to ensure oblivion for the next dozen bells.” Five of his assassins used to kill for the Holy Falah’dan prior to the Malazan conquest; three were Malazans he gathered to counter the Claw when he had “a multitude of realizations, of sudden discoveries, of knowledge I had never expected to gain—of things I had believed long dead and gone.” He recalls how there used to be 10 such assassins, proving his need for them. The final three were from the tribes, one of the one whose arrow had killed Sormo E’nath. Dom tells them Reloe has chosen some of them for a “singular task that will trigger all that subsequently follows.” The rest will still have jobs to do, he adds, including guarding him that “fateful” night. He dismisses them then joins an obviously nervous Reloe in an adjoining part of the tent. Dom mocks Reloe’s anxiety, asking who do they have to be afraid of—”Sha’ik? Her goddess devours her acuity—day by day the lass grows less and les aware of what goes on around here. And that goddess barely takes note of us...L’oric?.... He is all pose and nothing more...Ghost Hands? That man’s vanished into his own pit of hen’bara. Leoman? He’s not here and I have plans for his return. Toblakai? I think we’ve seen the last of him...Bidithal—Febryl swears he almost has him in our fold...he is a slave to his vices, is Bidithal.” Reloe says it isn’t the ones they know he’s worried about; it’s the ones not in the camp, the ones the goddess may let through because she suspects Dom and Reloe of plotting. Dom’s first reaction is to dismiss the idea, then he realizes Reloe may have a point, but then he says the goddess would never risk letting in a Claw—”there’d be no way to predict their targets.” Reloe finally gets across to Dom he’s talking about the Claw making an offer to the goddess (through Topper) to let the Claw in to kill Reloe, Dom, and Febryl, as they’re the ones they form the greatest danger to the Empire’s army, but Dom still thinks it won’t happen, that the goddess won’t listen to any such offer, won’t listen to anyone who “refuses to kneel to her will.” Reloe says okay, but he’ll continue to act under his own beliefs. Dom says fine and dismisses him.

Korbolo’s whore, Scillara, is actually a plant by Bidithal. She thinks how the durhang helps her not feel pain when Dom mistreats her, and how Bidithal’s rituals help her as well by allowing her to avoid “the weakness of pleasure,” letting her remain indifferent to Dom’s “peculiar preferences” while faking enjoyment of them. She waits for him to sleep, aided by drops she’s put in his wine, then she exits the tent. The guards remark on her frequent visits to the latrines, her throwing up due to the durhang even as they grope her as they “steady” her. She thinks once she might have enjoyed it while being offended, but that is past, and thinks as well that “everything else in this world had to be endured, while she waited for her final reward, the blissful new world beyond death.” As she moves through camp, she recalls her mother as a camp follower of the Ashok Regiment, how her mother sickened and died after the Regiment was shipped overseas. She meets a young girl—one of many orphans sifting through the garbage and waste for salvage—and gives her a message for Bidithal. She also gives her coins, though both she and the girl know that this will anger Bidithal.

Heboric arrives in the grove to find Felisin and L’oric, noting “she’s healed well, but not well enough to disguise the truth of what’s happened.” He decides not to show himself, since if the two are hiding there they would try and talk him out of his plan, which is to kill Bidithal. But he begins to worry that his new role as Destriant to Treach will complicate things, cause a convergence or escalation of power if he attacks a priest in his sanctified temple. He decides to wait for a better opportunity, realizing he’ll have to keep his new role secret. He comes across a young girl carrying a bunch of dead rhizan and slips by her unnoticed he thinks. But the girl turns back after he leaves and says, “Funny man, do you remember the dark?”

Leoman and two hundred warriors attack the Malazan camp, Leoman employing a sort of primitive Molotov cocktail: clay balls filled with lamp oil and connected by a thin chain and thrown like a bola. As the Malazans regroup, Corabb is about to seemingly be skewered by a dozen crossbolts when his horse goes down, he flies off to dive into a tent wall, and then miraculously ends up somersaulting, landing on his feet, and spinning around just as his horse rolls back for him to jump onto while the Malazan watch him ride off stunned.

Leoman and his men gather and he tells them the real point of the attack is about to start as the Malazan’s horse warriors set after them in pursuit, just as he planned.

Febryl sits watching the dawn. He thinks how “the goddess devoured. Consuming life’s forces, absorbing the ferocious will to survive from her hapless, misguided mortal servants. The effect was gradual...it deadened. Unless one was cognizant of that hunger.” He recalls how Sha’ik Reborn has once said she knew all about him, and had been able to speak to his mind, but now he notes she barely does so and he believes he had hardened his defenses so she no longer could, though he wonders if it was just that goddess had turned Sha’ik “indifferent.” He worries perhaps Sha’ik and/or the goddess knows his plans and worries too of Dom’s spies, though he has faith in Reloe since Reloe “had every reason to remain loyal to the broader scheme—the scheme that was betrayal most prodigious—since the path it offered was the only one that ensured Reloe’s survival. And as for the more subtle nuances concerning Febryl himself, well, those were not Kamist Reloe’s business...Even if their fruition should prove fatal to everyone but me.” He believes he need not be clever; he just needs to keep things simple. He is startled by Sha’ik’s sudden appearance. When he says he is there to greet the dawn as he does every day, she points out that due to the barrier’s opacity, he’s actually facing the wrong direction. She also says she wants to clarify something: “Few would argue that my goddess is consumed by anger, and so consumes in turn. But what you might see as the loss of many to feed a singular hunger is in truth worthy of an entirely different analogy...She does not strictly feed on the energies of her followers so much as proved for them a certain focus. Little different from that Whirlwind Wall out there, which while seeming to diffuse the light of the sun, in fact acts to trap it. Have you ever sought to pass through.... It would burn you down to the bone...you see how something that appears one way is in truth the very opposite way? Burnt crisp...One would need to be a desert-born, or possess powerful sorcery to defy that. Or very deep shadows.” Listening, Febryl thinks he has made the flaw of making “living simply...synonymous with seeing simply” and he has realized this too late. Back to top

Chapter Nineteen

Gamet watches Tavore walk through the remains of the Seti wiped out by Leoman’s band last night, over 300 of them killed in the ambush. Gamet thinks how only the Wickans had shown the discipline that kept them from the ambush and also eventually allowed them to drive off Leoman, who was “too caged to see his force ensnared in an out-and-out battle.” Gamet worries Tavore’s horse will be stung by one of the hordes of wasps and end up getting her injured, though both the horse and Tavore seem to be moving fine through the carnage. Tavore rejoins Gamet and informs him that Leoman had left many of the Seti wounded, thinking the Malazans would get to them before they died: “Wounded Malazans are better than dead ones, after all.” Gamet wonders why Sha’ik didn’t send Leoman’s group out sooner to harass them, saying she could have bought another month’s time and faced a much weaker enemy. Tavore says she has no idea, and both wonder if their enemy is not as monolithic as they’d thought, that perhaps they are “a confused opposition, one at odds with itself.” Tavore tells him to put the marines out tonight, referencing a time when Dassem Ultor faced a similar situation. Gamet remembers and agrees with her, telling her he will command them himself, though she says it isn’t necessary.

Fiddler arranges a competition among the army involving the three kinds of Odhan scorpions, involving Gesler and Borduke in his “scheme” and the three agree to split the profits three ways. They randomly select and Gesler and Borduke feel sorry for Fiddler, as he ends up with the birdshit scorpion: “puny and flat and black and looking like its namesake.” Fiddler, though, smiles at his “bad luck” and shares a glance with Cuttle. The first battle is set for this night, which surprises Bottle and Tarr coming right after the army was just badly bloodied. But Fiddler knows they need to get their minds off of it. Fiddler let his group know he actually arranged to get “stuck with” the birdshit scorpion, though he won’t tell them why. As they discuss it, his people let him know they are on to the fact of who he really is, though they tell him they won’t let command know. Gamet, Keneb and Ranal join them and take Cuttle, Fiddler, Gesler, and Stormy off to inform them that they’d be needed for “Dassem’s answer” tonight. Keneb also tells Fiddler he’s betting on Birdshit and has told Gamet to do so as well. Gesler and Stormy start to smell a rat. Fiddler wonders if he should reconsider his opinion of Keneb.

Just before the scorpion battle, the three scorpions are examined to make sure they haven’t been altered in any way, such as via magic. When Gesler confirms Joyful Union, the birdshit scorpion, is fine, he adds, “even though I know there’s something about it I’m not seeing and I’m about to lose my life’s savings on the Sergeants’ Wager.” The battle begins and when Joyful Union enters the ring, the other two seem terrified. JU then raises the tail and splits into two small but incredibly fierce and fast scorpions that take no time at all to kill the others. Stormy cries out “Cheat” and tries to draw his sword, but Gesler and Truth hold him back and say they all checked out Joyful Union and swore it was fine. Cuttle tells Fiddler they’re rich. Fiddler then tells his group (and via the “word-line” communication the other marines) that they’re “about to become our own Joyful Union” as they set up the answer to Leoman.

Fiddler begins unpacking munitions and his specially made crossbow, explaining to the impressed Cuttle how he and Hedge had designed it then had it made by a jeweler in Malaz City. He finishes and tells the others it’s time.

Gamet tells Tavore he’ll be heading out to his men in a few minutes, though he won’t actually join them in battle until the fighting starts. She asks Nil and Nether if they’ve done their rituals and Nil says they’ve spoken to the spirits as ordered, but due to the warlock’s weakened powers, they could only talk to the spirits and not compel them. Nether chimes in that “this land’s spirits are agitated at this moment...something else is happening.” Gamet leaves, feeling a fog fall over him, “unease and confusion [that] he had heard [claimed] other commanders, but had not thought it would befall him.” He has begun to “doubt his ability to command.” He knows tonight will be the first real test of that command and wishes he had stayed home, “refused her insistence—dammit, her assumption—that I would simply accept her wishes.”

Corabb crouches with 800 other soldiers wondering at Leoman’s hesitation. He asks Leoman about it and Leoman says he is wondering “About the Empress. She was once Mistress of the Claw. It fierce potency...we have all learned to fear. Ominous origins, yes? And then, as Empress, there were the great leaders of her imperial military. Dujek Onearm. Admiral Nok. Coltaine. Greymane.” Corabb interrupts to point out that none of them are here and Leoman agrees, saying, “True. We face the Adjunct Tavore, who was personally chosen by the Empress.” Corabb gets the implication, but notes Laseen also picked Pormqual, Dom, demoted Whiskeyjack, assassinated (according to rumor) Dassem Ultor. Leoman takes Corabb’s point that she makes mistakes and he orders his men forward. Corabb hopes the spirits smile on him tonight.

Borduke’s squad is working on a hill, probably a barrow, digging and moving rocks while another group is doing the same on another barrow. Fiddler is nearby, worrying that maybe they’d cut it too close and annoyed by the loud clumsiness of Borduke’s squad.

Leoman spots the outlying pickets digging on the barrows and is pleased at how they’re stumbling around in the dark due to setting up so late and at how they’ve set up too far apart from each other to really support each other well. Corabb waits for the signal.

Gamet is in the empty marine camp, knowing the cutters and healers are getting ready. He knows it’s possible Leoman won’t take the path Tavore has left him so invitingly. A capemoth flutters in front of him and he worries it’s an omen.

The rebels attack. Corabb runs toward the barrows and sees an arrow strike a Malazan helm and knock it off, realizing it wasn’t sitting on top of an actual person. Then the marines rise up and munitions start falling

Fiddler and Cuttle’s group are firing away. The raid has been stopped dead. Fiddler lets a munition loose over a hilltop to devastating effect on the other side it seems, then enemy warriors start pouring over the ridge and Fiddler calls on his men to fall back.

Corabb drags himself away from the corpses of his fellow attackers. He runs right into a group of marines and is wounded and ends on the ground. One of the Malazans leaves a small clay ball on his lap and Corabb sees it smoking. He rolls away, grabs a helm, and slams it over the munition.

As they retreat, Cuttle tells Fiddler he left a sharper in Corabb’s lap and he’s “about to be surprised.” They watch Corabb cover it with a helm then get lifted by the explosion of fire under the helm like he’s riding a jetpack rocket. They continue to watch, stunned, as he lands hard on the ground, then runs off.

Gamet heads toward a besieged Malazan position but even as it’s overrun, he falls into a fog of confusion. Someone calls for him to get out of there, but he’s lost “Too many voices. Screams of the dying. The flames—they’re falling away. Darkness closing in. My soldiers are dying. Everywhere. It’s failed—the whole plan has failed.” He’s surrounded and about to be killed when a munition lands, killing the enemies and knocking him off his horse and even more senseless. Gesler arrive and he and Pella help him out, as he looks at Pella’s youth and thinks, “My mind is clear. Perfectly clear now. Finally. They’re all too young for this. It’s Laseen’s war—let her fight it. Tavore—she was a child once. But then the Empress murdered that child. Murdered her. I must tell the Adjunct.”

Cuttle joins Fiddler back at camp. They discuss Corabb’s miraculous survival of the sharper. Gesler joins them and tells them about the overrun position, saying it was screwed up—that most of the Malazans could have gotten away but only four out of three squads did. He says it could have been worse and leaves. Fiddler tells Cuttle to get his squad together so he can go over all the mistakes. Cuttle asks if one of them was Fiddler leading them up the barrow and Fiddler agrees it was, though Cuttle points out it probably saved lives. He tells Fiddler you can’t start second-guessing or using “what ifs.” Fiddler says he knows.

Tavore enters just as the healer finishes with Gamet. He assumes she’s there to relieve him of command. She tells him it was foolish to put himself at risk but hardly reason to remove him. He says it cost lives and she answers that every battle costs lives—”This is the burden of command. Did you this this war would be won without the spilling of blood?” He tells her he found out tonight he’s no longer a soldier, nor is he cut out to be a Fist. She nods and says since he’s wounded, she’ll allow a temporary field promotion and he suggests Keneb.

Corabb joins Leoman in the aftermath of their heavy losses telling him Leoman had been right, “The Empress chose wisely.” When Leoman doesn’t answer, Corabb curses the marines and their munitions, saying they were the difference. He wishes he could have found one of those special crossbows. Leoman tells him to be quiet and orders him to send a messenger to Sha’ik saying Leoman will continue raiding and return three days ahead of Tavore’s army. The message is also that Leoman has no faith in Dom’s strategy or his tactics, though he knows Sha’ik will not listen. Back to top

Chapter Twenty

Cutter watches Apsalar move amidst the carnage left behind by Dancer at the Edur ships. He’s realized fighting swordsmen with knives isn’t the greatest idea, and so decides to learn the bow and use of long knives. He takes a bow from an Edur corpse and finds it harder than he had expected to string and draw. Apsalar tells him the sorcery on the ships is odd: “if this is Kurald Emurlahn, it is tainted in some way. Necromantically. Life and death magicks carved directly into the wood...As if warlocks and shoulder-women had done the consecrating.” She says the ship is like a temple and the blood spilled on it hasn’t desecrated it. She wonders if “even warrens can sink into barbarity” and then suggests the human warrens are “denigrations” of the Elder Warrens, saying “Even blood decays,” a phrase Cutter doesn’t understand the point of. As they prepare to leave, Cutter looks back and sees Traveler standing on a far strand with the surviving Malazan soldiers and the young Tiste Andii. As they push off, Apsalar says she thinks the group will commandeer the Edur dromon. When Cutters asks about protecting the Throne, she tells him there are shadow demons on the island now, seemingly sent by Dancer. Cutters asks why Dancer doesn’t just take the Throne into Shadow Realm, and she answers he would if he could, but Rake, when he sent his kind to protect it, also wove sorcery preventing it from being moved. Cutter says Shadowthrone only needs to “plant his scrawny arse on it,” then, and Apsalar replies “Thus ensuring that no one else could claim its power or the position of King of High House Shadow. Unless, of course, they killed Shadowthrone first. A god of courage and unassailable power might well plant his scrawny arse...But Shadowthrone did just that, once before, as Emperor Kellanved...He claimed the First Throne. The throne of the T’lan Imass...Fortunately, he has shown little interest in making use of his role as Emperor of the T’lan Imass.” Cutter says, “why bother? This way he negates the chance of anyone else finding and taking that throne, while his avoidance of using it himself ensures that no one takes notice he has it in the first place.” Apsalar admits she’d never thought of that and says it makes sense: “Unveiling power invites convergence, after all. It seems Shadowthrone has absorbed well his early residence in the Deadhouse. More so, perhaps, than Cotillion has.” Cutter agrees, calling it an “Azath tactic—negations serves to disarm,” then jokes that “Given the chance, [Shadowthrone would] probably plant himself on every throne in sight, then, with all the power accrued to him, he would do nothing with it.” But as he says it, first Apsalar then he realize what a coup that would be, “insane” an idea as it was: “All the games of the gods would be seriously curtailed. Crokus, have you stumbled onto the truth...Shadowthrone’s vast scheme. . His prodigious gambit to achieve absolute domination?” Cutter says Shadowthrone would have to be mad, that the whole thing is impossible to even consider. Apsalar tells him how Dancer and Shadowthrone disappeared for two years from the Empire, leaving it to Surly, adding though her vicarious memories are vague, she knows “both men were changed, irrevocably, by all that happened to them...Not just the play for Shadow Realm, which no doubt was central to their desires. Other things occurred, truths revealed, mysteries uncovered. One thing I know for certain, Cutter, is that for most of those two years, Dancer and Kellanved were not in this realm...I sense they were following a trail, one that wound through all the warrens and to realms where even the known warrens to not reach...the trail had something to do with the Houses of the Azath...They knew was Surly was planning for them....Yet they returned nonetheless.” Cutter objects, saying that makes no sense, and she responds “Unless she proceeded to do precisely what they wanted her to do. After all, we both know the assassinations failed...the question then becomes what did that entire mess achieve?” Cutter answers “It left Surly on the Malazan throne...stripped from Kellanved his secular seat of power.. What if Kellanved and Dancer had returned and successfully reclaimed the imperial throne? But at the same time had taken over the Shadow Realm? Thus, there would be an empire spanning two warrens, an empire of Shadow...They [the gods] wouldn’t have stood for that...Ascendants of all kinds would have converged on the Malazan Empire . . .. Pounded the empire and the two men ruling it into dust.” Apsalar agrees, adding the two men hadn’t yet “consolidated their claim on the Shadow Realm” so wouldn’t have had the power to resist an attack. Cutter continues, “Right, so they orchestrated their own deaths and kept their identity as the new rulers of Shadow a secret for as long as they could...laying out the groundwork for a resumption of their grand schemes.” He says he’s lost as to what those plans are though. Apsalar picks up the discussion, saying “Cotillion recruited you to see to the true Throne of Shadow on Drift Avalii, the outcome of which could not have proved more advantageous to him and Shadowthrone. Darist dead, the sword Vengeance removed and in the hands of a darkly fated wanderer. The Edur expedition wiped out, the secret thus resurrected and likely to remain unviolated for some time,” though, she adds, Cotillion would probably have preferred not to intervene directly. Cutter informs her that he probably wouldn’t have had not the Hound Blind not balked at the Edur. She says that taught Dancer something else—he can’t count on the Hounds when they face the Edur—”their original masters.” They’re interrupted by a suddenly dark sky, “shadows rising on all sides, closing and swallowing them—a thunderous crash.”

Trull and Onrack encounter a large tortoise and banter about procreation and mating. They move on still tracking the renegades, from whom Onrack senses “a vague hint of chaos, of unknown warrens—or perhaps familiar ones twisted beyond recognition.” He goes through a list of Logros bonecasters trying to figure out which one is with the renegades, thinking it likely to be Logros because the renegades had come to Seven Cities, “to the very birthplace of the First Empire, in order to recover their weapons. And it was Logros who tasked with the holding of the homeland.” He asks Trull what he knows of the Nameless Ones and Trull says nothing. Onrack informs him that Logros had ordered the removal of the First Throne because the Nameless Ones were close to finding its location and knew that the T’lan Imass would have to “bow in service to the first mortal to seat himself on it.” Trull asks why Logros was so intent on denying the Nameless Ones and Onrack tells him “The Nameless Ones serve the Houses of the Azath. Logros believed that, had a priest of the cult taken the First Throne, the first and only command given to the T’lan Imass would be to voluntarily accept eternal imprisonment. We would have been removed from this world.” He adds the throne was moved to a continent south of Seven Cities where it was found by Kellanved. When Trull says that explains how the Malazan Empire got so powerful, Onrack tells him actually “The Emperor’s exploitation of our abilities was modest. Surprisingly constrained...The new Empress does not command us.” When Trull asks why Laseen doesn’t just sit on the throne, Onrack says she probably would if she knew where it was. Trull says the T’lan Imass are then free again, but Onrack replies, “There are other concerns. Kellanved was resident in a House of the Azath for a time,” which Trull takes as anxiety that Kellanved was a Nameless One or in contact with them. Trull asks why Kellanved wouldn’t have given the order that the Imass feared and also how Kellanved found the First Throne in the first place, but Onrack has no answer to either question. Trull wants to know what brought all this up and Onrack says he has a suspicion about where the renegades are heading, since some of them at least will know where the First Throne is. Trull says other T’lan Imass have probably figured that out, but Onrack says he shares a sense of freedom from the vow, a “certain liberation of thought” that makes him more likely than his kin to figure this out. He wants to wait for Monok Ochem and Ibra Gholan and tell them. Trull worries about this meeting, and points out Monok Ochem probably won’t like what Onrack did in repairing himself. Onrack agrees and Trull then asks what Onrack would do if he ordered him not to await his kin (based on Onrack’s earlier swearing of service to Trull). Onrack replies he understands Trull’s concern, but points out the renegades “serve the same master as do your kin. Should they lead one of your mortal kin to take the First Throne thus acquiring mastery over all of the T’lan Imass, do you imagine they will be as circumspect in suing those armies as was Emperor Kellanved? Trull surrenders the point, but wonders why the T’lan Imass don’t just sit on the throne themselves? Onrack says it must be a mortal, and what mortal could they trust? He does say, however, that the point will soon be moot, as a new, mortal bonecaster has arisen in a far-off land and has summoned the T’lan Imass. Trull asks if they want the new bonecaster to take the Throne and Onrack replies, “No. We want the summoner to free us all...from existence...Oddly enough, I find I do not share that sentiment anymore.” Trull guesses none who’ve escaped the vow would, and points out the bonecaster is therefore in some “grave danger.” Onrack says she is protected and when asked if he can resist her summons, says, “I am free to choose.” Monok and Ibra Gholan appear and Trull steps into Ibra’s path and tells him they should hear out Onrack before doing anything. Onrack tells them the renegades are leading their master to the First Throne to put a mortal on it and thus command the T’lan Imass, including the new bonecaster. He also offers to work with them to prevent that. Monok agrees immediately. Onrack asks how many guardians are set at the Throne and Monok says no, and there are no T’lan Imass at all on Quon Tali, saying this was “unanticipated” and all of Logros’ army is in Seven Cities. Onrack is shocked and asks why Logros hasn’t marched in answer to the summons. Monok says Logros sent representatives but is staying in Seven Cities “in anticipation of imminent need,” and the four of them are closest in any case to the renegades. Trull complains he needs a weapon and Ibra asks him what he uses. Trull answers spear and bow and Ibra says he’ll get one for him, but wonders why Trull didn’t take one from the caverns. Trull answers he isn’t a thief. Ibra then tells Onrack he chose well and Onrack thinks to himself, “I know,” before asking Monok if Logros knows who the renegade bonecaster is. Monok replies Tenag Illbaie, though he says probably under a different name. Onrack recalls Tenag’s pre-bonecaster name—Haran ‘Alle—and remembers his as loyal. Monok interrupts that Tenag failed against the Forkrul Assail in the L’aederon Wars and Onrack answers “as we in turn fail,” explaining when Monok asks how that they have failed because “We chose to see failure as disloyalty . . .Yet in our harsh judgment of fallen kin, we committed our own act of disloyalty. Tenag Illbaie strove to succeed in his task. His defeat was not by chance. Tell me, when have we ever triumphed in a clash with Forkrul Assail? Thus, Tenag Illbaie was doomed from the very beginning. Yet he accepted what was commanded of him. Knowing full well he would be destroyed and so condemned...these renegades are of our own making.” Ibra says “the it falls to us to deal with them,” but has no answer when Onrack asks what if they fail. As they prepare to move on via Tellann Warren, Monok asks Onrack where the rest of the body was that he used to repair himself. Onrack says it had been taken away, not does he know who destroyed it, though it made him “uneasy” because whoever did it had cut the body in half with a single blow.”

Lostara leads Pearl through the hills to where they killed Sha’ik Elder. Lostara thinks Pearl’s “smooth surface was wearing off, revealing unsightly patches that she found cause both for derision and a strange, insipid attraction...she had discovered a certain delicious appeal in flaws.” Pearl thinks how different things would have been had not Sha’ik’s bodyguards—Leoman and Karsa—kept the Red Blades from returning with Sha’ik’s head: “We’d likely not be here, for one thing. Felisin Paran would not have needed to cross all of Seven Cities seeking to avoid murder at the hands of frenzied rebels. Coltaine would be alive, closing the imperial fist around every smouldering ember before it rose in conflagration. And High Fist Pormqual would have been sent to the Empress to give an accounting of his incompetence and corruption. All but for that one obnoxious Toblakai.” They reach the spot and find the bodies of the Red Blades as well as Sha’ik’s corpse. Pearl wonders why the bodyguards waited there and Lostara suggest they waited for Sha’ik’s rebirth, mocking the idea. But Pearl points out the “rebirth did occur. The Whirlwind rose, to give focus—to provide a raging heart—for the rebellion.” Lostara though points to Sha’ik’s body and says clearly there was no rebirth. Pearl tells her she’s being purposely obtuse: “only one conclusion follows. The Sha’ik alive and well in the heart of Raraku is not the same Sha’ik. Those bodyguards found a replacement...younger in appearance...” Lostara interrupts him and says she refuses to believe what he’s implying, arguing, “I don’t care how well it fits! Is that all we mortals are? The victims of tortured irony to amuse an insane murder of gods?” Pearl replies, “more like exquisite irony. You don’t think Felisin would leap at the chance to become such a direct instrument of vengeance against her sister? Against the empire that sent her to a prison mine? Fate may well present itself, but the opportunity must still be embraced, willfully, eagerly. There was less chance or coincidence in all this—more like the timely convergence of desires and necessities.” Lostara says they have to go back to Tavore, but Pearl says the Whirlwind is in their way, preventing travel by warren; they’ll have to penetrate it and cross through Raraku itself. Lostara asks about his hunt for the leader of the Talons and he says he thinks they’ll solve that problem soon too; “all things are converging nicely.” He faces the Whirlwind and says while Lostara’s Pardu blood means she won’t be noticed, his being quarter Tiste Andii might be an issue, telling her his mother was a “half-blood white-haired beauty” from Drift Avalii.

Lostara and Pearl continue on, Lostara feeling “worn out and weathered” and jealous of Pearl’s “hale, unlined face.” She asks how he plans to avoid notice when they cross the Whirlwind and he tells her: “Rashan, Thyr, and Meanas. The perpetual war. This fragment of warren before us is not fully comprehended by the goddess herself. Not surprising, since she was likely little more than a zephyr spirit to being with.” After Lostara complains about his verbosity, he says, “fine, I intend to hide in your shadow.” As they continue to bicker, he points out to her that “you persist in fomenting a certain tension between us...a peculiar flirtation.” When she scoffs and responds with another attack, he says, “precisely as I was saying” which only infuriates her more.

Lostara is surprised at how easy the crossing is. She turns to where Pearl is directly behind her, grabs him to kiss him, and the two begin disrobing.

Kalam wakes from a dream involving a song “rising to a roar that seemed to grip the throat of the world...And the voices within the song. Strange yet familiar. Like friends who never sang a word in their lives. Nothing to quell the spirit—no, these voices give music to war.” He heads out, passing petrified ships and relics of the past: “The Whirlwind had lifted the mantle of sands to reveal Raraku’s prehistory, the long-lost civilizations that had known only darkness of millennia. The scene was vaguely disturbing, as if whispering back to the nightmares that had plagued his sleep. And that damned song. The bones of sea-creatures crunched underfoot.” He stops when he sees a column of marching soldiers, some carrying wounded—an army of nearly six hundred carrying a standard made of a human ribcage with two skulls inside and antlers down the standard’s shaft. Watching, he realizes they are ghosts. He moves closer then hears someone say, ”He walks up from the sea . . .“ in an unknown yet understood language. Looking back he sees the depression he’d just walked across is now filled with water and has several damaged ships in it. He listens to a conversation:

”…Dessimbelackis throws endless legions at us and no matter how many we slaughter, the First Emperor finds more.“

”Not true, Lullsan. Five of the Seven Protectors are no more...And the sixth will not recover, now that we have banished the black beast itself.“

”I wonder, did we indeed drive it from this realm?“

”If the Nameless Ones speak true, then yes.“

”Your question, Kullsan, confuses me. Are we not marching from the city? Were we not just victorious?“

”Then why is our road lined with ghosts, Erethal?”

The conversation fades away and then as the last soldier passes, Kalam sees another ghost on the other side who tells him to listen to the soldiers, at which point Kalam realizes the ghost soldiers are singing a “variation” of his song. When Kalam addresses the ghost as a Tanno Spiritwalker, the ghost does not recognize the term, saying, “I am no priest. I am Tanno, the Eleventh and last Seneschal of Yaraghatan, banished by the First Emperor for my treasonous alliance with the Nameless Ones. Did you know what he would do? Would any of us have guessed? Seven Protectors indeed, but far more than that, oh yes, far more...I gave them a song, to mark their last battle. I gave them that at least.” When the ghost disappears, the land returns to normal. Kalam continues on, through the ruins of a city filed with old canals and bridges and potshards under his feet. He hears horses and, from a hiding spot, sees a group of Pardu, including a shaman. He watches what he assumes is the beginning of a ritual, and thinks these are not part of Sha’ik’s army. Suddenly two huge beasts arrive and attack the Pardu, quickly killing them then feeding on them: “As if darkness itself had taken form, only the shimmer of their sleek hides betrayed their presence...These were not Hounds of Shadow. If anything, they were larger, bulkier, massing more like a bear than a dog...the moved with savage grace, primal and deadly. Devoid of fear and supremely confident, as if this strange place they had come to was as familiar to them as their own hunting grounds.” One suddenly seems to sense Kalam’s hiding spot and comes at him fast, giving Kalam barely time to jump away and fling down his last few “smoky diamonds—his own cache, not Iskaral Pust’s.” Kalam blows the whistle and five demons rise and while three attack the Hound, the other two flank Kalam, moving toward the other Hound. Kalam runs while the sound of battle rages behind him. As he listens, he thinks, “My apologies Shadowthrone, but at least one of your demons should survive long enough to escape. In which case, you will be informed of a new menace unleashed on this world. And consider this—if there’s two of them, there’s probably more.” Meanwhile, the blowing of the whistle had released all the diamond demons: “countless smoky diamonds that had originated from a trader in G’danisban’s market round crumbled into dust—whether placed for safe-keeping in locked chests, worn as rings...And from the dust rose azalan demons, awakened long before their intended moment. But that suited them just fine. They had, one and all, appointed tasks that demanded a certain solitude...making it necessary to quickly silence every witness, which the azalan were pleased to do...For those that had appeared in the ruins of a city in Raraku, however, to find two creatures whose existence was very nearly lost to the demon’s racial memory, the moments immediately following their arrival proved somewhat more problematic...the five azalan were eventually driven off, battered and bleeding...And in the realm known as Shadow, a certain god sat motionless on his insubstantial throne. Already recovered from his shock, his mind was racing. Racing.”

Cutter and Apsalar suddenly crash into a chamber filled with bhok’arala and find Pust waiting for them (it’s his temple). Pust refers to “the extremity of what will be demanded of us in the days and nights to come.” Back to top

Chapter Twenty-One

Febryl heads toward a meeting with Reloe. He thinks how the world is “plunging into chaos” but also how “the past was not dead. It merely slept. The perfect, measured resurrection of old patterns could achieve a rebirth.” He recalls his service to the Holy Falah’d Enqura in the Holy City of Ugarat during a time of renaissance when its eleven great schools were rediscovering lost knowledge and beginning to open up a new world. But the Malazan invasion had destroyed all that, though it had been Febryl himself—under order of the Falah’d—who had destroyed the knowledge: burning all the texts and crucifying the scholars (those they didn’t kill themselves) so that the Malazans got nothing. Febryl considers that act his “last gesture of loyalty, of pure unsullied courage.” Afterward, his parent had disowned him and he killed them and their servants with sorcery, magic that left him “old beyond his years, wrinkled and withered, his bones brittle and bent.” His appearance so changed, he was able to evade the search set for him by the Holy Falah’d. He thinks “unforgivable” though he is unsure to which act he applies the word: the destruction of all that knowledge (even other Falad’han, along with the Malazans, had considered it “the foulest deed of all), the murder of his parents, the evasion of the Holy Falah’d? The problem was Sha’ik knew all of it, and “no possessor of his secrets would be permitted to live. He refused to be so vulnerable...And so she must be removed.” Thus his plotting with the Malazans, though he knows Dom’s plans go far beyond the Whirlwind toward imperial power. He knows as well that Mallick Rel, now heading toward Aren to surrender himself and be brought before the Empress, is part of that plotting. He imagines Rel will “announce an extraordinary reversal of fortunes in Seven Cities. Korbolo Dom had been working in her interests all along...Pormqual would be made the singular focus for the debacle of Coltaine’s death and the slaying of the High Fist’s army. The Jhistal would slip through...Dom had agents in the palace in Unta.” But Febryl believes he will outwit them as each of the conspirators lie to each other. He meets Reloe and four of Dom’s assassins. Reloe is anxious for Febryl to immediately open a path for them, but Febryl says Reloe needs to know more about it, explaining: “The goddess was a spirit once...But what kind of spirit? One that rides the desert winds, you might think. But you are wrong...Raraku holds the bones of countless civilizations, leading back to the First Empire, the empire of Dessimbelackis. And still further...The First Empire of Dessimbelackis was not the first. That belonged to the T’lan Imass. There was little, it is true, that you or I might recognize as being ‘Imperial.’ No cities. No breaking of the ground...There was a throne of course, upon which was meant to sit a mortal—the progeny race of the T’lan Imass...Alas, humans viewed empire differently. And their vision did not include T’lan Imass. Thus, betrayal. Then war. An unequal contest, but the T’lan Imass were reluctant to annihilate their mortal children. And so they left.” Reloe picks up the history, noting the T’lan Imass returned with the Soletaken/D’ivers ritual, then asks if the goddess of the Whirlwind is T’lan Imass, though he points out her rage is unlike them. Febryl says that’s true, “unless she had reason. Memories of a betrayal, perhaps from her mortal life. A wound too deep to be eradicated by the Ritual of Tellann.” Reloe inquires if the Ritual still binds her and Febryl answers no, “She broke those chains long ago and has reclaimed her soul—Raraku’s secret gifts are those of life and death...It returned to her all that she had lost—perhaps even the rebirth of her rage. Raraku remains the deepest mystery of all, for it holds its own memories, of the sea, of life’s very own waters. And memories are power.” Reloe tells him to open the path and as he begins to do so, Febryl thinks how the Malazans will owe him and so Seven Cities will be freed of Malazan troops and influence and “our civilization shall flower once more.”

L’oric senses the approach of something “bestial and wild with power...Ancient wars, such is the feel of this, as of enmity reborn, a hatred that defies millennia.” He feels that none in the oasis are the target, but they are in the way of it. In his tent, he finds “The Whirlwind’s rage had never before been so fierce . .. . The final clash of wills was fast approaching. This was, in truth, a convergence, and the currents had trapped other powers, pulling them along with relentless force. And behind it all, the whispers of a song.” He thinks he should run, take Felisin and maybe Heboric and do so quickly, but his curiosity holds him—”truths [would be] revealed and he would know them. I came to Raraku because I sense my father’s presence, somewhere close.” He wonders what the Queen of Dreams meant when she’d said Osric was “lost,” and thinks how “Kurald Thyrllan had been born of violence, the shattering of Darkness. The Elder Warren had since branched off in many directions, reaching to within the grasp of mortal humans as Thyr. And before that, in the guise of life-giving fire, Tellann...a powerful presence here in Seven Cities, obscure and buried deep perhaps, but pervasive...Whereas Kurald Thyrllan has been twisted and left fraught by the shattering of its sister warren. There were no easy passages into Thyrllan.” He decides, then, to try Tellann. He dons Liosan armor and sword, though “He despised fighting. Unlike his Liosan kin, he was averse to harsh judgment, to the assertion of a brutally delineated world-view that permitted no ambiguity. He did not believe order could be shaped by a sword’s edge. Finality, yes, but finality stained with failure.”

L’oric reaches Karsa’s grove and find Felisin asleep. He faces the seven faces of the Teblor “gods” and realizes their spirits were gone and the grove was not sacred to something else. The “gods” had left behind a trail though, that he thinks he can use to enter the Tellann Warren. He enters and finds himself beside a huge lake, realizing quickly “I am in the wrong place, or the wrong time. This is Raraku’s most ancient memory.” He startles a hyena the size of a bear then heads off down the path it left as it ran away. He comes across the humanoid corpse the hyena had been feeding on: “As tall as a normal man [with] a pelt of find dark hair...Sloped forehead, solid chinless jaw, a brow ridge so heavy it formed a contiguous shelf over the deep-set eye sockets...More ape-like than a T’lan Imass. The skull behind the face is smaller as well. Yet it stood taller by far, more human in proportion. What manner of man was this?” He moves on, though he has no place in mind to get to. He believes he has found not Tellann but “what lay beneath Tellann...Toblakai’s glade was not a place freshly sanctified by the giant warrior...It had, at the very beginning, belonged to Raraku, to whatever natural power the land possessed.” He sees a herd of huge cattle-like creatures suddenly panic and stampede, then hides as he sees what caused the panic: “Seven hounds, black as midnight, of a size to challenge the wild antlered cattle...And flanking them, like jackals flanking a pride of lions, a score or more of the half-human creatures such as the one he had discovered at the lakeshore. They were clearly subservient, in the role of scavengers to predators. No doubt there was some mutual benefit to the partnership, though L’oric could imagine no real threat in this world to those dark hounds. And there was no doubt in his mind, those hounds did not belong here. Intruders. Strangers to this realm, against which nothing in this world can challenge. They are the dominators, and they know it.” He then notices three K’Chain Che’Malle tracking the hounds and thinks “Not of this realm either, if my father’s thoughts on the matter are accurate. He was Rake’s guest for months in Moon’s Spawn, delving its mysteries. But the K’Chain Che’Malle cities lie on distant continents. Perhaps they only recently arrived here, seeking new sites for their colonies, only to find their dominance challenged. The hounds and semi-humans appear not to notice the K’Chain, who follow them after they disappear into a basin. Suddenly the K’ell Hunters are attacked, two of them falling quickly to the hounds while the third runs away, unpursued. L’oric heads away, but then sees the hounds and humans look in his direction, then follow him. A dragon swoops down, grabs him in its talons and lifts him into the sky, carrying him far out to sea to an island tower where it deposits him. L’oric faces the dragon and tells it “Father, I’ve been looking for you.”

L’oric tells his father, back in Liosan form, how the Queen of Dreams had thought him lost and Osric replies, “I am. Or rather, I was. Further, I would remain so.” When L’oric asks if Osric trusts her, his father answers yes, but his trust is “purer by her ignorance.” Osric asks what L’oric is doing there and L’oric says he doesn’t even know where he is, and that he was looking for “truths.” Osric calls his tower an observation point to spot the K’Chain Che’Malle skykeeps as they near the area. L’oric makes the connection to Osric’s studies of Moon’s Spawn and asks what he’d learned that Rake had overlooked. Osric says lots, noting that Moon’s Spawn had shown evidence of being attacked and breached and mentions how he and Rake had discovered it in a glacier that had carried it a thousand leagues from the crash site. L’oric asks if Osric is saying Moon’s Spawn was one of the skykeeps where they are and Osric answers yes, adding three have appeared during his stay there and all were destroyed by the Deragoth—”The Hounds of Darkness. The seven beasts that Dessimbelackis made pact with—and oh, weren’t the Nameless Ones shaken by that unholy alliance? The seven beasts, L’oric, that gave the name to Seven cities...The Seven Holy Cities of our time are not the original ones, of course. Only the number has survived.” L’oric asks what happened to the Deragoth, “Why are they here and not there?” Osric replies he doesn’t know, though he wonders if it had to do with the collapse of the First Empire. Questioned as to which warren they’re now in, Osric tells L’oric it isn’t a warren at all, but “a memory. Soon to end, I believe, since it is shrinking...Raraku’s [memory].” L’oric changes the subject to the semi-humans. Osric calls them “the Deragoth’s only act of domestication” and when L’oric declares they aren’t human or even T’lan Imass, Osric says “they will be, one day” describing how he’s also seen them in partnership with wolf packs, their taller vision supplementing the wolves’ hearing and smell. While the wolves are in charge, Osric believes that will eventually change, though the relationship between the Deragoth and semi-humans will not, “because something is about to happen. Here in this trapped memory. I only hope that I will be privileged to witness it.” L’oric wonders if the Deragoth are the children of Mother Dark and Osric say no, “they have that stench about them, but in truth I have no idea. It just seemed an appropriate name.” When L’oric corrects his translation of Tiste Andii, Osric says he’s just like his mother, whom he couldn’t stand the company of past three days (the feeling was mutual). When L’oric wants to know how long his father could stand his only son’s company, Osric answers “three bells” rather than three days. L’oric tells him before he leaves that Osric probably should know that the Liosan and Thyrllan warren have lost their protector and “pray for your return.” Osric tells him to just get another familiar, but L’oric says it isn’t that easy then gets angry, asking if Osric has no sense of responsibility to the Liosan who worship him. But Osric argues they worship themselves and he just happens to be “a convenient figurehead,” adding that Kurald Thyrllan really isn’t vulnerable despite appearances. L’oric, though, wonders if he can be so sure if the Deragoth do turn out to be servants of Darkness. Osric is silenced then heads out as L’oric follows. Osric takes his dragon form, “Like Anomander Rake, Osric was more dragon than anything else. They were kin in blood, if not in personality.” L’oric wishes he knew his father better, as well as wishing he liked him. When Osric reaches out a talon, L’oric says he’d rather ride his back, but Osric just ignores him.

Osric flies toward mountains, landing at the edge of the memory. “There were things near the faded edge of the memory” and Osric explained that various creatures—”demons mostly” appear near the “verge.” They stop before one such, “dog-sized and reptilian, with four hands similar to an apes. A wide, flat head with a broad mouth, two slits for nostrils, and four liquid, slightly protruding eyes in a diamond pattern.” L’oric mentally communicates with it and it understands both him and the bargain L’oric offers: “A partnership, a binding of spirits. Power from you, power from me. In exchange for my life. Uneven bargain. Position devoid of clout.” L’oric says he’ll save it anyway and the demon says save him and then they can talk of an alliance. L’oric says fine and when Osric worries that without a binding L’oric might be betrayed, L’oric says he’ll risk it. The demon is excited that L’oric has a father that is an eleint (dragon). It gives his name as Greyfrog.

L’oric and Greyfrog return to Raraku via portal, with L’oric wishing he’d asked more questions of Osric and thinking his long-anticipated meeting with him had seemed mere “distraction” to his father: “Osric’s interest was with Osric. His own pursuits.” Greyfrog says he smells raw meat and is hungry and as they head off to find food, L’oric explains there are rules about what Greyfrog can kill and not kill.

Sha’ik looks to the coming battle: “Vengeance had been her lifeblood for so long, now, within days, she would come face to face with her sister.” She believes she holds all the cards: a more experienced and larger army, familiar territory, Elder magic, better and more mages. But despite all that she remains “terrified...She wanted to run. The game was too hard, too fraught. Its final promise was cold—colder than she had ever imagined. Vengeance is a wasted emotion, yet I have let it consume me. I gave it like a gift to the goddess. Fragments of clarity—they were diminishing...as the hold of the Whirlwind Goddess tightened on her soul. My sister traded me for the faith of the Empress...all to serve her ambition...And I in turn have traded my freedom for the power of the Whirlwind Goddess so that I can deliver just vengeance against my sister. Are we, then, so different?” She realizes the goddess is keeping her from thinking overmuch. Bidithal arrives and the two banter about shadows. Bidithal says he was never a Meanas priest and Sha’ik responds, “No, here it was Rashan, ghost-child of Kurald Galain, yet the warren it claimed was, nonetheless, Shadow. We are both well aware that the distinctions diminish the closer one delves into the mysteries of the most ancient triumvirate.” She asks he sends shadows to spy on her and he replies that perhaps they are protectors. She wonders from what and he says he is near to learning “the precise nature of the threat,” though now he is more concerned with L’oric and Heboric, telling her “We are at the heart of a convergence and not just between us and the Malazans.” He notes that Heboric is a priest yet again, and when she starts to argue that Fener is gone, he interrupts to say it is Treach, not Fener, to whom Heboric is now connected. Sha’ik refuses to believe either Heboric would accept another god or that a god would choose Heboric, but he informs her that despite that, Treach has chosen Heboric as Destriant. She is silenced at first, then says where else would a god of war be then here, though she says she will think on the matter. Bidithal tries to convince her that a newly-powered Heboric can be a threat due to his “ambivalence to our cause,” but she doesn’t buy it. As for L’oric, Bidithal is suspicious over how L’oric has become “more elusive” and more “extreme” in his attempts to hide his comings and goings. Sha’ik says she has no concern over him and orders Bidithal to call off his shadows and focus on Febryl, Dom, and Reloe. He says fine and after a moment’s close look, she tells him to “be careful,” at which he “pales slightly” then nods and responds, “I am ever that.” She dismisses him and he leaves, thinking to himself he will not call off his shadows at all and looking forward to when “this fragment of shattered warren would become a realm unto itself. And the Whirlwind Goddess would see the need for a priesthood, a structure of power in the mortal world...and there would be no place for Sha’ik.” He turns his mind to the conspirators, suspecting that “Febryl’s alliance with the Napan and Kamist Reloe was but temporary...[holding] a hidden, final betrayal, one concluding in the mutual annihilation of every interest but his own. And I cannot pierce to the truth...I must side for Sha’ik, for it will be her hand that crushes the conspirators.” His thoughts are interrupted by the appearance of Febryl himself, who declares the moment is now for Bidithal to declare whether he will join the conspirators or stand aside. Bidithal asks if there is a third choice and Febryl says not if he means fighting against them. He informs Bidithal that his reward –whether he joins or just steps aside—will be a High Priest of the cult of the Apocalypse, “ensconced in a vast, rich temple...How would you shape such a cult?...you have already begun, Bidithal. We know all about your special children. Imagine...all of Seven Cities, honored to deliver you their unwanted daughters.” Bidithal tries to argue for more time, but Febryl says it’s too late, they’ve already begun, agents are in place, tasks have been given. Bidithal says he accepts so long as the cult is his alone to shape and Febryl says he guarantees it. When Bidithal asks about Dom and Reloe, Febryl replies “What worth their vows? The Empress had Korbolo Dom’s once. Sha’ik did as well,” to which Bidithal thinks, “As she had yours too, Febryl.” Febryl leaves and Bidithal realizes he truly had no third option, that Febryl had been dismissive of Bidithal’s shadows and would have killed him if he’d said no. He wonders what had made Febryl so confident. He heads back to his temple, thinking “You do not dismiss what you know nothing of...He felt vulnerable.”

Scillara tries to think through a haze of durhang over what had just happened a few moments ago—Febryl telling Dom something about her master Bidithal. She barely recalls a time when her mind was clear, though she suspects those were relatively unpleasant times anyway and so no great loss. But she wishes she were more lucid so as to better serve Bidithal, and hopes perhaps by doing so she’ll be able to help with his “freeing” of the new girls. She sits up and, feeling the heaviness of her breasts, wonders if she is pregnant. She heads out of the tent but one of the guards this time follow her, telling her “Febryl has wearied of your spying. He wants Bidithal blind and deaf in this camp. It grieves me, Scillara. It does. Truly...It’s a mercy I think, and I will make it as painless as possible. For I liked you once.” As he speaks of having sex with her first, she tries to understand that he’s talking of killing her. As he rapes her, she grabs the knife he’d laid aside and stabs him, killing him as he orgasms. She rolls him off and sits up, thinking “I am a vessel ever filled, yet there’s always room for more. More durhang. More men and their seeds. My master found my place of pleasure and removed it. Ever filled, yet never filled up. There is no base to this vessel. This is what he has done. To all of us.” The other guard appears, punches her to near-unconsciousness, then drags her off to kill her and dispose of the body. He stops suddenly and a figure emerges and kills him, a figure with a strangely glowing (green) hand, “a hand taloned like a huge cat’s.” Her savior, Heboric, tells her he’s been looking for her, “or so I’ve just realized. Extraordinary, how single lives just fold into the whole mess, over and over again, all caught up in the greater swirl. Spinning round and round, and ever downward it seems. Ever downward. Fools, all of us, to think we can swim clear of that current.” He places his hand on her and heals her: “a tremble ran through her. That spread, coursing hot through her veins. .. along her throat, in her lungs, between her legs. The man grunted. ‘I thought it was just consumption...too much durhang. As for the rest, well, it’s an odd thing about pleasure. Something Bidithal would have you never know. Its enemy is not pain. No, pain is simply the path taken to indifference. And indifference destroys the soul. Of course, Bidithal likes destroyed souls—to mirror his own.’...Sensations long lost flooded into her.” He tells her he’ll take her to his temple where she’ll be safe, adding he thinks he’ll need her help, though “the choice is yours. Nor will you have to surrender anything you don’t want to. And if you choose to simply walk away, that is fine as well. I will give you money and a supplies and maybe even find you a horse.” He introduces himself as Heboric, Destriant to Treach, the Tiger of Summer and the God of War. She says she’s sorry, but she’s “had my fill of priests,” but he says so has he.

Felisin and L’oric watch Greyfrog eat and L’oric introduces him as his new familiar. He tells her she needs to leave as soon as possible and he will follow as soon as he can. He adds he will send Greyfrog with her and, he hopes, one other. She says she’s ready to leave, that she no longer dreams of vengeance against Bidithal. When she asks if that is cowardly of her, he tells her Bidithal will be taken care of “in a manner befitting his crimes,” though he says it will not be by his hands: “There will be a convergence Felisin. With some unexpected guests. And I do not think anyone here will survive their company for long. There will be vast slaughter.” He will stay, however, for he still seeks answers. He leaves her with Greyfrog.

Heboric and L’oric meet, with Heboric making no attempt at hiding his nature as Treach’s Destriant, knowing it would be futile. They agree battle is soon and L’oric wants Heboric to take Felisin away tonight. Heboric agrees, though he says it won’t be tonight and that there will be a third—”a certain poetry to there being three of us.” Both agree that they will leave Bidithal to his fate.

Leoman and Corabb watch the Malazans. The two of them are exhausted from the non-stop harassment they’ve given to Tavore’s army, sufficient to bleed them but not turn them, though Corabb thinks given enough soldiers they could have. They’re down to only 700 rebels left, and now the Malazans will be at the Whirlwind by dusk. Leoman says they will pass through, there will be battle and “Korbolo Dom will command...you and I and likely Mathok shall...watch...Our war is done.” The two head into the Whirlwind.

Karsa has been riding back for some time and he nears Raraku, sensing the battle is nigh. He wants to be there, “not to kill Malazans but to guard Leoman’s back...there are those in camp who deserve only death. And I shall deliver it...I have tolerated the deceitful and the malicious for long enough. My sword shall now answer them.” He speaks o Siballe who tells him he is with her in the House of Chains, he is the Knight of Chains and the Crippled God will “not expect you to kneel [will] issue no commands to his Mortal Sword, his Knight of Chains—for that is what you are, the role for which you have been shaped from the very beginning.” Karsa refuses the role or another “false god” and says the Crippled God has much to answer for. She tells him the other gods chained him to dead ground and he has been twisted by his long torment. Karsa says he will break the god’s chains, and then he will kill him. Back to top

Chapter Twenty-Two

Fiddler is hanging around the campfire, his marines augmented by several squads of medium infantry, including the Ninth squad (sergeant Balm, also has Deadsmell and Throatslitter. Other squads include Moak, Able, Shortnose, and others). Balm joins Fiddler and says he’s heard “Strings” isn’t his real name. After some banter about names, he asks what Fiddler thinks of moving squads around this late in the game as well as what he thinks of Keneb. Balm himself isn’t sure about Keneb, though he’s pretty sure Ranal, based on being a noble, is likely to get them killed. Gesler joins them, along with two other sergeants: Moak and Thom Tissy. Moak asks if anyone’s heard of “that killer soldier. Heavy infantry, not sure what company. . Neffarias Bredd. I head he killed eighteen raiders all in one night.” There’s some dispute over just how many Bredd killed, so Fiddler calls over another heavy—Flashwit—and she says she’d heard fifty, though she doesn’t know what legion he’s in. The heavy sergeants join and want to know about tomorrow, when Tavore faces the Whirlwind wall “with that sword. Then what? She stabs it?...And aren’t we already in Raraku?...Why don’t we just wait for them? Or let ’em stay and rot here . . .Sha’ik wants an empire of sand, let her have it.” Fiddler explains if they leave Sha’ik it will be like a rot that will spread. As for Raraku, he says “If it possesses a power, then that lies in what it does to you, after a while. Maybe not in what it does, but what it gives. Not an easy thing to explain.” Moak repeats some rumors—that they’ll go east and north to wait for Dujek and Tayschrenn. Or that Greymane will be recalled from the Korelri campaign. Fiddler heads off and comes across his squad around Bottle, who is trying a divination using twigs and sticks, something he says he learned from his grandmother, explaining both she and his mother were witches. When asked about his father, he just leaves it at “there were rumors...” Fiddler surprises everyone at his knowledge about this sort of magic. Bottle pulls out a grass doll and says he was trying to have it be “the hand of death...but it’s not cooperating. Fiddler asks if he’s using Hood’s warren and Bottle replies “a little,” which makes Fiddler think “There’s more to this lad than I’d first thought.” Fiddler tells him to forget Hood—”He may hover, but won’t stride forward until after the fact”—and try the Patron of Assassins. Bottle flinches at the idea, and Smiles says she’s starting to think he’s just pretending to knowledge, because he’s saying he knows Shadow, Meanas, Hood, and witchery. Bottle performs the spell (with some help from Fiddler) and says he can feel the Rope “close, way too close. There’s power, pouring into or maybe out of that doll, only it’s not moving.” Fiddler points out the doll isn’t moving, but its shadow is. Bottle ends and asks why only the shadow moved and Fiddler says, “Because he isn’t ready yet.” Smiles wants to know if it was the Rope himself, and Bottle says he’s positive it isn’t. Fiddler walks away thinking “No, not the Rope. Someone even better, as far as I’m concerned. As far as every Malazan is concerned...He’s here. And he’s on the other side of the Whirlwind Wall. And I know precisely who he’s sharpened his knives for. Now if only that damned singing would stop.”

Gamet stands, feeling that “spirits screamed at him, ghostly hands reaching out through Hood’s Gate. He wants to die to atone for his incompetency that led to the needless deaths of his men: It had driven him mad...The voices, the paralyzing uncertainty, the way we was always cold, shivering...and the weakness, stealing through his limbs, thinning the blood...‘I have been broken. I failed the Adjunct.'” He thinks Keneb was a good choice as Fist and will do well, especially as he has a family to fight for, to return to. He bemoans his uselessness: “She has certainly never needed me...The family tore itself apart and there was nothing I could do...Even when a word from me could have changed Felisin’s fate, I just saluted and said ‘Yes, Mistress.'” He believes all his failures and flaws, Tavore has merely seen as acts of loyalty, “the disciplined acceptance of orders no matter how horrendous their outcome. His thoughts are interrupted by Grub (Keneb’s adopted boy) telling him “Loud.” At first Gamet thinks he’s referring to the voices in his head, but Grub then says it’s the sandstorm. Gamet awakens to his surroundings and sees he stands near the Whirlwind Wall, its roar sounding like the voices in his head. He tells himself “I’m not mad.” Grub answers “Me neither,” before saying he likes the new armlet Keneb gets to wear (as Fist): “It’s very shiny. Do you like shiny things? I do, even though they hurt my eyes. Maybe it’s because they hurt my eyes. Grub then tells Gamet that both he and his father feel Gamet thinks too much “about things there’s no point in thinking about,” though he adds he knows why Gamet does this: “The same reason I like shiny things.” Grub leaves to tell Keneb, who has been looking for Gamet, that he found him. Staring at the Whirlwind, Gamet senses it has something new in it, some sense of urgency. He wonders what he was doing there, and then recalls, “He had come looking for death. A raider’s blade across his throat...an end to thinking all those thoughts that so hurt my eyes.”

Keneb and Temul arrive and Keneb says they’ve been looking all over for Gamet. When Gamet says Grub had found him and headed off to let Keneb know, Keneb says he doubts it: “He’s yet to say a word to me. Not even in Aren. I’ve heard he talks to others. . But not me. And no, I don’t know why.” He informs Gamet that Tavore is ready to use her otataral sword to breach the Whirlwind and she’s waiting for Gamet. Gamet says she needn’t and when Keneb agrees but says she is anyway and commands his presence, Gamet reluctantly joins them. They ride to where Tavore waits, along with Tene Baralta, Blistig, Nil, and Nether. Gamet warns her there could be an entire army on the other side, but Tavore tells him not to worry: “Besides, can you not hear it? Its shriek is filled with fear. A new sound.” Gamet listens and realizes that is what he had sensed earlier. He asks what will happen when the Whirlwind falls and Nil answers “The Whirlwind Wall encloses a warren. Destroy the Wall and the warren is breached. Making the goddess vulnerable...The Army of the Apocalypse will remain strengthened by her power. Those soldiers will never break, will fight on to the bitter end. Especially given the likelihood that that end will be ours, not theirs.” Tavore tells Nil his pessimism isn’t appreciated, then moves with the group to near the wall. Before she can fully unsheathed her sword, the Wall withdraws, leaving the way clear. Tavore asks Nil why and he speculates “She would not willingly take such a wounding...She will rely upon her mortal army.” They see Raraku before them and remount, Tavore ordering Temul to send out scouts, though she assumed “they wait for us at a place of their own choosing.” Gamet thinks “and then will come the battle. The death of hundreds, perhaps thousands of soldiers. The Adjunct, as the fist of the Empress. And Sha’ik, Chosen servant of the goddess. A clash of wills, nothing more. Yet it will decide the fate of hundreds of thousands. I want nothing to do with this.” Baralta pulls up next to him and says they need Gamet more than ever, that Tavore needs a “cautious voice.” Gamet rejects the idea and when Baralta brings up the “fog that comes in battle,” Gamet says he’s well aware of it: “I was a soldier once. And I did well enough at that...commanding no one but myself...I was at my level of competence all those years ago. Baralta replies he should then become simply a solder again, give Tavore that perspective, “realized that whatever weakness you feel is not unique—it is shared, by hundreds or even thousands, there in our legions.” Blistig joins them, adding “She remains too remote from us Gamet. She is without our advice because we have no chance to give it. Worse, we don’t know her strategy...Nor her tactics for this upcoming battle...It’s dangerous, against Malazan military doctrine. She’s made this war personal.” Gamet looks at Tavore studying the wasteland ahead and thinks “Personal? Yes, she would do that. Because it is what she has always done.” Out loud, he tells them “It is how she is.” Baralta worries they are moving into a trap designed by Dom, but Gamet says Tavore is aware of that possibility but what else can she do but march to meet the enemy? Blistig says they should discuss it, maybe find another path, but Gamet mocks that idea, saying Dom would have foreseen that and destroyed all the waterholes so Raraku could do the killing for him. He says they should just wait, that Tavore will surely call a war council when one is needed. Baralta says she’d better and rides off. Blistig says when she does, Gamet needs to be there, saying “We have enough baggage on this train, with all those nobleborn officers and their endless lists of grievances. Soldiers up from the ranks are rare enough in this army—too rare to see even one throw himself away. I didn’t think much of you at first. You were the Adjunct’s pet. But you managed your legion well enough.” He explains how Gamet erred in putting himself in battle itself, something a Fist should never do—they need to stay back, be “the core...If the core wavers or vanishes, the legion falls.” He presses Gamet to take back his command from Keneb, who was only named acting Fist after all, especially as Keneb was a good captain but now there’s a “damned fool” noble in his captain’s place. He continues to push, finally telling Gamet “cease your selfish sulking old man and step back in line.” Gamet backhands Blistig off his horse and breaking his nose, then rides to Tavore and tells him he’s ready to return to duty. Tavore accepts that, but advises him to have those sort of “disagreements” with his fellow Fists in “more private locations in the future.” Gamet looks back at Blistig, who has gotten to his feet smiling. He thinks, “I owe him a free shot,” and leaves Tavore to go “speak” to him.

Fiddler and sergeants climb a hill for a better view of the collapsing Whirlwind wall. Fiddler says “The goddess withdrew...I would bet the Adjunct didn’t even draw her sword.” When Borduke wonders why the wall was raised in the first place, Fiddler says he has no idea, “There are other things going on here in Raraku, things we know nothing about.” Gesler guesses it was to keep the Claw out, adding, “Sha’ik and her goddess want this battle. They want it clean. Soldier against soldier. Mage against mage, commander against commander.” But Fiddler says that’s too bad because he has “a hunch...they’ve been infiltrated. That’s what I saw from Bottle’s divination. Wish I could be there to see it...to help.” Tugg says Moak has heard the Adjunct has something unexpected planned that means they won’t fight at all. Fiddler wants to know where Moak gets all this information and Tugg says he doesn’t know but he “knows things...He’s been right plenty of times...He says you [Fiddler] were in Onearm’s Host and the Empress wants your head on a spike because you’ve been outlawed . . And he says you [Gesler] and your corporal Stormy are Old Guard...serving Dassem Ultor, or maybe Cartheron Crust or his brother Urko...And you Borduke, you once threw a nobleborn officer off a cliff.” The others stare at him, then Gesler “drily” says “amazing how wrong he got it all.” When Fiddler worries Moak’s been spreading these stories, Tuggs says Moak only told him and Sobelone and told them not to tell anyone else. Horns sound the march.

Keneb rides up next to Gamet in the rear guard. When Gamet starts to apologize for reclaiming his title, Keneb says he needn’t as he’s happier where he is and because Ranal’s promotion to captain was revoked, especially as Ranal had rearranged the units, “using Greymane’s arrangements. Of course, Greymane was fighting a protracted war over a huge territory with no defined front. He needed self-contained fighting units, ready for any contingency. Even more irritating, he [Ranal] neglected to inform anyone.” He says he’s waiting for Gamet before putting things back, but Gamet says he’ll inform Tavore they’re going to leave it, saying, “it might prove useful. We are to hold the rear at the battle on a broken landscape. Ranal’s decision, no doubt made in ignorance, is none the less suitable.” When Keneb sighs at the news, Gamet knows why, thinking “I may have returned as Fist with the Adjunct’s confirmation, but her decision on our positioning has made it clear she’s lost confidence in me.” They ride on in uncomfortable silence. Back to top

Chapter Twenty-Three

Mogora “cooks” for Apsalar and Cutter while complaining about Pust’s absence, the lack of real food around, etc. Before leaving, she mentions Kalam was there earlier, which surprised Cutter but not Apsalar (Kalam had left Bridgeburner marks). Apsalar says “Shadowthrone and Cotillion have it seems found use for us all. If I were to guess, Kalam plans on killing as many of Sha’ik’s officers as he can.” Cutter wonders what they’re doing there and Apsalar says she doesn’t know, but believes Cotillion is interested more in Cutter than her because she is “not interested in becoming his servant. I possess too many of his memories, including his mortal life as Dancer, to be entirely trustworthy.” Pust arrives and tells them they’re mad for eating Mogora’s cooking. Cutter tells Pust Mogora is happier without him and calls him “useless,” which makes Pust vanish back into the shadows. Apsalar warns him it isn’t smart to get between a husband and wife. Cutters asks her where she wants to go and when she says she hasn’t decided yet, he can tell she really has.

Trull thanks Ibra Gholan for the spear he has just given him. He tells Onrack he’s ready though he wishes they had some furs as the warren is cold. Onrack tells him they’ll travel in a few days from tundra to savanna to jungle. When Trull asks if he thinks they’ll beat the renegades to the First Throne, Onrack answers he thinks so as Tellann will be easy for their group but the path of chaos, which is “never straight” will slow the renegades. He adds that when they reach the Throne, they’ll have to defend it. Ibra and Monok frame Trull and Onrack on the march, indicating their continued distrust of them. Onrack and Trull agree that while they’re needed now, they’ll have to keep a sharp eye out when they no longer are. They move through tundra then marsh then bedrock then forest before stopping. When Ibra asks why, Onrack says it’s so Trull can rest, or has Ibra forgotten mortals need to. When Ibra says he hasn’t forgotten, Trull says, “It’s called indifference, Onrack. I am, after all, the least valuable member of this war party.” Monok asks Trull why the Edur have bowed before the Chained God. Ibra heads off to hunt as Trull begins to answer, beginning by saying he’s not the best taleteller as he is “Shorn. I no longer exist. To my brothers and my people, I never existed.” Onrack calls that “meaningless in the face of truth” and Monok says although the T’lan Imass have exiled their kind, “we still speak of them. We must speak of them, to give warning to others. What value a tale of it is not instructive?” Trull answers that is an “enlightened view But mine are not an enlightened people we care nothing for instruction. Nor, indeed, for truth. Our tales exist to give grandeur to the mundane. Or to give moments of great drama and significant and air of inevitability...Every defeat justifies future victory. Every victory is propitious. The Tiste Edur make no misstep, for our dance is one of destiny.” When he claims he was never in that dance, due to being shorn, Onrack says the exile has forced Trull to lie even to himself, to which Trull replies, “That is true. I am therefore forced to reshape the tale...There was much of that time that I did not understand at first—certainly not when it occurred. Much of my knowledge did not come to me until much later.” Onrack interrupts to say it happened after Trull’s shorning, and when Trull agrees, Onrack thinks, “As knowledge flowered before my mind’s eye in the wake of the Ritual of Tellann’s shattering.” Out loud he tells Trull to continue, and “if instruction can be found within [your tale] recognition is the responsibility of those to whom the tale is told. You are absolved of the necessity.” Monok, however, objects, arguing, “These words are spurious. Every story instructs. The teller ignores this truth at peril.” Trull says he will tell the tale of the Tiste Edur who lived north of Lether, save the one exception that he will tell it without “aggrandizement...reveling in glory...[or] claims of destiny or inevitability.” He says he’ll try to be “other than the Tiste Edur I appear to be, to tear away my cultural identity,” and when Monok interrupts to say “flesh does not lie...thus we are not deceived,” Trull responds “but the spirit can, Bonecaster. Instruct yourself in blindness and indifference—I in turn intend to attempt the same.” Monok wants to know when Trull will start telling his story, and Trull says at the Throne while they await the renegades and Edur. Ibra Gholan returns with a hare for Trull. Onrack is bothered by Trull’s words, bothered by the spiritual, emotional scarring Onrack hadn’t noticed beneath Trull’s outward steadiness and his physical scars left by the Shorning. He thinks Trull is “born of scars, of healing that left one insensate. His heart was incomplete. He is as a T’lan Imass...We ask that he resurrect his memories of life, then wonder at his struggle to satisfy our demands. The failure is ours, not his. We speak of those we have exiled, yet not to warn as Monok Ochen claims...We speak of them in reaffirmation of our judgment. But it is our intransigence that finds itself that finds itself fighting the fiercest war—with time itself, with the changing world around us.” Trull says when he begins, he will start with an observation about “nature and the exigency of maintaining a balance,” a statement that gives Onrack a chill. Trull continues: “Pressures and forces are ever in opposition. .. And the striving is ever towards a balance. This is beyond the gods, of course—it is the current of existence—but no, beyond even that, for existence itself is opposed by oblivion. It is a struggle that encompasses all, that defines every island in the Abyss...Life is answered by death. Dark by light. Overwhelming success by catastrophic failure. Horrific curse by breathtaking blessing. It seems the inclination of all people to lose sight of that truth.” He offers his small cookfire as an analogy, saying it serves his delight, but if he doesn’t put it out, “igniting this entire world will also kill everything in it, if not in flames, then in subsequent starvation.” Monok says he doesn’t see the point, and that “this prefaces nothing.” But Onrack says otherwise—”It prefaces everything”—support which Trull answers “with a smile. Of sadness overwhelming. Of utter despair. And the undead warrior was shaken.”

Lostara and Pearl continue into the desert, believing the fall of the Whirlwind means Tavore’s army had entered Raraku and were marching toward the oasis. Pearl senses “the goddess had drawn inward, concentrating her power for perhaps one final, explosive release. For the clash with the Adjunct. A singularity of purpose locked in rage, a flaw that could be exploited.” As for their “relationship,” Lostara thinks now that they’ve taken care of “long pent-up energies” they could move on, but Pearl appears to think differently and when he tried taking her by the hand, she clearly rejected the idea. They stop one ridge removed they think from the oasis. Pearl says he’s thinking of infiltrating the camps and causing trouble. Plus, he thinks the master of the Talons is in the camp, adding he now believes “the rebellion was compromised long ago, perhaps from the very start. The aim of winning independence...was not quite as central to some as it should have been...those hidden motives are about to be revealed. As he speaks, Lostara notes “an object lying among the cobbles—a momentary recognition, then her gaze quickly shifted away.” She asks Pearl if he’s considered he might be screwing up missions already in place, seeing as how neither the Empress nor Tavore know of his presence there. As he answers, she surreptitiously picks up the object. They continue on, walking over ground “littered with the tiny, shriveled bodies of countless desert creatures that had been swept up into the Whirlwind...They had rained down for a full day.” Pearl notes, “the Whirlwind has not been friendly to Raraku,” to which Lostara replies, “Assuming the desert cares one way or another, which it doesn’t, I doubt it will make much difference in the long run. A land’s lifetime is far vaster than anything with which we are familiar. .. Besides, Raraku is already mostly dead.” Pearl tries to argue otherwise, saying, “Appearances deceive. There are deep spirits in this Holy Desert,” but Lostar says he’s foolish to think the spirits care anything about the life atop the desert. He tells her she should respect the “mysteries of Raraku.” Pearl complains to Lostara that she seems to always create “discord.” Lostara answer that he thinks too much, saying she thinks “neither too much nor too little. I am perfectly balanced—this is what you find so attractive.” She says he’s like a capemoth drawn to the flame, and when he asks if she’s supposedly pushing him away for his own good, she says “fires neither push nor pull. They simply exist, compassionless, indifferent...That is another one of your flaws, Pearl. Attributing emotion where none exists.” She tells him to give it up, but when he says he’ll take her advice, she then tells him “gullibility is a most unattractive flaw,” which brings him close to explosion. As they near the final ridge, he asks her what she picked up and put in her pouch. She tosses it to the ground and tells him to look, but when he bends to do so she knocks him out. She picks him up and carries him down the slope (the oasis is only 2000 paces away), hiding when a group of desert warriors rides by, she recognizes them as Ashok Regiment, which she’d thought had been totally wiped out. When dusk falls, Cotillion comes out of the shadows. Lostara, who mentions that Cotillion had “recruited her” tells him Pearl was about to interfere and she knocked him out figuring that Cotillion wanted the path clear. But Cotillion says he thinks Pearl might actually be useful and tells her to make sure he’s awake tomorrow night. Just before he leaves to attend to “other tasks,” she tosses him the object she had picked up, saying she “assumed” it was his. Cotillion says it isn’t, but he knows who it does belong to and he is “pleased.” He asks if he can keep it and she says it doesn’t matter to her, but the way he tells her “Nor should it Lostara Yil,” makes her think “she had made a mistake in letting him keep the object; that, indeed it did matter to her, though for the present she not how.” Cotillion leaves.

Apsalar looks out a window of Pust’s temple: “She had never felt so alone, nor she realized so comfortable with that solitude. Changes had come to her. Hardened layers sheathing her soul had softened, found new shape in response to unseen pressures from within. Strangest of all, she had come, over time, to despise her competence, her deadly skills. They had been imposed upon her, forced into her bones and muscles. They had imprisoned her in blinding, gelid armor. And so, despite the god’s absence, she still felt as if she was two women, not one. Leading her to wonder with which woman Crokus had fallen in love. But no, there was no mystery there. He had assumed the guise of a killer...a dire reflection—not of Apsalar the fisher-girl, but of Apsalar the assassin, the cold murderer. In the belief that likeness would forge the deepest bond of all. Perhaps that would have succeeded, had she liked her profession...had it not felt like chains wrapped tight about her soul. She was not comforted by company within her prison. His love was for the wrong woman. . . And hers was for Crokus, not Cutter. And so they were together, yet apart, intimate yet strangers, and it seemed there was nothing they could do about it.” She thinks that the fisher-girl could not stand against the will of the assassin, just as Crokus “had similarly succumbed to Cutter.” Cotillion joins her and she tells him “would that you had taken all with you when you departed.” When he asks if she’d prefer he’d left her “bereft,” she says “No, innocent.” Cotillion tells her “Innocence is only a virtue, lass, when it is temporary. You must pass from it to look back and recognize its unsullied purity. To remain innocent is to twist beneath invisible and unfathomable forces all your life, until one day you realize that you no longer recognize yourself, and it comes to you that innocence was a curse that had shackled you, stunted you, defeated your every expression of living.” Apsalar replies, “But Cotillion, it is knowledge that makes one aware of his or her own chains.” Cotillion tells her “Knowledge only makes the eyes see what is there all along.” He adds she cannot “unmake yourself”, but she says she can choose to stop walking this particular path. He also tells her that he “walked in your bones, your flesh . . The fisher girl who became a women—we stood in each other’s shadow...It was difficult to remain mindful of my purpose. We were in worthy company...[Whiskeyjack’s] squad would have welcomed you. But I prevented them...Necessary, but not fair to you or them.” He tells her he needs to know her decision about Cutter and she says she doesn’t want Cotillion to do to Cutter what he did to her, he’s that important to “the fisher-girl whom he does not love...He loves the assassin and so chooses to be like her.” Cotillion says he now understands her struggle, but she’s wrong, Cutter is attracted to the assassin but does not lover her; he’s attracted to the power and ability to choose not to use power: “He is drawn to emulate what he sees as your hard-won freedom.” He tells her Cutter’s love didn’t come when she was Sorry, but after Cotillion had stopped possessing her. When Apsalar objects that love changes, Cotillion says it does, then makes a poor analogy with a capemoth, then tells her love “grows to encompass as much of the subject as possible. Virtues, flaws, limitations, everything—love will fondle them all, with child-like fascination.” When she begins to refer to the two women inside her, he tells her there are “multitudes, lass, and Cutter loves them all.” She says she doesn’t want Cutter to die and when he asks if that’s her decision, she says yes, though she knows what she must do. Cotillion tells her he is pleased, and when she asks why he says because he likes Cutter too. She inquires how brave he thinks she is and he responds “as brave as necessary.” She replies “again,” and he says “Yes, again.” She tells him he doesn’t seem much like a god and he tells her “I’m not a god in the traditional fashion. I’m a patron. Patrons have responsibilities. Granted, I rarely have the opportunity to exercise them.” She comments that he means, “they are not yet burdensome,” which evokes “a lovely smile.” He tells her she’s “worth far more for your lack of innocence,” and prepares to leave. Apsalar thanks him and asks him to take care of Cutter. He answers he will, “as if he were my own son.” He leaves, then soon afterward she does as well.

Kalam hides in the petrified forest, surrounded by snakes. He senses a power, a presence in the forest, one that did not “belong on this world,” something “demonic.” He examines his otataral knife, thinking how few knew its full properties, or how its effects were unpredictable and varied if absorbed through the skin or via breathing it in. He also recalls a discovery made by accident, one which only a few survived, including him and Quick Ben—the discovery that otataral has a violent reaction to heat and to Moranth munitions: “But even that was not the whole secret. It’s what happens to hot otataral when you throw magic at it.” As he examines his other blade, an acorn drops down next to him. He looks up at the tree over him and says “Ah, an oak. Let it not be said I don’t appreciate the humor of the gesture...Just like old times, glad as always, that we don’t do this sort of thing anymore.”

Onrack and the others reach the jungle and begin to follow a game trail. Trull notes this probably isn’t the T’lan Imass’ nature territory and Onrack says he’s right; “We are a cold weather people. But this region exists within our memories. Before the Imass, there as another people, older, wilder. They dwelt where it was warm, and they were tall, their dark skins covered in fair hair. These we knew as the Eres. Enclaves survived into our time—the time captured within this warren...[They lived on] surrounding savannas. They worked in stone, but with less skill than us.” Monok adds, “All Eres were bonecasters for they were the first to carry the spark of awareness, the first so gifted by the spirits.” When Trull asks if they are gone, Monok says yes. Onrack says nothing, but thinks, “If Monok Ochem found reasons to deceive, Onrack could find none to contradict the bonecaster.” Trull changes the subject to ask if they’re close and if they’ll return to their own world if so. Onrack says yes, and begins to explain the First Throne lies at the “base of a crevasse beneath a city,” but Monok interrupts to say Trull needn’t know the name; he already knows too much. Trull says what he’s learned of the T’lan Imass isn’t particularly a secret: “You prefer killing to negotiation. You do not hesitate to murder gods when the opportunity arises. And you prefer to clean up your own messes...Unfortunately, this particular mess is too big, though I suspect you are still too proud to admit that.” He continues by saying besides, he’s not likely to survive the upcoming fight and in any case Monok will probably try to ensure that. Monok doesn’t disagree, and Onrack thinks he will try to defend Trull, anticipating that Monok and Ibra, knowing that, will probably try to take Onrack out first. The trail opens up to a clearing filled with bones and rotting flesh and flies. Monok explains, “The Eres did not fashion holy sites of their own...but they understood that there were places where death gathered, where life was naught but memories, drifting lost and bemused. And so such places they would often bring their own dead. Power gathers in layers—this is the birthplace of the sacred.” Trull asks if the Imass made this a gate then and when Monok answers yes, Onrack criticizes him for giving the T’lan Imass too much credit, telling Trull “Eres holy sites burned through the barriers of Tellann. They are too old to be resisted.” Trull wants to know if the Eres sites belong to Hood, since they’re connected to death, but Onrack tells him Hood didn’t yet exist when the sites were created, nor are the sites death-aspected: “Their power comes...from layers. Stone shaped into tools and weapons. Air shaped by throats. Minds that discovered, faint as flickering fires in the sky, the recognition of oblivion, of an end, to life, to love. Eyes that witnessed the struggle to survive and saw with wonder its inevitable failure. To know and understand that we all must die, Trull Sengar, is not to worship death. To know and to understand is itself magic, for it made us stand tall.” Trull points out that if that’s true, then the Imass have “broken the oldest laws of all, with your Vow.” Onrack tells him he is right, though his kin wouldn’t say so: “We are the first lawbreakers, and that we have survived his long is fit punishment. And so it remains our hope that the Summoner will grant us absolution.” Trull says, “Faith is a dangerous thing.” As they begin to use the gate, Onrack sees a tall, figure standing nearby, “with a fine umber-hued pelt and long, shaggy hair...A woman. Her breasts were large and pendulous, her hips wide and full.” He sees her move toward Trull, then all goes dark and he hears Trull shout. Before he can reach him, though, they travel. In their own realm again, he sees Trull lying unconscious, “blood smearing his lap...it did not belong to Trull Sengar, but to the Eres woman who had taken his seed. His first seed.” He looks more closely and see the blood is from “the fresh wound of scarification beneath [Trull’s] belly button. Three parallel cuts, drawn across diagonally, and the stained imprints of three more, likely those the woman had cut across her own belly.” Onrack asks Monok why the Eres took Trull’s seed and Monok answers he doesn’t know. When he starts to say the Eres are like beasts, Onrack points out this one had “intent” and Monok is forced to agree. He asks why Trull is still passed out and Onrack tells him Trull’s mind is “elsewhere...I came into contact with sorcery. That which the Eres projected...It was a warren, barely formed, on the very edge of oblivion. It was...like the Eres themselves. A glimmer of light behind the eyes.” They’re interrupted by Apt with Panek riding her, followed by a score of others. Panek asks if this group was all Logros could spare. Monok ignores the question and tells them they aren’t welcome, to which Panek replies “too bad, for we are here. To guard the First Throne.” Onrack asks who they are and who sent them and Panek identifies himself but says he can’t answer the second question. He adds he guards the outer ward, but the chamber “that is home to the First Throne possesses an inner warden—the one who commands us. Perhaps she can answer you.” They head that way. Back to top

Chapter Twenty-Four

Gamet looks over the camp area, not happy with it. He thinks the army is nervous over “Tavore’s headlong approach into the maw of the enemy, to the battleground of their choosing.” Gamet himself wonders if this march is “suggesting what, exactly? A single-mindedness worthy of imitation or a failure of imagination?” Keneb comments that Dom has prepared for them by building ramps, smoothing the ramps, etc. Gamet says they should assume what is obvious to them is equally obvious to Tavore, to which Keneb says it’d be nice to have some confirmation of that. Gamet reminds him there will be two meetings of the offices before dawn. The two discuss how Tavore has placed Keneb’s legion (one third of the army) in charge of preventing the enemy from retreating, “a premature assumption of victory that whispered of madness.” Gamet assumes Tavore will hold back the horse warriors as well due to lack of space and also to cover a Malazan retreat. Gamet leaves to meet Tavore. From where they stand, they can see the enemy and Tavore points out Dom and Reloe, saying that Reloe has been seeking Malazan sorcerers and that Nil and Nether are safe from such scrying because they are with her (and her otataral sword). She asks him how confident he thinks Dom is feeling. He answers that Dom’s confidence is probably “wilting” because it all seems too easy and too much in his favor. Glancing at the Wickan sorcerers, Gamet is startled by how much they have each grown. After a moment, Tavore announces Reloe has finished his questing and will need to leave to rest. She removes her sword to a distance and asks Gamet to spill a few drops of blood on the ground for a Nil/Nether ritual. The two speak of “spirits...rising with anger...A song...of war and warriors...New and old...so very new and so very old. Battle and death, again and again. The land remembers every struggle played out on its surface, on all its surfaces from the very beginning...The goddess is as nothing to this power—yet she would steal...the warren. She would claim this fragment and settle it upon the land like a parasite. Roots of shadow, slipping down to draw sustenance, to feed on the land’s memories. And the spirits will not have it.” Tavore asks if the spirits are resisting and the two nod yes, and Nil says, “Ghosts casts no shadows. You were right Adjunct. Gods, you were right.” Tavore wants to know if “they will suffice,” but Nil says he doesn’t know; it’s dependent on if “the Talon Master does what you think he will do.” And if Sha’ik doesn’t know of “the viper in her midst,” adds Nether, to which Tavore replies that if Sha’ik had known she would have killed him. Nether, though, wonders if Sha’ik and the goddess were merely waiting until “all their enemies were gathered.” Gamet is shaken by the ritual (“something had used him”) and can hear “distant music, a song of voices and unrecognizable instruments.” He asks to be dismissed and Tavore tells him to return to his legion and tell his officers that “Units may appear during the battle on the morrow which you will not recognize. They may seek orders, and you are to give them as if they were under your command.” He walks off, his headache worsening, feeling “the song seemed to have poisoned his veins, a music of flesh and bone that hinted of madness.” He thinks as he leaves, “Leave me to peace, damn you . I am naught but a soldier. A soldier.”

Fiddler sits on a boulder having tossed off his helmet. He feels “waves of pain that rose and fell like a storm-tossed sea...The song had burgeoned sudden and fierce in his skull.” Bottle uses sorcery to quest into him then to heal him by creating “a spreading silence. Blissful peace.” He looks up and finally is aware of his squad around him. When Bottle asks if Fiddler can hear him now, Fiddler says yes, but faintly, as if from a distance. Bottle and Fiddler are left alone and Bottle tells Fiddler that spirits are awakening and they came to Fiddler because of “Mortal blood has its own song. They remember it. They came to you Sergeant, eager to add their voices to it. To you.” When Fiddler asks why him Bottle says he doesn’t know, though Fiddler senses that is a lie and then asks, “You think it’s because I’m fated to die here at his battle. Bottle, unable to meet Fiddler’s eyes, says he’s not sure about much or what it has to do with Fiddler. Fiddler tells him “I’m a Bridgeburner, lad. The Bridgeburners were born here. In Raraku’s crucible.” Bottle points out that the Bridgeburners were wiped out and Fiddler says yes, they were. After some silence, Bottle says it won’t be the “usual battle” and Fiddler corrects him that there isn’t such a thing; “There’s nothing usual about killing and dying, about pain and terror.” When Bottle objects that isn’t what he meant, Fiddler says he knows, “But wars these days are fraught with sorcery and munitions, so you come to expect surprises.” The two cattle dogs from the Chain of Dogs pass by and Bottle says, “This place is complicated.” He picks up a rock and says “Eres ‘al. A hand-axe—the basin down there’s littered with them...Took days to make one of these, then they didn’t even use them—they just flung them into the lake...Why make a tool then not use it?” Fiddler asks what he’s talking about and Bottle explains the Eres, according to his grandmother, were “The Dwellers who lived in the time before the Imass, the first makers of tools, the first shapers of their world...I never expected to meet one—it was there, she was there in that song within you...I shared her mind. She was the one who gifted you the silence...I asked and she showed mercy.” When Bottle mentions the song again, Fiddler thinks of Kimloc, that “he did it anyway. He stole my story—not just mine, but the Bridgeburners’—and he made of it a song. The bastard’s gone and given us back to Raraku.” Fiddler thanks Bottle for his help and Bottle says he’ll pass it on to the Eres witch next time he meets her. As Bottle leaves, Fiddler wonders what Bottle hadn’t told him about the Eres witch that made him thinks he’d see her again. He also wonders if this will indeed be his last battle, if he was “being called to join the fallen Bridgeburners. Not so bad, then. Couldn’t ask for more miserable company. Damn, but I miss them. I miss them all. Even Hedge.” He looks over the basin and thinks “You too Kalam Mekhar. I wonder if you know why you’re here.”

In Leoman’s camp, a shaman finishes performing a ritual. Leoman asks what he saw and the shaman says armies and when Leoman says that’s pretty obvious, the shaman says “No. More armies!” Leoman tells Corabb to go to Sha’ik and find out how Mathok’s tribes will be set up. The shaman screams, “They are here! The dogs, Leoman! The dogs! The Wickan dogs!” Leoman thinks him crazy. On the way, Corabb finds Leoman’s previous messenger dead on the trail. As he continues on, he feels two sharp blows against his back nearly knocking him off the horse. He regains his mount and rides on, realizing that what had saved him was that the two crossbow bolts fired at him had struck the lance shaft he was wearing on his back.

Heboric thinks Scillara’s mind is clearing of the durhang. He tells her he wants to find L’oric and wants her to go with them, and then they’ll go to Felisin. He tells her no one is going to command or manipulate her, and she tells him “very well, lead me into the darkness.” He answers, “I shall, as soon as it arrives.”

Sha’ik looks at the Malazan army digging in, then at Dom also watching the Malazans. She thinks now that they’re all in place it all seems so “pointless. The game of murderous tyrants, pushing their armies forward into an inevitable clash. Coldly disregarding of the lives that would be lost in the appeasement of their brutal desires. What value this mindless hunger to rule? What do you want with us, Empress Lassen! Seven Cities will never rest easy beneath your yoke. You shall have to enslave, and what is gained by that? And what of her own goddess? Was she any different from Laseen? Every claw was outstretched, eager to grasp, to rend, to soak the sand red with gore. But Raraku does not belong to you, dear Dryjhna...This desert is holy unto itself. And not it rails...against one and all.” Mathok interrupts her thoughts to point out Tavore across the way. Sha’ik comments on Reloe’s failed attempt to find Tavore’s High Mages or “unsuspected allies” but blocked by the sword, he finds only a few squad mages. Mathok identifies Nil and Nether and when Sha’ik says they were “broken of spirit” by the Chain of Dogs, he wonders if they might not be more capable than thought since Tavore is hiding them in her sword’s shadow. Sha’ik says perhaps it is simply to hide their weakness or to sow doubt. But then Reloe leaves and Sha’ik feels the surprising power of the Wickans’ ritual: “the goddess within her flinched back—as if stung...for Raraku was answering the summons, a multitude of voices, rising in song, rising in raw, implacable desire—the sound, Sha’ik realized, of countless souls straining against the chains that bound them. Chains of shadow. Chains like roots. From this torn, alien fragment of warren. This piece of shadow that has risen to bind their souls and so feeds upon the life force.” She asks Mathok where Leoman is, knowing suddenly that they need him. She spies Dom, “studying the enemy with an air of supreme confidence that made Sha’ik want to scream. Nothing—nothing was as it seemed.” The sun drops down in a “crimson conflagration. The day was drowning in a sea of flame, and she watched shadows flowing across the land, her heart growing cold.”

Exiting his tent, Heboric asks Scillara if she hears what he does. At first she says it’s the wind but then, realizing there is none, listens then says “a song. From far away—the Malazan army, do you think?” He shakes his head no, but says nothing. The streets are empty, due to fear Heboric believes. Scillara wonders where the girls are, Bidithal’s spies. Heboric realizes with them gone, Bidithal is blind. He tells her “There will be events this night. Blood will be spilled. The players are, no doubt, even now drawing into position.” She replies that Bidithal had told her the world would change this night, and Heboric calls him a fool sunk in the Abyss. Scillara tells him Bidithal “dreams of true Darkness...Shadow is but an upstart, a realm born of compromise and filled with imposters. The fragments must be returned to the First Mother.” To which Heboric answers that Bidithal is worse than a fool; he is mad, mad to think he is a force “worthy” to involve himself in “the most ancient of battles.” She warns him that Bidithal had said something was coming that only Bidithal “has any hope of controlling . . for he alone remembers the Dark.” As they turn to head to Bidithal’s temple, two of Dom’s killers appear but are quickly slain by Heboric. Then three crossbow bolts take him down, wounding him badly. He tells her to flee to the stone forest and she does. A trio of killers close in and as Heboric waits for the final blow, there is silence then someone standing over him and someone else standing near his feet. The assassins tell the “wraiths” to leave, but the newcomers answers “Too late for that assassin...Besides, we’ve only just arrived.” One of the assassins tries to banish the wraiths in the name of Hood, but the ghost just laughs and replies “Kneel before Hood do you? Oh yes, I felt the power in your words. Alas, Hood’s out of his depth on this one. Ain’t that right, lass?” The other ghost grunts in agreement. The assassin gives a final warning, saying their “sanctioned” blades will “bleed your souls.” The ghost says that’s assuming the blades will ever touch them, and when the assassin responds there are “but two of you and three of us,” the ghost simply replies “Two?” Heboric hears the sound of a scuffle, then blood spraying on the ground. One of his saviors says they should have kept an assassin alive to send back to “that fly-blown Napan bastard with a promise for the morrow” but the first says it’s better this way to keep the surprise. One ghost wonders if Heboric will live and another says since he’s Treach’s Destriant, probably. They hear Scillara returning and leave, saying to each other that they won’t surprise anyone else until the dawn. Scillara arrives and tells Heboric there were soldiers there that “didn’t look too good.” Heboric says never mind them and has her pull the quarrels out so he can heal, then drag him back to his temple. He blacks out.

Sha’ik stares down on the armor of her predecessor, which includes a full visored helm, overly large with a web of chain over the eye-slits. She puts it on (its magically lightened), all save the gauntlets and helm, then pauses, wondering: “Have I any choice in all this? The goddess remained a towering presence in her mind, rooted through every muscle and fiber, her voice whispering in the flow of blood in her veins and arteries. Ascendant power was in Sha’ik’s grasp, and she knew she would use it when the time came. Or, rather, it would use her. To kill her sister.” L’oric enters her tent wearing white armor. He mentions the more than 300 warriors Mathok has set to guard her palace and when she says Mathok is overly cautious, that the Malazans are far away, he replies that it isn’t the Malazans that Mathok worries about. She answers, “The goddess protects me. I have nothing to fear.” He warns her there will be a convergence this night, that ascendants are gathering, that treachery is “in the air,” that “Raraku is awakening.” She waves it all off, saying, “None of it matters. I cannot be touched. Nor will the goddess be denied...The rage of the goddess consumes all, L’oric. If you can hear the voice of the Holy Desert, then it is Raraku’s death-cry. The Whirlwind shall devour this night. And any ascendant power foolish enough to approach will be annihilated. The goddess, L’oric, will not be denied.” L’oric looks at her, than “seemed to sag beneath is armor. He drew a hand across his eyes, as if seeking to claw some nightmarish vision from his sight.” Before he leaves, a pair of guards drag Corabb in. He tells her he is the third and only surviving messenger from Leoman, that assassins have been behind him the whole way. She calls for Mathok and has L’oric heal Corabb of his exhaustion. Sha’ik then orders Corabb to return, escorted, to Leoman and tell him to come back and assume command. She orders L’oric to inform Dom of this. He leaves, making his warren visible to potential enemies. He passes through the reserve trenches where the Dogslayers are, thinking how they had “made of themselves a separate force. Marked by the butchery of their deeds. By the focus of Malazan outrage. They know that no quarter will be given them...Their lives were in Korbolo Dom’s stained hands. Entirely. They will not sleep this night.” He wonders if they will mutiny if Leoman tries to assume command and thinks maybe Sha’ik waited too long, though he also considers the possibility that she did so on purpose so Dom would be caught by surprise, with no time to counter her move. He tells the guards outside Dom’s tent he’s come from Sha’ik, and the sorceress Henaras comes out to tell him he has to release his warren first. He agrees to, saying he is under her protection. She asks protection from whom and he simply smiles. Inside, Dom sits in a huge chair: “The high headrest was carved in arcane symbols that L’oric recognized—with a shock—as Hengese, from the ancient city of Li Heng in the heart of the Malazan Empire. Dominating the carvings was a stylized rendition of a raptor’s talons, outstretched, that hovered directly over [Dom’s] head. Dom calls L’oric a fool for coming to him, though he adds, “Granted, you might have assumed we were allies.” L’oric begins to say Sha’ik demands Dom’s presence but Dom interrupts, “To relieve me of my command, yes. With the ill-informed belief that my Dogslayers will accept Leoman.” L’oric asks if Dom will betray the Apocalypse and when Dom says “if Sha’ik insists,” L’oric responds it’s the Goddess he needs to worry about, “and I believe her toleration of you is about to end.” Dom, though, says he doubts the goddess will destroy the Dogslayers, her own army. L’oric pauses a moment, then answers “I see now the flaw. You have approached this tactically, as would any soldier. But what you clearly do not understand is that the Whirlwind Goddess is indifferent to tactics, to grand strategies. You rely upon her common sense but she has none. The battle tomorrow? Victory or defeat? The goddess cares neither way. She desires destruction. The Malazans butchered on the field, the Dogslayers slaughtered in their trenches, an enfilade of sorcery to transform the sands of Raraku into a red ruin. This is what the Whirlwind Goddess desires.” Dom scoffs, saying the goddess can’t reach him in this “sanctified place,” but L’oric can see him sweating and calls him a fool, saying the goddess won’t bother with him herself. When Dom asks if L’oric refers to himself, L’oric says he’s not even a messenger, just the “voice of common sense...It is not who she will send against you, Supreme Commander. It is, I believe, who she will allow through her defenses.” Dom gestures and a knife strikes L’oric from behind. Not a killing blow because L’oric never fully released his defenses, his “innermost layers of Kurald Thyrllan,” but he is driven to his knees, “bleeding into the weave.” As he hears Dom shouting orders, he thinks, “Blood is the path, you foolish man. And you have opened it. You poor bastard.”

Greyfrog tells Felisin he has to leave her due to “an invitation from my brother.” To her question about whether L’oric was in trouble, he says “There is darkness this night, yet the Mother’s face is turned away. What comes cannot be chained...My brother can come to no further harm, but my path is made clear. Glee. I shall eat humans this night...The shadows are fraught—no path is entirely clear, even that of blood.” He tells her to stay in the grove until dawn and that a potential ally is coming. Scillara arrives, saying Heboric sent her, adding that assassins tried to kill him and he is healing in his tent/temple.

The Tiste Liosan overlook the oasis. That withdraw so as not to be noticed by Karsa passing by: He was huge...Astride a horse to match. And a thousand ravaged souls trailed him, bound by ethereal chains that he dragged as if indifferent to their weight. A sword of stone hung from his back, and it was possessed by twin spirits raging with bloodthirst.” After he passes, Jorrude tells the others the trespassers are camped in the Malazan army and at dawn the Liosan will strike them. As they head into the hills, Jorrude checks to make sure Karsa hadn’t seen them hiding, thinking “Hiding. Yes, that is the truth of it, ignoble as the truth often proves to be.” He thanks Osric Karsa hadn’t seen them.

Karsa watches the Liosan ride away, thinking “there were enemies aplenty awaiting him in the oasis, and no night lasted forever. Alas. Back to top

Chapter Twenty-Five

Febryl sits on the ridge, his warren spread out across the whole oasis, expanding and enhancing his senses. He feels powers converging, Dom’s assassins heading out on their assigned tasks, Reloe returning from his journey, the Malazans digging in. He’s bothered however, by a “strange song…the voice of Raraku itself”; the sensation that Hood himself is near, masking “other presences”; and the stirring of sprites and ghosts. He looks forward to “yet another apocalypse on Raraku’s restless sands.”

L’oric’s body has been dragged to the side of the command tent and left for dead. He hears Dom give his several orders

• Henaras is to release his assassins to kill all of Bidithal’s spies and Scillara
• Durly is to ride to Tavore and deliver Dom’s message and to impress on her the need to call back her own killers, “lest they do the Whirlwind Goddess’s work for her.”
• The 4th company and Fayelle are to block Leoman’s return
• Ethume is to be within crossbow range of Febryl

Henaras says she feels “terrible powers” nearing, to which Dom replies that’s why they need Tavore and her sword. He asks if they’re safe in the tent and Henaras says she thinks so due to the wards set up by her, Fayelle, and Reloe. L’oric is distracted by the sound of one of Dom’s guards outside being killed, then Greyfrog slices through the bottom of the tent wall nearby. He grabs L’oric and pulls him out, telling him “things are coming. Suitably ominous. Frankly, I admit to fear and advise we hide.” L’oric agrees and tells Greyfrog to leave him somewhere safe then return to guard Felisin from assassins.

Kesanal, one of Dom’s assassins, is looking at Scillara and Felisin. He signals to his hunting group to encircle the women, then beings and incantation to dull the intended victims. He and his squad step forward once the incantation works and then are killed suddenly by Karsa. Kesanal finds himself next looking at Hood’s Gate, heading toward it with his four kinsmen/associates.

As Felisin and Scillara struggle to recover, Karsa asks where Bidithal and a list of others (Leoman, Febryl, Dom, Reloe, Heboric) are. Felisin, still dulled and also shocked and horrified by the ease and speed with which Karsa had killed the five assassins, can’t even speak. Scillara tells Karsa to find them where he can. Karsa leaves. Felisin whispers he’s going to kill all he named saved Leoman.

Mathok looks down at two corpses—the most recent assassins sent to kill him. He orders T’morol to gather the clan, goes to get the Book of Dryjhna that Sha’ik had entrusted to him, then rejoins T’morol and the clan and tells them they are riding to Leoman. The rest of the clans are to guard Sha’ik. T’morol asks if they will wait and watch what happens at dawn to “gauge the wind.” Mathok says yes.

Heboric feels Febryl’s web torn by the several forces moving through it. He senses ghosts in the city and gods coming near to “witness all that was to come. Witness, or to seize the moment and act directly. A nudge here, a tug there, if only to appease their egos, if only to see what happens.” He thinks how “these were the games he despised, source of his fiercest defiance all those years ago. The shape of his crime, if crime it was. And so they took my hands.” He realizes he is “indifferent to Treach, [is] a reluctant Destriant to the new god of war despite the gifts [of his new hands]…Otataral Island and the giant of jade—that is what awaits me. The returning of power. Even as those last words tracked across his mind, he knew that a deceit rode among them. A secret he knew but to which he would fashion no shape. Not yet.” He exits his tent.

Kalam tucks the acorn he’d been tossed into his sash and heads out, feeling the song inside him, as well as the awakening of powers in the oasis before him. He enters the oasis and comes across a hand of assassins, wondering who in the camps would organize them in such fashion. He tracks them and notes how they move slightly differently than a Claw Hand. Realizing they are Talons, he wonders if this is what Cotillion wanted him to confirm. He kills them all, whispering in the last’s ear “If your masters are listening, and they should be, compliments of the Claw. See you soon.” He assumes their target is inside the building they’d been heading toward. He moves toward it, coming across the corpses of three young girls and two blood trails leading away toward the temple. He tracks the trails into the temple, sensing as he nears it that despite its age and ruined appearance, it has been newly sanctified. Inside he comes across another corpse, this one killed by magic, and he sees shadows farther in. He pulls out his otataral knife. Inside a young girl sits surrounded by three other corpses; she asks him if he remembers the dark. Kalam tells her not to move and she’ll live. Bidithal, at the far end of the inner pit, tells him her mind is gone. He adds that he is not Kalam’s enemy and in fact, the one trying to kill Bidithal is Dom and Reloe. He asks if Kalam (whom Bidithal knows only as a Claw) wants directions to their tent. When Kalam says he’ll find it himself, soon, Bidithal warns him that his otataral blade is not enough inside this temple, saying that though Kalam may think he knows the temple’s nature, he is “in error.” He orders Silgar to give Kalam some wine. Silgar squirms across the floor; he has a silver tray strapped to his back with a jug on it. Bidithal apologizes for Silgar’s slowness, then introduces himself as “arch-priest of all that is sundered, broken, wounded, and suffering. My own awakening proved both long and torturous…had fashioned in my own mind every detail of the cult I would lead. All the while unaware that the shaping was being guided…even when the fated new House was laid out before me, I did not realize the truth. This shattered fragment of Kurald Emurlahn, Claw, shall not be the plaything of a desert goddess. Nor of the Empress. None of you shall have it, for it shall become the heart of the new House of Chains. Tell your empress to stand aside. We are indifferent to who would rule the land beyond the Holy Desert. She can have it. You can have her [Sha’ik] as well. Marched back to Unta in chains—and that is far more poetic than you will ever know.” Kalam tells Bidithal the offer is interesting, but he feels it’s filled with more lies than truth. Bidithal says perhaps Kalam is right, as Bidithal needs Sha’ik for another day. But he insists he would work with Kalam to deal with Febryl and Dom, telling him Dom calls himself Master of the Talon and plans on “returning to Laseen’s embrace…[using] Sha’ik to bargain for his own position. As for Febryl…what he awaits no one but he is mad enough to desire.” Kalam wonders why all the talk as Bidithal has no plans to let him leave alive. He adds that the Hounds of Darkness are coming and asks of Bidithal summoned them, if he or the Crippled God think to control them and if so, he calls them mad. Bidithal says the Hounds “seek a master.” Kalam thinks to himself “Cotillion was right about the Chained One,” and out loud replies “One who is worthy…meaner and tougher than they are. And in this oasis, they will find no such individual…They will kill everyone.” Bidithal tells Kalam he has no idea of Bidithal’s power, but says Kalam was right about not leaving alive; Bidithal’s just been waiting for his shadow servant to return. He says he will now leave for he “made a promise to Sha’ik and I mean to keep it,” adding that if by some miracle Kalam survives, Bidithal won’t stop him from going after Dom and the others. Bidithal disappears in darkness and Kalam has a momentary shiver at the “uncanny familiarity of the sorcerous departure” before the shadows attack. It turns out his otataral blade was enough, with the assistance of Cotillion.

Karsa has killed numerous of Dom’s killers, though some had knives invested with sorcery. He enters Heboric’s tent but finds it empty, as is Leoman’s pit. He goes to Bidithal’s and hears fighting inside. As he watches, Silgar crawls out, right to Karsa’s feet. Silgar says “He fights like a demon…Both blades cut through the wraiths…A god stands at his shoulders.” He tells Karsa to kill them both and when Karsa says he takes no orders from him, Silgar calls him a fool and says, “We are brothers in the House now, you and I. You are the Knight of Chains and I am the Leper. The Crippled God has chose us. And Bidithal, he has become the Magi…he wisely fled and I am doing. The Claw and his patron god are even now slaying the last of his shadow servants. You are the Knight—you possess your own patron. . . Kill the enemy, it is what you must do.” Karsa agrees, and kills Silgar, thinking as he sees it done that “Leoman was right long ago—a quick death would have been the better choice.” He lifts his sword free of Silgar’s corpse and says, “I follow no patron god.” He starts to track Bidithal.

Corabb heads back to Leoman’s camp with an escort of 20 of Mathok’s warriors. To Corabb’s surprise, the escort is stopped at the perimeter; Leoman has ordered none from the oasis is allowed in. Corabb tells Leoman Sha’ik wants him to replace Dom as commander. Corabb confirms that Dom’s assassins are between them and her but says they won’t challenge the entire force. When he says Dom didn’t know yet but that Sha’ik had demanded his presence, Leoman says Dom will simply ignore her, and that in fact Dom probably does know. He asks if Corabb thinks the Dogslayers will follow someone other than Dom and Corabb says they’ll have no choice since it is Sha’ik’s order. Leoman nods then orders his men to break camp, saying they ride to Sha’ik.

Kalam exits the temple, shaken by what he’d witnessed of Cotillion’s skills. He thinks he had done with Cotillion had asked of him: “he had found the source of the threat to the realm of Shadow. Or at least confirmed a host of suspicions. This fragment of Kurald Emurlahn will be the path to usurpation by none other than the Crippled God. The House of Chains had come into play.” He thinks that’s Cotillion and Shadowthrone’s problem though; he had “more immediate tasks.” Considering them, he is glad Cotillion had “been kind enough to deliver a pair of Kalam’s favorite weapons.” He sees Silgar’s corpse and thinks it looks like the wound had been delivered by an Imass sword. He heads for where he thinks Dom would be set up, moving through “heavy layers of sorcery…seeming to flow in streams.” He reaches Dom’s fortified area and watches as a troop heads out quietly. He wonders at their purpose, but is happy to have fewer soldiers in the encampment, though he’s sure Dom has left himself still well-protected: “He calls himself master of the Talon after all. Not that Cotillion, who was Dancer, knows a damned thing about them. Sparing the revelation only a sneer. Kalam sneaks into the camp and makes his way to just outside the command tent. He pulls out a pair of Claw crossbows then watches as Reloe appears out of a portal and enters the tent with three assassins. Suddenly, a hand settles on Kalam’s soldier and someone tells him to keep eyes forward. Kalam “knew that voice, from more years back than he’d like to think. But that bastard’s dead. Dead before Surly took the throne.” As he pictures the “acid-spattered face,” the voice continues: “Granted…no love’s lost between me and the company I’m sharing again. Figured I’d seen the last of ever damn one of them and you…Need a way in there, right? Best we mount a diversion. Give us fifty heartbeats. At least you can count those.” The ghost leaves and Kalam wonders what is happening, “That damned captain went renegade. They found his body in Malaz City the morning after the assassinations or something closely approximating his body.” As he looks at the tent, he hears screams and Moranth munitions, then the guards head away, leaving two visible ones. He kills them then enters the tent to face a Pardu assassin who, seeing him, says “Kalam Mekhar. I suppose you don’t remember me.” Kalam kills him then says “No I don’t.” Reloe and the other two assassins appear. Reloe says they’d expected a Claw attack, though not, he confesses, a ghost one as well. Reloe can’t use magic due to Kalam’s otataral blade. One of the assassins says Kalam would probably take them singly but not together. Kalam says he’s right, then tosses his acorn to the ground. The three flinch as it rolls toward them, then when nothing happens one of the assassins kicks it away. Kalam kills the assassins with his crossbows. Reloe suddenly shrieks and is fatally attacked by sorcery. Quick Ben steps out from where the acorn had rolled to and, kneeling beside the dying Reloe, tells him “It’s disloyalty that bothers us the most…We always answer it. Always have. Always will.” Kalam notices that Quick looks “older. Worn down. Scars not written on his skin, but on his heart. He will, I suspect, have nothing good to tell me when all this is done.” He asks if Quick had caused the diversion and the mage says no, “Nor did Hood, though the hoary bastard’s arrived. This is all Raraku.” He says he’ll explain later, then standing, warns Kalam that Henaras is with Dom in the back area, behind some tough wards. Kalam says that’s fine, drawing his otataral blade. But when they enter, they find Henaras’ corpse laid out on the map table; atop her chest was a single pearl. The continue on to find Dom in his chair. His voice filled with fear, he tells them he has already sent a message to Tavore saying he’s ready to attack Sha’ik with his army. Kalam says if Dom thinks he and Quick Ben are Tavore’s reply, he’s wrong. Dom says he and Reloe had thought the mage was either dead with the rest of the Bridgeburners or still on Genabackis. Quick answers that Tayschrenn sent him ahead while he used his sorcery to speed Dujeck’s fleet to Seven Cities, adding they’d arrived in Ehrlitan a week ago. Dom says, “What’s left of those legions, you mean.” Kalam is blindsided, thinking “The Bridgeburners dead? Whiskeyjack! Onearm’s Host—gods below, what happened over there?” Dom starts to negotiate, saying they can work together to pacify Seven Cities and bring Sha’ik in chains to Laseen. Quick interrupts to say if Dom thinks he’ll get a pardon he’s insane and when Dom suddenly attacks him, Kalam simply knocks him out. As he starts to tie him up in preparation for bringing him someplace Quick has thought of, he asks about the Bridgeburners and Whiskeyjack. Quick tells him “Dead. Barring Picker and a handful of others,” adding he’ll tell him all of it later. Kalam says he feels like killing, but Quick says not Dom, not now. Kalam thinks, “Hold back on the feelings Kalam Mekhar. Hold back on everything. Quick’s right. In time. In time. Oh, Whiskeyjack.”

Bidithal moves toward Sha’ik’s palace, thinking he needs her and the goddess and that “Once the goddess’ rage has cooled, has annealed in to beauty by victory—we can still achieve this. But I know now what Febryl has done. I know what Korbolo Dom and Kamist Reloe plan for the dawn.” He hears screams from the Dogslayer’s camp and thinks Kalam has made it there. He sights the palace and considers what he needs to do: “Counter the Napan’s gambit—awaken the goddess to the threat awaiting her. Then hunt down that gnarled bhok’aral Febryl and see his skin stripped… even the goddess, yes even the goddess will have to recognize me. My power. When flanked by my new pets.” His musings are rudely interrupted by Karsa picking him up and throwing him to the ground. He looks up to see Karsa standing over him, surrounded by “gathering ghosts, chained souls.” Karsa tells him, “You should have left her alone.” Bidithal screams “We are both servants of the same god…I would save Sha’ik!” Karsa tears away Bidithal’s sex organs and as Bidithal dies, he looks up to see Karsa watching and thinks “You fool, Toblakai.” Karsa shoves the organs into Bidithal’s mouth, saying “For you Bidithal. For every nameless girl-child you destroyed. Here. Choke on your pleasure.” Bidithal then finds himself before Hood’s Gate, “And there, gathered by the Lord of Death, waited demons who were of like nature to Bidithal himself, gleefully closing about the new victim. A lifetime of vicious pleasure. An eternity of pain in answer. For even Hood understood the necessity for balance.”

Lostara begins to head out, but Cotillion appears and tells her to stay. She tells him she woke Pearl as he’d said to do and he then went into the oasis. Cotillion replies Pearl is returning because he senses what is nearing. She asks if it’s what is making Cotillion hide with her and he answers “There are times when it is advisable to step back and wait. The Holy Desert itself senses the approach of an ancient foe and will rise in answer if need be. Even more precarious, the fragment of Kurald Emurlahn that the Whirlwind Goddess would claim is manifesting itself. The goddess is fashioning a portal, a gate, one massive enough to swallow this entire oasis. Thus she too makes a play for Raraku’s immortal heart. The irony is that she herself is being manipulated by a far cleverer god, who would take this fragment for himself and call it his House of Chains.” Lostara says she doesn’t much care; she and Pearl are there for Felisin. Cotillion tells her they’ve found her, but she is beyond them “For the moment.” She says they’ll just wait for the path to clear and he says, yes, just as he’d said. He leaves.

Febryl had killed all of Dom’s assassins that tried to kill him. He senses Dom and Reloe are dead. He waits for the “oasis behind him to become as a nightmare wakened into horrid reality…everything was proceeding perfectly.” Karsa suddenly appears and kills him.

Karsa can feel Urugal’s voice screaming in his head, trying to push him away from the oasis, but he doesn’t like being pushed. He turns to face the oasis and can feel “a thousand ghostly chains stretched taut behind him begin pulling. The Teblor growled under his breath and leaned forward. I am the master of these chains. I, Karsa Orlong, yield to none. Not gods, not the souls I have slain. I will walk forward now, and either resistance shall end, or the chains will be snapped.” He hears a pair of howls and thinks, “Ahh, they have arrived.” He moves forward, the chains no longer resisting.

Gamet lies in agony on his cot, his head in incredible pain. He blacks out, then finds himself armored, pain-free near the tent exit. He feels he needs to go out, to get his horse. He mounts and rides out, joining three figures at the ridge: Nil, Nether, Grub. Grub tells him the Wickans and Malazans will take the flanks, but Gamet will ride straight up the main ramp. Gamet sees an army preparing to do so and when Grub tells him to ride to them, he salutes and does so. A dragon-helmed rider asks Gamet to join them and when Gamet says he cannot—as Fist is must command—the rider replies “Not this night. Fight at our sides as the soldier you are. Remember the old battles? When all that was required was the guarding of the companions flanking you. Such will be this night. Leave the commanding to the lords. Ride with us in freedom. And glory. Gamet feels his blood racing and draws his sword, saying he will ride with them. He notes the banner—a clan of the Burned Tears—then notes their “archaic and half-rotting” armor. They attack the unprepared Dogslayers and Gamet hears “Screams on all sides, strangely muted, almost faint. Sounds of battle, yet they seemed a league distant.” As they rout the Dogslayers, butterflies descend “in swarms, to flit above the carnage in the trenches.” He notices how the Dogslayers offer almost no defense, sees their horror, “the terror in their faces as he and his comrades delivered death. He could hear the battle song now, rising and falling like waves on a pebbled shore, yet building towards a climax yet to come—yet to come, but soon. Soon. Yes, we’ve needed a song. We’ve waited a long time for such a song. To honor our deeds. Our struggles. Our lives and our deaths. We’ve needed our own voice, so that our spirits could march, march ever onward. To battle. To war. Manning these walls of crumbled brick and sand. Defending the bone-dry harbors and the dead cities that once blazed with ancient dreams, that once flickered life’s reflection on the warm, shallow sea. Even memories need to be defended. Even memories.” The rider who had asked him to join rides up beside him and reveals herself to be a “dark-skinned woman, her eyes a stunning blue within a web of desert lines.” When he says there are still more enemies, she laughs and says not the tribes for they are kin. She says their battle is done; others will fight tomorrow. Now they ride to the shore and she again asks if he will join them. He says yes and she inquires again, asking if he would leave his friends. He answers, “For you, yes” and she smiles. He looks at all the dead Dogslayers and thinks “Vengeance. She will be pleased. She will understand and be pleased. As am I. Goodbye, Adjunct Tavore.”

Koryk asks Fiddler [note the shift to calling him Fiddler] what he’s looking at and Fiddler, wiping his eyes, says “Nothing, or nothing that makes sense.” Koryk says they aren’t going to see battle in the morning, are they and Fiddler tells him “The glory of battle, Koryk, dwells only in the bard’s voice, in the teller’s woven words. Glory begins to ghosts and poets. What you hear and dream isn’t the same as what you live—blur the distinction at your own peril, lad.” When Koryk asks why Fiddler is there then, Fiddler says he thinks the song called him, and that while Quick Ben probably knows more about it, Fiddler thinks the song means the Bridgeburners have ascended, “at least, the dead ones. The rest of us, we’re just malingering. Here in the moral realm.” Koryk asks if Fiddler’s planning on dying anytime soon and when Fiddler answers no, he says good, “Because we like our sergeant.” He leaves and Fiddler turns his attention back to the battle, feeling “as if friends are fighting. I can almost hear sounds of battle. Almost.” Then two howls pierce the night and “the darkness above the oasis began to change.”

Mathok and Leoman meet. Mathok tells him “Raraku has awakened. Ghosts have risen, the Holy Desert’s own memories. When Leoman asks who are their enemies, Mathok replies “Betrayal upon betrayal, Leoman.” He says he’s set his clans between the Malazans and Sha’ik, but he fears the battle is already lost. When he adds he’s brought the Holy Book, Leoman asks “To Y’Ghatan?” Mathok says yes; his tribe will go with him and he’ll leave behind nine thousand others for Leoman to command. Leoman says no, he has no choice or time to modify the tactics. He asks about Sha’ik and Mathok says the goddess still holds her, even Dom’s assassins can’t get to her. Leoman though believes Dom would have anticipated that and planned something else. He tells Mathok he rides to Sha’ik. Mathok’s says the Holy Book was a history, not a prophecy. Leoman says he knows, and the two say farewell. As Leoman’s group heads through the defile, they are attacked. Leoman jumps on Corabb’s horse and the two ride on.

Quick Ben and Kalam dodge a group of heavy infantry ghosts. Kalam asks if they’re the ones singing and Quick says he hears the song in his head as well. He explains it’s a Tanno Spiritwalker song for the Bridgeburners: A Tanno stole our tale and fashioned a song—but for that song to have any effect, the Bridgeburners had to die. As a company. And now it has. Barring you and me.” Kalam interrupts to say Fiddler too, then recalls Fiddler saying something about a Spiritwalker in Ehrlitan. Quick says however it happened, the Bridgeburners have ascended, though he doesn’t know what that means—”I’ve never heard of such a thing before. A whole company—there’s no precedent for this.” Kalam asks what about the T’lan Imass, and Quick says, “An interesting thought…In any case, Raraku’s ghosts have risen on that song. Risen to battle. But there’s more. I swear I saw a Wickan standard back near the Dogslayer trenches.” Kalam wonders if Tavore’s taking advantage of the chaos, but Quick says she knows nothing of it due to her sword and the darkness hiding everything: “the darkness is sorcery. Remember whenever Anomander Rake arrived someplace with is warren unveiled…This is more primal.” Kalam mentions the Hounds,” like the Shadow Hounds, only somehow worse.” Quick thinks then says “Two Hounds of Darkness. The Deragoth then. So who broke their chains I wonder.” Kalam wonders what there is that Quick doesn’t know and the mage says he doesn’t know what they Hounds are doing here. Kalam takes that “here” as general, but Quick means it in the literal sense.

The Hounds are as large, but stockier, than a horse, a mix somewhat of a hyena and plains bear. “They had come to destroy. To tear life from all flesh, to mock all claims of mastery… this was a new world for them. New, yet once it had been old. Changes had come. A world of vast silences where once kin and foe alike had opened throats in fierce challenge. Nothing was as it had been, and the Deragoth were made uneasy. They had come to destroy. But now hesitated. With eyes fixed on the one who had arrived, who now stood before them. Karsa steps forward and tells them that though the Chained God has reconsidered his “ambition…dream of mastery,” Karsa would face them. The Hounds separate and Karsa says, “You would let me pass?…Do you remember the Toblakai, beasts? But they had been gentled. By civilization. By the soft trappings of foolish peace. So weakened they could not stand before T’lan Imass, could not stand before Forkrul Assail and Jaghut. And now they cannot stand before Nathii slavers. An awakening was needed.” He moves between them and they attack as he expected them to. He badly wounds one and the other wraps his jaws around his leg. Karsa lifts it up and throws it down, then wraps his hands around its throat even as it rips at his arms. He kills it, then heads off after the one he had wounded.

Kalam and Quick step out from hiding and stare after Karsa leaving. They look at the Hound’s corpse, then Kalam suggests they drop of Dom and get out of there. Quick says it’s a brilliant plan. They leave, ignoring the “shadows pouring out of the burgeoning shattered warren of Kurald Emurlahn.”

Greyfrog meets Heboric and tells him he was sent by L’oric. He leads Heboric to him. L’oric has a Deck out and informs Heboric a Master has sanctioned the House of Chains. Heboric is surprised at first, then says “Let the gods rail, he or she had to do just that.” L’oric agrees, saying “The Crippled God is now as bound as is every other god.” Heboric wonders if he’ll regret this at some point. L’oric continues, saying the Crippled God is planning on taking the fragment of Kurald Emurlahn, though that has been made more difficult by Karsa’s killing of Bidithal, adding Karsa is the Knight in the House of Chains.” Heboric, not pleased about Karsa’s return, says his role is “unfortunate for the Crippled God. Toblakai will kneel to no one. He cannot afford to. He will defy all prediction.” L’oric interrupts to tell him Karsa has already done so, “to the possible ruination of us all. Still, at the same time, I have come to suspect he is our only hope…Two Hounds of Darkness arrived…and now I believe but one Deragoth remains [and]. .. . Toblakai even now pursues it.” Heboric asks what or who brought them there and who has Karsa just thwarted, but L’oric says he does not know and perhaps has yet to be decided. He asks Heboric to take Felisin away, saying Greyfrog will go with them though he himself will go to Sha’ik, “That mortal child is soon to be no more. The goddess is about to devour her soul even as we speak—and once that is done there shall be no return. The young Malazan girl you once knew will have ceased to exist. Thus, when I go to Sha’ik, I go not to that child, but to the goddess…I must speak to the goddess before she takes Sha’ik’s soul.” Heboric doesn’t answer, trying to figure out what L’oric wants from an insane goddess. L’oric tells him “There are two Felisins…Save the one you can.” When Heboric says someday he’ll find out who L’oric really is, L’oric responds: “I am a son who lives without hope of ever matching my father’s stride. That alone, in time, will explain all you need know of me.”

Karsa catches up to the Hound and they face off. Suddenly, Corabb’s horse bursts out and collides with the hound, throwing Corabb and Leoman to the ground and stunning the Hound. Karsa wounds it, then Leoman joins him in killing it. Karsa says he didn’t need Leoman’s help, but Leoman says he needs Karsa’s.

Pearl heads out of the oasis as “Kurald Emurlahn was opening like death’s own flower, with the oasis at its dark heart. He reaches where he’d left Lostara and is struck down by surprise by Kalam, who says, “That was for Malaz City. Even so, you owe me one.” Pearl says Kalam owes him for Henaras. Kalam replies she wasn’t worth counting, then drops Dom next to Pearl. Pearl agrees he owes Kalam, then listens as two sets of footsteps head off. He thinks, “The wizard was in no mood to talk, I suppose. To me, that is. I believe I ma sorely humbled.” He smiles and dawn arrives. Back to top

Chapter Twenty-Six

Sha’ik considers the Whirlwind Goddess and her own past. Since she first had let the goddess in, she has at times “caught a glimpse of that girl. As she once had been...Round-cheeked and flushed, a wide smile and bright eyes. A child with a brother who adored her, who would toss her about on one knee as if he was a bucking horse, and her squeals of fear and delight would fill the chamber.” Her mother had the gift of visions and younger Felisin had hoped she would share that gift, and now she has them from the goddess: “this spiteful, horrific creature whose soul was more parched and withered than any desert...[the visions] were the conjurings of fear. A goddess’s fear.” While she recognizes the goddess’s power, Sha’ik labels it “bitter with age, bilious with malice...[bearing] the sour taste of betrayal. A heart-piercing, very personal betrayal. Something that should have healed, that should have numbed...Spiteful pleasure had kept the wound open, had fed its festering heat, until hate was all that was left. Hate for someone.” Looking at it reasonably, Sha’ik can see this hate is insane, is out of all proportion to the crime against the goddess—”the proportions had begun wrong”—which makes her think the goddess pre-ascendancy was already deeply and darkly flawed, already perhaps insane or on the road toward insanity: “Step by step we walk the most horrendous paths. Stride tottering along the edge of an unsuspected abyss. Companions see nothing amiss. The world seems a normal place. Step by step, no different from everyone else—not from the outside. Not even from the inside. Apart from that tautness, that whisper of panic. The vague confusion that threatens your balance.” Felisin/Sha’ik sees this because “she had walked that same path. Hatred, sweet as nectar. I have walked into the abyss. I am as mad as the goddess. And this is why she chose me, for we are kindred souls...Why do I persist in my belief that I can save myself? That I can return, find once more the place where madness cannot be found, where confusion does not exist. The place of childhood.” Armored in her tent, she can feel the goddess reaching to embrace her—”not a mother’s embrace, no, nothing like that at all. This one would suffocate her entirely, would drown out all light, every glimmer of self-awareness. Her ego is armored in hatred...Her walk is a shamble, cramped and stiff, a song of rusty fittings and creaking straps...Felisin Paran, hold this mirror up at your peril.” As dawn begins, she reaches for her helm.

L’oric is surprised at the lack of movement in the Dogslayer trenches. As he moves toward Sha’ik’s forward position, he wonders at his sense that last night somehow Darkness had been defeated. He feels too that this fragment of Kurald Emurlahn is waking and the goddess is readying herself to claim it, “to fashion a throne. To devour Raraku.” He notes the ghosts of soldiers still in the shadows and can hear them singing, the Tanno song changed now to one more “pensive, mournful.” He wonders why the ghost soldiers are there, whom they will fight for. He knows the Tanno song belongs to the Bridgeburners, but senses “the Holy Desert itself had claimed it...And every soul that had fallen in battle in the desert’s immense history was now gathered in this place.” As he nears Sha’ik’s hill, he sees Mathok’s soldiers but, worryingly, neither Mathok himself nor his personal tribe. Leoman and Karsa appear behind him, Karsa badly wounded, “his hands a crimson ruin. One leg had been chewed by vicious, oversized jaws.” Behind their horses they drag the heads of the two Deragoth Karsa killed. When he sees Karsa’s stone sword, L’oric thinks, “He is indeed the one, then. I think the Crippled God has made a terrible mistake.” Karsa tells them he killed Febryl and Bidithal, but couldn’t find Dom or Heboric to kill them as well. Though, he adds, he did find the corpses of Reloe and Henaras. Leoman and Karsa tell L’oric the Dogslayers have all been slaughtered by the ghosts of Raraku and Leoman says they can still win with the desert warriors; they just have to convince Sha’ik to leave so they can regroup. L’oric tells him the goddess is almost there and so it’s too late—”Moments from being too late for everything.” The step over the ridge and see Sha’ik. Leoman realizes “I’m not in time. Oh, gods below” and then he opens his warren, jumps toward Sha’ik, and disappears.

The goddess savors her memories, her anger and hate having carved them “as mockingly solid and real-seeming” as the petrified trees. “The hate was all that mattered now. Her fury at his [her betrayer’s] weaknesses. Oh, others in the tribe played those games often enough...she herself had more than once spread her legs to another woman’s husband...But her heart had been given to the one man with whom she lived. That law was sacrosanct. Oh, but he’d been so sensitive. His hands following his eyes in the fashioning of forbidden images of that other woman, there in the hidden places. He’d used those hands to close about his own heart, to give it to another—without a thought as to who had once held it for herself. Another, who would not even give her heart in return—she had seen to that, with...accusations. Enough to encourage the others to banish her forever. But not before the bitch killed all but one of her kin...Her rage had not died with the Ritual, had not died when she herself—too shattered to walk—had been severed from the Vow and left in a place of eternal darkness.” Local spirits had “drawn close in sympathy” and she’d fed on them, taken their powers. “She had a purpose. The children swarmed the surface of the world. And who was their mother? None other than the bitch who had been banished. And their father? Oh yes, she went to him. On that last night. She did. He reeked of her when they dragged him into the light...Vengeance was a beast long straining at its chains. Vengeance was all she had ever wanted. Vengeance was about to be unleashed...The children will die. I will cleanse the world of their beget, the proud-eyed vermin born, one and all, of that single mother. Of course she could not join the ritual. A new world waited within her. And now at last, I shall rise again. Clothed in the flesh of one such child, I shall kill that world.” She sees a tunnel opening and looks forward to feeling again, to breathing, to killing.

Sha’ik moves down the hill. She hears shouts behind her and recognizes the voices of Karsa and Leoman. She knows they’d take her place, “But they cannot. This fight belongs to me. And the goddess.”

Keneb enters Tavore’s tent as she armors herself and he tells her Gamet has died from a clot in his brain. She has to steady herself on the table, then begins to order him to get T’amber when a messenger rushes in to say Sha’ik has walked into the basin and offered a challenge to Tavore. She thinks for a moment, belays her order about T’amber, then dismisses them. Outside, the messenger asks Keneb if he thinks Tavore will fight Sha’ik. He says yes, but there will be a battle anyway. Keneb goes to T’amber’s tent and calls her. She steps out, armored and weaponed, and he tells her that Tavore has just been informed of Gamet’s death and of a personal challenge from Sha’ik. He says Tavore might want help with her armor. But T’amber replies, “Not this morning, Captain. I understand your motives. But no.” Keneb thinks, surprised, “I do not understand women,” then turns to see Tavore exit her tent, fully armored and wearing a helm with no visor to cover her eyes. He follows her.

L’oric forces himself through a blackwood forest filled with shadow wraiths; he is seeking the goddess. He sees fire and runs toward it, sees it is her, the flames confirming his suspicion: “An Imass, trailing the chains of Telann, the Ritual shattered—oh, she has no place her, no place at all. Chthonic spirits swarmed her burning body, the accretions of power she had gathered unto herself over hundreds of thousands of years. Hatred and spite had twisted them all into malign, vicious creatures. Marsh water and mold had blackened the limbs of the Imass. Moss covered the torso . . .Ropes of snarled gray hair hung down...From her scorched eye sockets, living flames licked out...The goddess was keening. As he nears, L’oric sees she is stuck in a web of vines, wrapped around her arms and legs and body: “they were flickering, one moment there, the other gone—although no less an impediment for their rhythmic disappearance—and they were changing. Into chains. L’oric yells to her that Sha’ik isn’t strong enough for the goddess but she answers “My child! Mine! I stole her from the bitch! Mine!” L’oric has no idea what she is talking about, but he offers himself in Sha’ik’s place. Before she can respond, he is stabbed from behind, a killing blow had he been human. The assassin is about to cut his throat when another says there’s no time, warning that the goddess is breaking the chains. L’oric drops to the ground and sees the assassins, with sorcery-invested knives, kill the goddess: “a prolonged, brutal butchering. Korbolo’s Talons...waiting in ambush, guided here by Febryl.” He watches the goddess kill three of the four assassins, but “more chains ensnared the goddess, dragging her down, and L’oric could see the fires dying in her eye sockets, could see spirits writhe away, suddenly freed and eager to flee. And the last killer darted in, hammering down with his knife. Through the top of the skull...both skull and blade shattered...Chains snaked over the fallen body of the goddess, nothing visible was left of her, the black iron links heaped and glistening.” The wind dies and all goes silent. L’oric thinks “They all wanted the shattered warren. This fraught prize. But Toblakai killed Febryl. He killed the two Deragoth. He killed Bidithal. And as for Korbolo Dom—something tells me the Empress will soon speak to him in person. The poor bastard.” He realizes he is dying, but then Osric appears and tells him this is what he gets for sending his familiar away again. He adds L’oric’s room hasn’t changed since L’oric left the keep (which Osric hasn’t seen in centuries). L’oric wonders if the keep is still standing and Osric says, “It still stands, son. I always keep my options open.” He gathers L’oric in his arms to bring him to his old room to heal him. L’oric is surprised, at his age, how much at peace he feels “in his father’s arms.” At least, until his father says “Now how in Hood’s name do we get out of here?

Sha’ik stumbles, feeling the goddess’ departure. She sees Tavore descending the hill toward her and around them, ringing the ridge and the islands of coral, the armies watching. She feels herself again: “She is gone. I have been abandoned. I was Sha’ik, once. No, I am Felisin once more. And here, walking towards me, is the one who betrayed me. My sister. She remembered watching Tavore and Ganoes playing with wooden swords...Had the world beyond not changed—had all stood still, the way children loved to believe it would—she would have had her turn. The clack of wood, Ganoes laughing and gently instructing her—there was joy and comfort to her brother...but she’d never had the chance for that. No chance, in fact, for much of anything that could now return to her, memories warm and trusting and reassuring. Instead, Tavore had dismembered their family. And for Felisin, the horrors of slavery and the mines. But blood is the chain that can never break [She sees Tavore draw her sword] And though we leave the house of our birth, it never leaves us [she is surprised to find her own sword drawn] No catching up. No falling back. How could there be? We are ever the same years apart. The chain never draws taut. Never slackens. Its length is prescribed. But its weight, oh, its weight ever varies. [she feels light, “perfect”]. But for me, the blood is heavy. So heavy. And Felisin struggled against it—that sudden overwhelming weight. Struggled to raise her arms—unthinking of how that motion would be received. Tavore, it’s all right.” Then her sword is knocked out of her hand and “something punched into her chest, a stunning blossom of cold fire piercing through flesh, bone...Felisin looked down to see that rust-hued bald impaling her.” She falls back and looks up to see Tavore standing over her, “a figure standing behind a web of black, twisted iron wire that now rested cool over her eyes, tickling her lashes. A figure who now stepped closer. To set one bot down hard on her chest—a weight that, now that it had arrived, seemed eternal.” Tavore pulls the sword free: “Blood. Of course. This is how you break the unbreakable chain. By dying. I just wanted to know Tavore, why you did it. And why you did not love me, when I loved you. I—I think that’s what I wanted to know. The boot lifted from her chest. But she could still feel its weight. Heavy. So very heavy. Oh, Mother, look at us now.”

Karsa catches Leoman as he nearly drops to the ground in response to seeing Sha’ik killed. He tells Karsa “she did not know how to fight,” and Karsa agrees. He wonders why the Malazan army isn’t cheering and Leoman guesses, “They probably hate the bitch.” Leoman plans on riding to Y’Ghatan but Karsa says he won’t join them. The two make their farewells.

Lostara and Pearl walk down the hill carrying Dom. Tavore stands over Felisin’s body, but is looking instead at the standard raised over the Dogslayer trenches—Coltaine’s standard, the Crow Clan. Lostara recalls their journey to the basin: “Kurald Emurlahn swarmed the entire oasis, as shadows warred with ghosts, and the incessant rise and fall of that song grew audible enough for Lostara to sense, if not hear. A song still climbing in crescendo.” Lostara though can only think of how she and Pearl had come too late, had come only in time to see Tavore kill her own sister: “I didn’t ask for this. I don’t want it. I’ll never be without it. Oh, queen, forgive me.” Tavore looks up at her and Lostara thinks there will be time later for private conversation. Pearl drops Dom down to the ground. Tavore asks what the two of them are doing there, if they lost the trail. Pearl tells her “We found her, Adjunct. With deep regret, Felisin is dead.” When Tavore asks if they’re certain, he answers “Yes...I can say one thing for certain Tavore. She died quickly.” Tavore is quiet for a long moment, and then says “Well, there is mercy in that, I suppose,” then walks to meet her officers. Pearl picks up Felisin, saying, “She’s a heavier burden than you might think.” To which Lostara says “No, Pearl. I don’t think that.” She asks where he’ll take her and replies, “A hilltop, you know the one.” After he says he’ll try to convince them to get out of Raraku as soon as possible. She tells him to come for her when he’s done or she’ll come with him. He says he will. He watches Tavore and says “Just watching her walking away. She looks so...” Lostara asks “alone” and he says, “Yes. That is the word, isn’t it.” He leaves by warren.”

Keneb watches Tavore come toward them: “There was none of the triumph there he thought he would see. Indeed, she looked worn down, as if the failing of spirit that followed every battle had already come to her, the deathly stillness of the mind that invited dire contemplation, that lifted up the host of questions that could never be answered. She orders Blistig to send scout to the Dogslayer trenches and informs them the Claw has delivered Dom. Nil tells her the Dogslayers are all dead via Raraku’s ghosts as well as, according to Nether “the spirits of our own slain. Nil and I—we were blind to it. We’d forgotten the ways of seeing. The cattle dog, Adjunct. Bent. It should have died at Coltaine’s feet. At the Fall. But some soldiers save it, saw to the healing of its wounds.” Tavore asks what she’s talking about and Nil and Nether continue: “Bent and Roach. The only creatures still living to have walked the Chain the entire way. Two dogs [Temul adds Duiker’s mar]...They came back with us...And the spirits of the slain. Our own ghosts, Adjunct, have marched with us...Step by step, Adjunct, our army of vengeance grew...Last night, the child Grub woke us...so we could witness the awakening. There were legions, Adjunct, that had marched this land a hundred thousand years ago. And Pormqual’s crucified army...Thus you were right Adjunct. In the dreams that haunted you from the very first night of this march, you saw what we could not see. It was never the burden you believed it to be. You did not drag the Chain of Dogs with you.” Tavore asks, “Did I not?” then wonders “All those ghosts simply to slay the Dogslayers?” But Nether says there were other enemies. The two also tell her Gamet rode with the ghosts and that Grub spoke to him. Baralta interrupts to tell Tavore Lostara stole Sha’ik’s body. Tavore ignores him and asks who the two soldiers Baralta arrived with are. They introduce themselves as Captain Kindly and Lieutenant Pores and say they were prisoners in the Dogslayer camp, freed by Bridgeburner ghosts. She dismisses them to get cleaned up. She tells Keneb (back to Fist) to prepare to follow Leoman’s group of desert warriors: “If we have to cross this entire continent, I will see them cornered and then I will destroy them. This rebellion will be ashes on the wind when we are done.” A warning is shouted and they all look to see Karsa riding down the hill toward them. Squint, one of Tavore’s bodyguards, identifies Karsa as a Thelomen Toblakai riding a Jhag horse. Lostara asks what’s dragging behind the horse and then they all flinch as they see the Deragoth heads. They ready their swords, but Tavore tells them to hold as he’s made no threat. Karsa tells Tavore, “Once long ago I claimed the Malazans as my enemies. I was young. I took pleasure in voicing vows. The more enemies the better. So it was, once. But no longer. Malazan, you are no longer my enemy. Thus I will not kill you. Tavore says “drily” that they’re all relieved. Karsa is quiet a moment then simply says, “You should be,” and rides off. Squint says, “Something tells me the bastard was right.” Tavore responds, “An observation I’ll not argue, soldier.”

Lieutenant Ranal fights his horse and someone behind Fiddler says, “Gods take me, somebody shoot him.” Cuttle asks what Ranal is up to, pointing out they’ve left Gesler and the other squads behind. They join Ranal atop the raised road and he points out a group of 20 or so desert warriors. Fiddler tells Ranal: “There’s a spider lives in these sands. Moves along under the surface, but drags a strange snakelike tail that every hungry predator can’t help but see...Hawk comes down to snatch up that snake and ends up dissolving in a stream down that spider’s throat.” Ranal ignores him and says the warriors are there because they got out late, probably looting he says. Fiddler warns him they’d be better to wait for the rest of the company; they’ll catch them anyway. Ranal orders them ahead after the warriors. Fiddler sees something strange on the horizon as Ranal yells the warriors have left the road. They’re heading for a sandstorm and Fiddler tries to tell Ranal not to go in, but Ranal orders pursuit anyway.

Gesler sees the Tiste Liosan heading toward him and his group fast and he wonders who they are. Stormy points out whoever they are they don’t seem pleased with Gesler and the group. Gesler calls up Sands (a sapper) and asks if he’s tried his new munitions crossbow. Sans says no and Gesler orders the others to retreat to the other side of the dune. Sands lobs a cusser and there’s a large explosion. After recovering, Gesler looks down and says “Well, they wont be chasing us any more I’d say...Armor seems to have weathered the blast—you could go down and scrape out whatever’s left inside ’em.” He orders them to move out.

Jorrude groans. Enias tells him he wants to go home. Jorrude tells him to check the others. When Enias asks if Gesler’s group were really the trespassers they’d been seeking, the ones who road the ship through their realm, Jorrude says yes, “And I have been thinking. I suspect they were ignorant of Liosan laws when they traveled through our realm. True, ignorance is an insufficient defense. But one must consider the notion of innocent momentum. . Were not these trespassers but pulled along—beyond their will—in the wake of the draconian T’lan Imass bonecaster. If an enemy we must hunt, should it not be that dragon? Malachar calls that wise thinking and Jorrude says they’ll go home and resupply. They agree and Jorrude thinks, “It’s all the dragon’s fault, in fact. Who could refute that?”

Fiddler’s squad rides into the sandstorm and are immediately blinded. The desert warriors attack and Fiddler’s horse bucks him off, his bag of munitions rolling up over his head. He prepares to be blown up but then sees a warrior (Corabb) riding by clutching the bag in his arms in surprise. Fiddler runs then someone tells him “Not that way, you fool,” and Fiddler is shoved to the ground and covered by a body.

The bag nearly knocks Corabb off his horse. Near the ground he lets it go and is carried away by his horse as he pulls himself back up on it.

There’s a huge explosion, one Fiddler thinks should have killed him. The voice, which he recognized, tells him: “Can’t leave you on your own for a Hood-damned minute, can I? Say hello to Kalam for me, will ya? I’ll see you again, sooner or later. And you’ll see me too. You’ll see us all. Just not today. Damned shame ’bout your fiddle though.” The body disappears and Fiddler, on his knees, cries out “Hedge! Damn you, Hedge!” Cuttle finds him and tells him Ranal died in the explosion. The rest of the squad joins them, then Borduke’s group is seen. Smiles wonders at the size of the crater and says “Gods, Sergeant, you couldn’t have been much closer to Hood’s Gate and lived, could you?” He answers “You’ve no idea how right you are, lass.” As he listens to the song and feels his heart “matching that cadence,” he thinks “Raraku has swallowed more tears than can be imagined. Now comes the time for the Holy Desert to weep. Ebb and flow, his blood’s song, and it lived on. It lives on.”

Fayelle, the last one of Dom’s mages left alive, realizes she and the thirteen Dogslayers had fled the wrong way. She thinks the ambush of Leoman had been perfect until the ghosts arrived. They themselves are ambushed and Fayelle is pinned under her dead horse. She looks up to see “The child. Sinn. My old student.” She tells Sinn she’ll wait for her at Hood’s gate, “and the wait won’t be long” and then Sinn kills her. Sinn rejoins the 16 surviving members of the Ashok regiment. She looks north and sees the horizon “limned in white, and it was rising.” Sinn thinks Fayelle knew what was coming, then they all get on the horses and ride as they hear “a roar that belittled even the Whirlwind Wall in its fullest rage. Raraku had risen. To claim a shattered warren.”

Nil and Nether, sensing what was coming, had warned Tavore and the army got to the islands of coral—the highest points. They see high clouds, then hear “A roar unceasing, building, of water, cascading, foaming, tumbling across the vast desert. The Holy Desert, it seemed, held far more than bones and memories. More than ghosts and dead cities.” Lostara wonders if Pearl is high on that hill with Sha’ik’s grave and if it were high enough. And thinks too of what she’s seen recently: “Crucified dragons. Murdered gods. Warrens of fire and warrens of ashes. It was odd, she reflected, to be thinking these things even as a raging sea was born from seeming nothing and was sweeping towards them, drowning all in its path.” She’s upset as how hard she’d been on Pearl, “what a stupid thing to have let it happen.” Pearl appears and they banter like they had. He tells her they’ll survive the sea—where they stand were islands once. She asks what they’ll do stranded in the flooded basin on islands and he says he assumes they’ll build rafts and then a bridge; “I have every confidence in the Adjunct.” The sea hits and Lostara sees he’s right. She looks at Tavore and thinks, “Why does looking at you break my heart?”

Fiddler’s squad, waiting for the sea to hit, watches Karsa riding away in the distance. Fiddler thinks the song of the sea is “strangely warm, almost comforting.” Then two men step out of a warren and he goes to embrace them: “they were his brothers. Mortal souls of Raraku. Raraku, the land that had bound them together. Bound them all, as was now clear, beyond even death.”

Heboric’s group looks down from the ridge to the sea below. They’re interrupted by Pust’s arrival on his mule. He tells them L’oric is not dead and they will be his guests.

Cutter in the top chamber of Pust’s temple. When he had woken, Apsalar had been gone and he knew she was gone and he could not follow. Cotillion joins him and tells him “There are countless paths awaiting you.” When Cutter says he knows Cotillion had spoken to Apsalar and helped her make a decision, Cotillion says the choice was hers to make. Cutter replies it doesn’t matter and admits that though Cotillion says there are countless paths, Cutter sees none “worth walking.” Cotillion asks if he wants one and tells him how once a man charged with protecting the life of a young girl had done so with such honor as “to draw, upon his sad death, the attention of Hood himself. Oh, the Lord of Death will look into a mortal’s soul, given the right circumstances, the uh, the proper incentive. Thus, that man is now Knight of Death.” When Cutter says he doesn’t want to be Knight or anything for anyone, Cotillion tells him that isn’t what he’s suggesting. He continues with the story of Baudin, saying he failed and the girl, Felisin, Captain Paran’s sister, is dead. Soon, he says, Pust will return with guests, including a child named Felisin, taken in by Paran’s sister: “She adopted a waif. A sorely abused foundling. She sought, I think—we will never know for certain, of course—to achieve something, something she herself had no chance, no opportunity, to achieve. Thus, she named the waif after herself.” When Cutter asks why he should care, what the girl is to him, Cotillion calls him obstinate and says the right question is “What are you to her?” He names her companions: another woman, a very remarkable one, as you—and she—will come to see. And with a priest, sworn now to Treach. From him, you will learn much of worth. Finally, a demon travels with these three humans. For the time being.” He explains they are stopping by to pick up Cutter: “Symmetry, lad is a power unto itself. It is the expression, if you will, of nature’s striving for balance. I charge you with protecting Felisin’s life. To accompany them on their long and dangerous journey.” Cutter replies, “How epic of you,” and Cotillion “snaps” angrily “I think not,” causing Cutter to regret his words. Cutter agrees to join them, but says, “abused, you said. Those ones are hard to get to. To befriend I mean. Their scars stay fresh and fierce with pain.” Cotillion says Felisin elder did OK despite her own scars and Cutter should count his blessings he has the daughter and not the mother, and to also think of Baudin must have felt. When Cutter begins to ask Cotillion more about “this notion of balance,” he is silenced by Cotillion’s eyes—”their unveiling of sorrow, of remorse” when he interrupts to say “From her to you. Aye.” Cutter wonders if Apsalar saw that and Cotillion says, “All too clearly, I’m afraid.” Cutter looks away, saying, “I loved her, you know. I still do,” to which Cotillion replies, “So you do not wonder why she has left.” And Cutter begins to cry as he answers, “No Cotillion, I do not.”

Karsa stops alongside the new inland sea for lunch, then pulls out Siballe’s head. He asks her what she sees and looking upon the water she says “My past...All that I have lost.” Karsa tells her “You once said that if you were thrown into the sea, your soul would be freed. That oblivion would come to you.” He asks if this was the truth and when she says yes, he picks her up and walks to the water’s edge. She says she doesn’t understand and he answers, “When I began this journey I was young. I believe in one thing. I believed in glory. I know now, ‘Siballe, that glory is nothing. Nothing. This is what I now understand...[and] one other thing. The same can not be said for mercy.” He throws her into the water and watches her head sink. Looking at his sword, he says, “Yes. I am Karsa Orlong of the Uryd, a Teblor. Witness my brothers. One day I will be worthy to lead such as you. Witness.” He rides “West, into the wastes.” Back to top

Epilogue

Onrack meets with Minala and her “young killers.” She wonders if they can be trusted and Trull says he doesn’t know how to convince her except by giving her the whole of his “lengthy and rather unpleasant story. She says, “spare me” and exits the room. Trull begins to say he isn’t surprised that no one wants to hear it, but Onrack interrupts and says he will listen. Trull laughs at his audience: “a score of children who do not understand my native tongue, and three expressionless and indifferent undead. By tale’s end, only I will be weeping, likely for all the wrong reasons.” Monok looks at Onrack and says, “You have felt it...so you seek distraction.” When Trull inquires, Monok answers, “She is destroyed. The woman who gave Onrack her heart in the time before the Ritual. The woman to whom he avowed his own heart, only to steal it back. In many ways, she was destroyed then, already begun on her long journey to oblivion.” He stops to ask Onrack if denies it and when Onrack says no, Monok continues. “Madness, of such ferocity as to defeat the Vow itself. Like a camp dog that awakens one day with fever in its brain. That snarls and kills in a frenzy. Of course we had no choice but to track her down, corner her. And so shatter her, imprison her within eternal darkness...Madness, then, to defy even us. But now, oblivion has claimed her soul. A violent, painful demise, but none the less.” He stops in surprise, then says “Trull Sengar, you—have not begun your tale, yet already you weep.” Trull is silent a moment, then replies, “I weep, Monok Ochem, because he cannot.” Monok turns to Onrack and tells him, “Broken One, there are many things you deserve, but this man is not one of them.” When he turns away, Onrack speaks, “Monok Ochem, you have traveled far from the mortal you once were, so far as to forget a host of truths, both pleasant and unpleasant. The heart is neither given nor stolen. The heart surrenders.” Monok doesn’t bother to turn around when he replies, “That is a word without power to the T’lan Imass, Onrack the Broken.” But Onrack rejects that statement, saying “You are wrong, Monok Ochem. We simply changed the word to make it not only more palatable, but also to empower it. With such eminence that it devoured our souls.” When Monok denies that, Trull sighs, “Onrack’s right...You called it the Ritual of Telann...And you’ve the nerve to call Onrack broken.” A long silence follows, through which Onrack keeps his eye on Trull, patiently, thinking “To grieve is a gift best shared. As a song is shared. Deep in the caves, the drums beat. Glorious echo to the herds whose thundering hoofs celebrate what it is to be alive, to run as one, to roll in life’s rhythm. This is how, in the cadence of our voice, we serve nature’s greatest need. Facing nature, we are the balance. Ever the balance to chaos. Eventually his patience was rewarded. As he knew it would be.”

Midnight Tides

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Prologue

The setting is during the sundering of Emurlahn and the Edur invasion. Edur and Andii legions have defeated the K’Chain Che’Malle, with the Andii bearing the brunt thanks to the late arrival of the Edur. Scabandari Bloodeye, head of the Edur, is joined by Silchas Ruin, head of the Andii. Scabandari celebrates that they hold the gate to this new world, and that the K’Chain are all but destroyed, save for Morn where the Short-Tails rebel. He says none will stand against them—The Jaghut are too scattered and few, Imass too primitive, Forkrul Assail indifferent. The Andii can escape their civil war in Kurald Galain and the Edur the rivening of Kurald Emurlahn, which Ruin notes is Scabandari’s own doing. Ruin says a Jaghut (Gothos) is observing and beginning an Omtose ritual. Scabandari stabs Ruin and the Edur slaughter the Andii. Scabandari takes Ruin to an Azath and plans to hunt down the Andii already in the world, thinking they have no champion.

Gothos is joined by Mael, who asks what he’s doing. Gothos says he is “cleansing” the mess the battle has made. Mael says Kilmandaros is going to ally with him. When Gothos tells him Scabandari is bringing Ruin to the Azath, Mael thinks it is premature of Scabandari to think there is no opposition to him. He asks Gothos to “preserve” rather than destroy this and says he’ll owe him. Gothos agrees, but warns that Mael and Kilmandaros should take down Scabandari quickly before Rake awakens. Mael says Osserc is already moving to deal with Rake, “again.”

Withal the Swordmaker, of the Third Meckros City, wakens on a strange beach filled with bodies and the wreckage of his floating city that had been destroyed by mountains of ice rising from underneath it. Three Bhoka’ral (seemingly) arrive and gesture for him to follow. They lead him to the Crippled God’s tent. The god tells him he saved Withal and has prepared a place for him so he can make him a sword. Once Withal does, the god will free him. The three creatures are to help; they are not bhoka’ral but Nachts, created by the Jaghut. Back to top

Chapter One

A narrator introduces a tale of “when giants knelt down and became mountains. When they fell scattered on the land like the ballast stone of she sky.” One giant sees the sea for the first time, witnesses its endless motion and in and out tides. He slept and the tides drowned him, minerals seeping into his flesh, water and wind eroding him over time, hiding his shape in the mountain unless one looks in darkness or “askance.” The narrator says this gift of Father Shadow “stands tallest,” to “look away to see.” Trust the gift, the narrator says, and “you will be led into Shadow.”

Trull Sengar runs urgently through the forest to tell his tribe that the Letherii, “the white-skinned peoples from the south,” have come to harvest the Edur seal hunting beds, breaking old agreements. Trull assumes these are rogue Letherii, especially coming so soon before the Great Meeting between Edur and Letherii leaders, but still worries about the impact on peace, especially now that the Edur just ended war amongst themselves, leaving Hannan Mosak, Warlock King of the Hiroth tribe as Edur overlord. In the village he meets his younger brother Binidas and tells him the news, then meets his youngest brother Rhulad (trying to impress Mayen, their older brother Fear’s betrothed). Rhulad joins him and Trull finds his father Tomad to tell him the news. Tomad sends Rhulad to tell Hannan, then tells Trull that the Warlock King has asked that Trull and his brothers be sent on a mission for him.

Trull, walking on the beach, sees a white crow, a sign of evil. He wonders if the Letherii are harvesting to weaken the Edur before the Great Meeting, as the Edur need those seals to head off famine. He assumes the Letherii will argue as always their need for expansion and point to the rewards gained by other tribes that have sworn allegiance to Lether. Fear joins him and tells him Hannan is guided by visions. Trull thinks of how the Dark Times came when the Edur were sundered, Father Shadow disappeared, the Kurald Emurlahn warren was lost (though not the magic), and the warren’s fragments ruled by false gods and kings. Trull thinks Hannan has greater ambition than simply ruling the Edur tribes. Fear notes Trull would rather not fight, though he isn’t questioning his courage (Rhulad appears to however). He recalls when the Edur were masters of the Hounds and of the warren, before being betrayed by the kin of Scabandari Bloodeye and then the Andii. Fear warns Trull others among the Edur may think as Rhulad and asks Trull to stop disdaining Rhulad.

Udinaas recalls his past, how thirteen years ago he was an indentured sailor on a Letherii whaler when the Hiroth had destroyed the ship with shadow wraiths and enslaved the crew. Udinaas finds his life as slave to the Sengar household little different from Letherii indenture. He thinks of how the Letherii value gold and possession above all else—everything is a commodity to be bought and sold. He thinks the Letherii are beginning a great game with the Edur as they have against the other tribes, but the Letherii do not know the Edur are different. He sees the white crow and casts a prayer to “Knuckles,” and the Errant, then runs.

At the council, Trull notes one of the most intimidating aspects of Hannan—his shadow, which stands behind him “huge, hulking . . . deadly swords gripped in both gauntleted hands.” Another is Hannan’s “extra-ordinary mastery of those fragments of Kurald Emurlahn from which power could be drawn.” Trull recalls how Hannan walked unseen into the camp of the largest Edur tribe and the next day the tribe’s leader had surrendered (rumors say the leader no longer had a shadow). Trull tells them what he saw and that he killed a Letherii. Hannan says the Letherii are trying to provoke an Edur attack on the poachers, but they will kill them anyway, though in unexpected fashion, a “full unveiling” by his K’risnan Cadre—his mages, the firstborn sons of the chiefs he conquered. Trull wonders at this, as the art and power have been lost, the last full unveiling done by Scabandari (Father Shadow), “and that sundering had not healed.” He wonders if the Warlock King has found a new, larger Emurlahn fragment.

Feather Witch, Mayen’s slave, is casting the tiles in front of a hundred slaves when Udinaas enters the barn to tell them of the white crow omen. He is in love with Feather Witch, though he knows it is hopeless as he is an Indebted and she will wed a better-born slave whose family held title in Letheras. Feather Witch starts speaking of the rise of the Holds. She interrupts the casting to say something circles above though she cannot see it. Wounds appear on her shoulders and she is lifted into the air. Udinaas climbs to the loft then leaps, landing on the huge scaled body holding her. The invisible winged creature bites his shoulder as he thinks “A Wyval, spawn of Eleint.” He stabs it until it drops Feather Witch. Talons dig into his chest and teeth into his neck. He blacks out.

Hannan holds back the Sengar family after the council. He tells them of a vision of the northern land where a spire of ice rose and now holds a gift for the Warlock King. Their task is to retrieve it. He tells them they can take two others (he saw six in his vision) and that no one must touch it at all; they must wrap in in hides to take it. He adds that the unification of the six tribes was merely the first step toward a larger goal. They are interrupted by news of the barn events.

Udinaas feels shadow wraiths gathering around his soul, hungry but holding back. They scatter at the approach of Feather Witch. She asks what she should do about his love and he says nothing; he knows reality. She tells him he was dying, but Uruth, Trull’s mother, drove away the Wyval with Kurald Emurlahn and is now trying to heal both her and him, though Feather Witch is resisting for now because Uruth’s power is “stained,” as is all the Edur’s though they see it not. She says they will go back now, but they should say nothing of this conversation. As he returns, he hears his heartbeat, and then a second beating in time (not Feather Witch’s) and he is terrified by it.

Udinaas and Feather Witch approach the Sengar family and Hannan. Hannan says he’ll bean the tile castings but Uruth says they have value. Hannan notes the Wyval blood and asks if Udinaas is “infected.” Uruth says she cannot tell and Hannan orders a close watch on him. Hannan asks if Uruth could sense the power of Feather Witch and Uruth says she’s either very weak or strong enough to hide her strength from Uruth, an idea they dismiss as impossible. Hannan leaves and Trull sees the King’s shadow look back before exiting. Back to top

Chapter Two

A trade merchant, Buruk the Pale, is traveling to trade with the Edur, accompanied by Nerek tribesman as workers and Seren Pedac as his “Acquitor”—the required official guide. They camp at the pass, marked by an old Edur shrine in the shape of a ship. The obsidian walls have strange shapes in them. As she stands there, Seren thinks of how the Nedrek tribe was destroyed by their submission to Lether, to “civilization.” She sees the shapes in the rock as “the sentinels of futility” and wishes she could sink into the rock and join them.

As Baruk gets drunk yet again, Seren thinks it’s because he is carrying secret instructions whose contents are killing him. They are joined by Hull Beddict, who is mobbed by the revering Nerek. Hull refers to him as the old Sentinel (a former court official) and as a traitor to the Letherii. Hull had been charged with studying the outer tribes and to his dismay his knowledge was used to subjugate them, destroying the tribes and leading to Hull’s resignation and self-exile. He and Seren had once been in a relationship. Hull tells Seren this treaty meeting will be different because the Edur are now unified under the Warlock King. She informs him of who will be in the negotiating party (making clear there are factions in the Letherii court) and the news makes Hull wonder if the Letherii are trying to provoke war. Seren is unsure herself and adds Baruk is carrying secret instructions though she doesn’t know what they are.

Tehol (brother to Hull and Brys Beddict) and Bugg sit atop the roof of Tehol’s house, with a view of King Ezgara’s Eternal Domicile—his grand still-under-construction palace. Bugg surprisingly has a solution seemingly for the construction problem bedeviling the palace. Bugg tells Tehol three strange women came to find him today and Tehol goes to meet them. The three women tell Tehol they know who he is and what he did, and they want him to do it again but “go all the way” this time. They want him to meet them back at their own building to discuss it.

Brys is talking with the First Eunuch, Nifadas about Hull, whom Nifadas thinks might be a problem. Nifadas informs Brys that Hull has joined Baruk, whose instructions Nifadas knows nothing about and which he thinks are not sanctioned by the King. He worries Hull will believe Baruk is acting for the king, though, and try to stop him. Nifadas wants to wreck the plans in his own way. Nifadas asks what Brys knows about Seren, which is little. Before Brys leaves, Nifadas asks if he is doing OK in his new role as King’s Champion, to which Brys answer yes. Brys leaves and thinks of Hull and Tehol that they had both peaked and were now sliding down “paths to dissolution and death.” He enters the chamber of the Ceda, the King’s Sorcerer, who tells him he has a task for him later. Brys enters the throne room. Prince Quillas, the Chancellor Triban Gnol, Queen Janll, First consort Turudal Brizad, and the head of the Prince’s Guard Moroch Nevath all enter. Quillas makes a demand that is rejected (the return of Finadd Gerun Eberict from Nifadas’s entourage to the Edur) and Nevath steps forward as if to use force but stops when he sees Brys there with his sword drawn. The Queen tells the Prince to show patience and he storms out. The Queen apologizes for him and her party leaves.

Brys rejoins the Ceda (Kuru Qan) who brings him to a large chamber floored in huge tiles representing the Holds. Qan asks Brys what he sees first and Brys says Barrow, “among the tiles of the Azath Hold,” adding he senses restlessness from it. Qan agrees, but says he’s visited the actual Azath House and the grounds and tower are unchanged. The next tile is a Dragon’s Gate. Brys references the Seventh Closure, a prophecy when the King shall ascend and assume the old title of First Emperor and the Empire be reborn. Qan is less sanguine about the prophecy, and recalls how the First Emperor/Empire were destroyed in a distant land and Lether is a surviving colony. Moving back to the tiles, Brys says he recognizes Betrayer of the Empty Hold and White Crow of the Fulcra, though the third one is unfamiliar. The Ceda identifies it as Seed, last tile in the Hold of Ice. The fourth tile is blank, which the Ceda says means the divination ceases. Qan says he has told only The First Eunuch, so he can be prepared at the Great Meeting, and Brys because as Champion his job is to protect the King. Changing the subject, Qan asks about what the Queen incited the Prince to do and what Brys’ heart tells him. Brys answers he fears his brother Hull may kill the Prince at the Great Meeting.

Tehol, Shand, Hejun, and Rissarh are at the women’s building. They tell Tehol they want him to take their money, make a lot more of it, and buy the “rest of the islands.” Tehol tries to pretend he had a near-impossible time of making a small percentage of the amount they want “last time,” but they aren’t buying it. They discuss how Tehol almost destroyed the economy/country testing his theory that money is the “promise of power . . . so long as everyone keeps pretending it’s real.” They want him to collapse the economy this time as vengeance for what Lether did to their people (they’re half-bloods—Faraed, Tarthenal). They know he created a refuge for tribefolk on one of the islands as recompense for Hull, but it isn’t enough. He tells them Lether is going to fall soon anyway due to the Edur. They say he can make it easier then and he agrees.

Seren and Hull await an approaching Edur (Binidas). Hull tells him she weeps at night and that when they were together her crying always woke him. She asks if Hull fears the Great Meeting and he says it will buy peace, but “a deadly peace” for the Edur, as was the case with the other tribes. He tells her he plans to wreck the negotiations and incite the Edur to war. Back to top

Chapter Three

An Edur corpse, slain by Letherii sorcery, is discovered by the Edur slaves. The Warlock King leads them in longboats to the seal grounds where the Lether ships are becalmed. Mosag calls up something from below and Trull hears horrible screams from the Letherii ships, covered in fog. When it ends, the Edur move in closer—the ships’ holds are now empty and shark carcasses float in the water. Shadow wraiths go on the ships to take them to Lether and Trull realizes this was a challenge to Lether. Trull realizes the Lether crime wasn’t supposed to go unnoticed and wonders why they would do such a suicide mission. He feels something is gone very wrong.

The slaves prepare the Edur corpse. Udinaas sets hot coins on the body so that the body is “sheathed” in coins. Once he’s done the widows begin their mourning as Udinaas muses over freedom and identity, the Letherii attitude toward money. The longboats return and Udinaas can tell by the silence they are greeted with that something terrible has happened. He can still hear a second heartbeat behind his own.

Trull lands and notes that both Rhulad and Mayen aren’t there to greet the returning warriors. Trull tells Uruth the Letherii died “without honor” and monstrously. Uruth is troubled and says this wasn’t an unveiling but a “demonic summoning.” When Trull says the magic wasn’t Emurlahn, Uruth says he shouldn’t have said so out loud. She starts to tell them what to do, but Tomad overrules her. Fear asks what Trull worries about with regard to Rhulad and Mayen. Trull asks what the Stone Bowl is that Uruth was going to send them to but Fear doesn’t tell him. Trull wonders to himself if the Warlock King has made them his servants and if the King himself is actually the master.

Udinaas dreams he’s kneeling in a firestorm, then he sees figures on a plain, impaled, marching, a sense of loss and betrayal. He is dragged by one of the warriors to “the Lady.” He sees Daughter Dawn—Menandore, who tells him he has Locqui blood in the body of a slave and she asks which heart he will ride. After giving “a coward’s answer” first, he says the rides the Wyval. She rapes him and leaves. Feather Witch finds him and when he tells her what happened she says he’s driven mad by the Wyval blood. She disappears and he sees a group of dragon in the distance, surrounded by Wyval and he understands they are going to war.

Trull stands vigil with the corpse of the slain Edur. He had earlier seen Rhulad go into the forest sneakily, toward where Mayen stood vigil. He thinks how Rhulad always has to win, “in everything he must win.” A tall figure (Silchas Ruin) with “twin, empty scabbards” steps toward him. Trull names him The Betrayer. It tells him to move back and when Trull refuses, it heads toward the forest edge. Trull says Father Shadow imprisoned him and Ruin confirms he is still imprisoned save when he dreams. Ruin says “they were shattered . . . I wonder, what did he do with them,” then disappears.

Udinaas wakes. He feels he now knows why he is where he is and feels himself amongst enemies, not Edur but Emurlahn. He meets Uruth who, seemingly upset, tells him to prepare cloaks for Fear, Rhulad, and Trull who will travel this night and to do so secretly.

Trull thinks of the Lether. He sees them in chains, knows he thinks why they worship an empty throne. He knows they justify all they do by the idea of progress, growth, their belief that debt “was the binding force of all nature, of every people and every civilization.” Father Shadow wanted a world where uncertainty could work against certainty. As he thinks, he realized Bloodeye never did make that world, had disappeared in this one. He feels despair. Fear and Rhulad join him and say Uruth is sending them to the Stone Bowl, a secret holy site deep in a nearby Trench. Trull wonders at an Edur holy site in complete darkness. Fear knows of it because he is Weapons Master. He says Tomad had forbidden this, but Fear answers Uruth takes precedence in matters of sorcery. When Rhulad tells Trull he doubts too much, Trull responds he saw Rhulad walk to the cemetery where Mayen was. Rhulad says he was protecting Mayen and Fear refuses to get involved. When Fear leaves them momentarily, Trull and Rhulad spar over Trull’s suspicions. In the Stone Bowl they find countless bones of “Kaschan, the feared enemies of the Edur (K’Chain)” along with Wyval bones and “the massive skull of an Eleint . . . crushed.” Fear explains how Kaschan sorcery attacked Mother Dark and set a ritual in motion to destroy all eventually. He says the skull is Bloodeye’s, that he was killed by Elder Gods and the Eleint, his skull crushed by Kilmandaros and his spirit made a prison. He says Mosag means to avenge this. Fear says Mosag seeks power and does not care where it comes from. He wonders who the “gift” they go to seek is from and tells them Mosag has been in the Stone Bowl. Uruth knows he is “drawing upon deadly powers” and his thoughts are “stained.” Trull says they better hope the Elder Gods are really gone. Back to top

Chapter Four

Watching Binadas approach, Seren thinks muses on the differences between male friendship and female friendship and the role of speech/language in them, and then beyond to male-female differences in general. Binadas tells them of the illegal seal hunt and how the Warlock King will even now have made answer. Hull says he’ll speak against Buruk’s words at the negotiations and Binadas tells him the Edur have schooled themselves by what the Edur have done to others. Hull says the Lether believe in their own destiny, Seren says the Lether believe in Progress and never looking back. As they move on, Seren thinks Hull wants to use the Edur as his own vengeance against Lether. She herself has little love for Letherii and thinks one days they’ll meet their match, though she doubts it will be against the Edur. She believes the Lether covet the Edur’s Blackwood, and that the seal gambit was the queen’s, not the king’s. She assumes there will be war.

Brys speaks to Gerun Eberict just before Ublala Pung attempts the Drowning. Because of his Tarthenal half-blood (four lungs) Ublala survives, winning his freedom and gaining Eberict a lot of money from betting.

Tehol tells Shand to hire Ublala as bodyguard for her and her sisters. They set to meet that night.

Four years ago Eberict single-handedly saved the King from assassination and was awarded the King’s Leave (immunity to all criminal conviction). Since then he’d killed 31 citizens (confirmed kills) and was connected to others. He also had become rich, though he was still a Finadd in the King’s Guard. He was to be sent to the negotiations with the Edur. Brys tells Eberict Hull is a concern with regard to the Great Meeting. Eberict tells Brys Tehol is up to something and when Brys doesn’t believe it, Eberict informs him that Tehol’s poverty is mere sham. He continues to say that Hull is Tehol’s greatest admirer, though he sorely lacks Tehol’s sense of timing. Brys asks if Eberict will stop Hull, and Eberict says he is undecided, and wonders if war might not be useful. Before Brys leaves, Eberict tells him the past decade of Lether’s history is focused on the Beddict brothers, and that seemingly continues.

Tehol and Bugg discuss Bugg’s hiring of workers and possible issue with the local guilds. Tehol thinks how he saw Brys talking to Eberict. Tehol had figured out that Eberict had set up the assassination attempt in order to get the King’s Leave. He thinks of Eberict as his one “true enemy,” and believes Eberict probably knows Tehol’s secrets as well. Tehol tells Bugg to set up a fake suicide for the person (Turble) who owes Eberict money for the bet on Ublala. Bugg worries if Eberict finds out he’ll kill Tehol. Tehol needs a thief for his next step against Eberict.

Shurq Ellale drowned in the Drownings, but a curse by a past victim of her thievery had kept her “undead.” She’d been shunned since. Bugg offers her a contract for thieving.

Tehol meets with Shand and the others. Ublala joins them.

Brys meets with the Preda (Unnutal Hebaz) and the First Concubine (Nisall) to report on his conversation with Eberict. The Preda is annoyed from an earlier meeting with Eberict, whom he considers arrogant. Brys reports Eberict is mulling killing Buruk and that the First Eunuch has been told. They discuss how the Queen wants war and they don’t want the King to remove Eberict from the Great Meeting as that would strengthen the Queen. Brys suggests trying to turn Buruk, but the Nisall says he won’t with Moroch Nevath there. The Preda says Eberict will need to add Nevath to his “list” (those he plans to kill). Brys says he doesn’t know why Eberict does what he does, but the Preda says he does and can get Eberict to add Nevath to his list. Nisall worries what Hull will do. Brys leaves.

Tehol tells Shand and the others to be patient. He and Bugg return home. Tehol meets with Shurq and tells her he needs san undead person. There are only three: a women whose cuckolded husband cursed her and the other a child living on the Azath grounds, and Shurq, who has the skills he needs. Shurq says she visits the child now and then and the child has no memory of her life. Intrigues, Tehol adds figuring out the girl to the job, which is to steal Eberict’s fortune. Shurq wants the “semblance of life” in payment—wants to look good, feel sexual pleasure again, etc. They agree to the job and she leaves.

Brys climbs to Tehol’s roof. He asks about the last time Tehol visited the crypt where their parents are buried and Tehol says he honors their memory in his own way. Brys asks for help in dealing with Hull. Tehol says Seren will protect him. Brys asks, “Like Mother did father?” Tehol says she could have save for her fear for her children; she could have destroyed the entire game of debt but couldn’t see what would rise from the destruction. He says Brys became King’s Guard so debt couldn’t find him, Hull went into self-exile to avoid gold’s trap, and he—Tehol—will do what his mother feared to do. Brys warns him of Eberict and Tehol says he’ll deal with him. They decide Brys was probably followed, but Tehol says Bugg raises wards so they weren’t overheard, though Brys will have to kill the man—most likely Eberict’s spy.

Brys finds where the spy stood, but there is only a lot of blood and a trail where the body was dragged. Brys was going to follow until he saw it was done by a child and he fears what kind of creature it might have been to kill the spy. Heading home, he thinks Tehol is a very dangerous man and wonders whose side he’s truly on.

Shurq looks over the Azath grounds and senses living creatures buried there. She sees Kettle—the young undead girl—where she’d dragged the spy’s corpse to a tree. Kettle tells Shurq she killed the spy how had followed a man who went to where Shurq had been. Kettle had followed Shurq to take care of her, like Shurq takes care of her (she wants Shurq to be her mother). Shurq has brought Kettle bodies before. Kettle says she is shunned like Shurq, though now Tehol (Kettle doesn’t know his name) isn’t shunning Shurq. Kettle tells her the Azath prisoners are restless and the tower is “sweating all the time.” She says five prisoners are trying to get out (Kettle especially doesn’t like those ones) and the Azath is dying, weakening. Shurq suggests finding a prisoner to help her, one who doesn’t try to use her. She should tell Shurq if she finds one and Shurq will advise her. When Kettle says the Azath needs bodies to stop from dying, Shurq says she’ll tell Kettle whom to kill and they’re be lots of bodies.

One prisoner overhears Shurq and Kettle. The house had been loosening its hold out of necessity, out of desperation at its nearing death. The Azath is desperate because the five trying to get free and near to doing so are Toblakai. Back to top

Chapter Five

Udinaas speaks to the wraith haunting him. It tells him to call it Wither, and says it was once a Tiste Andii, murdered and tossed aside, and then came ice, then it was torn loose to serve its killers—Tiste Edur, followers of Bloodeye the betrayer. Udinaas realizes that all the shadow wraiths must be Tiste Andii and thinks they will be allies. Wither guides him to dig up an arrowhead and tells him he must “resurrect it,” refusing to say why.

Buruk’s group nears the Edur village and Binadas notes the smoke from a funeral. He moves ahead of them. Hull asks Seren what she will do when they reach the Edur. She doesn’t answer, but warns him the Edur may listen to him but not follow his advice. She suspects Hull’s death is being plotted in Lether. Hull asks what she was like as a child and her list of transgressions surprises him. They discuss compassion and injustice. He tells her that her assumptions on his plans are wrong and asks she not stand in his way. As they near the village, they note more shadow wraiths than usual and Hull says it is an army. On the trail ahead of them, they see Silchas Ruin as an “apparition.” He tells them a dragon made this trail, “kin of my betrayer.” He says the dragon was innocent but mortals are not. A horde of mice sweeps down the trail. Silchas disappears, as do the mice. Buruk tells Seren and Hull all the Holds are awakening and he wonders about the Seventh Closure prophecy. Seren thinks she can save neither Hull nor “any of us.”

The Warlock King’s preparations for war—making arms, training an army of Edur—has begun. Fear is Weapons Master and will lead the army in battle. Fear tells Trull they will leave the next day on Mosag’s quest. Trull thinks his brothers are somehow different and he worries for the future.

Udinaas sleeps and finds himself in a world of ice. He sees bodies of K’Chain Che’Malle, Edur, Andii in the ice. He flees and passes herd animals, huge-wolves, horned beasts—all frozen mid-act. He realizes this was an act of sorcery. He enters a portal and sees in a place of freezing cold a tall many-jointed figure surrounded by tusked corpses. He sees a human child’s footprints leading out of the chamber. Backtracking them, he passes behind the tall figure and sees its head had been caved in from behind. The footprints indicate the child has simply appeared behind the figure. He follows the footprints through the doorway and hears battle sounds, but sees nothing. He finds himself flying on leather wings—he is a Locqui Wyval, one of many flying. Silchas Ruin appears in dragon form. He knows he will not witness the betrayal. He wakes back home and tells Wither he traveled to where Wither was killed. Wither says it wants to escape and needs Udinaas help, telling him not to worry about the Edur; Wither will deal with them.

Mayen enters the Sengar household and Trull notes what he thinks is unease on Fear’s part (though born of what is unclear) and lust on Rhulad’s part. They speak of the brothers’ journey into the ice-fields. Binidas refers to old sorcery there and a tribe of hunters who live on the ice. Trull wonders why Mosag chose them, with Fear as Weapon’s Master and Binidas one of the best sorcerers. Mayen and Uruth speak of spirits walking at night and the wraiths fleeing them. Uruth says she fears the “tide of change . . . will sweep us away,” which angers Tomad, who believes the Edur ride the rising tide. They agree there will be war. Tomad upbraids Rhulad for speaking foolishly and wonders what “dread knowledge” causes him to strut around. Rhulad says Mosag will sacrifice an Edur to set off the fleet and when he names Menandore, Udinaas drops a plate. Uruth sees his hands are cracked and bleeding and another slave says those wounds weren’t there a minute ago. Uruth uses magic to see if Udinaas is possessed and declares he is not. Udinaas passes out and Mayen tells Feather Witch to help him; he is dragged away. Mayen and Uruth spar over Udinaas’ treatment. Tomad tells Rhulad he’s heard nothing of Mosag reinstating the ancient ways of sacrifice.

Udinaas tells Feather Witch Uruth found nothing when she looked for the Wyval. Feather Witch argues it must have just hid, but Udinaas says it is gone. He says, however, he has an ally in him: a shadow wraith and he plans to “repay debts.” Back to top

Chapter Six

The three harvest ships near a harbor. When the pilot scow is sent out to meet them, it suddenly shies away and strange humananoid shapes swarm the sails and riggings then drift away. The pilot ship begins ringing the alarm.

A bound sea spirit carries the three harvest ships on its back into the bay on a huge wave then retreats. In the tiles chamber below the old palace in Letheras the Ceda looking at at tile matching the guard tower of the bay sees a huge shadow start to withdraw. From afar, via the tile, he sees the ships, the corpses, and some wraiths.

Brys is in the new palace, several wings and passages currently filled with water and silt. He tells one of the engineers he’ll ask the Ceda about sending a mage to help. The engineer says they lost Ormly the rat catcher last night. He then mentions that someone new named Bugg is rumored to have a way to shore up the palace. Ormly suddenly appears carrying hordes of dead rats. Brys leaves, thinking about the impending war and how despite the Edur being united he doubts things will be different than before. The public he thinks is complacent but the palace less so. He enters the old palace and finds it abuzz with news about the harvest ships. Inside he sees the Queen’s Consort Turald Brizad who has always disturbed him. He speaks with the First Eunuch Nifadas. The discuss national beliefs, the attitude of the Letherii toward the deep sea, the Holds, gods, and demons. Nifadas tells Brys of the ships and the demon that carried them, of belief in an Elder god of the seas called Mael. He tells him Brys will be asked to awaken an Elder god.

Brys meets with Ceda Kuru Qan who says they’ll use the Dolmen tile for this journey. Qan talks of mortal’s lack of attention to the future, how history is replete with short-sightedness. Qan tells Brys he has no idea how Brys will awaken Mael. He tosses him toward the Dolmen tile.

Bugg tells Tehol their plan re Gerun Eberict (having Turble fake suicide thus causing Eberict a great loss of money) are proceeding. Bugg leaves and Shurq shows up. She and Tehol think the approaching festival dedicated to the Errant would be a good night for her to attempt Eberict’s place. Bugg returns. Shurq tells them she took Turald Brizard’s (Queen’s Consort) virginity. Tehol and Shurq leave to go to Selush’s, the woman who will make Shurq more “alive.” On the way, they discuss Kettle. Shurq tells him she thinks Kettle is vitally important and and he offers to help with her. Shurq adds that the tower is “haunted” and whatever is haunting it is communicating with Kettle and desires human flesh, which is why Kettle has been killing those Eberict has sent to spy on Tehol.

Brys finds himself seemingly underwater, though he feels the air is that of the Ceda’s chamber. He walks toward six dolmens carved with glyphs of of nightmarish figures he suspects are imprisoned. One dolmen has a side without glyphs, and Brys deduces something had been loosed. He senses this area has been “abandoned” by Mael. An armored figure arrives and asks if Brys has “come for another?” The figure tells him the area holds forgotten gods, not demons. It is a “sanctuary” created by Mael for gods whose names have vanished. He is the guardian, who has failed because someone made one of the gods a slave. Brys defeats the Guardian in combat. The Guardian says he has failed and that Mael has not been here for thousands of years. Brys offers his own blood to the Guardian he has wounded (blood is power) and his sword. He asks the Guardian to give him all the names so they will no longer be forgotten and thus cannot be enslaved.

Brys is back with Kuru Qan and informs him of what happened. The Ceda wonders if finding the name of the enslaved god will free it. Brys says he has all the names but finding the right one will take time.

Bugg has been called upon to do his “regular job”—embalming. He is there to take care of a Nerek grandmother who had died after making it home and telling her grandchildren who had killed her—Eberict’s guards, ordered by him to do so when she begged for coin. The grandchildren ask his blessing. The children’s cousin enters, a Tarthenal/Nerek mix of huge size named Unn. Berek thinks Eberict has made himself a bad enemy.

Selush examines Shurq and figures out ways to “awaken” her, including use of an “ootooloo.”

Bugg arrives home drained by the blessing he gave. Shand arrives to complain and Bugg tells her Tehol is working and plans are moving into place and being implemented, including one to get the contract for the Imperial Palace.

Tehol heads off with Selush’s assistant to get some food and drink.

Shurq looks much better—healthy, clean, clear-eyed. She smells better as well.

Brys is trying to recuperate from his ordeal. Nifadas, then Kuru Qan enter his room. Then the king, Ezgara Diskanar arrives to thank Brys. Nifadas leaves to allegedly prepare for his trip to the Edur meeting. The king tells the other two that the Chancellor continues to protest Eberict’s inclusion on the Edur trip and wonders if Eberict will try to kill Prince Quillas. The king worries Quillas might not act with restraint and that Moroch Nevath might not be able to protect him. The king leaves and as Brys and the Ceda discuss Brys’ journey, Brys feels a sense of dread for the future. Back to top

Chapter Seven

Seren’s group has been waiting for five days and plans to meet with Mosag tonight. Seren has noted the unification of the tribes. The Nerek, ignored by the Edur, are failing, and Hull tells Seren they away “acceptance,” or official welcome. He and Seren argue over Letherii society. Seren asks Mayen to have the Edur welcome the Nerek and Mayen agrees to do it herself. When Mayen speaks to Feather Witch, who then leaves, Seren tells Mayen that is a strange name that she has heard only in the Letherii histories.

Feather Witch speaks to Udinaas, who tells her he and she speak in her dreams every night. She denies it. They argue then discuss how Mayen’s blessing the Nerek herself is a sign she “fashions herself as a queen,” and wonder if her blessing might sanctify the ground or bind destinies. They agree to pretend Mayen never came to seek Uruth about the blessing.

Hull tells Seren Mayen shouldn’t have done what she did (blessed the Nerek rather than simply name them guests). Hull and Seren discuss how the Nerek met the first arrivals from the First Empire, the Edur creation myths involving lizards, dragons, and ice and the Nerek creation myths involving a “first mother” known as the Eres’al.

Wither the Wraith shows Udinaas a shadow realm “where memories shape oblivion, and so make of ages long past a world as real as this one.” He shows Udinaas the clearing now filled with forest, then long later the clearing filled with fur-covered figures looking at an approaching K’Chain Che’Malle sky keep, then a scene involving Menandore (Sister Dawn) and Sukul Ankhadu (Dapple) dragging Sheltatha Lore (Dusk) and dropping her in front of Osserc. They argue about Tiam. Osserc says he’s recently fought with Rake and delayed him long enough to let Scabandari escape. Menandore and Sukul tell him they plan on putting Sheltatha Lore in the Azath grounds where Scabandari put Silchas Ruin. When they ask if Scabandari, might try to free her Osserc tells them Scabandari is imprisoned himself and though he doesn’t say who did it, he mentions the world’s gods. He leaves and Sukul and Menandore discuss his constant battled/relationship with Rake, then Sheltatha’s daughters via Draconus, Spite and Envy. They veer into dragon form and leave with Sheltatha. Udinaas returns to normal time and world.

Seren muses on the Letherii as slaves and as indebted and wonders about Feather Witch. She and Udinaas speak and she is shocked when he tells her that the Letherii slaves still keep track of their debt. She asks about Feather Witch and is worried when Udinaas tells her Feather Witch will cast tiles tonight.

Seren, Hull, and Buruk converse before the meeting with the Edur. As they head to the meeting, Hull tells Seren possible friends—the Sengar sons—have left which is strange. At the meeting, the Letherii (save Seren) and Mosag spar over the seal harvest and other issues, with Hull arguing against Lether’s actions. Seren is dismissed.

Udinaas and Seren watch as Feather Witch casts the tiles. Her reading seems to go awry with bad overtones. At one points she speaks Jaghut and then Draconean. She ends on an ominous note.

Seren staggers out into cold rain. Back to top

Chapter Eight

Trull’s group, on the mission from Mosag, have left the Edur lands behind and entered the icy wastelands, having been warned of Jheck, dangerous hunters on the ice. They decide to climb into a crevasse for the night.

The bottom of the crevasse is an old seabed with salt pools. They realize the ice is dying above. Theradas (one of the Edur on the mission) discovers recent signs of a path and a meeting place. Binadas, Trull, and Theradas go to investigate.

They find a rough-shaped altar with offerings. On the far wall is a plane of ice containing animals (wolf and caribou) caught in mid-flight. Some bodies have fallen out of the melting ice. Binadas says the scene was caused by warren and Trull speculates the Hold of Ice, while Binadas connects it to The Watcher (Gothos). Trull wonders where the old powers have gone and Binadas suggests they are left alone to “preserve the sanctity of our past.” They discuss their beliefs and consider the melting ice and undermining salt as possible metaphor.

In the morning, Binadas warns them they may be attacked for finding the shrine. They come across wolf signs and wonder what they hunt. Trull asks if the thing they’ve been sent to find is a “gift,” who is giving it. Fear replies he doesn’t know and Trull feels a sense of foreboding.

Trull wakes before dawn to find Rhulad had fallen asleep while on watch and that their camp has been robbed of all food. Rhulad protests that he had only sat to rest his legs; he hadn’t fallen asleep. Nobody seems to believe him and he feels betrayed.

They come across a spar rising from the snow—their goal. Binadas says the same spirit Mosag called up to deal with the harvest ships has been here below the ice and that the sorcery is not Emurlahn. Fear tells Binadas to sacrifice shadows to free it (“annihilation is demanded”) and warns them all not to touch it. Trull says this whole thing feels wrong and Rhulad challenges his courage. Trull questions what they’re about to do and Binadas says he may be able to learn more of the sword once it is freed. Binadas calls the wraith but says they fear to die and divulges they are not the spirits of Edur ancestors, though he doesn’t say more. They come under attack by a pack of Jheck as Trull shatters the spar. Rhulad uses the sword and then is killed before the Jheck flee. They cannot free the sword from Rhulad’s grip. They wrap him and put him on a sled in preparation for heading home.

As they prepare to travel, Trull wonders why Rhulad had taken the sword then begins to feel guilty over how he doubted Rhulad in so many ways. Fear tells him he wondered as well and discovered Rhulad had found other Jheck attacking from the rear and had lost his sword trying to fight them off. Trull feels even more guilty. Fear informs him Binadas has a broken hip and orders Trull to take rear guard for he fears pursuit.

They run throughout the night and the next day and Trull finds himself alone near dusk. He is attacked by Jheck and kills two wolves. He continues running, fighting off a myriad of attackers. Finally he reaches the group, then passes out.

The group marvels at Trull’s feats and Fear tells him leading the Jheck away probably saved their lives. Trull says he simply got lost. Binadas has called magically to the Arapay shamans and they appear on huge mammoth-like beasts to help. Trull worries about the sword and Mosag’s intentions for it. He wishes they had died back at the spar. Back to top

Chapter Nine

Rhulad, in agonizing pain, appears on the Crippled God’s beach and is met by Withal and the three Nachts. Withal introduces himself and the Nachts (they watch a strange nest ritual), then leads him to the Crippled God, whom he refers to as his master and implies his “gifts” are mixed blessings. The CG discusses peace and its effects on a culture. He tells Rhulad Mosag has betrayed him (the CG), seeking the power of the CG for peace rather than conquest. He has chosen Rhulad now and tells him the sword has much power, but it will be paid for by Rhulad’s multiple deaths. Withal sees ambition take hold of Rhulad.

Awaiting the delegation, Seren is relieved, thinking neither Buruk nor Mosag want war, despite those back in Lether who do. She thinks Hull too wants war and now must find a different way to get it. The Sengar sons return with Rhulad’s body. Seren has a sense of foreboding. Buruk wonders how Tomad will take this news as he once rivaled Mosag for the throne. Mosag and his K’risnan move toward the scene.

Udinaas is indifferent toward Rhulad’s death and thinks only that he’ll have to prepare the body. Mosag is furious that Rhulad touched (and still holds) the sword. He orders it cut from Rhulad’s fingers but Uruth says such mutilation is forbidden. Trull calms them by saying perhaps when Rhulad thaws the sword can be salvaged. They agree to delay any decision; Udinaas takes the body to begin preparing it.

Buruk doesn’t like what he heard about a gift of a sword or how shaken Mosag was. He worries about an alliance with the Jheck but Seren says no, they fought the Jheck. Seren is intrigued by Trull. She and Buruk wonder at the oddity of the sword being frozen in his Rhulad’s grip. Buruk thinks this is bad for the delegation, but Seren says perhaps not as the Edur are off balance and divided perhaps.

Udinaas is helped by several other Letherii slaves in getting the body to the preparation site. The others fantasize about looting the Edur barrows when Lether defeats them, then paying off their debts. Udinaas says some debts can’t be paid off with money and Irim says they all know he wants Feather Witch and they pity the impossibility of it. Udinaas is left alone to prepare the body.

Alone, Trull thinks how this conflict might tear the Edur apart and how Mosag should have shown restraint and handled it behind the scenes. He agonizes over his mistrust of Rhulad. He recalls the strangers watching the scene and thinks Mosag’s strategy is a debacle. He feels a sense of dread.

Udinaas has filled Rhulad’s nose and ears with wax and is placing gold coins on the body. He does 163 coins covering the front and pours hot wax over it, then waits for it cool before turning the body over and resuming.

Fear tells Trull the mourning has begun and that Mosag has declared their mission a failure and thinks they betrayed him. Trull says he wonders if Mosag wasn’t the betrayer and when Fear notes Trull doubted the mission from the start, Trull says he doubts it even more now, worried about the sorcery. Their parents and Mosag are meeting now to negotiate what will be done while Binadas is off being healed. Fear says he too feels something ominous is about to happen. Trull suggests they rest and before leaving, Fear says he hopes Trull is always by his side. He thinks how Theradas had told him the group had heard his battle with the Jheck and how he, Trull, has already forgotten much of it. He thinks on the burdens of the past and of memory, wonders how immortals deal with it. He falls asleep, filled with sorrow and despair.

Udinaas turns Rhulad’s body over and is readying to do the other side when Rhulad screams.

Trull is dreaming of the Jheck and is wakened by Rhulad’s screams. He and Fear head off to the preparation building. Mayen and Feather Witch are in the doorway, unmoving. Fear sees Rhulad, then orders Mayen to keep everyone out save Tomad, Uruth, and Mosag. He and Trull enter and see Udinaas trying to comfort the screaming Rhulad. They watch as Udinaas slowly calms him then removes the coins from his eyes. Trull is surprised by Udinaas’ gentleness and compassion. Udinaas starts to leave when he is done with the eye coins but Rhulad grabs him and Trull asks him to stay for a little while, though he knows Udinaas is exhausted. Trull is disturbed when Rhulad says he still holds the sword and smiles, saying, “this is what he meant.” Trull thinks all is changed. He turns to order Feather Witch but she runs away. Tomad and Uruth and Mosag enter. Back to top

Chapter Ten

Ublala is upset over being treated like a sex toy. Tehol has little sympathy. Tehol and Bugg head out to get Shurq, who has been staying at a brothel, “feeding” her new addiction. The brothel turns out to be the priciest, most exclusive one in town and they worry how they’ll get her out when the Madame (Matron Delisp) probably is reveling in her newest whore. Tehol starts to create a whole bunch of stories and false reasons why he should be able to take Shurq, when Delisp interrupts and tells him to get rid of that “demoness.”

Tehol and Bugg find Shurq and tell her the Matron wants her out. She refers to her new appetites and Tehol suggests Ublala might help. Shurq agrees to try it.

As they prepare to leave, Matron Delisp tells Tehol she owes him. Shurq says Delisp actually owes her money and she wants it sent to Tehol’s residence where she plans to spend it quickly.

Shurq says she’ll meet Tehol (and Ublala) on the roof at midnight. Tehol heads off to the Azath House to speak to Kettle. He offers to do for her what they did with Shurq and she says she’ll think about it. She likes how Tehol looks and asks if she can call him father like she calls Shurq mother. He asks what the tower tells her and she says it’s afraid and someone in the ground is going to help once he gets free but there are bad ones down there as well who scare her and the House and destroy them all if they get free. Most of the others don’t talk at all, she says, save one who promises to make her an empress if Kettle helps her get free. Tehol advises Kettle not to trust that one and Kettle says Shurq told her the same. Before leaving, Kettle asks Tehol if he ever dreams of dragons.

Turudal Brizard, consort to Queen Janall watches Brys train his students. Brys thinks back to older threats to Lether—Bluerose in the north, tribes being driven into Lether areas by far off Kolanse, city-states in an archipelago in the Dracons Sea. All had been dealt with (Kolanse had a civil war and withdrew into itself). Brys wonders if Brizard is, as the Consort claims, a sign of what’s to come—people lacking martial training, Lether more focused on economic than military engagement and dominance. After the session, Brizard tells Brys the Chancellor (Triban Gnol) wants to see him. They discuss the feud between the Chancellor and the Ceda and Brizard talks of how peace leads to strife and Brys disagrees. Alone, Brys can’t figure out just what Brizard was trying to do or say; he prefers the clarity of physicality. He thinks Brizard is in a tough position, between the Queen and the Chancellor. He enters his room, noting it had been entered by spies, a regular occurrence. He heads off for to meet with the Ceda.

Brys finds the Ceda in mid-experiment. The Ceda discusses the world being round, gravity, tidal forces, the world’s four moons (at least four he says), how the other three moons beyond the visible one have seemingly faded, the idea that the world’s continents were once all joined. Brys tells him of Brizard’s reference to a feud between the Ceda and the Chancellor and Kuru Qan calls Brizad an “errant, troubled lad” seemingly filled with sorrow. He asks Brys to find out what he can about the feud the Ceda didn’t know about.

The Chancellor (Gnol) asks Brys about the military’s readiness and Brys says they are ready and capable for war. Gnol says he worries about Hull and Brys says his family is Brys’ business, not the Chancellor’s. The Chancellor says Brys shouldn’t take his concern as a warning and dismisses him.

Brys leaves, feeling out of his depth, knowing he lacks Tehol’s cleverness. He plans to seek advice from Tehol.

Shand, Rissarh, and Hejun come to meet Tehol and complain about not being involved and him not doing anything. He forestalls their complaints by giving them tasks. Mollified, they leave.

Shurq arrives and meets Ublala, who isn’t cooperating. She asks what he saw when he walked the canal bottom at the drownings and he said lots of bodies. She asks how deep the canal was originally and Bugg tells them seven man heights, but Ublala says he could almost reach up to the surface. Shurq wonders who is killing all those bodies and Tehol tells her not to worry. She asks Ublala if he can create a diversion while she breaks into Eberict’s estate. He’s reluctant until she says Eberict’s men don’t like him. They leave.

Brys walks to Tehol’s, thinking he’s always felt uncomfortable in Letheras, bothered by its greed, how people are being left behind, how the military was increasingly separated from the culture it is meant to protect. Brys asks Tehol for advice, saying he’s lost among the factions in the court that are trying to prod him into involvement. Tehol sums up the factions (Queen, Prince Quillas, Chancellor Gnol, Consort Brizard in one; King, the Ceda, First Eunuch Nifadas, Preda Hebaz, Brys, and maybe First Concubine Nisall in the other). Brys objects to being listed, but Tehol says he has no choice. Tehol advises him to say nothing (he’ll appear smarter) and treat it all like a duel. Brys says he worried about Hull and Tehol says he think Hull believes he’s going to die soon and wishes to take Lether with him, meaning someone will have to kill him. Brys says that will mean Brys will have to seek vengeance and Tehol says his first loyalty is to the King, not his family, but Tehol has no such constraints. He says he will avenge Hull. Brys smiles. The two discuss the brothers’ differences and differing paths. Tehol asks Brys to learn about people going missing.

With Ublala’s help, Shurq breaks into Eberict’s estate and then his private quarters, guarded by a dead man, set there as penance for incompetence. He wants to know how Shurq, also dead, looks so good and she says she can do the same for him. He helps her break in so he can go with her. Turns out he’s Harlest Eberict, Gerun’s brother, who died via a fall down the stairs ten years ago according to Gerun. Harlest informs her that Gerun killed him.

Shurq and Harlest collect papers, Gerun’s seal, and other things. They learn Gerun is calling in his money and Shurq speculates he’s planning something big and expensive. She tells Harlest they plan on breaking Gerun’s finances. They leave.

Kettle feeds another body to the Azath grounds. She thinks it’s been getting harder to find bad people to kill and wonders where they’ve all gone. Her friend underground had told her he was trapped and couldn’t go farther, though he said help was on tis way. She hopes Tehol will visit again, thinking he might know what to do now that the tower was dead. Back to top

Chapter Eleven

Udinaas sits overlooking the water, thinking of how Feather Witch had run away at the House of the Dead rather than help him. He thinks too of the pain Rhulad will feel when/if the coins are removed and the inevitability of his eventual madness. He realizes it is the sword that has brought Rhulad back, and that it has claimed Rhulad rather than Mosag as the Warlock King had planned. Thinking of the possibility of the Edur being torn apart by this, he wonders if he had made a mistake bringing Rhulad back from madness when he first woke.

Buruk is nervous over what is happening and thinks Mosag should simply kill Rhulad (again) and be done with it. The Edur have gathered in the citadel and the slaves, Seren assumes, are at a casting by Feather Witch. She wonders where Hull has disappeared to. She and Buruk speculate over the provenance of the sword. Buruk analyzes what he sees as Seren’s “despair” and thinks it stems from her sensitivity and from watching Hull rushing toward disaster. Seren thinks she is tired of words.

In the citadel, Tomad and Mosag have been debating. They wait now for Rhulad to release the sword, but Rhulad claims it as his own instead, telling a stricken Mosag “he gave it to me,” telling the Edur it is the one who “rules” them now, the one Mosag made a pact with though Mosag planned to betray it. He tells Mosag to kneel to him, then, when Mosag hesitates, he calls Binadas to him and heals him. Trull questions him and Rhulad pledges to give the Edur an Empire. He reveals that the shadow wraiths are Andii, killed by Edur. The Edur souls fled this world as they never belonged here. He promises to lead them home. To Trull’s dismay, Fear kneels, then Mosag and his sorcerers.

Udinaas wades out into the water and just as he thinks how easy it would be to let himself go he feels claws ripping into him lifting him free and tossing him up on the beach. He figures the Wyval didn’t want him to kill himself. He thinks Mosag has only two choices—kill Rhulad or surrender to him, though he can’t imagine what would force that. Hulad arrives and tells him Feather Witch could not cast the tiles because the Holds “were closed,” which frightened her. They note the arrival of the delegation from Lether, and the lack of an Edur welcome.

The Lether delegation arrives to be met by Seren and Buruk, who tell them the Edur are preoccupied. Seren tells them what happened. First Eunuch Nifadas makes reference to having Gerun Eberict sent to possibly “have a word with” Hull. Seren tells Nifadas she thinks Rhulad will replace Mosag as leader of the Edur. As she talks to Nifadas, Seren thinks she has apparently made her choice as to sides.

The wraith, Wither, wakes Udinaas and tells him to go the citadel to tell the Edur of the Lether delegation’s arrival. Wither says it and the Wyval agree he must make himself indispensable to Rhulad. Wither wonders if he truly wants Feather Witch, then brings up Menandore’s rape of Udinaas, telling him “the bitch has designs . . . [and] no love for Edur or Andii.” Udinaas arrives inside the citadel to see all the Edur kneeling to Rhulad. He tells Rhulad of the delegation and Rhulad tells him to bring them to meet the Edur’s ruler. Udinaas goes to tell the delegation and they follow him back. The delegation is shocked when Udinaas informs them that Rhulad has declared himself emperor and that the Edur have kneeled to him. Inside, the Prince and Mosag tangle over the illegal harvesting and its consequences, with Mosag getting the better of it. Nifadas interrupts to call an end to discussions for the night.

Trull, watching all that happened this night, feels the world shattered. Rhulad calls Fear forward and asks for the “gift” of Mayen. Trull wants to intervene, but Rhulad stops him and Fear gives up his right to Mayen. Mayen accepts with a “familiarity” that shocks Trull and Fear, but then Trull notes what he sees as “horror” on her face. He takes it as a message to the Edur to “Withstand. Suffer. Live. .. There will, one day, be answer to this.” Trull sees the Edur in an endless fall and wonder what answer could be given.

Udinaas tells Seren about Mayen and when she says the Edur are now ruled by a tyrant, he tells her she should tell the delegation to prepare for war. Back to top

Chapter Twelve

Bugg and Tehol discuss their various plots and make plans for the day, including a visit by Bugg to the Rat Catchers’ guild and a visit to a new quarry where a necromancer disappeared after being called in to deal with something Bugg’s workers found. Bug and Tehol also wonder at just how many undead there are in the city, based on Shurq returning with Harlest.

Brys is shocked by what he finds when he looks into the recent disappearances as Tehol asked him too—somewhere between seven and 11 thousand in the past year. The scribe tells him the Rat Catchers’ Guild has the contract to investigate. Later, Brys wonders what Tehol is up to and thinks it’s best he doesn’t know.

Bugg heads down to the old tomb where Shurq and Harlest have holed up. Shurq asks what Bugg knows about them and he tells her the language on the doors belongs to the Forkrul Assail, who are “collectively personified” by the Errant. The tombs were built for Jaghut and were warded against T’lan Imass, who pursued even those Jaghut who left their flesh behind in tombs while their soul traveled to the Hold of Ice. Shurq wonders how Bugg knows so much arcane knowledge. Bugg heads off to the Rat Catchers’ Guild to offer them a contract and is told he and Tehol can have time at that night’s meeting. The receptionist is shocked when Bugg realizes “he” is an illusion, saying he no one has figured that out in decades. Bugg leaves.

Kura Qan summons Brys and tells him the Dolmen has been “usurped,” showing him the tile with a figure at its base and bound by chains to the menhir. He also informs Brys that the Azath house has died and asks Brys to go investigate. When Brys asks if there is more news, the Ceda gives him a litany of events in the Tiles, adding he is frightened by all he sees. Finally, he tells Brys he hasn’t heard from the delegation to the Edur, all communication having been blocked by a new kind of Edur magic. Brys leaves for the Azath.

Bugg goes to the quarry where some long-imprisoned creature had been released by the digging and had killed several people. Bugg notes the sudden appearance of cold and frost near the cave entrance, then sees a female Jaghut appear and look into the cave. Bugg asks her what kind of demon is inside and she says a hungry, insane, cowardly one. She’s annoyed the humans freed it (she’d been the one to imprison it). She uses her warren to imprison it in ice. Bugg recognizes it as Khalibaral and is happy she came back to deal with it. When she asks is he has any suggestions for a new place to put it, Bugg smiles.

Brys arrives at the Azath and sees many of the barrows have been disturbed, as if from within. Kettle tells him the Azath is dead despite her efforts. Brys asks how many people she has killed and fed to the Azath but she can’t count—it’s clearly a lot however. She tells Brys the prisoner the Azath chose wants to speak to one of Kettle’s grownup friends. As she leads him to the spot, they pass through ancient insects now hatching from eggs. Kettle tells him to clear his mind like he does when he fights and he immediately faces an incredibly strong will within.

Brys finds himself standing on a flat-pyramid structure overlooking a strange landscape with a huge city. Objects are falling from a wound in the sky and the city is being destroyed. Brys realizes someone is beside him. The stranger tells Brys he is witnessing a god coming through the wound, called down by mages trying to fight Kallor, and that the summoning destroyed them and their civilization. Brys suggests then they failed, but the stranger says their helplessness drove them to seek change and they did indeed get that. He adds that the god is infected the world with his poison. He speaks of Brys’ leaders as also poisonous and talks over they cycle of civilization—of the rise of tyranny and conformity. He criticizes Lether and warns Brys of what may happen to it. He tells Brys to seek hope in compassion.

Brys returns to his world and tells Kettle he learned nothing of the stranger. She says the stranger will stop the other prisoners from escaping and hurting people, telling Brys he needs two good swords. Brys agrees but adds he’ll talk to the Ceda about it. He asks if Kettle is still killing people and she says not many; most of the trees are dead already and the others are dying. He agrees to help and tells her to be careful.

Tehol and Bugg go to the Rat Catchers’ Guild and meet with three men and three women in a room swarming with rats. Tehol surprises them by telling them he knows they are actually an assassins’ guild and thieves’ guild, and have also helped tribal refugees flee. The guild calls in Chief Investigator Rucket who calls Bugg the more dangerous one of the two. The guild members are surprised to learn Bugg saw through their earlier illusion. Tehol offers them the contract: he wants tribal refugees moved out to the islands in such fashion as nobody notices, he wants to know the results of their investigation into the disappearances in the city, and he wants himself protected. After Scint (one of the guild members) bites a rat’s head off, Tehol asks Bugg which ones are real and which illusions and Bugg guesses only Ormly, Bubyrd, and Rucket are real.

Brys reports his Azath visit to the Ceda. Kuru Qan tells Brys he’ll bring him to his private weapons stash where Brys can select the swords for the Azath’s chosen.

The Ceda shows Brys his hoard, telling him the weapons are all invested with sorcery, all of them cursed in fact. They choose two swords and Brys says he’ll deliver them the next day. The scene ends with the revelation that Brys never realized he hadn’t told the Ceda that Kettle was dead and that thus a “crossroads was reached and then, inexorably, a path was taken.”

Tehol and Bugg head home. Back to top

Chapter Thirteen

Udinaas watches Rhulad and Mayen have sex. Rhulad tells her he’d long dreamed of this and she replies that he’d hardly hidden those desires. Rhulad’s lust wanes and grows again. Udinaas sees Mayen almost, possibly find a spark that could become desire, then lose it, but thinks perhaps not forever. He believes it was at that moment she became Empress and loses “faith” in her spirit. Next to him, Feather Witch weeps. Rhulad and Mayen begin again and he sees her find the spark again. Rhulad orders Udinaas and Feather Witch out. Feather Witch lashes out at Udinaas, scorning him and he tells her he no longer pursues her. She threatens to tell about what’s inside him, but he tells her that will stop her from getting her freedom, explaining Rhulad plans to conquer Lether and has summoned all the shadow wraiths. She refuses to believe him and leaves. Shadows, demons, and sea creatures gather to Rhulad’s summons.

Hull arrives as Buruk and Seren prepare to leave. He tells her he’s been visiting old ruins and kill sites filled with fossilized bones of Tiste and “reptilian beasts” (he describes a flagstone plaza and city which calls up the battle scene between the K’Chain-Tiste at the start of the book) and says he has seen dragon tracks there. He explains the Edur pantheon, tells her of a shattered dragon skull nearby with Edur tracks near it, and tells her he believes Mosag is leading the Edur into a war of “destiny” in error. Seren catches him up on events and admonishes his use of “destiny.” He admits he is not what he once was and is not as honorable as she. They head off to speak to the First Eunuch.

Hull and Seren enter the delegation’s house as the Prince argues for a pre-emptive strike via the Letherii sorcerers. Nifadas (First Eunuch) doesn’t even deem the idea worthy of response. The Prince then orders Moroch Nevath to arrest the “traitor” Hull, but Seren says he cannot as Hull resides under the protection of the Edur. Nifadas asks Seren to escort him to Rhulad. On the way, Hull and Seren discuss “certainty.” Rhulad welcomes them and asks why Hull arrives in the Letherii party. Hull “disowns” allegiance to the Prince and Rhulad tells him to step aside. Seren informs Rhulad she’ll be leaving with Buruk and steps aside. Nifadas offers to negotiate, but Rhulad rejects it, sparring with the Prince. Rhulad basically declares war and dismisses them, save for Hull and Seren. Rhulad confiscates Buruk’s wagons of iron and tells Seren the Nerek will stay as well. He gives them three days. Hull swears himself to Rhulad’s cause and Seren is dismissed.

Gerun Eberict tells Seren Brys had asked him to speak to Hull. She warns him Hull is under Edur protection and he asks if she’s under the misimpression he wants to kill Hull. When she says she’s going home, he offers her a job working for him back in Lether. When she says he’ll probably be preoccupied soon, he mocks the idea that the Edur are a threat, noting the Letherii had defeated the Nerek and their Eres’al, the Tarthenal and their five Seregahl, warlocks and witches, etc. She tells him it will be different this time and he says the Lether “system” (which she calls “destiny”) makes victory inevitable. They spar over the meaning of freedom and when she continues to argue the Edur might win, he says even if they win, they’ll lose.

Hull offers to tell Rhulad and the Edur everything of Lether’s military for vengeance for betraying him long ago. They discuss tactics a bit then Rhulad dismisses Hull to the Sengar house. Rhulad tells Mosag Hull’s assessments matched Mosag’s exactly. Asked about the delegation, Mosag says the Prince is thrilled with how things turned out, but though equally confident of victory, Nifadas “mourns for us.” Rhulad spasms again and Udinaas muses on its causes and how Rhulad is on the edge of insanity. Udinaas knows, via Wither, that the sword gives Rhulad command of the Andii spirits, though not Wither. Rhulad orders the Nerek be respected and Mosag tells him their hearth and are have been sanctified. Rhulad reminds Mosag their spirits are the “oldest this world has known,” and advises caution with the Nerek to avoid those spirits rising. Mosag points out the Letherii had no difficulty, but Rhulad says the Eres’al wasn’t fully awakened, but now something has changed. They discuss the gathering of the Edur and strategy.

Trull feels an outsider and wonders how he can stop what is happening. Fear warns him not to try and says it is their job to guide Rhulad. Trull says Rhulad is mad, but Fear says he sees pain in Rhulad. Trull asks if Fear doesn’t wonder who is manipulating them, but Fear will have none of it. He warns Trull he walks the knife edge of treason and asks will he fight with his brothers? Trull says he will not show doubt to the others.

Rhulad dismisses everyone save Udinaas, whom he calls to his side and asks him to remind him of who he (Rhulad) is. As Udinaas realizes Rhulad is “flawed,” Rhulad says “We are imperfect.” Udinaas says he understands as he is a slave. When Udinaas calls him “indebted” (Rhulad owes someone his life and power) Rhulad is angered. Rhulad says the person speaks to him, orders his thoughts and chooses his words, but claims the thoughts are his. When Udinaas orders another slave to get food, he realizes he has also risen along with Rhulad; the other slaves says he has been “elevated.”

Trull and Seren speak and she realizes he wishes things were other than they are. They have a moment of empathy and understanding, then go their separate ways. Back to top

Chapter Fourteen

Bugg, as the “Waiting Man,” has been sent for by some cutthroats whose companion was killed by some kind of monster that then ducked into the last temple of the Fulcra. Bugg explores and speaks to the creature, a D’ivers god Bugg calls “The Pack.” It tells Bugg it will wait for something/one to arrive and then will hunt. Bugg leaves and tells the ruffians he’ll take care of it. He goes to check on the Azath House, worried about what else might have, like the Pack, escaped from the barrows. Speakign to Kettle, he is surprised the Ceda hasn’t visited her yet, especially now that her heart is beating. She shows him Silchas’ barrow and says the woman next to him—the one who promises her things—is often angry and scares off the five Tarthenol gods. Bugg realizes she (the Azath prisoner) is holding on to Silchas’ ankles to follow him out. Kettle says the five have killed most everything else and are almost out. Bugg tells her to call for help before they do. She says she will.

Brys attends a meeting with the King, Ceda, Unnutal Hebaz, and the First Concubine Nisall. They discuss force and strategy for the upcoming war with the Edur. The King wants a pre-emptive strike to make the Edur change their minds, using the Ceda’s mages to strike the Edur villages. Brys learns Hull has joined the Edur. The King says since the Letherii know that, it will advantage them. There have been reports of the wraiths on on the frontier and Nisall suggest magically destroying Edur sacred sites as was done to the Nerek and Tarthenal. The Ceda agrees, though sadly. The Queen is using her Queen’s Brigade independently, aiming to meet the Edur. Everyone anticipates a brutal, difficult war. Brys decides he need to warn Tehol he might be a target now that it is known about Hull.

Rucket (Chief Investigator of the Rat Catchers Guild) meets with Bugg. She tells him an undead little girl is killing people and Gerun Eberict has been killing a lot as well—between two and three thousand in the past year. Rucket asks if he wants to come home with her and he says he’s been under a vow of celibacy for thousands of years. She drives him away (on purpose) with some disgusting talk and as she takes pride in doing so, Bugg, appreciating her playacting thinks she might make a good match for Tehol.

Tehol meets with Shand, Rissarh, and Hejun, all depressed over Ublala’s departure. Tehol tells them they have what they need and he’s just waiting for the right time. The war has made him hesitate as he’s worried that the Edur winning would be worse. When Tehol says opening the Letherii up to possible genocide is different from causing economic collapse in order to change things, they say the Letherii would just be getting what they themselves had done repeatedly. Tehol asks why they’d stoop to Lether’s level and says things are always more complicated than they seem. He says their priority should be evacuating the tribal refugees and indebted. He says the worst thign for the Edur is if they actually win the war. He leaves, still worrying about the war. Shurq meets with him and tells him Harlest is getting impatient for his fang treatment. She wants another thieving mission and he mentions the Tolls. He wants to know who holds the largest royal debt. She says she, Ublala, and Harlest are planning to become pirates after Tehol’s plan.

Silchas is showing Kettle a chamber and talks to her of the Forkrul Assail and their goal of “absolute balance,” to which he is utterly opposed. He says he killed the ones they see at this scene and his “draconic kin” killed others, though some still remain (most imprisoned and worshipped by mortals). He reveals Kettle’s soul is Forkrul Assail, though she was also once a mortal human and he wonders at all that led to her. He realizes the Azath was going to have Kettle kill him once he defeated the others, but she says she’ll follow his path as long as it’s good. They both understand he may also have to kill her, if her soul fully awakens. She describes for him a scene the Azath showed her of her being prepared/chosen, revealing the Nameless Ones were involved. She guesses the Eres was her mother and Silchas agrees, thoug he says her father may not even be her father yet since the Eres travels through time. He tells her she has two souls sharing a child’s corpse.

Bugg informs Tehol of Eberict’s murders and they decide they’ll have to do something about it. Brys arrives to tell Tehol of Hull and warn him of possible assassination by the Queen’s agents. Tehol agrees to let Byrs get him a single bodyguard. Back to top

Chapter Fifteen

Seren and Buruk reach the pass after having been hounded by wraiths the whole way. Seren touches the black cliff wall and hears voices within talking of annihilation, of one of three who shall return, one with a bright sword, of Two Mistresses in the same Hold (one seeming to be Seren according to the voices). She makes ready to camp.

Buruk talks to Seren of being Indebted and blackmailed. She tells him to make himself un-useful and he replies he is in a “hurry to do just that.”

Seren and Buruk reach the border town and find three of the most powerful mages there preparing to attack the Edur villages. Seren asks them not to, mentions the children, but they ignore her. In concert with the Ceda, they perform a powerful ritual and cast power that horrifies them all. Seren considers it mindless slaughter. Buruk and Seren think Mosag, Rhulad, Trull, etc. are all dead.

On the river, Buruk tells Seren he will release her from her contract and that he intends to “never leave Trate.” He gives her tea to knock her out and tells her she always had his heart.

Seren wakes the next day and goes to Buruk’s home, breaks in and finds where he’s hanged himself.

Trull and other Edur witness from afar the devastation caused by the Letherii sorcery that destroyed their abandoned villages. Hanradi Khalag, the Merude tribe chief, tells Trull their new allies have arrived and know him well. Trull speaks bitterly of what is happening and Hanradi warns him he nears treason. The allies turn out to be Jheck. In the camp, Trull thinks this will be a brutal war and wishes he could cast his doubts aside as apparently Fear has. The camp is filled with summoned demons, bound against their will to fight for the Edur. B’nagga, the “Dominant” or leader of the Jheck meets with Fear and Trull. It is revealed that the Nerek had stayed behind in the Edur village and so seemingly were killed by the Letherii sorcery. A Lether army has been observed and they discuss plans to deal with it and High Fort. The K’risnan tell Trull they are linked to Mosag and the Emperor and now wield more magical power than ever, power from the sword. When Trull questions that, Fear stops him and tells him to advance and deal with any enemy scouts. Trull leaves, feeling more and more isolated. He joins his group, captained by Ahlrada Ahn who for some reason unknown to Trull hates him. They kill a young scout; Trull is sickened by it all.

Trull’s group crosses a “bridge” which is actually one of Icarium’s time mechanisms. Ahlrada has seen the same writing on the artifact before in ice and says the myth was the language was from the “Tusked Man” who has been seen over generations.

Via Wither, Udinaas learns more of the Letherii past and its connection to The First Empire and how the T’lan Imass killed them after the Soletaken ritual. When Udinaas wonders why he should care, Wither tells him there are over 4000 under his feet, lost and without a single bonecaster. Wither hides within the blood of the Wyval while the Wyval hides within the shadow of the Wraith while Udinaas wonders if he’s gone mad and is deluded. Feather Witch asks Udinaas to take her to his dream realm. She takes them through fire into another world where they are taken by Imass. In the distance lies a wrecked Meckros city “plucked from the sea and sea ice.” Udinaas explains to Feather Witch how the Imass’ strong memories have manifested them as real people in this realm and she connects them to the Beast Hold and says the Imass stole fire from the Eres’al. In the ice mixed in with the city lie K’Chain corpses. Feather Witch confesses she had seen Menandore rape Udinaas earlier. He is relieved he is not mad and realizes Feather Witch had summoned the Wyval and had thought the Tiles would lead her to freedom. They return to the Imass who have been joined by a Meckros boy named Rud Ellale who can speak Letherii. He says the Bentract took him in after Menandore saved him from the city. Rud is Udinaas’ son by Menandore and is draconic Soletaken. Ulshun Pral leads them to 12 gates which were sealed by the bonecaster that took the Imass through and tells them they are in an overflow of Starvald Demelain. Udinaas and Feather Witch return to their world.

Atri-Pedra Yan Tovis plans to ride out from the coast after having seen roughly 300,000 Edur ready to make a landing, after 5000 landed at First Maiden Fort. The local Finadd thinks this is probably it for the Edur forces (Tovis isn’t so sure) and also that they can hold out, but Tovis, telling him a third fleet has appeared to cut them off, tells him she is going to surrender Fent Reach. Back to top

Chapter Sixteen

Feather Witch tells Udinaas Mayen beats her and “Uses me. In ways that hurt.” He says he’s seen the bruises. He adds Rhulad doesn’t do that to Mayen. Feather Witch says she doesn’t care, has no interest in trying to understand Mayen’s perspective. She admits what Rhulad does to Mayen, the non-physical hurting, is what she does to Udinaas. He replies she’d rather bite. She heads off and he thinks of the march on Trate toward vengeance.

Trull’s force has been detected by the Letherii mages. As they wait to see what the Letherii will do, the Jheck arrive, informing Trull the Letherii are retreating to High Fort and that First Maiden Fort has already fallen and that Edur army is marching on Fent Reach. Four major battles are predicted in the next few days.

Seren is trying to get drunk in a tavern, listening to conversations about the impending war, most of it arrogant predictions. A foreigner arrives with an offer of taking her with his group on a boat away from Lether He introduces himself as Iron Bars, Second Blade, Fourth Company Crimson Guard and says his group just got off of Assail and he and his friends have fallen deep into debt just by showing up on the in Lether. Seren suggests he join the army and he tells her Lether is in big trouble in this war. When she rejects his offer, he tells her their boat is in Letheras and they’ll look for her there, warning her to get out of Trate as soon as possible.

The Letherii mage Nekal Bara looks out to sea from the lighthouse, worried the war is already going badly. She thinks she knows where the sea creature that the Edur have bound to their use came from, an old spirit that should have died once its worship had ended. She will try to kill it while Arahathan, another mage, distracts it. She thinks this battle will be hard but isn’t worried about its final result. The fleet and spirit attack and Arahathan is killed, then Nekal, though not before she learns she was wrong about the spirit and within was something utterly surprising against which she has no defense—she calls to the Ceda to “Hear me! See—” before dying.

Seren wakes in a cellar, robbed and raped. There is panic and chaos in the streets. Three of her rapists return to take her, one of them carrying a dead young girl. Before they attack her, Iron Bars shows up and kills them (painfully so until Seren tells him to do it cleanly). He apologizes for leaving her and tells her Trate has fallen and the Edur are killing every soldier in sight, though not non-combatants. He says his group is waiting and Corlo, thanks to the Edur’s arrival and what they brought, can use his warren again, first time since they landed in Lether. He’s about to lead her but says they’ve been cut off.

Rhulad, a dozen Edur warriors, and Udinaas move through the city, Rhulad effortlessly killing right and left and “gibbering” as he does so. Iron Bars arrives, kills the Edur soldiers and Rhulad, then motions Seren forward and they disappear round the corner. Udinaas recognizes Seren, sees she’s been badly used, and thinks that will not happen while the stranger is with her.

Iron Bars says that guy with the sword was good and in a few years would be tough to beat. Seren, in shock, doesn’t know what he’s talking about. They meet his group—two women and four men of the Crimson Guard. He says Corlo is opening a warren to Letheras. His comments about the Edur finally slip in to her consciousness and she realizes he fought Rhulad. She asks if Iron Bars killed him and is dismayed to find he did.

Withal waits on the beach of the Crippled God while Rhulad recovers. The two Nachts, Rind and Pule, are fighting and Withal wonders if the increasing frequency of this is their attempt to tell him something. Withal feels lost. Rhulad says he’s not going to the tent; the CG can keep the sword. Withal denies having anything to do with it and Rhulad accuses him of making the sword. Withal says he’s made tons of them, then muses that this sword came from two shards of another (or an “overlong knife”), “black and brittle.” Rhulad says everything breaks and when Withal agrees, Rhulad suggest he break the sword. Withal says he can’t and then says he thinks the CG is stealing his mind, that the CG had said he’d set him free if he made the sword but hasn’t. He warns Rhulad the god lies. Withal tells Rhulad it’ll be harder for him to die each time he does. Rhulad wonders about Father Shadow and Withal argues if he were alive he’d have stopped the CG from co-opting the Edur. As he speaks, he gets an idea and tries to keep it hidden in his mind from the CG. Rhulad says he is ready and they move toward the tent.

In the warren, Corlo says the Edur have Kurald Galain and wonder if they even know it. He explains to Seren the Hold of Darkness is Andii, not Edur—they should be using Shadow. He adds the warren is overrun by Tiste Andii spirits and Seren asks what the relationship is between the Edur and the wraiths. Corlo says the Edur have bound the wraiths and she suggests negotiating with one. A female wraith speaks to them, saying she was one of the first to die in the war and because she was not killed by an Edur, they cannot bind her, though her spirit is trapped. He asks her to guide them and says her assistance isn’t worth being paid for. When they ask what she’d like anyway, she asks they throw a ring she would bind herself to into the sea so she could rejoin her bones. They agree and when the wraith wonder at their honesty Iron Bars says he is an Avowed and she can see the “meaning of that by laying her hand on [his] chest.” The wraith does so and is shocked and horrified by what she senses and then feels pity for him. Iron Bars says, “We all make mistakes.” The wraith gives her name as Sandalath Drukorlat (note the last name).

As they head to the tent, Withal thinks on how Mape makes him nervous due to her strength and seemingly intelligence. Rhulad wonders why he can’t just kill the Crippled God and Withal says his power in his tent is probably absolute. When Rhulad responds “The vastness of his realm,” Withal wonders why those words strike him so hard. Inside, Rhulad tells the CG to pick someone else. The god says Rhulad is lucky it was Iron Bars and not Skinner or Cowl, who would have taken more notice of him. When Rhulad says he doesn’t want the power, the CG says of course he does, though Rhulad complains he hasn’t earned anything. The CG tells Rhulad the truth of Bloodeye’s “betrayal” and says others already know. The CG says perhaps he offers Rhulad the chance to make amends via empire. He tells him to choose. Rhulad grabs the sword and lunges for the CG but disappears. Withal and the CG argue and Withal says he knows the CG’s problem—his lack of a realm and inability to control his own body, warning him the more pain he gives the more he gets. The CG dismisses him, saying he (the god) has figured out a solution for Withal’s problem.

Iron Bars’ group exits the warren far south of Trate on the shore. Seren walks into the ocean to cleanse herself and nearly drowns herself but is saved by Iron Bars (who had just tossed Sandalath’s ring into the ocean), who then asks Corlo to heal her. Corlo says he’s too tired and Iron Bars tells him to put her to sleep.

Sandalath starts to die again, thinking of her husband either dead or grieving, her daughter perhaps a mother or grandmother, having fed on draconic blood. A voice tells her she can’t die because the voice needs her. She arrives on a beach alive.

Hundreds of Edur, including Mosag, Mayen, along with Feather Witch, have gathered where Rhulad was killed by Iron Bars. Rhulad comes back to life and gives his orders. When Midik promises to get the one who “did this” to Rhulad, Rhulad says “he cannot be defeated,” but Udinaas points out Midik meant the one who killed him. Rhulad asks Udinaas to take him out of there. As he does so, Udinaas thinks the Ceda will learn soon about Rhulad and he wonders if he’ll realize he can’t do anything about it.

The CG had told Withal there would be a gift for him on the shore. There he finds Sandalath, which angers him for how the CG just uses people. Despite his hatred of religion, Withal prays to the Meckros’ oldest god—Mael. Back to top

Chapter Seventeen

Tehol hears Bugg fall into the canal, which happened Bugg says because he thought he heard someone whisper his name. Bugg says Shurq has disappeared and Tehol tells him she’s planning to breaks into the Tolls. Bugg informs Tehol he’s succeeded in shoring up the Fifth Wing foundations and says it’s “chilly in those tunnels now.” Tehol notes Bugg’s surprising amount of scars and lets Bugg know he is aware of his roles as “occasional priest, healer, the Waiting Man, consorter with demons.”

Tehol expounds on inequity, value, and worth as they walk. They end in an area of tribal refuges and mixed-bloods, with a few indebted Letherii mixed in. Bugg argues they are broken and they discuss paternalism even as they worry the refugees will be press-ganged into the war. Tehol says step one is getting them a leader, ideally a reluctant one; i.e. Bugg. Bugg says not a great idea, he’s a bit busy but he accepts, so long as no one worships him.

Brys and the Ceda meet and discuss the fall of Trate and the upcoming battle at High Fort, which the Ceda says he will not take part in; he must “conserve his power until the appropriate time.” The Ceda discusses the Letherii denial of death. The lack of a Hold of Death (he says the Cedance is incomplete), and the effect such an absence has, arguing there must have been one once. Brys lets slip that Kettle is undead and the Ceda immediately says they have to go.

Kettle and Shurq discuss the dead who are gathering just outside the Azath walls and Shurq wants Kettle to ask them to join her assault of the Tolls. They note that the ghosts are becoming more substantial in the past week and Shurq says she knows why, wondering if Kettle realizes she is coming back to life. Kettle says the ghosts have agreed to go with Shurq, who tells Kettle the reason the ghosts’ power growing is the death of the Azath.

Kettle thinks it’s been getting harder for her to talk to/hear the ghosts and she is getting thirsty which she never had before. Brys and the Ceda arrive, who tells Kettle she was the Zath’s guardian and also that she is no longer dead. She tells him her friend says the heart inside won’t fully wake up, which is why the Nameless Ones took her body, though her friend will destroy her if necessary. The Ceda says the Azath House has become the Hold of Death. She shows him a flagstone with “carvings” on it and says it is for the Cedance—a tile. The Ceda surmises the Nameless Ones had known the Azath would die and so acted to deal with those who might escape, and that the Hold of Death manifesting there might have nothing to do with them. He adds Kettle isn’t the guardian of the Azath anymore; she’s just waiting to deal with the escapees. He asks if her friend will emerge in time and she doesn’t know. She tells them of a “pretty man” who watches her a lot but spoke to her once to tell her of the Hold of Death and said she shouldn’t “give her heart away,” adding he never does. He also told her the Hold of Death didn’t need a guardian because its throne is occupied. Brys and the Ceda leave and Kettle joins Silchas in the aftermath of the battle with the K’Chain. She sees Wyval seeking their “master” and Silchas says they’ll wait a long time and still are. He explains that the Jaghut’s ice that will soon come is what cut off the dead from journeying, kept them to “linger,” and though he wonders if that was the intent, believes none, not even the Elder God he thinks “meddled” could have predicted that. She tells him the Azath is now the Hold of Death and he says that must be because the Jaghut sorcery is dying. She informs him of the war and he says the Edur will try to kill him, fearing he’ll try and do the same to them, but he says he will not. He points to the battle and wonders where all the spirits of the dead have gone.

Shurq enters the Tolls with the ghosts, one of whom memorizes the ledgers.

Kuru Qan recaps events and thinks the Letherii have misread their own prophecy.

Tehol and Rucket meet and head to supper.

Shand, Rissarh, and Hejun are at the restaurant when Tehol, Rucket, and Bugg enter. A bar brawl breaks out and Bugg and Tehol leave. Back to top

Chapter Eighteen

The Nerek have survived the Lether sorcery at the Hiroth village due to being on consecrated ground. One of them now dreams, which hasn’t happened since the Letherii conquered them. The tribe accepts the dreams though they fear them. They send the dreamer and his brother to find Hull.

Fear takes Trull aside forcibly and tells him to stay quiet about his doubts. Trull says he will kill Letherii for Fear only, and recommends if he can’t accept that to send him back. He shows pity and horror at what is being done to Rhulad, refusing to see it as Rhulad’s power and wants to know who is doing it to him. Fear tells him to voice his doubts only to Fear and Trull agrees.

Moroch Nevath, Queen Janall, and Prince Quillas wait at High Fort, confident in their mage cadres and defensive measures. Wraiths, Edur, and Jheck arrive and the Letherii discuss battle strategy sure of victory. Moroch is the only one to feel uneasy.

Trull waits with Ahlrada Ahn, Edur, Jheck, and the demons, realizing he knows nothing about these demons he fights beside. Both the Letherii and K’risnan use their sorcery in deadly fashion, then the battle begins and Trull rushes in.

Moroch is on the battlefield, having lost both the Queen and Prince. He watches Trull kill the last Letherii mage, then seeks a horse for the royals. He slips and tears a tendon ( he thinks) and is surrounded by thousands being killed via sorcery.

The Letherii are fleeing. Trull, having just killed one of the Letherii mages, tells the wounded Ahlrada Ahn to get to a healer then re-gather Trull’s troop. Trull heads toward Fear.

Moroch watches Jheck Soletaken wolves killing the wounded. He witnesses the Prince taken prisoner and wonders at the speed and totality of the Letherii loss. An Edur tells him the Fort surrendered, as has the entire frontier, the Prince and Queen are taken, and the Edur march on Letheras. The Edur are letting the Letherii soldiers leave after giving up their arms. He heads south with them.

Trull finds a badly wounded demon who tells him in his home he was a fisherman, as were they all. He wonders why he’s been called to this world, this war. Trull goes to get a healer and finds Fear and the K’risnan surrounding a warlock suffering horribly due to the sword’s sorcery being channeled through him. Trull asks one of the Edur women to come as healer to the demon. When she refuses he strikes her. Fear tells him to leave it and orders Trull to ask forgiveness. Trull wanders off looking for another healer. He finds Hanradi Khalag’s sister and brings her to the demon. She tells him their name (Kenyll’rah) and agrees with him they have been “sorely used.” She heals the demon. He wants it released but when she says it won’t be allowed, he says he’ll have it in his charge.

Trull tells the demon he’ll hold him out of the fighting, but the demon says that would be cruel to force him to watch his people die but not share the risk. Trull says one of them must live to remember the others. He and the demon (“Lilac”) head to meet Fear, who is with the Prince and Queen and several officers. Fear tells Trull Rhulad will not ransom the prisoners; he wants them himself. Trull criticizes this and Fear withholds his angry response. Trull asks permission to have Lilac assigned to him and Fear agrees.

Lilac asks to see the river and tells Trull of his own river and the giant “Whiskered Fish” there (think giant “catfish”) that then crawl on land to shed their skins and live on land. Lilac asks what war this is and when Trull says a “pointless one” Lilac replies, “They are all pointless.” Trull says the Nerek and other tribes are broken, but Lilac wonders if they may not be and Trull agrees he might be right. When Trull also says their situation will not change if the Edur win, Lilac wonders why he fights. Before Trull can answer Fear arrives with a Letherii sword and wonders how such a corrupt people could craft such a thing. Trull answer it is because the Letherii are “forward-looking, and so inherently driven,” while the Edur look backwards. Fear thinks the Edur must thus harness the Letherii for them and Trull wonders what that will do to the Edur. Trull and Fear spar and when Fear turns to strike Trull Lilac stops him. Fear says Trull speaks treason and Trull asks against whom. When Fear says if Binadas were there he’d kill Trull, Trull wonders if that is what will happen to any Edur who dissent. Fear leaves and Trull weeps, comforted by Lilac. Back to top

Chapter Nineteen

As Udinaas watches sharks and gulls feed on the war dead we learn the frontier has mostly fallen, Feather Witch has been beaten by Mayen, thousands of Letherii and Edur have been killed in sea battles. Udinaas attends a meeting where Rhulad is informed of Mosag having visions of Tiste Edur subjugated in other realms. Rhulad swears to deliver them. Mayen accuses Udinaas of being possessed, Mayen’s beating of Feather Witch is forbidden by Rhulad. Udinaas and Rhulad become closer. Mayen is pregnant.

Seren cuts her hair, rues not letting Iron Bars torture her rapists. They find horses and Seren tells Iron Bars the Letherii cavalry (which is horrible) concept and horses came from Bluerose. She thanks him.

They examine the horse tack and discover the Bluerose have been basically sabotaging the Letherii cavalry with terrible equipment and instruction. It’s strongly implied the Bluerose are Tiste Andii. They decide to track the group that killed the family the horses belonged to. Corlo implies the Avowed’s Vow keep them alive unnaturally. Seren heads into the forest and finds a grove sacred to the five Tarthenal gods—the statues seem to be coming active. Iron Bars finds her and she tells him he killed Rhulad, but Rhulad comes back to life.

Old Hunch Arbat, a Tarthenal, comes to the grove to throw shit on the statues to “appease” the gods and keep them quiet.

Sandalath Drukorlat and Withal spar a while and when she clops him alongside the head, knocking him out, he thinks the Nacht are trying to tell him something about the Crippled God’s tent.

Seren’s group catches up to the killers and slaughters them. Seren tells Iron Bars his compassion and attempts to protect her from what happened and its aftermath isn’t going to help. Back to top

Chapter Twenty

Brys meets the Ceda in the Eternal Domicile and informs him the surviving defenders have been pulled back to Letheras. The Ceda seems obsessed with something and detached. He warns Brys nothing good is coming and tells him to care for his brother, though he doesn’t specify which one. The last things he tells Brys is “You must not kill him.”

Shurq Elalle spies on Eberict’s return and sees him kill his house captain upon the report of the theft. She assumes there will be a bloodbath as he seeks the thief. She falls and gets an iron bar stuck in her forehead. She waits for night.

Bugg and Tehol discuss plans and what Bugg believes is the imminent conquest of Lether by the Edur. He adds the Edur’s sorcery is not Kurald Emurlahn. Bugg tells Tehol the continent has lacked a “” or Hold of the dead for some time, that a Jaghut “sealed” the land some time ago, that the magic is thawing, leading to the formation of a Hold of the Dead at the Azath House, and that Kettle is becoming alive. Tehol decides to send Shand, Hejun, and Rissarh on their way, especially now that the non-Lether in the city are being harassed and people are being press-ganged. They decide it isn’t a good time to bring the economy down.

Turudal Brizad speaks to Brys outside the throne room, telling him much of his life has been as an “objective observer” and he now finds himself more objective and more free than ever. He tells Brys the Edur will win and when Brys wonders why the queen wanted the war, Brizad says it was desire for wealth and belief in destiny. He reveals the real reason the First Empire collapsed—brought upon itself—and tells Brys Lether (as a colony) wasn’t as immune as is taught but instead drove the threat of the ritual into the ice wastes—the Jheck. Brizad adds he tells Brys this as explanation for why he is about to stop being objective.

Moroch Nevath arrives at the gates of Lether.

Bugg arrives at the Rat Catchers’ Guild and Rucket and Ormly tell him their information, including that the Edur-controlled areas are surprisingly peaceful and calm. Bugg senses something and goes to the Azath House, where he meets someone about whom Bugg has wondered when he’d “stir himself awake.” The person says he’s mostly been watching but is going to take an active role to prevent the T’lan Imass from showing up (all of this making pretty clear it is Brizad). Bugg realizes he’s referring to The Pack and as Brizad walks away, Bugg thinks of gods, the Soletaken, and wonders why Brizad “stirred” himself now, answering his own question with “guilt.”

Shurq visits Tehol to come up with a solution for the iron bar in her head and her cravings.

Moroch meets Brizad who tells him he might need Moroch’s sword soon and also warns Moroch he’s not trusted anymore since he didn’t die defending the Prince and Queen. Brizad says Moroch can redeem his name by killing the god of the Jheck and Moroch agrees to discuss it later.

Bugg finds Kettle at the Azath and tells her she’s alive and that they’ll need to get her food and water and the like. Before leaving, he walks the grounds and is mentally attacked by the Toblakai gods who then retreat upon realizing who Bugg really is. Bugg warns them to leave Kettle alone and if she’s attacked the Forkrul Assail in her will waken. They think he is lying.

Brys is in the throne room with the king, First Eunuch, First Concubine Nisall, Preda Hebaz, and some guardsmen. The king refuses to leave the city as counseled. Gerun Eberict arrives, upset over his loss, though he says he’ll soon recover his losses, implying he knows who was the cause. He heads off to take command of his men and quell the rioting. The king tells Brys to prepare for a bloodbath and asks why Eberict looked at him when he spoke of getting his money back, worried it was a reference to Tehol. Brys says he doesn’t know. The Preda tells Brys to warn Tehol and learns Brys has been prepared for this. The king tells Brys he wants him near him at all times now. The Preda leaves and Brys thinks they could all be dead soon. Back to top

Chapter Twenty-One

Seren and Corlo discuss magic, Warrens, and Holds. She asks if he can take away memories and he says he can make her blind to them, but it would eat away at her. He says as an alternative he can change how she feels by making her “cry it all out” to break the cycle. They stop so he can help her, though he says she’s already started, calling her a “natural talent.”

Seren has cried it out, some of it done in the arms of Iron Bars. Later, she felt calm and was able to examine things better. She wakes and talks with Iron Bars. Corlo wakes and they both sense something has happened; Iron Bars heard horses screaming earlier from a nearby small garrison. Corlo says they might need the “diadem,” a tool with 40 rituals implanted in it, including one that speeds them up.

They approach the garrison, old huge ruins, bigger Corlo points out than K’Chain Che’Malle tombs (he explains who they were to Seren). They see a group digging at a barrow which Corlo says was strongly warded and has nothing to do with the other ruins. The Finadd (Arlidas Tullid) has declared his area independent and is planning on “recruiting” them as well as using what’s in the barrow. Corlo uses Mockra to get them away without a fight.

Trull and Lilac, along with Trull’s company, are camped outside Thetil, waiting to march on Letheras. Trull has been unofficially shunned by the Edur since High Fort. Ahlrada Ahn tells Trull his men want him replaced, then tells him the story of the Bluerose and the Betrayal. To Ahlrada’s surprise, Trull says that version makes more sense than the Edur one. Uruth arrives and tells Trull he erred but she will deal with the women and tells Fear to deal with his warriors. She upbraids Trull for voicing his doubts as none but Rhulad can act on them. Uruth speaks to Lilac of the war in his world between the Kenyll’rah (Lilac’s people)/Kenryll’ah (tyrants that rule over Lilac’s people) and the Korvalahrai who are winning. She suggests trying a formal alliance with a Kenryll’ah tyrant. Trull tries to resign, but Fear refuses and tells him Canarth will be rejected when he asks that Trull be replaced. Fear warns Trull to be careful what he says to Rhulad. Lilac discusses his people and the war with Trull, along with the idea of cycles and ageless tasks. Lilac says Uruth will sacrifice him to open a path to the tyrants and tells Trull how he can help Lilac escape that.

Trull tells Uruth he sent Lilac back and she informs him Lilac lied about being sacrificed. Trull still refuses to summon him back. He and Uruth discuss the alliance with the tyrants in Lilac’s world and she tells him Rhulad will destroy the invading Korvalahrai by diverting the river their ships sail into a new realm in return for more demons and maybe a minor Kenryll’ah or two.

Trull enjoys Lilac’s trick and wonders if perhaps he (Trull) is not a warrior after all. He suddenly realizes his people have changed while he has not and that he does not belong with them anymore.

Udinaas is south with Rhulad’s army. He recalls an earlier incident involving eels transplanted into a lake. He meets Hull and the two discuss the post-conquest stage. Udinaas tells Hull his acts haven’t earned him anything and wonders that Hull expects something in return from Rhulad. The two discuss Udinaas’s witnessing of Iron Bars killing Rhulad. Hull asks if Feather Witch being reassigned from Mayen to the Edur healers was the work of Udinaas. Udinaas refuses to answer. Hull asks the extent of his debt and to whom it is owed; it turns out it is owned by Huldo, who in turn is owned by Tehol. Udinaas replies Tehol owns nothing anymore and Hull tells him a story relating Tehol’s genius and thus the impossibility of him being wiped out as it seemed. Hull clears Udinaas’ debt.

Rhulad has returned from drowning a world (the Nascent) and is troubled by it. To distract him, Udinaas asks about the champions the Edur will seek so Rhulad can be killed for his power to grow stronger. They discuss how that should be done. Udinaas later tells him the tale of the eels and the lake.

Seren’s group comes across three companies of the frontier army awaiting the Edur. They plan to get new horses and continue on to Letheras. Iron Bars once again offers to take her with them when the leave (after making contact with their new employer), but she says she’s going to stay. Corlo tells her to watch her use of uncontrolled Mockra. Back to top

Chapter Twenty-Two

Trull’s force meets with Rhulad’s, while Tomad’s is still heading toward them from the north, the three planning to meet near Brans Keep in the probably decisive battle. Trull joins Fear and Rhulad. Rhulad asks how far Trull will push him but then says he’s missed Trull. Rhulad calls for wine—he’s developed a “taste for it”—and tells them Mayen is pregnant. Rhulad admits her heart remains with Fear, and since the child will never inherit (Rhulad being basically immortal), the offer is to let Fear raise the child with Mayen, whom Rhulad would give up. Trull is stunned by this and thinks Udinaas had a hand in it. Rhulad adds that Mayen is addicted to white nectar, as is the child seemingly. Fear accepts the offer. Later, Trull asks Udinaas why he doesn’t fear Rhulad. Udinaas says he understands debt and is Rhulad’s friend, to which Trull replies “Never betray him.” Mosag arrives and says something a demon from Brous has been freed and needs to be dealt with.

Seren’s group arrives at Letheras and Iron Bars says his group will escort her home.

Brys sends a message to Tehol to stay home and then another to Tehol’s guard saying simply “Gerun Eberict.” Moroch Nevath asks when Brys last saw Turudal Brizad and Brys says they think he has fled the city. Moroch tells him Brizad is the Errant, adding he’s learned there have been Brizad’s (different name, same person) for generations and you can see his face in tapestries and paintings. Moroch says Brizad asked him to do something because Brys will be too busy and now wants Brys’ advice. Brys says he should do it and Moroch leaves. Brys finds the Ceda asleep on the central tile and says he’ll have to move so the king can enter. The Ceda refuses and says he’ll kill anyone who tries to move him.

Trull’s group going after the Brous demon arrives at the village, which is filled with corpses. They find a Forkrul Assail named Serenity. Serenity tells them they are “discord” and it desires “peace.” It attacks, killing Rhulad, then running as it is pressed by the Edur and their two Kenryll’ah demons. The two demons pursue while the others wait for Rhulad to return.

Sandalath Drukorlat and Withal watch as Rhulad screams then eventually settles. He declares Sandalath a “betrayer” and tells them he was killed by a Forkrul Assail before heading off toward the CG. Withal heads to his shack and Sandalath mocks his prayers.

Ezgara enters the new palace, moving around the Ceda, and is declared Emperor as befitting the prophecy of the Seventh Closure.

Seren’s group has marched through a city filled with looting, corpses, mobs, fear and chaos and have arrived at her home. Iron Bars says they’ll find their new employer and then he’ll look her up again. They leave and she enters, finding a dead owl inside.

An omniscient pov noting that the Seventh Closure won’t actually arrive for two days and then listing several ongoing events:

• Gerun Eberict’s soldiers cutting their way through citizens on their way to the ceremony
• Tens of thousands of starlings whirling around the old Azath, now Hold of the Dead
• Tehol heading to Selush’s
• Kettle, now fully alive, sitting on the steps of the Azath tower
• Brizad watching the starlings Back to top

Chapter Twenty-Three

The Edur armies arrive at Brans Keep. Fear and Trull had been horrified by Rhulad’s return, frozen so only Udinaas could comfort him. Udinaas thinks how sorcery would be the major weapon of the upcoming battle, and perhaps the weapon of all future ones. Feather Witch joins him to look over the battlefield. They agree Lether will lose and it’s made clear Feather Witch has learned he is no longer Indebted. They discuss Mayen’s addiction, her weaning off the white nectar, and how the Edur (save Trull) have all changed. Feather Witch doesn’t recognize Mosag’s sorcery and Udinaas tells her how the K’risnan are all malformed from its use. Feather Witch tells him Uruth and the women still use Kurald Emurlahn. The sorcery/battle begins.

Trull and Ahlrada watch the battle start—huge powers of sorcery.

Udinaas feels the fear and compulsion as the Andii wraiths are sent forward. Feather Witch feels the Letherii sorcery grow—the Empty Hold—but Udinaas says it won’t be enough.

Preda Unnutal Hebaz watches the Edur magic (really Mosag’s) strike, tearing apart the Letherii sorcery and causing incredible destruction and death.

Letherii sorcery kills thousands of Edur, demons, and wraiths. Columns of Mosag’s sorcery continue to wipe out more and more Letherii, tens of thousands, and Ahlrada Ahn tells Trull it must stop. Trull tells him it is not Rhulad; it is Mosag doing it. Trull thinks it is madness. His group starts to move forward.

Udinaas watches sorcery approach the hill he, Feather Witch, and the Edur women and children are standing on. At the last minute he and Feather Witch are saved by Edur women wielding Emurlahn. Udinaas watches Rhulad lead Edur across the field while the Letherii flee, some cut down by Jheck and demons. Mosag’s sorcery seems out of control. As some of Mosag’s pillars separate from the ground, bones and armor etc. come pouring out of the sky killing even more. Udinaas tells Feather Witch to go help Uruth and the others, telling her they just saved their lives. Udinaas runs into Hull and tells him the death will continue on to Letheras. They return to the hill. Udinaas sees Rhulad heading toward Mosag and hurries to catch up.

Canarth spars with Ahlrada and then Trull and Trull challenges him to a fight. Trull knocks him out relatively easily. Ahlrada wants Trull to finish Canarth and when Trull refuses to at least be punished by Fear, but Trull orders them all to say nothing of it.

Udinaas catches up to Rhulad and sees he is close to madness. Theradas knocks Udinaas down, angering Rhulad, though Udinaas lets Theradas’ story that it was an “accident” stand. When Mosag tells Rhulad the day is won, Rhulad is angered at the slaughter and method of slaughter, the lack of glory. Rhulad draws his sword and advances on Mosag but is stopped by Udinaas telling him his brothers and father are nearing. Udinaas counsels Rhulad his anger was right but to keep it “cold” and wait for his family, then disavow what was done. Udinaas sees Mosag’s hatred toward Rhulad and knows Mosag will need to be killed soon. Binadas arrives and Rhulad asks how his army fared and Binadas replied they fought without sorcery. Tomad informs them Uruth has recovered and Fear says the two demons continue to hunt the Forkrul Assail. Rhulad calls out Hull and apologizes for the “victory” and disavows it wholly, and with it Mosag. He then says they will march to Letheras and claim the throne tomorrow, ordering the dead buried together—Lether and Edur.

Udinaas is left alone with Trull. Trull acknowledges Udinaas as Rhulad’s prime advisor and asks if he truly plans to stand between Rhulad and Mosag, between Rhulad and his “brothers” such as Theradas, marveling at his arrogance. Udinaas refutes the idea of arrogance and says none of them have ended up where they are by choice. He says he merely wants to ensure no one gets hurt more than they have been. Trull is relieved that Rhulad was furious over the sorcerous slaughter, though he doesn’t know the real reason or that the “nobler” reason was really Udinaas’. Trull admits to fear at what is coming and says he feels the world is coming apart. Udinaas says they’ll have to try and hold it together and Trull warns him to watch out for his enemies. Back to top

Chapter Twenty-Four

Mosag’s demon senses a “heart” of power under the city that would allow it to break its bonds. It thinks how silly mortals were, rushing here and there, as it realizes its own intelligence is somehow burgeoning.

Selush fixes up Shurq at Tehol’s then leaves. Shurq and Tehol look off to the Edur fleet and where the battle had been. Shurq leaves, each of them warning the other about Eberict.

Ezgara sleeps on the throne, exhausted, with Nisall there. Chancellor Triban Gnol had left earlier, as had Moroch Nevath. First Eunuch Nifadas took charge of the palace soldiers, the Ceda had set himself on the King’s Path, and Eberict was using his soldiers in the city. Nifadas tells Brys it is their “last day,” and Brys says there’s no reason to assume the Edur will kill him. Brys tells Nisall to rest. Brys finds Eberict standing over the Ceda (still on his tile) with drawn sword and warns him against killing the Ceda. Eberict says it would be a mercy but withdraws when Brys stands against it. Eberict tells Brys he has “other tasks” and when Brys clearly considers killing him, Eberict says that merely confirms his suspicions and leaves. Brys cannot do anything to stop him, though he worries he is going after Tehol.

Bugg looks down on the Edur army and fleet from the wall. He mocks an artist “painting” the scene, though the artist doesn’t really get the sarcasm. Bugg finds Brizad/the Errant outside the temple where the Pack has settled. Brizad says the mortal he’d requested hadn’t shown up and his own aspect prevents him from acting directly. Bugg agrees to send someone to him, then leaves to find Iron Bars and the Crimson Guard, whose new employer is Shand. He tells them he needs them to kill the D’ivers god of the Jheck and Iron Bars replies they’ve crossed paths with Soletaken before.

Trull, Rhulad, Mosag, and others enter the city, Mosag telling Rhulad the Ceda is now where around, and they’ll have to fight to reach the Eternal Domicile. Rhulad is happy there will be actual fighting and sends Udinaas to safety with Uruth. Trull thinks Mosag is hiding something.

Hull hopes the city soldiers capitulate quickly to save lives. He thinks Brys’ death is inevitable though as King’s Champion. He heads for Tehol’s to try and explain things, to seek “something like forgiveness.”

Udinaas waits with Uruth and Mayen, then suddenly senses the Wyval coming to life inside him.

B’nagga leads the Jheck into Letheras as Soletaken wolves, heading for the Pack. They plan on taking over and creating an empire of Soletaken, killing all the Edur.

Moroch Nevath holds a main bridge, having decided not to do what Brizad had asked, skeptical of his claims. Rhulad approaches and Nevath challenges him.

Bugg and the Crimson Guard arrive where Brizad waits outside the temple. The Guard enters and the sound of battle ensues.

Rhulad accepts Nevath’s challenge.

Nevath is surprised by Rhulad’s speed. The two kill each other. Dying, Nevath is asked if he is truly the King’s Champion as the Letherii soldiers had yelled, and Nevath thinks no, liking the thought as he dies of them still having to face Brys.

Rhulad comes back to life and calls for Udinaas, caught in “madness and terror.”

Uruth hears Rhulad’s scream and looks for Udinaas who has disappeared. Mayen runs out into the city. Uruth orders men to find Udinaas, thinking he has betrayed Rhulad.

Kettle hears the fighting and is scared and also worried that the five Tarthenal gods are almost free. She gets dragged down by Silchas, finding herself on the bank of a swamp. Silchas points out the swords behind her and then is dragged down himself by Sheltatha Lore. Kettle gets the swords and waits at the edge of the swamp.

The Wyval moves Udinaas through the city, killing some Soletaken Jheck on the way, heading toward where his “master needed him. Needed him now.”

The Errant tells Bugg he keeps “nudging” the wolves away from the temple, though he is helped by some “other opposition” to them. The Guardsmen exit, one dead, all wounded. The Errant heals them. Iron Bars complains they’d expected wolves and instead got some kind of “lizard cats.” B’nagga attacks Brizad suddenly, but Iron Bars steps in and kills the Soletaken. The Errant is impressed and more so when Bugg tells him the Guard escaped Assail. They’re about to leave when Bugg says there is going to be more trouble (the Tarthenal gods) and Iron Bars agrees to go with him while the others get back to the ship. Bugg tells him it’s going to be tough and Iron Bars asks Corlo to find them once he gets the others to the ship safely. The Errant says he has another task though he’ll be with them “in spirit.” Before leaving, he asks Iron Bars how many Avowed there are. Iron Bars answers a few hundred and when the Errant wonders if they are scattered around Iron Bars responds “For the moment.”

Brys notes the howling has stopped outside, then hears the Ceda laugh.

The demon moves for the cave and tunnel where it senses the power and ends up in the huge cavern under Settle Lake.

Brys hears the Ceda say “Now, friend Bugg.”

Bugg stops and tells Iron Bars to find Kettle and says he has to do something first. He calls in his mind for the Jaghut witch and says it is time for her to repay his favor. She says she’s will and calls him “clever,” to which he says he can’t take all the credit for this plan.

The demon reaches for the power which fades to nothing. The Ceda says, “Got you,” and the demon realized it was all illusion and it is now sealed in by ice.

Ursto Hoobutt and his “sometime lover” Pinosel sit drunken on a bench at Settle Lake. She tells him to marry her and he’s about to say he will when Settle Lake freezes over when, miraculously, it does (coming with a strange thump from below) and so he agrees. Back to top

Chapter Twenty-Five

Shurq worries about Gerun Eberict going after Tehol and Kettle’s silence. She finds Ublala in the crypt and he says he has to go because of the Seregahl (the Tarthenal gods). Before leaving, he tells her he loves her, which makes her think he believes he isn’t coming back. She gets Harlest out of his sarcophagus and tells him they have to go to a cemetery.

Rhulad is still screaming after being reborn and Trull says Udinaas needs to be hunted down. Mosag tells Rhulad Udinaas has betrayed him, as some predicted, and only Rhulad’s kin can be trusted. Rhulad interrupts and says they are “nothing” to him. Fear tries to interrupt, but Rhulad stops him and orders Mosag against the watching Letherii soldiers. Uruth tells Trull Mayen has run away and he orders Theradas and Midik Buhn to find her and doesn’t object when Theradas says they will kill Udinaas if they find him. Mosag’s sorcery wipes out the Letherii soldiers and watching civilians, even those inside buildings, until Rhulad orders it done, telling Mosag his “secret god is so eager. Rhulad decrees this a “day of suffering” and orders them on to the Eternal Domicile. Trull realizes he is lost to them.

Iron Bars arrives at the Azath to find the Seregahl. He attacks and wounds one. He informs them he killed the Pack already and that gives them a bit of pause. They move to attack and he smiles.

Bugg heads toward the Azath, hoping Iron Bars didn’t foolishly go in on his own. He senses a “convergence” and begins running in the other direction.

Eberict is told by one of his killers that they’ve killed two of Tehol’s bodyguard brothers. Mayen comes running down the street and they give chase. A group of Edur attack and as his men take them on, Eberict continues on Mayen’s trail. Though his focus is Tehol, he plans on capturing Mayen then raping and killing her later. He closes on her.

The last bodyguard tells Tehol Eberict has killed his brothers and is on his way. They head for the warehouse across the street for better defense.

Just before Eberict grabs Mayen, she stabs herself in the chest with her knife. Before he can react, Eberict is grabbed by a mixed Nerek/Tarthenal who tells him he’s doing this for what “Eberict did to her,” then proceeds to kill Eberict slowly. The mixed blood is Unn, relation of the grandmother (Urusan) whose funeral Bugg presided over earlier in the book—the woman killed by Eberict because she was begging for coin.

Tehol sees Mayen stepping toward him before she falls. Edur warriors appear and kill the last brother bodyguard, then don’t believe Tehol when he tells her he didn’t kill Mayen. They start to beat him horribly.

Hull, from not too far away, sees the beating and worried begins to head toward them when he is interrupted by one of Buruk’s Nerek servants. The Nerek tells Hull he has been “judged” for choosing to side with Rhulad and betrayal. He continues, saying Hull’s heart is “poisoned, because forgiveness is not within you.” Hull is stabbed to death from behind as the Nerek weeps.

Chalas steps out of the shadows and tries to tell the Edur he saw what happened, that Mayen stabbed herself. He covers Tehol and they begin to beat him as well. At the end, a skull is stomped hard enough to kill.

The Errant feels Mosag’s sorcery and nudges it down into the deep swamp where it could do no more harm. He senses Mosag didn’t feel his manipulation of the sorcery and notes Mosag’s wrecked flesh. He watches the Edur warriors head off after Mayen and “grieves” in his knowledge of where that action will lead. Using his power, he watches Iron Bars fighting the Seregahl, marveling at Iron Bar’s ability while knowing he can’t last much longer. He heads toward the Eternal Domicile where he expects a convergence/sequence of tragic events. He believes his nudging is over and that all he has to do, he hopes, is observe.

Ublala finds Corlo outside the Azath helping Iron Bars. Ublala tells Corlo the Tarthenal pray to the gods to stay away. He heads in to help Iron Bars.

Udinaas has been cut to pieces as he’s crossed the city, killing 30 or more Soletaken and a half-dozen Edur, and is kept alive only by the Wyval and the Wraith. They approach the Azath and enter and head to the “barrow of the Master” and dig down, the Wyval crawling free of Udinaas’ body.

Kettle, sitting on the bank of the swamp still, sees the Wyval vanish into the water. Udinaas’ body lies on the bank, a wreck and the wraith hovering over it asks Kettle for help. The wraith tells Kettle a drop or two of her blood will revive him. When Kettle asks if it would not do the same for the Wraith, it tells her “do not tempt me.” Kettle agrees.

Iron Bars is having trouble, then Ublala shows up and “the odds were getting better.”

Bugg finds the Edur stomping on Chalas and Tehol and kills thirteen of them instantly and violently. The last is Theradas whom Bugg tells, “I am sending [you] home. Not your home. My home.” Theradas disappears through a portal into water and is killed by the pressure (and I’ll point out here that we have met Theradas before this novel. Anyone? Bueller?). Bugg senses his cry (as Mael) had been heard around the world, and noted. He kneels and picks up one of the bodies, then walks away.

The Edur stand before the entrance to the Eternal Domicile, Trull thinking of the poisonous nature of power, of arrogance and certitude that had infected the Letherii and will infect the Edur. He believes had Udinaas been there earlier, it could have been avoided. Mosag tells Rhulad he senses someone or something ahead and tells Rhulad he and his K’risnan will lead.

Brys sees the movement of the Edur toward them. He is joined by Brizad who tells him the Edur are right behind, that Moroch Nevath is dead, and that Gerun Eberict “pursues a women.” Asked by Brys who he is, Brizad replies “a witness.” The Ceda stands and when Brizad compliments his actions today and Brys says the Ceda has done nothing, Brizad responds that not only has he dealt with the sea-demon, but he has prepared for this moment so that all the power of the Cedance will pass through him. Mosag tells the Ceda to step aside as Lether has fallen. The Ceda says it is irrelevant. When Mosag mocks him, the Ceda asks him to find his sea-demon, which infuriates Mosag. The Ceda’s sorcery strikes.

Trull watches as only Mosag and Binadas live to try and fight off the Ceda. Binadas is knocked down in a spray of blood and Fear pulls him back. Mosag fights on alone.

As Brys and Brizad watch, the Ceda’s power seems to be winning, and Brys foresees Mosag dying and then the Cedance killing the entire Edur race.

Trull watches Mosag become even more deformed as he pushes against the Ceda’s power, his grey chaotic sorcery moving closer to the Ceda.

The Ceda knocks aside Mosag’s sorcery and the Cedance’s white flame sweeps toward Mosag.

Fear shouts something to Trull, who watches Mosag failing. Trull realizes Fear is telling him to kill the Ceda with his spear or else all the Edur will die. Trull, though he wishes not to, throws his spear and hits the Ceda.

Brys steps forward, but Brizad tells him the Ceda is dead.

Udinaas heals from Kettle’s blood as she and Wither talk. Silchas crawls up from the swamp and Kettle gives him the swords as Wither introduces himself as Killanthir, Third High Mage of the Sixth Cohort. When Silchas says the Wyval is fighting off Sheltatha Lore but won’t survive, Wither says he wants to help it. Silchas gives him permission and Wither dives in. Silchas likes the swords and tells Kettle it’s time to do what he promised (with regard to the Tarthenal gods).

Corlo worries that even an Avowed can die (“a matter of will” he believes) and he knows Iron Bars is almost done while he himself is “used up.” Shurq and Harlest appear.

Ublala kills one of the gods but then is knocked down, stunned. Silchas shows up, distracting Iron Bars enough that he gets knocked down and his shoulder shattered. He sees/hears Silchas kill the gods then Silchas tells Iron Bars “You did passably well” and wonders why he hasn’t gotten back up yet.

Rhulad enters the throne room, with Mosag behind him, along with Fear and Trull carrying the large sacks from earlier. Mosag orders the sacks opened to reveal the Prince and Queen terribly deformed by Mosag’s sorcery, horrifying all the Sengars. Rhulad orders them taken away then tells Ezgara to yield the throne. The First Eunuch Nifadas pours two wines, gives one to the king and drinks the other. Ezgara tells Brys to step aside, but Brys refuses. Brys fights Rhulad and surgically cuts him to pieces so he cannot move, slicing tendons, muscles, and ligaments. The king tells Brys to kill him, but Brys say no, the Ceda specifically said not to. Trull is stunned at the skill and precision. Rhulad begs his brothers to kill him. Trull asks Mosag, but he says he cannot, “only the sword and only by the sword.” Brys takes a goblet of wine and Trull recognizes him as Hull’s brother. Rhulad calls for Fear and Mosag informs him Fear just walked away. Rhulad begs Trull to do it and Trull hesitates, then hears the Queen laugh. Turning he sees Brys start to drink the wine, then Trull notices the King is not conscious and Nifadas appears dead. He tries to warn Brys not to drink, but too late. Brys tells Trull they’ll take Rhulad and hide him away, but Trull responds it is “too late” for Brys and he should send the guards away; the Edur will deal with their Emperor themselves. Trull apologizes for not warning Brys in time. As Brys staggers Mosag tells him the King was already dead when Brys fought. Brys dies. Trull tells Mosag someone will kill Rhulad as he commands, Mosag says no they won’t.

Tehol comes to and Bugg tells him they’re in a crypt under the river. Tehol says he should be dead and Bugg agrees, then adds Chalas died protecting Tehol and he (Bugg) killed the Edur. Tehol realizes Bugg magically healed him and wonders how he can continue the “conceit of being in charge.” Bugg offers to make Tehol forget the events of the day and admits to being Mael. Tehol wonders why Bugg didn’t stop the invasion. Bugg says he doesn’t much like Lether and offers up several criticisms and says he’s seen it all a million times before. They share advice then Tehol wonders why Mael took on Bugg’s persona and Bugg replies being eternal can be boring but being with Tehol was “an unceasing delight.” Bugg then says it’s time to make Tehol forget.

Fear walks through the city, thinking he’d wanted to believe in simplicity. He marvels at Brys’ ability and weeps for him and others, including Trull whom he realizes he’s abandoned to a horrible choice. He thinks of himself as a coward and knows he has shared the same doubts as Trull but didn’t voice them. He stumbles across Mayen’s corpse, looking at peace. He pulls out the knife, recognizes it as Udinaas’ and thinks he killed Mayen.

Trull covers his ears against Rhulad’s weeping, Mosag drags himself to the throne, and Brizad stands watching. Rhulad tells Trull all he wanted was to be included and Mosag says Rhulad wanted respect. The Guardian from under the sea, of the forgotten gods, enters and stands over Brys. Brizad tells him Brys was poisoned and the Guardian, looking at Brizad, tells him he knows all his names, then asks if Brizad/the Errant “pushed” Brys into that position. Brizad replies then asks if Mael knows the Guardian is there. The Guardian says he will talk to Mael soon. The Guardian worries that Brys knew all the gods’ names and now they are lost, but Brizad says they are not, but will be soon. The Guardian says he needs someone and takes Brys, killing Rhulad out of mercy on his way out. Trull throws Mosag off the throne and tells him to let Rhulad know he went to find Fear.

The Wyval and Wither climb up from the Azath barrow, Wither carrying Udinaas. Silchas tells Shurq he is Andii not Edur when she mistakenly identifies him as such and when asked says he is now free to take care of things he needs to. Kettle asks if she can join him and when he agrees, Shurq suggests he had made a promise to the Azath about Kettle. Silchas says as long as she stays with him Kettle will be safe. Shurq and Silchas discuss his need to get out of the city without being noticed and Iron Bars suggests Seren escort Silchas and the others)out (she is someone who knows all the secret ways in and out.

The Guardian finds Bugg in the crypt (Tehol is asleep) and accuses him of abandoning them. Bugg, seeing Brys body thinks Tehol will grieve his brother’s death greatly, then apologizes to the Guardian. The Guardian transfers the names of the gods from Brys to Tehol then takes Brys with him as another Guardian in the deep.

Feather Witch enters the throne room after helping Uruth with Binadas. The Chancellor, Triban Gnol, had sworn fealty to Rhulad. She makes eye contact with Brizad and notes his “interest” in her. Rhulad orders Udinaas found. She finds a severed finger (Brys’) lying on the floor and thinks a witch who possesses it might have power.

Seren sits in her house, sick of it all, wanting to be gone. Fear and Trull appear at her door.

Trull finds Fear and tells him Rhulad has returned and explains how. He thinks he and Fear can guide Rhulad, but Fear rejects going back, saying this is all the work of Scabandari Bloodeye and he is going to find Bloodeye’s spirit and free it. He thinks Seren can help get him out of the city and they head toward her house. Trull warns they are being manipulated and when Fear says “what of it” he has no reply.

Fear tells Seren he needs her help while Trull thinks he is falling in love with Seren, has fallen in love with her already. Seren asks if Trull will come with them and when he says he cannot she appears “wounded.” He says he will wait for their return though and she asks why they’d come back Fear answers to end the tyranny about to start under Rhulad. Trull gives Seren his sword, across the threshold (the Edur proposal) and she accepts it, knowing what it means. She says she just takes it as a weapon and he says yes, (thinking “no”). When she accepts “the gesture was without meaning now.” Trull leaves.

Fear is about to speak to Seren about what just happened when they are interrupted by Kettle appearing to say Iron Bars had told her Seren would help her and others get out of the city. Fear recognizes Udinaas and Wither tells him Udinaas did not betray Rhulad or kill Mayen, but was used by the Wyval now overhead. Silchas, hooded, calls himself Selekis of the Azath tower. Seren invites them all in.

Shurq finds Tehol and Bugg on Tehol’s roof and points out one of Tehol’s eyes is now blue. He says he’s still plotting the fall of the Lether economy and tells her to deliver Shand, Hejun, and Rissarh to the islands. She leaves to head off and be a pirate.

Tehol tells Bugg he’s glad Bugg didn’t make him forget because now he can grieve. Back to top

Epilogue

The Kenryll’ah demon princes look down a hole they threw the Forkrul Assail down. They urinate down the hole.

Withal, Sandalath, and the Nachts are on the beach as a storm rages and they can feel its “wrath and its impotence.” Sandalath says it is waiting for someone to do something and he says he’s thought of something, then spots a boat. He runs to the Crippled God’s tent and knocks it down, then yanks it away from the god. The storm arrives on the shore save for a patch of calm where the boat pulls in. Bugg gets out and tells him the ship is for them all, adding he’s “going to beat a god senseless.”

The Bonehunters

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Prologue

A strange, old-fashioned ship from Malaz Island puts in at Kartool City in the morning, an odd time of year for such a journey due to the winds. Later, after receiving a message, nineteen-year-old Sergeant Hellian of the city guard, leads her squad to the Temple of D’rek. On the way, she thinks of old violent celebrations of D’rek that have since been outlawed after the Malazan conquest. She remembers as well how Surly and Dancer, the night before the invasion, had assassinated the cult’s sorcerers and Demidrek (who had taken over from Tayschrenn—the prior Demidrek—in a coup). At the entrance to the Grand Temple of D’rek she meets Banaschar, who had sent her the note. He tells her they have arrived as fast as they could based on a presentiment he had (he is a former priest of D’rek on Malaz) and they need to break in. One of Helian’s squad, Urb, notices lots of dead spiders on the steps (Helian has a fear of spiders). A high priestess of the Queen of Dreams arrives and asks what Banashar is doing. They break down the doors and discover the temple priests have all been slaughtered horribly, torn to pieces. Banaschar tells Hellian the temples will be informed and investigations begun. Hellian turns away for a moment and Banaschar disappears. She and her guard can’t remember what he looked like and realize sorcery was involved. Hellian says she and her squad are about to be sent away.

A large burial mound stands in a desert and in it, a long asleep presence is imprisoned in wards: Dejim Nebrahl, “born on the eve of the death of the First Empire...a child with seven souls.” The creature came of seven T’rolbarahl, creatures formed by Dessimbelackis and then hunted and exterminated at his command when things went badly. The seven had escaped, bound their souls into a mortal female, and then Dejim, a D’ivers, was born from her. He was eventually caught by the Dark Hounds and their master, who bound him in this pit. Now, twelve hooded Nameless Ones arrive and begin a ritual to free Dejim. Toward the end of the ritual, they tell Dejim he must perform a task before they complete it. He agrees and relieved at its seeming ease and that the “victims” are nearby. The twelfth Nameless One, once called Sister Spite, casts the final part, knowing the others will be killed by Dejim for food. He rises and begins killing.

A distance away, Taralack Veed, a Gral, hears the sound of the Nameless Ones being killed and notes a dragon rising from where the noise comes from. He watches then says “Bitch...I should have known.” He waits until he “sensed that the creature had finished feeding,” then heads off to track it.

At a crossroads, two days west of the Otataral Sea, five strangers arrive at the outskirts of the tiny hamlet. Barathol Mekhar, the blacksmith and de facto head of the town, as well as the only non-native of it, goes out to investigate. He immediately sends a local to get his weapons and armor then tells everyone else to go home and stay there. His gear arrives and Barathol puts it on then stands to meet them, telling the others before they leave that the five are T’lan Imass. Back to top

Chapter One

A currently nameless woman (Apsalar) enters the city of Ehrlitan and makes her way to a tavern. Asked if she’s with Dujek’s army, she says no, learning that the “tail ends” of it remain in the city. She gets drunk and heads upstairs to sleep it off, discouraging a would-be follower with a quick knife to his face.

Leoman’s army flees under shelter of a massive dust storm, pursued for weeks by Tavore’s army. The news is constant that the rebellion is collapsing as the Empire reoccupies Seven Cities. Corabb wonders at how easily and quickly the people gave back in to the occupiers and thinks that Leoman still has not let go of the dream and might never. He thinks without Leoman he would be lost, just before Leoman asks him “Where in Hood’s name are we?”

Samar Dev believes she is going to die of thirst, sitting beside her broken-down horseless wagon (her own invention) on a little-used road. Sitting inside the wagon is a possible investor who died while they were taking it out for a trail run. Karsa rides up and when he wonders why she hasn’t tried to walk back she tells him she broke her foot kicking her wagon. He tells her he wants to enter the city (Ugarat) without being noticed and says he’ll help her if she can make that happen. She agrees, though she thinks it unlikely given his appearance, especially when she sees the two Deragoth heads he’s dragging behind his horse.

In her room, Apsalar weeps for Cutter/Crokus and how she had to stop him from following her because there “was nothing in her...worth the overwhelming gift of love.” She thinks how Cotillion understood and so set her to work that suited her, though she is finding it harder and harder. She heads down and in the barroom two Pardu women tell her some Gral want her to dance for them. She refuses, saying she is a Shadow Dancer which causes them to quickly retreat and the bartender to warn her that dance is forbidden. She heads out to kill someone and slips into the shadows, overhearing the Pardu women (who followed her) say they have to inform their “new master” that Apsalar really does “walk the shadows.” She continues in the Shadow Warren through a “layer” or “manifestation” she thinks even Cotillion doesn’t know of based on his memories within her. She comes across two shackled corpses that appear to be Tiste of some sort. A pair of shades rise and speak Tiste Andii to her, calling themselves Telorast and Curdle and accusing each other of being thieves who tried to break into Shadowkeep and were then imprisoned by a “demon lord” with seven heads. Apsalar agrees to escort them to a gate, freeing them.

Leoman’s army arrives at a well. Corabb eats a toad and Leoman warns him he’ll have odd dreams. Leoman asks what the army wants of him and Corabb tells him Leoman is destined to carry the book and lead the Apocalypse, which is “as much a time as it is anything else.” He adds Leoman isn’t one to “slink away like some creeping meer-rat.” Leoman says he is thinking of disbanding, but maybe one “impossible victory” will suffice. Corabb starts to hallucinate and Leoman thinks on meer-rats.

A guard tries to stop Karsa at the city gate and Karsa throws him into a cart, knocking him out. Samar leads Karsa away and when a crowd follows she scares them off by threatening to curse them. Karsa asks if she is a witch and she says he has no idea, telling him she bargains with spirits rather then binding them so she doesn’t risk being bound in turn. When guards arrive to arrest Karsa, Samar tells them she called him up as a spirit and the Deragoth heads are demons he killed to prevent them from entering the city and massacring everyone. Karsa doesn’t go along and identifies himself as Sha’ik’s bodyguard. The captain, Inashan, recognizes him and tells him there is a Malazan garrison under siege in Moraval keep nearby. Karsa tells them the rebellion is broken and the Malazans are winning and probably on their way. Inashan says Leoman is still alive with an army, but Karsa says Leoman rides “his own path” and is not to be trusted as a leader of the rebellion. Karsa also says he’ll go out to the siege and make a gesture of peace.

Apsalar leads Curdle and Telorast out into the Jen’rahb, the ancient core of the city. Discussing bodies they might use, the two drop hints they know of or are from Starvald Demelain and that they also knew the original Apsalar, Mistress of Thieves (and they say she was Imass or Imass-like). Apsalar tells the two to stay behind, threatening to tell Cotillion of their release otherwise, then heads out to her job. She thinks of how so many places/features in Shadow have chains and bodies shackled to the chains, including three dragons within a stone circle. She nears the setting for her job, which she thinks is more for Shadowthrone than Cotillion, a matter of answering a betrayal. Inside the temple she finds Mebra is already dead and then she is attacked. She kills her attackers and learns he was a priest of the Nameless Ones.

Telorast and Curdle discuss whether or not they’ll stay with Apsalar. Telorast says if they don’t Edgwalker will be “very unhappy” with them. They decide to stay with her until they figure out a way to “cheat them all.” Curdle says good because “I want my throne back.” Back to top

Chapter Two

Ammanas, Pust, and Cotillion meet in Shadow. After some silence, broken by Pusts “inner” thoughts, Shadowthrone tells Pust he’ll have to do and dismisses him. Cotillion comments on how insubstantial Ammanas looks. Shadowthrone asks if Cotillion thinks Pust will arrive in time and be sufficient and Cotillion says no to both. Shadowthrone disappears and Cotilion walks through Shadow, thinking of how much it changes and worrying if Shadowthrone is overextended, or if he himself is. He is joined by Edgewalker, who tells him the Hounds, like Edgewalker, see paths in Shadow Cotillion does not. He adds he’s come to listen to Cotillion’s forthcoming conversation and when Cotillion bridles reassures him that he is not (yet) Cotillion’s enemy. They enter a ring of standing stones where three dragons are chained. Edgewalker says his experience is what allowed him to conclude Cotillion would speak to the dragons of freeing them. Cotillion figures out Edgewalker wants to know what Cotillion knows and bargains to speak to them if Edgwalker tells Cotilion some information. Edgewalker gives him only the dragons’ names and says their crime was ambition. Cotillion tells the dragons a war is coming and wants to know which side they’ll fight on if freed. They give him some information about Shadow, dragons, the Crippled God. When Cotillion leaves, Edgewalker admits he underestimated Cotillion and offers possible assistance as an “elemental force.”

Mappo has been turning over stones and finding the fossilized bones of Jaghut children beneath them as Icarium wades on the Raraku Sea. Exiting the water, Icarium tells Mappo he thinks he is close to finding the truth. Mappo tells Icarium the cities he recalls are all gone but one, long dead due to natural and mortal-made changes, though new ones have sprung up. Icarium recalls doing something in the city of Trebur and they decide to head to its ruin, with Mappo thinking they did this 80 years ago and fearing that unlike then, Icarium will now remember what happened there.

Cutter’s group (Scillara, Felisin Younger, Greyfrog, Heboric)are encamped in the desert on their way to the coast to take passage to Otataral Island. Greyfrog tells Cutter he has yet to hear from L’oric and is troubled by that. Cutter goes to find Heboric and tells Greyfrog to guard the women as he worries about the riders they recently passed. Heboric tells Cutter he still sees the ghosts of the land, but only those who fall in battle. They had back to camp.

Scillara wonders why she is the only one Greyfrog doesn’t speak to telepathically. She bemoans the annoyances of pregnancy and wonders what she’ll do with a child. The riders from earlier show up armed and Scillara tells them to leave Felisin alone and she’ll do what they want. Greyfrog kills them all quickly and violently, horrifying Felisin.

Cutter and Heboric arrive and figure out what just occurred though Greyfrog at first tries to pretend nothing happened.

Smiles and Koryk spar in camp and Smiles eventually stabs his leg—representative of the misery and tension in the Fourteenth as they chase Leoman’s army. Bottle has notes lots of messages back and forth between Dujek and Tavore but doesn’t want to get too nosy, worried Quick Ben will sniff him out. Cuttle arrives. Bottle heads out for a walk.

Fiddler and Kalam are off a ways, Kalam thinking of the bad news re the Bridgeburners and the oddity of their ascension, partly pleased and partly uneasy over it. Fiddler tells Kalam bad things are coming and the two discuss Pearl and Lostara, the Empress, Tavore. Quick Ben arrives via the Imperial Warren from a meeting with Tavore and says he can’t figure her. He adds someone was spying and that Tavore has plans for Kalam. The discuss how shaky the army is and worry over Cuttle’s attitude. They’re joined by Tayschrenn and Dujek and two bodyguards (Kiska and Hattar). Quick Ben tells his friends their earlier suspicions of Tayschrenn were misplaced, though he and Tayschrenn spar verbally a bit until Dujek calls an end to it.

Pearl and Lostara are spying on the meeting. Lostara leaves and Pearl thinks they are made for each other. Back to top

Chapter Three

Apsalar wonders why if Shadowthrone wanted Mebra dead because of the Nameless Ones or possibly the old Shadow cult. She thinks the last person on her list of targets will be the hardest, tries to convince herself to simply do it, then thinks maybe she’ll talk to someone nearby about how to walk away. Cotillion appears and they discuss Mebra, Telorast and Curdle, Edgewalker, her future, and her upcoming visit.

Telorast and Curdle fade at the sunrise, much to their dismay. Apsalar finds the Pardu women and Gral from the night before. Upon her return, Telorast and Curdle tell her someone was in her room, though their description is a bit confusing.

Apsalar and the two ghosts return to Mebra’s place. The Pardu women arrive, Apsalar incapacitates them, and learns their employer is Karpolan Demesand of the Trygalle Trade Guild. The Pardu woman says they are returning from Y’Ghatan and they were trying to purchase information from Mebra. Apsalar explains what happened then knocks her out. They find tablets hidden under a pavestone with Mebra’s notes.

Samar Dev and Karsa have gone out to Moraval Keep. Karsa says he’ll go in himself when nobody can say the last time they saw any Malazans in the Keep.

Karsa breaks open the huge, locked iron doors of the keep, stunning his witnesses.

Inside, Karsa finds a pit where something massive had been spiked down. He is attacked by a giant short-tailed lizard and they fight.

Outside, Samar Dev, Captain Inashan and others wonder at the noise within. Samar Dev tells them the Keep is ancient and had been filled with strange mechanisms.

Karsa kills the lizard.

Karsa appears outside, looking terrible. He tells them he didn’t see any Malazans and leaves.

Corabb and Leoman discuss their destination: Y’Ghatan. Leoman corrects Corabb’s mistaken believe that Dassem Ultor died there and tells him Dassem ascended and is Dessembrae, The Lord of Tragedy. He adds he is a “reluctant god” and is in constant flight and/or possibly eternally hunting. He asks Corabb if he will stand beside him no matter what he commands and Corabb says yes.

Fiddler talks magic with Bottle. They find Nil and Nether engaged in a ritual crossing through Hood’s Gate to look for Sormo E’nath and dead Wickans from the Chain of Dogs. Bottle senses something and jumps in the ritual and finds them being upbraided by their mother. Bult’s ghost appears and tells them “we do not belong here” then leaves.

Quick Ben, Kalam, Stormy and others have gotten lost in the Imperial Warren (or out of it). They’re being followed by something out of Chaos. They wait and see lots of massive things “filling the sky” and Quick says it’s time to go. Back to top

Chapter Four

Mappo and Icarium explore a crevice in a recently uncovered area of desert and find a K’Chain Che’Malle sky keep. Icarium explores a wrecked flier in a lake and finds a K’Chain Short-tail corpse. He thinks a Jaghut arrived to make sure nobody escaped, saying the lake is Omtose Phellack ice and also blood. They decide to explore the keep, though Mappo is worried what Icarium will find.

Cutter’s group reaches an old monastery of D’rek, Worm of Autumn. The priests and animals are all dead.

Felisin asks if Scillara will take care of her; says she feels she’s getting more child-like, and Scillara says she’ll try. They discuss Greyfrog signing to Felisin, her mother, and Karsa’s killing of Bidithal.

A portal opens and an armored Seguleh rider appears, both horse and rider looking dead. He yells at Hood for diverting him, saying he was “on the trail” then tells Cutter everybody in this realm is dead. Heboric calls him Soldier of High House Death and the Soldier salutes him as Treach’s Destriant. The Soldier talks of the Tyrant in Darujhistan, the Seguleh, the Cabal, then says he’s seen enough—”she’s made her position clear”—and exits in search of Skinner, leaving his spear behind.

Icarium and Mappo find a passageway in the keep and discover a central tower with a broken bridge leading toward it. Gravity seems neutralized in the area. They find another bridge and cross. Inside they find a huge cruciform of black wood with a dragon impaled on it via an iron spike. Icarium identifies it as Sorrit, whose aspect was Serc, the warren of the sky.

Apsalar travel Shadow with Telorast and Curdle, arriving at Urko’s place. Inside is a headless skeleton akin to a T-rex, along with three smaller size reconstructed bodies the size of crows. Telorast and Curdle possess the bodies. Urko mistakes Apsalar for Dancer’s daughter, drugs her, then gives her the antidote when she says Dancer possessed her which infuriates him. She realizes Cotillion knows something, which is why he wanted Urko “shaken up.” Urko says she can believe Cotillion when he tells her he’ll leave her alone once she’s done. She leaves.

Taralack Veed follows Dejim Nebahl as it tracks its prey.

Scillara suffers from morning sickness as Greyfrog watches; she thanks him for keeping her secret. Scillara and Cutter talk and he reveals Shadowthrone or Cotillion gave him the job of escorting the group. She’s not happy two gods (Treach and ST) are interested in the group. She deduces a woman is involved as well somehow.

Gregfrog tells Scillara Felisin likes Cutter. He adds the others are having bad dreams and says there is danger approaching.

Leoman and Corabb and the army arrive outside Y’Ghatan. The Falah’d (Vedor) rides out to welcome them, making clear he assumes they are moving on. Leoman tells him they’ll make their stand there and when Vedor laughs Leoman kills him, claiming rule for his own. The ranking officer of Y’Ghatan is Captain Dunsparrow, a Malazan, and he names her his Third, behind only Corabb. She names him the new Falah’d. They ride into the city. Back to top

Chapter Five

Samar Dev and Karsa discuss several of her inventions (a spyglass being one) and her idea that ethics should be of primary concern for any inventor. She leaves to examine the Short-tail Karsa killed in the Keep after informing him it seemingly killed all the Malazan that had been inside.

Samar Dev dissects the Short-tail, discovering strange small mechanisms inside its stomach. The mechanism work for only a moment after exiting the dissected stomach. Dev and the Torturer standing guard over the short-tail corpse discuss torture and the quest for Truth.

Samar tells Karsa of a mysterious island called Sepik with two populations, “one the subject of the other.” Karsa decides to travel there and agrees to wait until Samar can get a map copied. She notices spirits have been drawn toward Karsa and are also frightened. She imprisons them using her knife.

Quick Ben’s squad has exited the warren and is waiting. They discuss Coral, Tavore and Paran, the ghosts at Raraku. They’re interrupted by the arrival of Khundryl Burned Tears.

The Tears bring the squad to Tavore (along the way Kalam notices the moon looking strange) and she asks why they aren’t in the Imperial Warren. He tells her there were 10-12 K’Chain Che’Malle Sky Keeps and speculates the Imperial Warren was once the K’Chain warren. She orders them to find out what they’re doing and why they’re trying to stay hidden. He thinks she’s sending him away before the siege of Y’Ghatan because she doesn’t trust them after they met with Dujek and Tayschrenn. Pearl shows up, Tavore’s group leaves, Quick Ben tells Kalam to leave Pearl for now and that he didn’t hear anything of import.

Captain Faradan Sort kills Joyful Union in front of Bottle, who performs an inappropriate “salute” in response. When asked, he gives his name as Smiles.

Faradan meets Fiddler and acts the strict captain. She orders Smiles to carry a double-load today. Smiles wonders what she did to deserve that and Fiddler says captains are just crazy. Bottle tells them Sort killed Joyful Union and Cuttle says, “She’s [Sort] dead.”

Keneb finds Grub in his tent. Grub mouths some weird things and leaves. Keneb worries about the siege with the lack of men and equipment as well as missing Quick Ben. Blistig enters and says he fears disaster, that there is a growing dread amongst the men, adding the Fists want to confront Tavore and make her open up. Keneb says no; they should wait. Blistig leaves and Keneb continues to worry what awaits them.

Hellian wakes, now in her eight day of being reassigned to the 14th, along with Urb. She thinks how unfair it is and needs more to drink.

Bottle tells Maybe and Lutes Sort killed Joyful Union and there’ll be no more fights, which angers them. He also warns them to put down their new scorpion, as it’s a female and the males will be attracted to her distress call by the hundreds if not the thousands. That gives Maybe an idea. Back in camp, Smiles tells Bottle she and Cuttle are going to kill Sort tonight. Koryk tells him they won’t; he’s noticed that Sort is from the Stormwall at Korelri. He can tell by her scabbard, which marks her as a section commander. Bottle doesn’t buy it, but Fiddler says he noticed too. Koryk explains to Smiles about the Stormwall, Korelri, and the Stormriders. Bottle offers to share Smiles’ pack burden and she agrees though is suspicious over his kindly offer.

Quick Ben’s squad scouts 11 Sky Keeps from a distance. They decide to have only Quick, Kalam, and Stormy attempt to board one.

Apsalar, Telorast, and Curdle are at the coast near Ehrlitan. The two spirits speak of the time of the great Forests that covered the land before the First Empire or Imass. A partially destroyed forest appears when Apsalar calls up the warren to cross the strait. The spirits say the destruction was from dragons fighting in the Shadow Realm, the same ones imprisoned in the stone circle. They identify the forest as Tiste Edur. Apsalar spots a sailing ship crossing as part of the other realm and sense someone important on it.

Dejim Nebrahl has closed with its prey and now lies in ambush anticipating the targets’ approach.

Crossing the Edur shadow forest, Apsalar comes across a rope hanging down, an invitation from whomever is in the carrack. She climbs it and meets Paran aboard. She has a strange reaction of guilt and shame but doesn’t know why. He realizes she doesn’t remember him and introduces himself, both my name and position as Master of the Deck. He asks if Cotillion still haunts her and she says sort of, adding he should ask Cotillion if he wants to know more. The two discuss the war and gods and future plans.

Dejim Nebrahl recalls the First Empire, the T’rolbarahl (whom he thought should have ruled), the betrayal of Dessimbelackis. He foresees a new empire with him at its head, feeding on humans and making gods kneel. His targets get nearer.

Samar and Karsa leave the city, with Samar still thinking on the ethics of inventions, the value of convenience, the power of ritual. He tells her a little of his past actions and when she asks if he’s reconsidered wiping out humanity he replies he didn’t say that, adding he has an army waiting for him at home. She thinks even the Empress would fear such an army.

Cutter’s group arrives at a range of cliffs and caves. Heboric’s madness appears to be getting worse. Heboric mutters about the Chained One, a war of gods, “all to bury the Elder Gods once and for all.”

Scillara thinks she could care less about the gods. She thinks Heboric hasn’t learned the “Truth of futility” and it has made him mad, though he also travels with the “gift of salvation.” Cutter asks if she’s pregnant and she confirms it. Back to top

Chapter Six

Corabb feels Leoman is hiding something from him and blames Dunsparrow, whom he sees as corrupting Leoman. Leoman has ruthlessly taken control of Y’Ghatan and sealed it, locking away a fortune of olive oil. Corabb and Dunsparrow spar, with Dunsparrow’s complexity somewhat confusing to the black and white view of Corabb. Leoman orders the evacuation of the city save for soldiers.

Corabb recalls Leoman’s view of the history of cities—why they grow. Leoman tells him the priests are resisting the evacuation. Corabb starts to suffer from heat prostration. They arrive at the central temple, formerly of Scalissara, now the temple of the Queen of Dreams. Leoman tells Corabb he plans to speak with the goddess.

Mappo and Icarium discuss dragons and how the gods seem under assault. They speculate as to what/who could have killed Sorrit. They identify the wood as Blackwood and the “rust” as otataral and then discus the power of blood. They deduce Sorrit was killed in the Shadow Realm by the Tiste Edur. Icarium says he recognizes the Jaghut who performed the Omtose Phellack, saying she was tired of the K’Chain’s attempts to colonize and didn’t care they were engaged in civil war. Icarium nears the truth of himself, concluding he is cursed, that Mappo is not just his friend but is meant to protect the world from Icarium. Mappo tells him it isn’t so simple. Icarium decides they will go to the Jhag Odhan to look for Jaghut and, Mappo believes, ask them to imprison him forever in ice, though Mappo thinks they’ll just kill him.

Keneb rides through the sixteen barrows outside Y’Ghatan holding Malazan bones, Bent band Roach beside him. He meets with Gall and Temul, who tells him the city was evacuated and a narrow, seemingly unfinished trench encircles the city. Temul suggests the punch through at night using munitions, though they all know Tavore will simply do what she thinks best. They believe Leoman, knowing he has no chance, means to die a martyr and bloody the Malazans before dying.

Bottle spreads word that Faradan Sort is calling a meeting of sergeants, finding the camp just a bit chaotic and the soldiers going stir crazy and getting at each other.

Bottle returns to his (Fiddler’s) squad. Gesler’s group returns from the Imperial Warren. They discuss the siege plans and the upcoming meeting and why they don’t just send the Claw in. Cuttle says the rumor is Laseen has pulled them all in and veteran companies were called back to Malaz City. Bottle wonders out to the meeting site. He recalls his grandmother’s belief the Empire, while not great, was better than what had been before. He thinks the army feels lost. Summoning creatures, he tasks them to spy later, then the Eres ‘al arrives and he thinks she has “followed” the army as it echoes in her own time. She indicates her pregnancy and he studies the unborn, realizing among other things that the father is Tiste Edur, the child “the only pure candidate for a new Throne of Shadow...a healed realm.” He believes she wants him to be her god and he says “fine” and she disappears.

Keneb meets Tavore, Blistig, and Baralta in her tent. Baralta worries they are missing something and they discuss Temul’s suggestions. Tavore dismisses Blistig and Baralta and then tells Keneb she does not command by consensus and she alone will answer to the Empress. Keneb asks why they rejected Dujek’s offer of help and she tells him his host is decimated and Dujek himself broken. He realizes she is keeping the hope of Dujek alive and sacrificing herself. He leaves, upset at the news and determined to confirm her judgment.

Fiddler confirms Tavore’s belief for Keneb.

Paran’s ship puts in at Kansu. He and Apsalar discuss the Bridgeburners in Darujhistan. Paran admits he is less easy with K’rul since the Elder God’s assistance with the Pannion Seer. He is unsure if the Elder Gods are opposing the Crippled God. Apsalar wonders if he is ascended and warns him to be careful before they disembark.

Apsalar notes the city seems less crowded and quieter. Paran tells her its plague making its way across Seven Cities. She identifies Poliel and he agrees, then tells her all those in the temple of D’rek were slaughtered, including the healers. They go their own ways.

Samar and Karsa briefly debate progress. Karsa senses a beast has been laired nearby and Samar realizes the spirits in the area have fled.

Kalam is climbing along the underside of a sky keep, wondering at Quick Ben’s sudden loss of magic power. He calls on Cotillion, who appears and then takes him to the edge of the fissure where Quick Ben and Stormy were. Kalam climbs down and finds QB and Stormy unconscious, Stormy’s legs broken. Cotillion “heals” Stormy, informing the others that he was already healing due to his being “annealed” aboard the Silanda. He identifies the chamber they’re in as an Elder God temple and Kalam, noting how Cotillion reacts to QB, thinks the god knows something about his friend. Cotillion leaves.

Greyfrog tells Cutter he feels something bad coming. They decide to move.

Mappo and Icarium are attacked by Dejim Nebrah and Mappo falls with one of them over the edge of a cliff. Back to top

Chapter Seven

Leoman exits the temple chamber and rushes them back to the palace, making it clear he expects an attack tonight. Leoman says they have to look like they’re trying to defend and when Dunsparrow tells Corabb they can’t hold the walls, he doesn’t understand why they are in the city. Corabb asks to defend the gates, but Leoman says his task is to guard Leoman’s back, which Corabb takes to mean they’ll be leading the fight. He says the Malazans will never forget tonight and Leoman agrees.

Pearl tells Lostara he could slip in and kill Leoman but Tavore won’t let him, and Lostara says Tavore doesn’t trust him and doesn’t blame her. When he says he’s thought of telling revealing the truth about Felisin, she says she’ll kill him. The two spar and she eventually gets him to admit she is detached from him and she leaves.

Keneb joins Baralta, wondering why there is so little activity on the walls. Baralta tells Keneb the mages are finding no counter-sorcery. The two discuss rumors of plague, then are interrupted by a lone rider (L’oric) who enters the city.

Lt. Pores, Captains Kindly and Sort are waiting. Pores kind of misses some of his former squad (Sinn scared him). Pores has been enjoying Kindly’s attempts to figure out Sort, and thinks she’s cold iron thanks to her history on the Wall.

Hellian bemoans to Urb her trading her sword for liquor as the two prepare for the assault. Urb tells her the squad is down to him and the twins Brethless and Touchy.

Sergeant Balm, in the middle of losing a game to Moak, starts to act weird as if he doesn’t know where he is. Deadsmell tries to calm him down, showing him Throatslitter, Widdershins, and the rest of the squad. Stacker tells them it’s the Confusion, similar to Gamet earlier, and as they march, Deadsmell congratulates Balm on his ploy, but Balm doesn’t know who he is.

Lutes feels sick and Maybe complains about what he and the other sappers will have to do.

Gesler, Fiddler, Cuttle, Truth, and Pella talk about the assault. Cuttle worries about the greenness of the soldiers, Gesler has a gloomy “the end’s always the same” attitude.

Bottle listens to the byplay among the soldiers. He’s nervous about tonight. Looking at the city, he notes how darks it is.

Corabb watches as Leoman speaks to eleven fanatics of the Apocalypse sworn to die tonight, telling them they have their instructions and dismissing them. L’oric arrives having been summoned by the Queen of Dreams as part of Leoman’s deal with her. Corabb has his hope back thanks to L’oric’s arrival.

Bottle is with his group of sappers. Ebron (from the old Ashok Regiment) warns him Crump is dangerous. Bottle uses Maenas to cover the sappers and is surprised by its strength.

Lostara joins Baralta, who tells her it was decided that Pearl was “better off staying in his tent indefinitely.” Lostara says she’s fine with that.

Hellian, drunk, runs into Fiddler, having seemingly lost her squad.

Pella waits, thinking how Gesler, Stormy, and Truth had become strange since Silanda. He regrets enlisting.

Leoman, Corabb, Dunsparrow, and L’oric watch from the tower as lanterns flash on and off, leading Leoman to exclaim “Fanatics! Damn Fools! this is going to work!”

As Cuttle is preparing the munitions to blow the wall, Crump puts his own inventive explosives there and starts the fuse. Everyone runs, with Bottle helping Cuttle who is limping due to stepping on a wasp nest on the way in. The explosives go off.

Lostara is rocked by the concussion as the wall and buildings behind it start to come down, along with body parts.

Leoman and the others flee the now-compromised tower and head for the Temple.

Bottle and Cuttle come to and are stunned by the devastation.

Keneb sends his men in after the marines.

Fiddler orders his group in, telling Bottle to ride the animals and keep an eye out as they try to catch up with Borduke’s squad. Both groups runs into an ambush, with Borduke’s getting the worst. Fiddler uses his crossbow to blow up the upper floor of the ambusher’s building. They regroup and are joined by Cord’s group. Fiddler suggests the sappers go first and take down buildings. Cord orders Sinn (who is collecting body part trophies) back to spread the word.

Gesler, having heard Fiddlers cusser, thinks that may be the best way to proceed.

Pella watches inexperienced sappers get killed, then is killed himself.

Gesler sees Pella die, then has to kill a sapper rushing out of the building on fire before his men (not seeing his munitions pack) try to beat out the flames. A lot still die when the munitions go off. He gathers his men and heads off, wondering why the building they’re leaving behind is burning so fiercely.

Hellian collects strays and offers up a surprisingly good plan to fight.

Balm’s group investigates the top of a building they’ve cleared and discover the hollow walls of the building have been filled with olive oil. They deduce other buildings are like that and the whole city is a big firetrap, for both the Malazan’s and Leoman’s own people. They head out to warn people.

Keneb is pushing forward, thinking the cost will be high but they’ll take the city. Suddenly flames go up from the trench and then the buildings as the entire city goes up in flames. He calls the retreat.

Temul, on the other side of the city to cut off Leoman’s retreat watches the city go up and thinks they just lost a third of the Fourteenth Army.

Blistig, watching, flashes back to watching Coltaine’s army get slaughtered. Tavore orders him to fill in the trench to try and douse it and the orders Nil and Nether to get the mages to put the fires out in the breach, but they say they cannot. Nether adds the spirits are dying or fleeing and something is about to be born.

Keneb, cooking in his armor, orders his people to drop their armor and weapons.

Lostara, about to be caught in a fireball, is suddenly pulled out by a hand.

Balm orders his people to strip down. Widdershins says he has no magic against this and adds a fire elemental is being born and maybe then he can use illusions to scare it though he’s unsure what he’ll do or if it would work.

As Faradan’s group prepares to die, Sinn suddenly comes through a forced breach in the flames. They call her over.

Hellian keeps her group moving.

Fiddler plans to use munitions to blow a hole in the fire encircling them and try to cut through to the palace. He and Cuttle run to place them while the other get as far as they can. Gesler’s group arrives and Truth takes their munitions and then grabs Cuttle and Fiddler’s and runs toward the palace gates, Gesler trying to chase him down. Cuttle and Fiddler grab Gesler and drag him back and Truth runs into the fire. There’s a huge explosion and the flames draw back and they all run into the palace.

Corabb is horrified by what Leoman has done. Leoman tells L’oric to open a gate so they can escape, horrifying Corabb even more. Leoman is upset he’s been dragged into a deal with the Queen of Dreams. Leoman tells Corabb he refuses to live always looking over his shoulder for the claw and speak with contempt of his soldiers. L’oric opens a portal and they see the Queen of Dreams, who tells L’oric she does not seek power over him. She tells them Sha’ik is dead, the Whirlwind Goddess is no longer and tells L’oric the role of Seer of Dryjhna is empty and needs to be filled so nothing worse takes that role, which is about to happen. L’oric realizes she’s asking if he will protect whom she has already chosen and he accepts. They enter the portal save for Corabb who refuses. He hears a noise and discovers a group of children left behind.

Balm’s group and Hellian’s join up and head for the temple.

Fiddler’s group heads for the temple and Bottle senses life in it. On the way they’re attacked and Fiddler is wounded. They’re starting to lose air in the firestorm.

Keneb, dying, is suddenly saved by Faradan Sort and Sinn, who tell him there are hundreds still alive and they’re going to try to push through.

A huge fireball blows, knocking Blistig to the ground. Tavore calls everyone back then sees Faradan group just past the breach. The mages try magic to help Sinn, whose power awes Nil. Several of the mages burst into flames then suddenly the flames are opened and Tavore orders everyone to help get them out before the flames close again. Blistig sees Tavore with the firestorm behind her and is terrified of the vision and takes it as an omen. Grub takes over and goes to get help.

Corabb runs into the Malazans and tells them he was betrayed by Leoman, who fled through a portal.

The rest of the Malazans have gathered in the temple. Gesler asks if anybody worships the queen of Dreams but Hellian says Corabb, now a prisoner, told them Leoman already exited that way. Crump urinates on her altar and they figure that blows their chance. Crump identifies himself as a Bole (Jamber). Fiddler realizes there is hollow space below them and Bottle senses rats fleeing beneath the floor. He tells them they need to break through to the ruins underneath and he can follow the rats. They have one munition left and Cuttle uses it to open a hole. Bottle seeks a rat to ride.

Blistig watches as horribly wounded go past him and the city turns into slag. Pearl arrives and asks if Tavore is broken, adding he has lost a friend tonight. Pearl continues, saying Dujek will be told that the 14th is done as an army and that Leoman escaped under the protection of the Queen of Dreams, which is he admits to being troubled by. Blistig leaves, thinking on Leoman’s evil.

Bottle rides a rat down deeper, leading the survivors and flashes back to the start.

Bottle finds a rat and waits for it to come up to them. Gesler tells everyone to adopt a child. Fiddler puts himself last with Corabb, saying he’ll help close the opening behind them. Urb knocks Hellian out when she panics about spiders. They start down.

Smiles encourages the girl ahead of her while the boy behind her accidentally tortures Smiles with pain by touching her burned feet. Koryk is chanting constantly, the girl keeps stopping, and Smiles thinks she’s been through worse. Crump’s singing is driving Gesler crazy. Gesler, sensing he is not bothered by the heat and fire and smoke like the others, keeps seeing Truth’s sacrifice in his mind. Tarr drags the overweight Balgrid though the narrow areas, threatening him that Urb will poke him from behind with his knife. Balm “encourages” the boy in front of him by telling him if he stops the lizards will eat him, even as Deadsmell tries to get him to stop scaring the kid. Corabb and Fiddler bring up the rear, their hands badly burned from shutting the opening with the hot copper doors. Fiddler gets half-buried by the temple caving in and Corabb pulls him free.

Bottle reaches a shaft. As he starts to head down part collapses and he falls into large webs then jams himself to a halt. He scares the huge spiders away with images of fire. He passes out, comes to, and begins to climb down. As they wait, Koryk thinks of his Death Song night, the Seti rite of passage into adulthood. He asks Shard if Limp is OK and Shard says he knocked him out to stop his screaming. Several of the soldiers talk and spar while waiting.

Corabb is realizing the Malazans aren’t all the monsters he had thought but were just real people, soldiers, like him. He worries Fiddler is dying.

Bottle enters a room filled with urns filled with honey. Cuttle joins him and Bottle says they should ease their burns with the honey. Bottle notes the urns are First Empire but the iron lids are Jaghut. The honey still tastes fresh. Both realize too late it has an opiate effect and Bottle falls to the floor and knocks himself out. Corabb drags the now-unconscious Fiddler to the shaft and carries him down to find everyone “asleep” amidst the urns. He puts honey on Fiddler then himself then starts to pass out.

Keneb is in the camp, unsure if it’s been one or two days of healing. Grub tells him Tavore wants them to leave and head west due to plague in the east. Before leaving, he says something is buried but neither Tavore nor Keneb sees it.

Nil, Nether, and Blistig are in Tavore’s tent. The warlocks report the spirits are being driven insane, are cursing the humans for so wounding the land. When he says the healers say the worst is over, Tavore orders preparations for departure for Sotka to rendezvous with Nok’s fleet. They realize it is a race against the plague now. Blistig leaves.

Tavore asks why Poliel is striking with plague here and now, but the warlocks have no answer. They tell her Leoman was saved by the Queen of Dreams, though again they don’t know why. Temul arrives, saying he found Sinn trying to get back into the ruins, adding she’s lost her mind. Tavore orders her cleaned up and guarded—they leave. Tavore says she will not pursue Leoman but as long as he lives Y’Ghatan will be curse rather than victory. Nil says it won’t rise again, but Tavore dismisses him as too young. She leaves and Nil and Nether laugh at the thought they are “young”, then talk of how Leoman will grow in legends.

Kindly finds Pores, whose left hand has melted together, and ask why he’s lollygagging. He tells him Baralta lost an arm then gives him order to prepare for the march.

Faradan Sort finds Sinn, orders the others away, and tells Sinn she thinks she knows what is happening and to just listen for a while.

Keneb prepares to start the march, thinking of Baralta who lost his nose and lips in addition to the arm and wonders if he’ll stay sane. Temul rides up to say they couldn’t find Sort and Sinn and that Tavore has ordered any found deserters to be killed. They begin the march.

(various visions from the honey-opiate)

• Balm sees the Dal Honese pantheon warring over him, all of them “disgusting deities”
• Smiles recalls when her village, after having no successful fishing for too long, returned to the old ways and sacrificed her twin sister to the ocean and Mael, which is why she left.
• Koryk had been born to a young Seti whore and like the other half-bloods kept the traditions even more so than the full-bloods, who became Malazan after riding off to war, though he knew even then the worship was empty of true gods. The fetishes, he thinks, are something wholly else.
• Crump sees the Mott Salamander God, who tells him to pull his tail and trap him like all mortals want to do to gods. The God threatens him that his brothers are looking for him “because of what you did” and Crump will need the god then. When Crump pulls the tail it comes off and the god runs away laughing.
• Corabb sees a child, a new Sha’ik in the desert. He tells her it must all end, how thirsty can she be. When the child reaches him he is blind and hears her whisper “Help me.”
• Fiddler sees Hedge who says Fiddler isn’t with the Bridgeburners who cheated death and that Fiddler has to keep going, has “to take us with you right to the end. He adds that the worlds have burned over Y’Ghatan, warren up on warren, all the ghosts and memories have been burnt to nothing.
• Bottle finds himself on a charred grassland with his Ere’ Sal and other like her. He recalls seeing as a child the last wild ape of Malaz Island in a cage and having a moment of shared empathy that broke Bottle’s heart. It seems that moment of compassion began his ability to ride life-sparks. The Ere’ Sal touches his forehead then makes a fist that starts to come down, when he wakes.

Bottle wakes to find his burn pains gone and the air foul. Cuttle wakes next and tells him he dreamt of a tiger getting killed by two undead lizards and the tiger ascended (Treach and K’Chain). Treach had been trying to tell Cuttle that the dying was necessary. They start to wake the others.

Gesler wakes from a dream of fire and shadowy figures dancing around him. He realized in the dream he was the fire.

Bottle reaches a passage blocked by a huge cornerstone a little off the floor with a pit on the other side and a shaft going up. Cuttle says they’ll try and dig it out and when Bottle says they should go back he tells Bottle there is no back thanks to the temple’s collapse.

The children are sent ahead in case they might fit under the stone. Smiles can’t believe she’s counting on Bottle, though she thinks he was surprisingly nice to her about Sort’s seeming dislike. She thinks about children and how if only the children survive she’ll haunt them the rest of their lives.

After the children pass through, Cuttle works until his knife breaks. Bottle realizes if they can get through they’ll be in a tunnel cut by looters from the outside. Cuttle kicks the stone out and there is a collapse as the rock comes down, leaving a shaft opening to sun. Bottle tries to dig the hole out wider. Cuttle worries they lost a girl into the pit.

Sort and Sinn are on a ridge north of the city, Sort worrying maybe her belief that Sinn had sensed something was wrong. They spot a child and Sort thinks she’s a scavenger. Sinn heads toward her and then climbs the hillside wall. Sort rides over and tells Sinn they need to give it up for the day. Sinn reaches into a hole.

Bottle his losing his strength and is beginning to pass out/die, then Sinn reaches his hand, snapping him out of it.

Sort hears a voice from the hole and realizes Sinn is holding someone’s hand.

Sort begins to dig them out while the children who had been on the other side of the obstructing rock are coming out another way with Smiles. She tells them Tavore didn’t wait or order searches; she and Sinn deserted to look, adding it’s been three days. She breaks a sword and then tells anxious Bottle it wasn’t her Stormwall sword; they had been left behind “in somebody”—she kept the scabbard. Bottle gets free and saves his rat just before Sort is about to stomp on it, telling her it (he names it Y’Ghatan) saved all their lives. He also finds out Sort had known about his trick calling himself Smiles earlier and to his dismay, Smiles now knows about it too.

Gesler does a roll call and sees everybody makes it out save Fiddler and Corabb.

Corabb had gotten lost and thinks the two of them are dead and he’d be proud to appear at Hood’s Gate with this Malazan. He has freed himself, he thinks, of certainty. Fiddler wakes and when Corabb says he’s dragged him a day or so, Fiddler asks why he didn’t just leave him. Corabb first says so the Malazans wouldn’t kill him, but then admits he simply couldn’t. Fiddler gives Corabb his real name and then they are found by Gesler and he leads them out. Back to top

Chapter Eight

Paran rides through plague-ridden Seven Cities and thinks back to when Kruppe visited him in the Darujhistan Azath House and suggested he come here and do so quickly to deal with problems, some of which have already “hatched.” As he passes a barrow, a Jaghut female—Ganath—frees herself. She tells him one of her bindings has been broken and she needs to repair it, but then senses a nearby sea and decides to take a bath first. Paran is heading there and so the two go together.

Apsalar rides through yet another village wiped out by plague. She sense great death from Y’Ghatan and decides to travel there via Shadow warren.

In the Imperial Warren, Kalam, Stormy, and Quick Ben climb out of the pit to find Cotillion has left them a feast. Quick Ben and Kalam worry over things until Stormy tells them they think too much, if they face something too big to fight they should find something bigger than them to do the fighting, and they should know that Shadowthrone and Cotillion always win because they never fight fair.

We pass through several vignettes involving various soldiers as they deal with their near-death experience. None of them can sleep and one thinks it is because they all want to wait to see the sun which they never thought they’d see again.

At the Raraku Sea, Paran tells Ganath he is the Master of the Deck and she compares him to the old Master of the Tiles—the Errant. She adds his worshipers kept him drinking blood and so to try and deny them the Errant became the god of change whose enemy was stagnation. She warns Paran he too will be worshiped and will lose his innocence. Paran calls forth an army of the dead then calls out the Bridgeburners amongst them, including Hedge. He tells them he wants them to summon from their side the Deragoth so they can deal with Dejim. Back to top

Chapter Nine

Icarium wakes to find himself tended by Taralack Veed, who tells him they fought a D’ivers and Icarium had been knocked out after driving it off. Taking advantage of Icarium’s loss of memory, Veed tells him they have been companions for many years and that Veed’s task is to make sure Icarium, “the world’s greatest warrior,” is ready for some “great task.” Veed advises they trust Icarium’s “instinct” and continue heading toward the cost opposite Sepik Island. When Icarium expresses doubt in Veed’s faith in him, Veed horrifies him by describing how four thousand years ago Icarium killed every inhabitant in the city of E’napatha N’apur so the city’s evil would not spread. He calls Icarium “The Slayer” and says his battle is against evil and the world and he brings justice.

Heboric feels he’s drowning in burdens and voices (Treach, the Jade statue people, his young companions). He informs the others they are approaching the ruins of E’napatha N’apur, which had been buried after Icarium wiped out its people. He explains Icarium destroyed everyone in it when a soldier accidentally killed Icarium’s companion. He says he knows all this because he sees the ghosts and the area as it once was. He fears the ghosts’ needs, not knowing what they want of him. He dismisses Cutter’s idea that it involves him being the Destriant of Treach, but Scillara says all the gods of war are probably one god and wonders if all the gods are aspects of a single insane one.

Greyfrog thinks how the group is troubled.

Samar Dev and Karsa travel north toward forest, passing tribes and groups of bhederin hunters, as well as their kill sites, burial grounds, and worship areas. Karsa decides he wants to kill a bhederin and when Samar mocks him for it he tells her “witness” and then kills a bull and a cow. Samar worries this might upset the area tribes.

Dejim Nebrahl looks down on a slave-trader caravan as it digests three of the caravan’s war-dogs. It was stunned Mappo had been able to kill two its bodies and plans to replace its losses by feeding on the caravan. It looks forward to killing the traders who enslave children and then in the future killing all such “despoilers” and bringing the protective justice he was created for. He moves to attack.

Iskaral Pust unloads a bucket of fish into the new Raraku Sea. He tells his recalcitrant mule they must ride in haste lest they arrive too late. He enters his warren.

Mogora appears where Pust just left and empties a bucket of sharks into the sea, then leaves.

Pust sees Dejim attacking the caravan and “charges,” scattering the shocked D’ivers with sorcery. Dejim flees and rather than pursue, Pust decides he can’t be distracted and so will let someone else deal with them.

Pust arrives where Mappo fell and finds him alive but badly injured.

Mogora interrupts Pust before he can try and heal Mappo, saying she’ll take over as Pust will just kill him sooner. She tells him to make camp instead and is surprised to find that Pust’s mule has seemingly done so. She guesses Shadowthrone sent Pust to save Mappo.

Mogora uses her magic which involves a healing web of spider silk falls over Mappo’s body and making the moon appear to come incredibly close. Pust can’t identify the magic.

Lostara Yil wakes to find Cotillion standing in odd-acting moonlight. He tells her some sorcery is stealing the moon’s light. He says he pulled her out of Y’Ghatan and brought her to this abandoned Rashan temple nearby. When she asks why, he tells her she’ll have to make a “dire choice.” When he asks about her relationship with Pearl, she calls it a passed infatuation. He says then she’ll have to choose between loyalty to Tavore and what Pearl represents. She says choosing between the Adjunct and Empress doesn’t make sense, but he tells her not to worry about it yet, just keep it in mind. Questioned further, he says he isn’t directly involved himself and it doesn’t involve vengeance against Laseen, but he is just “anticipating” some things. He gives her food and a cover story when she meets up with “friends” and adds she owes him nothing; instead he was repaying a debt for having watched her dance.

Cotillion goes to where Mogora is healing Mappo and admits to her that Shadowthrone did send Pust and that Pust is the Magi of High House Shadow. He guesses she is one of Ardata’s and she veers into spiders and exits. Cotillion looks at the mule, then leaves. Back to top

Chapter Ten

Quick Ben, Kalam, and Stormy appear at the slagged remains of Y’Ghatan and are stunned and saddened by what they see—not just the melted ruins but the large burial mounds nearby. Quick Ben deduces it was the olive oil and wonders if the firestorm were intentional. Quick senses something and they move toward it.

Apsalar looks upon Y’Ghatan, then sees the above trio moving toward her, recognizing Quick Ben and Kalam. Curdle and Telorast are made nervous by the three, especially Quick Ben. Quick Ben wonders if Apsalar is there to enact vengeance for Shadowthrone, and claims he at least isn’t dancing to any god’s strings. Apsalar tells him he smells of Hood, Kalam of Cotillion, and Stormy of the T’lan Imass and the Fire of Life, and therefore perhaps they aren’t so “free” of the gods as Quick wants to think. She adds that “fire, shadow, and death” align against a single enemy, but that the enemy is not currently singular, may never have been singular, and the alliance against said enemy may not last. Kalama asks if Quick is working for Hood but Quick replies it’s the other way around, but now the gods are at war and he needs to figure things out. He and Stormy spar a bit then they agree to travel together to catch up to the 14th. Quick Ben asks what Apsalar is hiding (Telorast and Curdle) and she say’s they’re shy.

After some “discussion,” Hellian makes Touchy and Brethless both corporals to replace Urb, who was made sergeant. Hellian wanders off and her squad discusses her, with Touchy and Brethless saying if they keep her drunk everything will be fine. Gesler considers the rearrangement of squads, then thinks back sadly of Truth and wonders if their losses were with the “gain” of killing a few hundred fanatics. Bottle argues with Smiles over the wisdom of keeping Y’Ghatan (the rat) now that she’s got a litter. Koryk finds a paupers grave pit and starts to pick out bones to replace what was lost.

Fiddler and Gesler are reunited with Quick’s group. Stormy learns about Truth. Fiddler says he’ll tell them their story as they try to catch up to the 14th, adding he wants to introduce Quick to Bottle.

Paran, Hedge, and Ganath stand atop a bridge in a “half-born” realm. Hedge says they have to cross it into a “long forgotten world” that may or may not belong to Hood. Ganath says this place pre-dates the Holds, is “our [Jaghut’s] vision of the underworld. Verdith’anath, the Bridge of Death.” She tries to convince him this isn’t the way, but he says he’s seen this in visions. She warns him his otataral sword won’t be anything special in this realm. Paran calls a Karpolan Demesand and a Trygalle Guild carriage. As the guild prepares to cross, Hedge asks Paran what’s in it for the dead Bridgeburners who after all thought they were done with war. He asks what it means to ascend and Paran says he doesn’t really know, but he offers up his theory that Ascendants are similar to unchained/unaligned gods and they have a “strength of will” and “unusual degree of efficacy.” When they act, it “ripples” through everything. Hedge hopes Paran’s making a “Soldier” card in the Deck might indicate who is guiding the Bridgeburner dead down their “long road.” Paran asks who they are marching to war against and Hedge says it’s more “what” than who but they are interrupted. They cross the bridge and are assailed, losing people on the way. They reach the wreckage of another Guild carriage and they speculate as to whether the carriage was destroyed by a guardian or some other force chancing to come the other way. Paran thinks it was the two Hounds of Shadow he freed from Dragnipur, saying they came here because he’d needed them to “blaze the trail” (though he didn’t know it at the time).

They clear the path and continue reaching the end of the bridge and passing through a gate to find a body of water just on the other side. Paran says the lake shouldn’t be there; it’s floodwater, but is interrupted by a ghastly cry and the sound of thunder as something big approaches. Back to top

Chapter Eleven

Cutter’s group continues forward. Heboric muses on those inside the Jade Statues, the idea that Icarium should be killed to stop more potential bloodshed from him, and the idea of returning Fener and having Treach and Fener share the Throne of War. He thinks on the relationship between gods and worshippers and as he hears more voices begging him wonders if this is what a god feels like.

Cutter wonders if they really need to keep traveling such barren areas since it seems clear nobody is chasing them. Scillara tells them Heboric has been guiding them via old roads and cities of dead ages and when Cutter asks why, she replies it’s because he “likes his nightmares.” She says people “suck the land dry” just like they do to each other; the world is filled with injustice and oppression. She says Bidithal’s cult was brilliant in its idea and Heboric corrects her, saying it was the Crippled God’s idea—the “promise of something better” beyond death. He agrees with Scillara that it is a seductively powerful idea, but if it is a lie, then it is the greatest injustice/betrayal of all, arguing, “If absolution is free, all we do here and now is meaningless” which invites chaos.

Pust and Mogora spar. Mappo begins to slightly stir, his body marked all over by lines of the healing spiderwebs.

Mappo wakes in dream realm/past history on Jacuruku. He speaks with Ardata who wonders what interest Shadowthrone has in him or in Icarium. She tells him Veed has replaced him with Icarium and that the Nameless Ones “made him and now they will use him.” Which makes her think she now knows what Shadowthrone plans and is offended both at his assumption she would help and the correctness of that assumption. She sends him back. He truly wakes to find Pust and Mogora.

Paran’s group is chased up a hill by the monstrous bear-like guardian. Paran makes a card and sends the beast through it.

Paran’s group looks down on five huge black statues (and two empty pedestals they discover later) of the hounds. Paran believes the two shadowhounds he freed from Dragnipur reunited with their “counterparts” and then were released. Hedge tells him they appeared at Sha’ik’s camp and were killed by Karsa, which stuns Paran. Ganath mentions how Dessimbelackis believed making his one soul seven would make him immortal. When Paran says the Deragoth were far older, she tells him they were nearly extinct by Dessimbelackis’ time and made “convenient vessels,” adding the Eres’al were domesticated by the Hounds and the Eres’al then gave rise to the Imass who gave rise to the humans, though she admits that is an oversimplification.

Paran’s group discovers a possible temple at the foot of the statues. Ganath and Paran enter to find Sedora Orr and Darparath Vayd’s (from the wrecked Guild carriage on the bridge) bodies who had been ritually killed as sacrifice. They realize this means the Deragoth will be close and Ganath agrees to assist if needed. Hedge plans to set the charges to blow up the statues but wonders if the Deragoth will go after their shadows before heading off to the Malazan world, something Paran hadn’t thought of. Paran uses a card to communicate with Shadowthrone and warns him the Deragoth are about to be released. ST calls the idea both clever and stupid, angrily recaps the steps that led to this, then realizes something and calls it “pure genius”, seemingly agreeing to send his Hounds to Seven Cities.

Hedge tells Paran the planned destruction won’t work as planned and they should leave him behind. Paran says they’ll move off and wait as long as possible. Karpolan warns Paran as the statues start to go that he’s having difficulty. One of the Deragoth appears and Karpolan opens a gate into a realm of nightmare with countless undead clutching at them asking to be taken along. Ganath takes them out into a new realm onto a glacier, which the carriage slide uncontrollably down then flips over (Paran separate on his horse is in better shape). The carriage is a wreck, several shareholders dead, other wounded, and one of the undead managed to tag along. They decide to make camp.

Hedge steps out from hiding, happy his plan to be left on his own worked. He heads off to explore, thinking “absolution comes from the living, not the dead, and...had to be earned.”

Scillara thinks of her past: her mother as a camp follower to the Ashok Regiment, her mother’s death, her own camp following, Bidithal’s cult and its promise of paradise after death, Heboric dragging her away. She thinks the Crippled God’s religion will find lots of adherents/slaves and evil will grow unchecked. She and Heboric spar over balance and flux. They reach an arid basin filled with flies and fish/bird bones and broken eggs. They start to cross.

Heboric considers the role of Destriant—the right to slay and deliver justice in a god’s name—and thinks he cannot do that and Treach chose poorly. They reach an old hamlet. They are all covered with flies and Heboric thinks back to the priest telling him “something to show you now”.

They are attacked by Imass, Scillara, Cutter, Greyfrog, Heboric horribly, seemingly/possibly mortally wounded. Back to top

Chapter Twelve

A group of Anibar confront Karsa and Samar. They ask Karsa to deal with sorcerous “revenants” who have been slaughtering the Anibar. Karsa vows to drive them back to their ships, but says Boatfinder must go with him. Boatfinder tells Samar of Iskar Jarak, the Iron Prophet, who came with the “Mezla” to chase and kill the Ugari but told the Anibar to flee as others behind Jarak would not have the same mercy. Boatfinder leads them toward the revenants and tells them more about Jarak—he was a Mezla, his kingdom is lost, and there is a burning bridge from the “frozen time” (the past) to the “flowing time” (the present).

Veed and Icarium reach the coast. Veed thinks how he has changed Icarium from his usual “equanimity” to “dark and dour” per the Nameless Ones’ instructions. Icarium wonders why they can’t avoid offending the natives and how Veed knows so much of them, deducing Veed had been prepared for Icarium. Veed says Icarium’s lost memories are dark and his amnesia is a blessing, but Icarium argues it merely keeps him ignorant and unchanging and unmarked by his dark acts. Veed tells Icarium long ago he tried to free his father (who didn’t want to be freed) from an Azath House and destroyed the Azath (freeing its prisoners) and shattered a wounded warren. The Nameless Ones then chose warriors to “guide” Icarium’s fury and to “assert a moral focus.” He adds they go now to face a new enemy. Icarium weeps in response then says he sees ships on the sea.

At the site where Cutter’s group was ambushed, Barathol Mekhar finds the town healer trying to help Cutter, Scillara in labor nearby, Heboric chopped to pieces, and Greyfrog in pieces and strangely “deflated.” The others carry Scillara and Cutter to the village. A rider (L’oric) appears and kneeling beside Greyfrog asks who did this. Barathol tells him five T’lan Imass and the two realize Felisin had been the target and taken. L’oric introduces himself, saying the girl was supposed to go to the Queen of Dreams. Barathol asks L’oric to try and heal the wounded and L’oric bridles at the implicit criticism.

Barathol arrives at the village where Scillara has given birth to a daughter. L’oric arrives and does what he can for Cutter and Scillara. He tells Barathol the Unbound Imass were servants of the Crippled God and that the gods are at war. He will not seek Felisin and wonders why if Greyfrog is dead he doesn’t feel the usual separation from his familiar. Barathol heads back to the ambush site and figures out the Imass took Felisin.

Barathol returns to the tavern and finds L’oric with drawn sword having heard Barathol’s name. It was believed Barathol opened the gates of Aren to the T’lan Imass, allowing the slaughter that followed. Barathol says the Imass didn’t need gates; he opened them after the slaughter when he fled. When L’oric says Aren rebelled in Barathol’s name, Barathol says he never told them to. L’oric sheathes his sword and says it’s all over and he’s too old for this.

Felisin finds herself with the Unbound at a rock wall. An old man (Kulat) with leaking sores meets her and says she has been chosen as Sha’ik Reborn. She realizes that are back at a dead city they passed weeks ago and the old one says others will come to serve her, adding a temple awaits her and telling her she should accept it and kneel to weakness. He informs her of the plague, how it marked people for the Chained God, whom even Poliel bowed before, and how death will bring salvation.

Cotillion arrives with the Shadow Hounds to Pust and Mappo’s camp. Cotillion tells Mappo destroying the Azath gave Icarium something akin to an infection or parasite of chaos and discontinuity that must be removed if Mappo is to save Icarium. He explains he and Shadowthrone tried to map every Azath House in this realm and while they didn’t complete that mission, they learned a lot—including he and Shadowthrone needed to Ascend to achieve certain goals and that the Houses were “repositories for the Lost Elementals.” They also realized the Azaths were failing (as did the Nameless Ones). He and Shadowthrone think the Nameless One’s plan will weaken the Azaths and so they are gong to try and stop them. Cotillion asks Mappo to pursue Icarium, warns him of a massive convergence coming, and tells him to have hope. Cotillion says he is confident Mappo will succeed in saving Icarium and leaves. Back to top

Chapter Thirteen

Paran’s group has exited Omtose Phellack and arrived in Seven Cities near G’danisban. Ganath says she’ll go to deal with her ritual regarding a sky keep having failed and Paran agrees she can call on him for a favor. Paran gives Karpolan Lorn’s otataral sword as payment. Karpolan breaks it and gives Paran a shard. Ganath leaves and Paran rides toward the city. Two Malazan soldiers arrest him on suspicion of desertion and take him to Onearm’s Host.

In the camp, the captain (Sweetcreek) orders Paran imprisoned before being executed. Paran knocks out and ties up the captain and soldier and looks for someone he knows from before. He finds Hurlochel, the old chronicler, who tells him the plague is devastating Seven Cities and seems to be emanating from the grand Temple of Poliel in G’danisban. Dujek led an assault on the temple, met Poliel herself and returned with plague. Hurlochel convinces Paran to take command using Captain Kindly’s name. He also gives some background on Genabackis, including that the Crimson Guard just vanished.

Lostara joins the Y’Ghatan survivors. Sort fills her in, tells her Tene Baralta was badly wounded, and says she hasn’t asked Sinn to contact Tavore because she is a wild talent and runs the risk of becoming “avatars of chaos.” They discuss Sort’s background on the Wall, the role of Oponn/luck vs. skill in survival, the nature of sorcery.

Kalam recalls battles in Black Dog swamp with the Mott Irregulars and the Crimson Guard and the impact on the Bridgeburners. He tells Quick Ben he feels old and wonders what they’ve accomplished. Quick says he’s wondered why Kalam hasn’t killed Pearl for stabbing him in Malaz City. Kalam says they have bigger worries and they speculate on Tavore’s plans, the war between the gods, the Empress’ side, Paran’s role as Master of the Deck, with Apsalar warning Quick to be cautious with his schemes. Quick Ben says he’d like to see Pearl killed, implying he’d help Kalam.

Fiddler, carrying a little girl, goes back over the numbers killed. Fiddler asks if Corabb will join his squad. Corabb tells him about Leoman and Dunsparrow and Fiddler tells Kalam and Quick, informing the reader that Dunsparrow is Whiskeyjack’s younger sister, whom he was a quasi-uncle to when she grew up. Kalam says at least her being alive with Leoman and the Queen of Dreams is better than being dead and Fiddler says maybe not, explaining Dunsparrow was born to a dead woman and was given up to Hood in his temple, but Whiskeyjack and Fiddler broke in and took her back, though she’s already been consecrated in Hood’s name.

Apsalar thinks of Whiskeyjack’s secretive past, his being a mason and how it connected to the role in the Deck of Dragons. She thinks of Laseen’s rumored role in Dassem Ultor’s death, if it had been to sever ties with someone becoming a cult figure and linked to Hood (via being the Mortal Sword), wondering even if the Emperor had ordered it. She speculates if Whiskeyjack had been part of Dassem’s cult, if the Queen of Dreams knows about Dunsparrow, if the Queen is allied with Hood, if Dunsparrow is merely a pawn. She worries about becoming entangled with Kalam and Quick’s schemes, as well as wonders about Telorast and Curdle’s motivation for following her.

Bottle walks with Koryk, who is carrying finger bones to distribute to the other soldiers. Bottle worries about the upcoming meeting with Quick Ben and all his warrens. He feels the soldiers have gone through a rite of passage but it hasn’t left them reborn but more burdened, more brittle.

Hellian is miserable. Gesler realizes they’re killing themselves and suggests Apsalar ride ahead to let the Fourteenth know about them. They decide to send someone the Fourteenth knows—Masan Gilani. Apsalar gives Masan her horse and a knife and Masan heads out. Sort says they’ll march again after resting a bit. Nearby, Dejim Nebrahl reaches the ancient ruins of Yadeth Garath, having traced all the old cities’ paths desperately seeking food to answer its hunger. It senses food not far away.

Dejim attacks Masan, wounding her and killing her horse but is wounded as well, one of its bodies killed and one “crippled” by Masan. As Masan runs the howls of the Deragoth break out and one approaches her, making eye contact before moving past.

Dejim, down to four bodies (one wounded and lagging) flees. It loses scent of the Deragoth hunting it and wonders.

The Malazans catch glimpses of huge shapes in the dark, then Apsalar orders them off the road. Bottle tells Fiddler some huge “bear-wolf” is out there and other fast-moving creatures are coming up on them.

Dejim senses the Malazans but then is stunned to find itself facing a Deragoth. The Deragoth kill all but one of Dejim’s bodies, then one Deragoth takes the last body in its jaws and heads off, followed by the others.

Kalam and Quick check their drawers.

Back at the Fourteenth, Kindly yanks Pores out of the healing wagons (Pores had been wounded in an encounter with bandits). The command council is together and Ruthan Gudd is telling about long-ago events involving the T’lan Imass breaking Jaghut sorcery leading to the rising of the seas and destruction of a citadel now buried beneath the sea they’re overlooking. He says he is from the island of Strike, whose people believe they are the only remaining original inhabitants of Falar.

Keneb hopes they can find a place to take ship and he hopes to go home, see his family, make up for past mistakes. He thinks about the new cults “honoring” the Chain of Dogs and wonders what it means when one’s enemies take up one’s own heroes. Blistig advises moving on but Tavore says no and Nil says the weather will change. Keneb worries about Baralta, if his spirit has broken since he hasn’t spoken or moved in days, despite being healed as much as possible. Nether says Poliel is hunting Malazans.

The Y’Ghatan survivors find Masan. Fiddler asks Bottle what he sees when he looks at Telorast and Curdle and Bottle says he sees dragons. Back to top

Chapter Fourteen

Scillara argues with L’oric and the village women over her decision to give up her baby. Barathol has decided to go with the group once Cutter is able to travel. Barathol and Scillara discuss her traveling companions and she tells him to unbury Heboric as Cutter won’t want to leave him there. Barathol and Chaur go to disinter Heboric and Greyfrog speaks in Barthol’s mind, asking him to help cut him out of his former body. They get Heboric’s body and head back to town.

Greyfrog speaks to Scillara (now that she has delivered). Scillara tells L’oric the baby’s father is Korbol Dom. When she asks why Heboric was killed by the T’lan Imass, L’oric says it is part of the war between the gods. He and Scillara spar more over her decision then he leaves, saying her choice has upset Greyfrog. Greyfrog tells her L’oric is wrong and Scillara asks him to teach L’oric some humility and rid him of his certainty. Greyfrog joins L’oric.

Cutter wakes, then finds himself elsewhere as an unseen observer of Leoman and Dunsparrow entering a courtyard via warren to meet with the Queen of Dreams. She tells Leoman she’d been hoping Corabb would come with him as his favored status by the Lady (Oponn) would have been useful. She discusses Dunsparrow’s ties to Hood, Hood’s vengeance on Whiskeyjack for Dunsparrow being stolen from the god, Hood’s regret for that vengeance, the idea he might use Dunsparrow for “restitution.” The Queen of Dreams freezes Leoman and Dunsparrow and looks at Cutter, who wakes realizing she had brought him there to overhear. Barathol enters and identifies himself as Kalam’s distant cousin, tells him Scillara is alive and has given birth.

L’oric muses on how the town had brought about its own destruction and how Barathol isn’t what he’d expected, recalling what had happened in Aren and wondering why Barathol had killed Aren’s Fist. He thinks Barathol had “given up on humanity” and lost all faith, making all the less understandable to L’oric why the townsfolk respected hi so much. Greyfrog tells a story of his people involving gods’ relationships to their worshipers. The two of them leave.

Barathol works in his smithy on something to counter the T’lan Imass.

Karsa’s group come across a Jaghut corpse whose chest seems to have imploded. Samar thinks the sorcery is D’riss. Beyond the tree they discover the corpses of a half-dozen Anibar. Karsa says a scaled bear-like creature came and took one of the corpses and is probably nearby. He describes the killers (saying he knows them) and says they took a child with them. He is interrupted by the scaled bear and he rushes after it when it flees him.

Karsa returns, the bear having escaped him. Samar thinks the Anibar should simple flee the area until the invaders leave. Karsa says she doesn’t understand this place, saying he has scene many omens and they are watched by creatures all the time. The two discuss how the moon appears to be breaking up—describing how it has grown larger, has a corona around it. Samar tells Karsa it is the last moon of what once was many and speculates perhaps two collided, adding the tides are now different. Karsa remarks on the growing number of “fireswords” in the sky each night. The two then discuss Karsa’s past and plans (with Samar making erroneous assumptions) and then spar on the benefits/pitfalls of civilization.

As he and Pust travel, Mappo recalls a battle against the Nemil, remembering how many Trell had already succumbed to the life around the trader forts and settlements, from which Mappo himself had fled. The leader of the outnumbered Trell is the elder Trynigarr, who says next to nothing. Using unusual tactics, the Trell slaughter the Nemil. Trynigarr led more battles until the Nemil were forced to a truce, then he ended up a drunk after the Trell had surrendered due to starvation when the bhederin had been slaughtered. Mappo suspects Pust is delaying him. They run into Spite, who tells them she will ally with Mappo, also saying she’s pleased with what Shadowthrone has done with the Hounds, Dejim, and the Deragoth. She admits she helped free Dejim to kill Mappo, but says she’s been outlawed by the Nameless Ones and is happy Dejim failed. A waiting ship will take them across the world toward Icarium. Pust refuses to let Mappo go alone and it is agreed the three will travel together.

A nine-year-old boy wakes after surviving plague to an empty village where birds and dogs have fed on the dead. He walks out of the village, the dogs with him. He is skeletal and his joints have purple nodules on them. He leads the dogs north.

The same boy is brought to Felisin, who recognizes him as a Carrier. Kulat will do what is done with Carriers, train them and send them out to spread plague and gather more “Broken.” The worshipers have been clearing the ancient city as more arrived and turning it into a living city. All her needs save her growing sexual desire have been met. Kulat tells her the boy is healing and will stop being a Carrier and Felisin orders him kept in the palace. Kulat protests but she overrules him, much to his dismay, and she decides to rename the boy Crokus. Back to top

Chapter Fifteen

Paran (as Captain Kindly) forces his way past Noto Boil (the company cutter, priest to Soliel—Mistress of Healing and sister goddess of Poliel) to see Dujek, who is on the edge of death. In the sick room with Dujek is Fist Rythe Bude, who knows Kindly. She fled Shal-Morzinn after defying the Three who have ruled the land for thousands of years (and also kept Dancer and Kellanved out). Paran tells Noto Boil he is coming with Paran to attack Poliel in the temple.

Hurlochel tries to talk Paran out of the assault. Paran complains about Soliel doing nothing, saying the “so-called friendly, sympathetic gods have the most to answer for.” He orders Hurlochel to ready the army to march in a few das. Paran and Noto start for the city.

Trapped in Poliel’s temple, Quick Ben’s sister Torahaval recalls hunting him down at age ten when he’d used magic to give nightmares to his family and how he’d anticipated and planned for her hunting him down. Beside her, Bridthok categorizes foreign coins. Torahaval thinks of how Poliel will soon choose another lover from among the prisoners, now that the current one, Sribin, is rotting away. Bridthok says the Sha’ik cult has risen again around a new Sha’ik in the City of the Fallen and Poliel was harvesting an army for her, while behind all is the Crippled God. Bridthok tells her they are summoned and as they go to Poliel, Torahaval remembers a nightmare Quick Ben had told her of when he was a child: he had died but still wandered the world searching for what he had forgotten. She wonders if he had forgotten how to live.

Fiddler drags Bottle to meet Quick Ben and Kalam. Quick is stuck with a doll ritual and Bottle helps. Bottle deduces one doll is a girl related to Quick who is in desperate trouble and Quick realizes it is Torahaval. Bottle reforms the Shadowthrone doll into a Hound carrying something like a snake, then falls asleep. Quick senses the Eres was with Bottle.

Apsalar has been spying on the above meeting. She remembers that Torahaval’s name had been on Mebra’s list and thinks that both Cotillion and Shadowthrone want Torahaval dead, which she thinks is too bad. She senses Quick Ben is going to do something to help his sister and she begins to Shadow Dance.

Telorast and Curdle, watching Apsalar, decide to never mess with her. Telorast says “the doom’s come upon us” and they decide to “cause trouble.”

Quick Ben says he has to go in (meet with Shadowthrone) and Kalam is going to stay to pull him back. Fiddler has a bad feeling about it.

Paran and Noto Boil enter the city. They meet a child chosen by Soliel. The girl recalls being saved from rape by Malazans long ago (Fiddler in his gral disguise, Apsalar and Crokus back in Deadhouse Gates). She warns them enemies are coming, led by a “broke-face” man (the guard whose face was nearly bitten off by Fiddler’s horse in Deadhouse Gates). She says she will lead them to safety but Paran refuses, saying he expects a different offer from Soliel later. He sends Noto with the girl, saying he expects Soliel will “make use of” him. Paran leaves.

Noto starts to reject Paran and Soliel (through the girl) tells him to shut up, that “in that man the entire world hangs in balance and I shall not be for ever known as the one responsible for altering that condition.” She says she not plans “to witness.”

Paran meets a mob led by Brokeface, who tells him Poliel wishes to know who it is that resists her before the mob kills Paran. After noting that there is ” a beast” in Paran’s eyes, Brokeface agrees to take him to Poliel to make the offer Paran says he is there for.

Torahaval thinks she has worshipped at many gods and has realized the worship is mere reflection of the worshiper and that a single god is tortured by the multiple desires of the adherents. She also believes the gentler gods have the cruelest worshipers thanks to their certainty. Torahaval is chosen by Poliel as Sribin’s replacement. Paran’s arrival interrupts.

Paran rides in to face Poliel, sitting on a throne of malformed bones. He throws the otataral shard at her and it pierces her hand, causing her agony and the loosing of chaos power.

Quick Ben meets with Shadowthrone. Shadowthrone tells him Torahaval has earned no mercy and she has severed all ties with Quick Ben anyway, but Quick says she’s tried to but he has threads tied to her she cannot break. Shadowthrone forces Quick Ben to agree he owes Shadowthrone and then sends Quick to his sister. Shadowthrone cuts threads in the room.

Bottle sees the threads have been cut by Shadowthrone and says he can’t do anything. They then note Apsalar has seemingly joined the gray wherever Quick is. Fiddler and Kalam leave.

Captain Sweetcreek is about to take command again when she is interrupted in her yelling at Hurlochel by the arrival of the Shadowhounds racing through the camp (one literally running over Hurlochel’s group) and into the city. Hurlochel wonders why the Shadowhounds looked terrified then the Deragoth arrive.

Noto’s horse bolts, dropping him to the ground. He hears “thunder.”

Paran tells Poliel she made a big mistake messing with mortals.

Brokeface thinks he is now alone again, and remembers the day his life/pride was shattered years ago when Fiddler’s horse bit his face, causing all to look on him with revulsion and then he in turn wishing to cause misery and terror to others. Poliel has been a “gift” and he’s furious with Paran for killing her.

Quick Ben arrives in the throne room beside Torahaval. He realizes there is otataral nearby so he’ll have to physically move her out of its range before he can do anything. He hears the hounds coming.

Paran exits, just missing getting trampled by the Shadowhounds. He sees Noto and the girl and tells them they’re going to Soliel’s temple, just as the Deragoth arrive.

Quick Ben starts to drag his sister out, thinking he’s dead, that the Shadowhounds have come for him and Shadowthrone has outsmarted him.

Brokeface purposely steps in front of one of the Shadowhounds hoping to be killed but is just shouldered aside. He sees Apsalar attacking the Hounds, forcing them back then guarding the doorway with Telorast and Curdle by her side. She tells Brokeface to follow quick and his sister through a bolthole behind the throne. He says he just wants to die and she tells him to go to Soliel’s Temple. When he tells her Soliel is “ever turned away,” Apsalar tell shim not today thanks to Paran. The Deragoth arrive.

Brokeface catches up to Quick and helps him with Torahaval.

Apsalar tells Telorast and Curdle it’s time to go and leaves.

Poliel feels trapped. The Crippled God has withdrawn his power. She believes Paran understood nothing and that mortals seek their own destruction even as they deliver it to others and the world itself. She thinks “diseased minds and foul souls” had brought her into this world to heal the land, heal Burn, once they were all gone via “fever.” The Shadowhound tosses Dejim’s last body onto the dais and leave just before the Deragoth arrive and kill both Dejim and Poliel.

Brokeface convinces Quick Ben to bring his sister to Soliel’s temple

Paran and Noto arrive in Soliel’s temple and Paran summons the goddess, who arrives furious. She starts to say Paran has made a terrible mistake, but he interrupts and tells her to start healing, starting with giving Noto some of her power so he can heal the army outside the city. She agrees, though she implies Paran will soon be suffering. Quick Ben arrives and he and Paran discuss how Quick bargained with Shadowthrone to save his sister. Before leaving, Quick Ben asks Paran if they can trust Tavore and Paran tells him she will do what needs to be done and she makes no distinction between her needs and the needs of her soldiers. They agree to share a beer when it’s all over and Quick leaves just before his sister wakes.

Quick Ben arrives back at the camp where Bottle is waiting. He tells Quick Fiddler and Kalam discovered Apsalar with blood on her knives and are confronting her, thinking she killed Quick Ben. Quick Ben stops things before they get out of hand, upbraiding Kalam. Sort arrives to say they’re marching. Quick thanks Apsalar, though she says she doesn’t know what he means. He believes she wants to die.

Cotillion meets with Shadowthrone, who is surrounded by wounded shadowhounds. Shadowthrone says he had Quick Ben but Cotillion ruined it (via Apsalar).

Paran arrives back in camp with Noto and is told Dujek died. Paran realizes this is what Soliel had been talking about. Sweetcreek informs him the army voted to make Paran their leader, their High Fist. Back to top

Chapter Sixteen

The Fourteenth is on its third day of boarding ships to take them away from Seven Cities. Keneb worries about morale, the army having had its “heart” cut out with the loss of so many veterans. He is also concerned about chaos among the leaders, especially Tene Baralta’s bitterness and hatred of life. He runs into Nether, who tells him they can’t do anything about the plague and that they’ve lost contact with Dujek. She adds that Pearl is still missing. Keneb joins Tavore, Blistig, and Nok. Tavore tells Keneb Nok has informed them the Empress has ordered them back to Unta once they’ve boarded (two more days he thinks) and they have decided to take an alternate, longer route in hopes of avoiding the plague and restocking. Nok leaves, saying he wants to keep an eye out for a strange fleet they’d spotted. Blistig leaves and Tavore and Keneb discuss the army, with Tavore saying she thinks they’ll eventually be sent to Korel. Keneb realizes she doesn’t actually believe it though and wonders what she suspects Laseen of. Keneb leaves and Grub tells him to make it three rather than two days to board, adding some predictions.

Kindly watches over the packing of his comb collection (Kindly is almost completely bald). Kindly complains about Keneb’s incompetence in causing a delay in boarding then leaves. Pores and the remaining soldiers discuss thinking.

Barathol leads Cutter’s group out of the town. They are followed by Chaur and they take him on.

Cutter is impressed Barathol didn’t reject Chaur or beat him. Cutter tells Scillara they are taking Heboric to the Jade Statue, explaining Heboric’s hands are now solid jade flecked with imperfections. Scillara says afterward she’d like to go with Cutter to Darujhistan and he can teach her how to be a thief. He says there are better people there for her to be with.

Scillara thinks Cutter is feeling lonely, guilty, and useless now that he’s failed both Heboric and Felisin and hopes her flirting will keep him distracted. She worries about the ease with which she gave up her baby. She and Barathol speak, briefly and with little substance, about the future.

Ganath stands above the fissure where she had ensorcelled the K’chain sky keep, sensing that dragon blood had been spilled and in combination with chaos had destroyed her ritual. She can’t pin down the time order though and also has a strange sense of order having been imposed. She wishes Cynnigig and Phyrlis were with her, and then wishes for Paran as well. She is suddenly attacked/killed by K’Chain Nah’Ruk (Short-tails).

Spite’s ship is crewed by bhok’arala from Pust’s temple. At sea, Spite seems upset and when Mappo asks what is wrong, she tells him a murder has happened. The two discuss faith, gods, godlessness, war between gods, inequity, motivations for war, etc. She ends by telling Mappo they are heading for the Otataral Sea.

Ormulogun paints Dujek’s barrow. He and the toad Gumble spar over art, Ormulogun’s talent and effect, what Ormulogun will paint on the barrow walls.

Paran looks at the High Fist’s army inherited from Dujek, wondering what had been in Dujek’s logs to lead the army to choosing him. He thinks he’ll do what he pleases with the army until Laseen takes it away. Hurlochel tells Paran the soldiers are his no matter what the Empress says. Paran says scouts have seen survivors heading northeast and says the army will resupply then follow them, helping and survivors and letting them join. He goes to meet Ormulogun to ask him to make him a new Deck of Dragons.

Karsa’s group finds a friend of Boatfinder who has been killed/tortured by the invaders. Karsa says they are close, are hiding via sorcery, then takes off. Samar, fallen behind, hears the sound of Karsa killing then comes to a camp and sees Karsa fighting 50 or so Edur among dead/tortured Anibar. A female Edur tries sorcery, but it is ineffective against Karsa. Samar stops him before he kills all the Edur, saying he needs to leave some alive to carry back the fear so they don’t return. The Edur bring out a Taxilian interpreter and Samar lies, saying Karsa is just one of a “horde” of Toblakai. Samar recognizes the language as descended from the First Empire. The leader of the Edur agrees to withdraw all forces and when Karsa says that is insufficient, the leader offers to convey Karsa to face their Emperor, whom they say has killed over a thousand challengers. Karsa agrees, though Samar says he is “chaining” himself.

Keneb asks Temul how it feels to be heading home, commander truly of his men, and Temul says he thinks the Wickans will leave the army at Unta and say little of Seven Cities to their families, feeling shame at the army’s failures. He says they wanted to die as Coltaine did against the same enemy and this return will break them.

The dogs all start barking and Pores sees a troops marching up the road toward the ships. He takes Tavore’s horse to ride closer, recognizes them as survivors from Y’Ghatan, then heads back to the ships when Faradan Sort says they’re in desperate need of water.

Tavore walks with Keneb, Blistig, and a few others toward the commotion, asking why he purposely delayed their departure. He tells her Grub told him they would die otherwise. Pores goes galloping through them calling for water. Tavore and the others see who it is coming up the road and are stunned. Faradan surrenders herself but asks leniency for Sinn (for desertion). Fiddler tells Tavore if she hangs Faradan she better get a lot more nooses for the survivors. Tavore welcomes them back, “Bonehunters in truth.” Back to top

Chapter Seventeen

Banaschar enters Coop’s Hanged Man Inn in Malaz City and meets with a man he knows only as “Foreigner,” who tells him lots of transports have come in from Korel. A recent purge had killed some local Wickans in the Mouse Quarter; Duiker, Coltaine, Bult, etc. are now considered traitors, and rumors abound: neither Coltaine nor Sha’ik are really dead, the rebellion in Seven Cities isn’t really over, plague and a new Sha’ik Reborn, Drek’s priests and priestesses have disappeared to hunt Wickans, a citizen army prepares to march on the Wickan Plains, Tayschrenn is in Mock’s Hold. Banaschar can sense Tayschrenn and has sent messages to him but gotten no response. Foreigner says Banaschar seems to be slowly giving up, and that he (Foreigner} has been waiting for years but has come to a kind of faith, adding he’s not “unfamiliar with drowning.” Temper joins them.

Aboard a ship in the north sea, Ahlrada Ahn recalls a Bluerose tapestry depicting a history of the Andii. Ahn thinks of his placement as a spy among the Edur, recalls how Rhulad banished Trull, how he was ordered to find Fear and Udinaas, failed and was nearly executed before being ordered out again to seek champions to fight Rhulad. He recalls as well how they found “fallen kin...lesser creatures.” He thinks that maybe they had found someone who might kill Rhulad, though not forever.

The Letheri Commander Atri-Preda Yan Tovis (Twilight) tells a seasick Veed that Tomad Sengar isn’t impressed with Icarium and Veed needs to convince him otherwise or they’ll pitch them overboard. Icarium says he doesn’t want to kill anyone. Veed points out their fellow passengers, the fallen Edur who had been enslaved and thought the Edur saviors but are now mistreated. Veed reminds Icarium they seek vengeance for “what they witnessed” of the Edur and warns him they won’t get the chance if Icarium doesn’t rouse himself. When Icarium protests against killing innocents, Veed rejects the idea that there is any innocence and tells him only Icarium can end the abomination of the Edur Empire and do justice. Tovis tells them Sengar is considering a test for Icarium.

Cotillion arrives at the First Throne and meets Ibra Gholan and Minala, who is battered and wounded. She tells them the Edur arrive via chaos warren and have attacked four times, inflicting heavy losses on her children, adding without the T’lan Imass, Trull, and Apt, she would have lost. Cotillion says the warren is evidence of the alliance they had feared and implies worse will come. He agrees to send more help “when the need is greatest.” Minala, angered, tells him she’s lost hundreds and more are dying. He replies Shadowthrone will come heal the wounded. Trull thinks once the Edur recognize him, they will return with warlocks. Cotillion speaks with Monok Ochem, Onrack, and Trull. Onrack says the Edur, when they win the Throne, will realize they cannot use it and wonders why Minala’s children sacrifice to defend it. Cotillion says because the Edur will use Chaos to destroy the throne and when Onrack asks if that’s a problem, Cotillion has no answer. Monok and Onrack argue and Onrack says he fights for his own reasons. Cotillion wonders why Monok can’t call more T’lan Imass and Monok answers the others journey to war. When Cotillion says they cannot win in Assail and there is nothing to gain there anyway, Onrack says the Imass continue out of pride, warning Cotillion that the power of the First Throne over the T’lan Imass is weakening as Shadowthrone “loses ever more substance.” Cotillion asks if they can restore the Throne’s power, but when the Imass make clear they will try and kill Onrack if he replies, Cotillion tells him not to. Monok calls Cotillion dangerous and says they need to think about him. Trull asks if Cotillion will withdraw them now that the First Throne defense has no meaning, but the answer is no. Minala begs Cotillion to take the children and he says he can’t. Onrack says Cotillion is walking an unseen path and they won’t see him again (much to Cotillion’s dismay). Panek tells Cotillion he misses Edgewalker’s stories of dragons and shadows, and of how “they all cast shadows, Uncle...into your realm...That’s why there’s so many prisoners.” Cotillion is shocked by the implication.

Trull doesn’t understand why the Edur fight half-heartedly, or even why they’re here and not seeking the Throne of Shadow, wondering if it’s because of the alliance with the Crippled God and the Unbound Imass. Onrack tells Trull Minala prays Trull will fight on, defending her children and when Trull weeps, he apologizes, saying he’d hoped to instill pride but has caused despair. He tells him he senses an “animal” presence watching them with compassion. Shadowthrone appears and says it isn’t him and then begins to heal.

Feather Witch tells Samar to teach her language. Samar refuses and when Feather Witch threatens her, Samar says Karsa will kill everyone on the ship (save the chained) if Samar is killed. Feather Witch leaves and Samar thinks of her as dangerous, one without honor. She worries she’s now thinking of Karsa as a weapon as well and wonders if he knows he’s being used, then thinks he does and will turn on his manipulator(s) eventually. The Taxilian tells Samar how he was captured, how the Edur warlocks killed the Tanno Spiritwalker on the Taxilian’s ship (thought the Spiritwalker resisted longer than expected). He explains he is “teaching” Feather Witch four languages (extending his usefulness) and says the two halves of the Edur fleet plan to meet near Sepik then head home. They discuss Karsa and the “liberated” Edur below decks, but are interrupted by the sighting of the Malazan fleet. The Taxilian tells her the Edur plan on annihilating the fleet this time because Sengar’s ships are behind the Malazans.

Banaschar heads to Coop’s, noticing that he’s being followed. He meets Braven Tooth and tries to get him to help get Banschar’s message to Tayschrenn. Braven Tooth says he’s in mourning for lost friends in Y’Ghatan he just heard of. Temper joins them.

Pearl, in Mallick Rel’s room in Mock’s Hold, mourns Lostara Yil’s death. He tells Rel his report will upset Rel’s plans, but Rel says Rel alone was a true witness to events on Seven Cities and that history is “revised.” Pearl knows Rel’s agents are everywhere, whispering rumors, making Rel into a hero, stirring up the populace against the Wickans. Rel tells Pearl to talk to Dom in the catacombs and listen to his story of how he was really Laseen’s agent when he fought with Sha’ik, that he was going to kill Sha’ik, but then “discovered” a “greater betrayal.” Pearl warns Rel that the Claw is outside the Jhistal priest’s influence but Rel seems to threaten the Claw itself. Back to top

Chapter Eighteen

Five days earlier, Bottle had watched through a rhizan as Tavore, Nok, Stormy, Gesler, Keneb and a few others observed the Silanda being towed in by one of Nok’s ships. Nok and Tavore give the ship back to Gesler and Stormy, who plan to crew it with Fiddler and Balm’s squads. Nok commented on the transformation of the army with the arrival of the survivors, as well as Quick Ben and Kalam. Tavore talked of the birth of the Bonehunters back in Aren, but the others told her the Bonehunters “drew first breath” only yesterday when she gave a decoration to Sort and Sinn “confirming” the Bonehunters. Keneb said before that Tavore was Laseen’s “property” and now she “belongs to the Fourteenth.” Tavore’s face revealed dismay and fear and those watching began to doubt. In present time aboard the Silanda, Bottle recalls the ceremony with Sort and Sin and thinks of the sigil designed by T’amber: a city wall in flames and a “sloped tel beneath that wall, a mass of gold human skulls,” an echo of the old Bridgeburners’ sigil. Bottle considers the chaotic sorcery of Silanda, how it seems to dislike him and how Gesler and Stormy seem immune. He wonders what Quick Ben, Kalam, and Fiddler are up to, the first two no aboard the Adjunct’s flagship along with Apsalar. Spying, he hears Gesler tell Fiddler Grub had been the one to give him the bone whistle. Fiddler shows them a Deck someone left him with new cards. They discuss how Tavore, Quick, and others are rattled and speculate about Pearl’s disappearance, then go through Fiddler’s Deck in more detail. Stormy recognizes the artwork as T’amber’s. They see Bottle’s rat, confront him, and he pretends not to know what they’re talking about. The alarms go off.

Kalam, up in the rigging, sees they’ve sailed into an ambush with a foreign fleet. He joins Tavore and Quick Ben on the deck and they notice the strange fleet is slowing down rather than attacking. Then they react to something they see.

On board the Silanda, flanking Tavore’s ship Fiddler and Bottle feel the Edur conjuring.

Samar Dev watches four Edur warlocks conjuring power that joins with the same from other Edur ships. Karsa joins her and she and the Taxilian tell him the Edur mean to destroy the Malazan Imperial fleet. Karsa tells Hanradi Khalag that if they destroy the fleet, more Malazans will come after them. Khalag says the Edur don’t fear them, which Karsa considers foolish. The sorcery begins to rise toward the fleet. Khalag recognizes the Silanda.

Quick identifies the magic as Elder Holds “shot through with chaos, with rot.” She surprises them by naming the Crippled God. She asks Quick to try and deal with it while she goes to get her sword, which Quick says might be able to save the flagship but that’s it. Quick prepares to fight, warning he might be a “little rusty.

Bottle, feeling Quick work, sends his own will at him, fine-tuning the sorcerer’s magic, then he feels the Eres ‘al take over.

Kalam sees Quick lift off the deck as if grabbed and shaken, then the magic starts to move to meet the Edur’s.

Khalag is stunned to see Elder magic challenging his own. The warlocks suddenly collapse and the Edur wall of magic implodes, followed by the subsiding of the “earthen wall of magic” that fought it. Khalag orders a retreat and Samar is pleased by how shaken they are. The Taxilian says the Edur are calling Quick a “Ceda” and Samar says to tell them the Malazans do have a Ceda and the Malazans were not afraid.

Kalam asks Quick where his Elder magic came from and Quick says it was an illusion, and that he had help, then more help, though he doesn’t know from whom. Then he says it began as illusion but then, and before he completes that thought the Adjunct demands a meeting with Quick Ben and Kalam and they tell her it has to be a two-way one, to which she agrees.

Fiddler tells Bottle to go get himself cleaned up as he’s “messed” himself. Bottle tells him “she likes doing that...She plays with me. With it,” then heads away.

Veed watches Tomad ordering the merging of the Edur fleets and thinks some sort of personal tragedy has struck the Edur commander. Veed was stunned by how the Edur used the Elder magic, more stunned by the response by the Malazans, and he thinks how the Malazans showed restraint while the Edur do not. Twilight tells Veed Icarium will be tested soon then, when asked, says Tomad heard that a ship commanded by one of his sons had been seen in the Malazan fleet, evidence his son was lost, adding Tomad now hates the Malazans. Veed lists all the enemies the Malazans have faced and the mention of Rake has an effect on Twilight and then Ahlrada Ahn, who says that’s impossible. Veed tells them of Moon’s Spawn and Pale and describes Rake. Veed then makes it clear he can tell by the reaction that he has suspicions regarding Ahn with regard to the idea of Tiste Andii. Ahn leaves and Twilight comments on Veed’s stranger certainty with regard to Icarium, telling him how many Rhulad has killed. She says Tomad needs to know for sure about Icarium before leading him to his son and when Veed says she means Tomad wants to know Icarium will fail, she doesn’t answer.

Masan Gilani muses happily on the idea that they have a High Mage in Quick Ben and that she is part of the Bonehunters, though she wonders what’s next and why the Empress recalled them. Sinn joins her and settles on her chest, telling Masan “They’re all dead.” Shard joins them and says Sinn won’t tell him what happened to her at their estate, that Masani is the first woman whose cloak she’s “crawled under.” Masani realizes Shard has been following to make sure nobody takes advantage of Sinn and tells him he needn’t worry about these squads. Crying, he says he knows. He tells her he and his crew are Bonehunters now, not Ashok, and she says she’ll sew the sigil on their cloaks.

Nil and Nether discuss how Bottle saved them all. Nil thinks Nether “likes” Bottle. They discuss the Eres ‘al: her use of Bottle, whether they should tell Tavore about the Eres ‘al and Bottle, and how they’ll decide depending on what Quick Ben says to Tavore.

Apsalar joins Squint at the ship’s rail. He tells her once she knows his name she’ll shun him. He wonders if there are battled and killing on the moon and if those people look at this world. Apsalar tells him she used to think there were beautiful gardens on the moon and once a young man fell in love with her when she told him that. He tells her his name and she doesn’t know him. He asks what happened to her young man and she says she left him, loved him too much to let him be entangled with what she is. She calls him a fool and tells her to find him—love is too rare. He asks if they can talk again and she says yes. He leaves and the two make clear in their inner thoughts each really knew who the other was: killer of Coltaine and once possessed by a god.

Cotillion joins Apsalar at the rail. She says she’s doing what he wanted. He tells her he’s been careless, then informs her that Cutter’s group was ambushed, there was a grave, and that he’s lost contact with Cutter, though he doesn’t know if it means Cutter is dead. He tells her Scillara gave birth and left the child in the nearby village and Heboric is dead. The girl (Felisin) is still alive, “precisely where we [he and Shadowthrone] wanted her to be” but under the control of the Crippled God as Sha’ik Reborn. Apsalar sees this all as justice and says perhaps it is best Cutter is dead if he failed to protect Felisin. Cotillion says she doesn’t mean that and she realizes she does not, then is weeping in Cotillion’s arms. He promises he’ll find Cutter. Back to top

Chapter Nineteen

Barathol wakes to the sound of the sea and of Cutter and Scillara having sex. Yesterday they had met a caravan that told them the plague was broken. Barathol and Scillara discuss Cutter, with Scillara saying she’s helping him and Barathol worried she’ll hurt him if Cutter falls in love with her, which Scillara says is impossible.

Cutter wakes and Scillara asks if anyone had noticed how funny the moon looked and how some things seem to be getting closer. Barathol speculates something hit the moon (like the Crippled God hit their world) and that the blotches are smoke and ash or perhaps pieces of the moon. They decide to explore a nearby abandoned village.

They find a boat and supplies in the village. Scillara tells Cutter he needs to trust himself more and he says past events haven’t earned that. She tells him people like them can’t do anything when confronted by T’lan Imass or god; they just have to try and stay below their notice. Then they can “clean up the mess” once things get back to normal. They go back and forth a bit and Scillara thinks to herself Cutter needs to fear those who worship consistency and instead should embrace contradiction. They set sail for Otataral Island.

Onrack is impatient with waiting for death in defense of the First Throne. Trull joins him and says Monok has sensed the Edur have retreated for some reason, adding he doesn’t know how much longer he can fight. Minala has ordered the children to leave but they refused. Trull asks Onrack regrets his newly-awoken emotions, and Onrack replies it reminds him of why he is called “The Broken.” He continues to say he plans on challenging the Edur’s leader when they next attack, hoping to make them reconsider their alliance with the Crippled God or at least withdraw for a longer time. He adds he is “done with defending the indefensible [with]...witnessing the fall of friends” and says Trull will witness something the other Imass cannot do—Onrack will fight in anger.

Banaschar finds Pearl in his room waiting for him. Pearl asks why he is trying to get in touch with Tayschrenn. When Banaschar accuses Pearl of intercepting his messages, Pearl says it isn’t him and that Tayschrenn is being effectively isolated, which concerns Pearl. He makes it clear he knows something of Banaschar’s concern, referring to the slaughtering of adherents within D’rek’s cult. Pearl informs Banaschar someone apparently is considering assassinating him to prevent him from getting to Tayschrenn. Banaschar thinks there is a new group rival to the Claw that is trying to isolate Tayschrenn, and that Tayschrenn’s inaction so far leads this group to think he may not object to whatever action they plan. Banaschar and Pearl discuss the relationship between gods and their worshippers and the idea of betrayal. Banaschar says the adherents of D’rek were killed by the goddess for their betrayal: in the war of gods, D’rek’s adherents chose the Crippled God and demanded the “power of blood.” Banaschar says Tayschrenn, when he left the cult’s Grand Temple, took with him important texts that might help figure things out. Pearl gets the concern—that the gods will betray the mortals and “mortal blood will soak the earth” whether they worship or not. He says he will tell Laseen, who is coming soon to the island.

Mappo watches Spite in conversation with some spirit. Pust tells Mappo Mael is furious, is resisting this spirit but “She’s not afraid of him...of anyone,” adding that Mael’s ambivalence is what allows his followers to do what they want. The spirit leaves and joins them, informing them that the ship is crewed by Tiste Andii ghosts. She warns them a convergence is coming worst than any the world has ever seen. She, her sister, Icarium, and Mappo will be there. Mappo asks if he will stop Icarium or if Icarium is “the end of everything.” Spite says it may depend on how “prepared you are...your readiness, your faith.” Mappo says he understands.

Veed tells Icarium his test is approaching, that he will be set against enemies of the Edur. When Icarium asks who they are, Veed says it doesn’t matter; Icarium must convince the Edur by ending the battle, delivering peace with his sword.

Bottle senses something in the air. He tells Fiddler the Eres’al is with them and it is her presence setting Fiddler and Balm on edge, adding she is pushing them west faster than they’d go normally toward Sepik. Fiddler and he discuss the relative morality/ethics of using the kind of sorcery the Edur were using.

Quick Ben tells Kalam the Adjunct knows a lot more than she’s admitting. He says the Seven Cities uprising and subsequent plague served the Crippled God and Poliel and so the Malazans ‘won” but also lost. Kalam says they can’t worry about the gods and goddesses.

The fleet arrives at Sepik and finds the city slaughtered by the Edur. Apsalar tells Tavore the Edur had found their kin, a “remnant population” enslaved and took vengeance, adding the Edur are going home now. Tavore heads off to find Quick Ben. When asked by Keneb how she knows all this, Apsalar doesn’t reply, but Nether says a god comes to Apsalar and “breaks[s] her heart. Again and again.” Nil says Nether “lusts after someone [Grub]” and she runs off.

Cuttle points out since Sepik is an Imperial principality; the Edur attack is an act of war with the Empire. Bottle warns them they don’t’ want a war fought with Holds sorcery. When they say Quick Ben faced it down with some help, Bottle says some allies you don’t want, the ones whose goals are beyond comprehension. He thinks how the Eres’al is driving them through Mael’s realm in a hurry, “into the heart of a storm.” Back to top

Chapter Twenty

Paran wonders if releasing the Deragoth was a mistake as Ganath had told him. Noto Boll tells Paran of how he used to break dogs’ legs for the D’rek festival before the Malazans forbade it, then joined the Malazan army and served in Korel, apprenticing under Ipshank (adding both Ipshank and Manask “stayed loyal to Greymane to the last”), before being sent to Genabackis. Hurlochel interrupts to say that a troop of 500-1000 rides have joined the migration ahead.

Captain Sweetcreek complains about Paran and Rythe Bude warns her not to. They’re conversation is halted when someone points up and they see a “string of suns, a dozen in all, each small but bright enough to burn blinding holes in the blue sky,” with the moon above them.

Boto tells Paran the sky is falling, saying he’s heard the stories in Korel of what happened and seen the effects. Paran orders a halt and hopes Ormulogun has finished the Deck he ordered. He wonders if this is an attack as part of the war among the gods.

Pust, looking up, thinks they’re going to die. As Spite agrees, she suddenly senses something from the southwest. Looking up, Mappo sees “a string of incandescent pearls, their flames wreathed in haloes of jade.” Spite veers into dragon form and begins pulling the ship toward something she sees.

Fiddler and Bottle see the sky falling. As the Nemil stop the resupplying of the fleet and run for home, Fiddler thinks quick Ben should flee and whomever he can.

Hellian, drunk, gets some good liquor from Nok (though she doesn’t know who he is) who sends her belowdecks to get drunk.

Tavore tells Apsalar the falling sky is humbling, and says it isn’t the work of the gods as neither side is that desperate. Apsalar says Tavore lacks confidence in their “resilience” though she herself feels her own confidence failing, and she pins her hope to faith that even this had been anticipated by those with vision (Cotillion, Shadowthrone, Paran spring to mind).

Ormulgun appears with an unfinished Deck. Paran hopes Mael is listening and then Ormulgun thrusts a card at him and Paran ends up before Hood’s gate. Hood appears and tells him he’s sought out the wrong god. Paran admits he was hoping for Mael, which gives a thought to Hood. Hood wants a bargain and when Paran asks what Hood wants more than anything else, Hood tells him (but not us readers) and Paran agrees. Hood tells him to leave, as he’s about to open the gate from his side.

Cutter’s craft is pelted by stones from the sky and they start to sink. Heboric’s body falls into the water. Chaur, grabbing it, falls in too. Barathol dives in after him, then a dragon appears overhead. Cutter hears shouts and then he and Scillara are in the water.

Heboric wakes to the sound of “a million voices screaming.” They are the people inside the Jade giants. Heboric wonders if was ever Treach’s Destriant or something else, wonders if he needed to be killed first as Treach had before ascending. He thinks Hood has “flung [him] back” and realizes that he is Shield Anvil. He tells the people to reach for his hands.

Barathol finds Chaur by following a glowing green light. Scillara points to Otataral Island which seems to be on fire with jade green light, “a glowing dome...and rising up through it hands. Of jade...Arms—huge—dozens of them—rising...green light spiraling out...slashing into the heavens...as the fires filling the sky seemed to flinch, tremble, then began to converge.” The falling pieces hit the dome one after the other. Scillara and Cutter are grabbed by the dragon.

Heboric calls them to him in the darkness, thinks as Shield Anvil he can take their pain

Spite drops Scillara and Cutter onto the deck of her ship, which has apparently been protected by Pust’s mule. Barathol climbs aboard with Chaur and resuscitates him. Spite lands and veers and when Mappo asks how she can push away the pain he senses from her, she says she will not pay attention to it in the face of such joy. Barathol tells Cutter of how Heboric’s body was glowing green and that Cutter had gotten Heboric close enough for his task, for what saved them all came from Heboric. Cutter asks where Icarium is and Mappo says he lost him. Cutter tells him he is sorry and Mappo weeps, saying it was his fault.

Spite, watching, thinks it is too bad Mappo blames himself, though that had been their, the Nameless Ones, intent. She hopes Icarium runs into her sister Envy.

Paran returns to his group, who ask if he’s just saved the world. He says if so, he’s already regretting it.

Keneb thinks how the inevitable death coming at them had made him surprisingly calm. He thinks of the past history between the Nethil and the Trell. The Nethil gave Tavore the name of the people past the Catal Sea—the Perish—and also news of a damaged Edur fleet limping away. They wouldn’t say anything more about the Perish and Keneb speculates the Nethil were defeated by them.

Quick Ben tells Kalam Paran saved them all by having a conversation with Hood (which he overheard—he was the face in the gate that reacted to the bargain). He also thinks Tavore knows and says while Paran and Hood started the process someone else finished it. He adds the falling jade stones were filled with millions of souls. He also says he’s trying to set a trap for whatever presence is wandering through the fleet tonight.

Tene Baralta feels betrayed by Tavore and thinks he will reveal all will lead people and cults will worship him. Gethol (Herald of House of Chains) arrives and tells him he too was betrayed and broken, that Tavore has discarded him, but he can come through to wholeness. Gethol takes away some pain and promises Tene a new eye as reward for something to be explained later. He tells Tene the Empress awaits him and that Tene should be ready for her, and that he’ll need his Red Blades.

Lostara could hear Tene talking to someone, and thinks how all that is left of him is malice. She thinks Cotillion knew this moment would come and left the choice of what to do to her, a cursed freedom.

The Malazan fleet are meeting the Perish, who have huge ships with wolf-head prows, wolf banners, wolf-pommeled swords. The welcoming contingent consists of Destriant Run’Thurvian, Mortal Sword Krughava, and Shield Anvil Tanakalian. The Perish says they fought with the Edur fleet mentioned earlier by the Nethil, losing four ships to the twenty lost by the Edur. Run’Thurvian says they have been waiting for “the Mezla” and then Krughava draws her sword and pledges the Perish army (13000 soldiers and 31 warships) to Tavore, saying the “end of the world” waits and the Perish will fight in the name of Togg and Fanderay.

Quick seems to make a connection between the Perish and the Grey Swords from earlier in Capustan. He says he needs to talk to Tavore. Run’Thurvian makes eye contact with Quick Ben and bows. Back to top

Chapter Twenty-One

Felisin is being worshipped as Sha’ik Reborn and she has fallen into excess, with all here needs, as she says, being met and also increasing. She has grown fat, picked up desires for wine and rustleaf and sex. She believes this is the true apocalypse—one of excess and desire and devouring. She has a hard time imagining this paradise in the after-life Kulat speak of, and believes there were levels of salvation instead. She retains some doubt about what she does. She meets with Mathok (Leoman’s past friend who now controls the army), who deliver the Holy Book of Dryjhna to her. Felisin tells him she has need of neither book nor army and his men’s days of slaughter are over, saying her weapon is the promise of salvation. He drops the book and orders his army out, leaving Felisin to her “bloated, disgusting world.”

Mathok surrenders to Paran who says he and his men are free to go where they will. Paran says he wishes to speak to the leader of the City of the Fallen and Mathok castigates her and her followers. Paran says there is power there and Mathok agrees, then suggests Paran slaughter them to rid the world of the “plague” of their religion, which he says will grow quickly. Paran worries Mathok is right, but dismisses the suggestion, though he changes his mind about speaking to Felisin. Paran says they’ll return to Aren and Mathok puts his army into Paran’s service. Paran makes him a Fist and calls for Ormulogun, thinking he’ll need to make a new card called Salvation, believing it will eventually break free of the Chained God’s influence and be an unaligned force. He worries he should have done as Mathok suggested, noting he and Mathok are alike “in our weakness,” which is why he likes Mathok.

Mathok tells Hurlochel that the first Sha’ik Reborn (Felisin elder) was Malazan and that Tavore never knew that. Hurlochel, fearing what may be possible revelations, doesn’t question him further, and forgets to bring it up to Paran.

Ahlrada Ahn recalls the atrocity of what the Edur had done in Sepik. He feels emptied by it, tainted, and considers suicide. Veed and Icarium join Ahlrada, other Edur, and several warlocks as they prepare another assault on the throne. One warlock says they’ve been deceived, that Icarium is no great warrior; instead the warlock senses “in you nothing. Vast emptiness.” Ahn thinks the warlock a fool. They all travel via warren to Drift Avalii to assault the Throne of Shadow. The warlock notes all the demons have fled and wonders why, but Ahn thinks it’s because of Icarium. An owl snatches prey nearby.

Icarium tells Veed the shadow spirits left upon his arrival and there would have been a man who was skilled enough to possibly kill even Icarium, which Veed deems impossible. They enter the courtyard and Icarium tells them there is no need to go further.

Ahn and the warlocks enter the Throne’s chamber and find it destroyed, smashed to pieces. Ahn tells the weeping warlock it is time to try for the other throne.

The news of the throne infuriates the Edur. They prepare to head out to attack the First Throne. Icarium suddenly laughs, telling Veed “the weaver deceives the worshipper.”

The Throne of Shadow returns to its former self and Shadowthrone steps forward to watch the war party leave. At the last moment, Icarium looks back and Shadowthrone sees amusement in his eyes as Icarium nods to him. The Edur leave via warren.

Run’Thurvian tells Tavore that Shal-Morzinn’s three sorcerer kings will not allow the fleet passage. He suggests travel by warren instead to the world of Fanderay and Togg, which would also save them months, adding they began preparing this gate two years ago. They say they’ll need Quick Ben to add his power and they agree to open the gate at dawn.

Kalam and Quick discuss if the other is “with” Tavore or not, agreeing she is difficult to know and thus the whole idea is much harder than when they were “with” Whiskeyjack or Dujek.

The Silanda passes through the age into a sea filled with icebergs. Fiddler is sick.

The night of the jade storm, four Malazan ship enter Malaz City harbor, part of a fleet that had driven away a strange attacking fleet. The ships had picked up some castaways: two Malazans and seven Tiste Andii, all of whom are now at Coops, where Banaschar is talking to Braven Tooth, who says the Empire is getting scared and paranoid and dangerous. He fills in the details of the castaways—marooned on Drift Avalii, a fight between Edur and Andii, Traveller. They left when Traveller told them to, then got shipwrecked on an island. Braven Tooth says Traveller sounds like someone familiar. He adds the Andii are led by Nimander, who is the first son of Anomander Rake—all of them are related to Rake, though by different mothers. Phaed’s mother, for instance, was Lady Envy. The news seems to shock Banaschar.

Foreigner looks at the Andii and is trying to come to a decision.

Cartheron Crust is aboard the Drowned Rat and anxious, partially due to the “malice” that seems to have infected the city, the pogrom against the Wickans, and “all that other stuff.” He looks at Mock’s Hold and fantasizes about killing Tayschrenn. Four silver-topped dromons are sighted coming into the harbor and Crust orders his first mate to get the crew back to the warehouses; he wants to be going soon, now that the Empress is arriving. Looking at the jade storm, he thinks he’d seen something similar once before that had resulted in “a mountain of otataral.” He wonders whom Laseen has brought with her. Back to top

Chapter Twenty-Two

A boat is sent from the patrolling Jakartan fleet to Tavore’s flagship. The boarding/”welcoming” party, led by Hadar, tells Tavore she wasn’t expected for months and alludes to the “revelations” that the Wickans were “complicit” in the deaths of Pormqual and his army, which angers and stuns all aboard the flagship. Hadar informs them the fleet has met the Edur fleet and after suffering losses at first due to the Edur sorcery, the Malazans have done better by adding more mages. He adds the fleet was also sent to watch for Tavore and they’d had to rush to get to her, having just gotten a message from the Empress of Tavore’s unexpected arrival. His orders for Tavore are for her to take her fleet to Malaz City, where he assumes the Empress is.

As Hadar departs. Apsalar says Kalam and Quick Ben are still undecided and then tells Quick Ben he is laboring under a misunderstanding, making it clear that her defense of him and his sister in Poliel’s temple was her decision alone. He asks why and she walks away. Quick and Kalam agree they’re all undecided, save perhaps Tavore, and they discuss what appears to be rising tension and gamesmanship between Tavore and Laseen.

On Silanda, Koryk, Smiles, etc. are holding Tiste Andii heads and waving at the passing Jakartan ships. Several are overtaken by sudden diarrhea and defecate over the ship’s side.

Kindly and Pores comments on the Silanda activity and the lack of response from the Jakartan fleet. Kindly points out the fleet is manned by Untan “coddled nobleborn pups,” then orders Pores to stop two of his own men now defecating over the ship’s side.

The entire Fourteenth Army gives the same “send-off.” Destriant Run’Thurvian asks Keneb about relationships between parts of the Malazan army, then discusses the sorceries aboard the Silanda: Kurald Emurlahn, Tellann, Telas, and Toblakai, adding that some members of the latter race appeared able to “become something of a warren themselves.” Run’Thurvian asks about the tension between Laseen and Tavore, and when Keneb tries to reassure him, the Destriant says that is good because the 14th army won’t be enough for what is coming.

The ships near Malaz Island. Quick Ben tells Kalam both the Empress and Tayschrenn are there. Tavore tells Quick Ben to get Fiddler and Bottle and bring them back, that the time has come for one of Fiddler’s “games.”

Quick Ben collects Fiddler and Bottle and returns with them. They join Tavore, T’amber, Keneb, Apsalar, and Kalam as “players” in the game.

Fiddler tells Tavore the game isn’t a good idea and T’amber agrees, saying at least her participation as a player isn’t a great idea, as she’d warned Tavore earlier. Fiddler says the deck is T’amber’s and he asks who she is. T’amber asks if it matters and Fiddler begins, dealing out cards.

• Dealer (Fiddler) gets Soldier of High House Life
• Empty Chair (Bottle’s spot) gets Weaver of Life
• Kalam gets Obelisk, the Sleeping Goddess, unaligned, a “reversed field”
• Apsalar gets Assassin of High House Shadow
• Quick Ben gets Lifeslayer (Icarium) and it puts him in a “different hole” than the one he thought
• T’amber gets Throne, the “hinge” or “pivot” card
• Keneb gets Lord of Wolves, throne card of High House War and he asks where Grub is.
• Informed Grub is on Nok’s ship, Fiddler deals three more cards, “friends” of Grub’s: Crown, Sceptre, Orb
• Tavore gets House of War, Guardians of the Road, or Guardians of the Dead
• Oponn is dealt—”decisions yet to be made”
• Herald of High House Death is dealt between Kalam and Quick Ben
• Keneb gets Spinner of Death, Queen of Dark, Queen of Life, King in Chains
• Bottle gets Deathslayer
• Kalam gets Obelisk then King of High House Shadows and Fiddler says Oponn was for him earlier
• T’amber gets Virgin of Death
• Quick Ben gets Consort in Chains
• Tavore gets Master of the Deck
• Fiddler gets Priest of Life

The game ends and Apsalar, Fiddler, Quick Ben, and Kalam leave, not turning over the facedown card first dealt to Quick Ben. Tavore turns it over to reveal Knight of Shadows. She’s never heard of it and when she asks T’amber, she denies making it. Keneb points out it’s a picture of a Tiste Edur with a spear. Tavore says it was Kalam that had a decision yet to make and when she says the Herald of Death intervenes, T’amber says it is an “inactive version,” which she calls a “crucial” distinction. Tavore orders all ships to stay in the harbor refusing any orders to moor. She says the 14th, particularly the Wickans, clearly are being painted as villains and she fears what might be done to them. She also wants the Perish free to choose to stay or go with Tavore if things turn bad with Laseen. Keneb fears civil war and points out the Perish swore to Tavore, not Laseen. Tavore dismisses him and speaks privately with Bottle.

Pearl watches Tavore’s fleet near, wondering how they arrived so soon, what the strange huge ships are, and how the Empress had known they’d be there. Laseen asks Pearl’s opinion of Tavore and when he says she doesn’t inspire him or the 14th Army, Laseen says Tavore hasn’t failed them once, adding Y’Ghatan went as well as it could have. Pearl says perception matters more, telling her Tavore never emerges “untarnished,” mostly due to the legend of Coltaine. He thinks he sees why Coltaine is now being “unmanned” and tells Laseen it won’t work, that it merely taints them all. She replies he needs more faith in civilization’s resiliency. She continues that the foreigners (the Perish) must have seen something in Tavore Laseen and Pearl do not, then wonders why Tavore is leaving her ships out in the harbor, calling it Tavore’s “first move.” Pearl thinks the Empress wants the ships to disembark to cause a riot.

Laseen leads him into a room with Mallick Rel and Korbolo Dom. Rel tells Pearl to dispatch a Hand of the Claw against Banaschar. Pearl notes Rel now wears the sign of a High Fist and wishes he could kill him. Pearl pleads with Laseen to listen to Tavore but is dismissed. Pearl leaves, feeling a coward and fantasizing about killing Dom and Rel later, while he wonders if Topper has been killed. He thinks Dom and Rel will turn on Laseen for all that she thinks she is using them. He wonders if she knows she has trapped herself and if she will ask Tavore for help, of Tavore will recognize such a plea. Pearl meets two Claw who seek confirmation of the kill order. He gives it and thinks the Claw are his, noting Laseen brought six hundred with her. He thinks he will clean house tomorrow, wondering if that’s what Laseen wants. He heads home unsure of whom he will use the Claw on.

Helian wonders why they aren’t disembarking or tying up at the piers, which are crowded with soldiers and civilians. She then jumps/falls in and neither Touchy nor Breathless reports it (or tries to save her).

The Oponn twins discuss how they tried to keep their card out of Fiddler’s game and how there are now “three ashore.” The Lady asks if they can be sure they “comprehend all the players” and worries they might end up dead. He is angry that Fiddler “usurped” their power and she tells him to cast the bones on “his fate [Fiddler’s]” he does so and when they look, their faces shift from bemusement to confusion to terror.

Bottle is finishing a doll, according to Tavore’s orders, which he thinks are really based on T’amber’s wishes. Bottle, speaking to the doll, says he’s never seen him, that the doll has a “sliver of iron” in its gut, and that Tavore wants Bottle to find him in Malaz City. Tavore enters and says Quick Ben is ready to send Bottle across and that T’amber says Bottle will know whom to seek help from, adding when asked that T’amber is “Someone a lot more than she once was.” Bottle heads out.

Kalam worries Tavore’s plans are too risky and extreme. Curdle and Telorast tell him Apsalar is gone and that they are scared of who is in the City. Tene Baralta and his Red Blades go ashore and Tavore, Kalam, and T’amber worry they are betrayed. Tavore asks Kalam to be her own escort, along with T’amber. He agrees to get her to Mock’s Hold and Tavore seems disappointed, while T’amber seems angry at him, as if they expected more.

The Red Blades land and Tene Baralta gives orders as if they are there to protect Tavore, though Lostara Yil considers it all a lie.

Banaschar and Braven Tooth, in Coops, are asked by a pair of soldiers (Mudslinger and Gentur) about foreigner and both say they haven’t seen him in days. They hear shouts outside and think how the city’s mood has grown uglier by the hour. Banaschar tells Braven Tooth he plans on speaking to Tayschrenn tonight, that he’ll lose his would-be assassin in the crowd. He offers to buy Braven Tooth a drink, saying he’s stolen lots of money from D’rek’s temples, though he feels guilty every time he uses it. He leaves.

Braven Tooth notes Banaschar’s follower slip out after him and he asks Mudslinger and Gentur to stop the Claw from killing Banaschar. They head out after the Claw.

A crowd has gathered at the docks, armed, ugly, and agents (provocateurs) are amongst them to stir them up against the Wickans on Tavore’s ships. Suddenly a fireball crosses the sky and lands far off in the water. The crowd takes it as an omen.

The Claw after Banaschar, Saygen Maral, follows his target, thinking of his “divided loyalties.” He thinks how he is now an agent of Rel’s, as were many Claws; Rel has formed his own group—the Black Glove. He anticipates a “night of slaughter such as this city has never before experienced” when Tavore’s people land. Maral is warned via a magical talisman he is being followed himself and he prepares an ambush in an alley.

Gentur and Mudslinger follow Maral into the alley and are killed.

Maral heads back out but has now lost Banaschar.

Tavore’s flagship moors at the dock and is met by a group of guardsmen led by Captain Rynag, who tells Tavore he is to temporarily take command of the Fourteenth Army and they should disembark and stand down. He adds that Quick Ben is ordered to stay on board the ship. Tavore, T’amber, and Kalam head to the dock and are escorted away by Rynig’s guards and Tavore’s Red Blades. Rynig orders Keneb to start bringing in the transports and to keep the Perish ships outside the bay, then to start having the soldiers disembark unarmed. Keneb tells Rynig Nok outranks him and so he’ll do what he wants with his fleet, that the Perish have their own commander who may or may not accept orders from Rynig, and that Keneb cannot have his army disembark because they carry plague from Seven Cities. He adds that the two ships that have come ashore, and those persons who disembarked, were plague-free, though.

Lostara and Kalam discuss the crowd issue as they head toward Mock’s Hold. Lostara tells Kalam the plague ruse was smart. Kalam says Fiddler, and probably Gesler and Stormy, has come ashore as well. When Kalam says Baralta was smart to “act on his own” as escort, Lostara intimates it’s for no good purpose. The crowd suddenly scatters as news is shouted that the ships carry plague flags.

Banaschar hides in an alley, feeling magic being wielded all over. He heads to the waterfront, passing through the fleeing crowd. An old women warns him of plague, but he thinks how he can’t sense Poliel anywhere, then smiles. He’s grabbed from behind and someone screams.

Someone climbs out of the harbor onto land.

Hellian rests, thinking of the horrific swim she’d just had, in armor (which she’d dumper), covered in eels. She looks up and sees someone she knows, she draws her knife, creeps forward, and reaches.

Maral comes on Banaschar and sees some woman staring at the priest. He moves forward, spins Banaschar around, and brings his knife up to kill him.

Banaschar watches confused as Hellian grabs Maral’s knife arm and breaks it, then drops Maral and begins beating his head against the ground, yelling “This one’s mine” until she kills him. Banaschar grabs her and she pulls her knife on him and says he’s under arrest. Someone screams.

Fiddler, Gesler, and Stormy, nearby, stare at Hellian’s actions. Then Gesler and Stormy had across the river while Fiddler aims for the Centre District, the three having agreed to meet in a bell. Fiddler finds a shop and picks up one of his specially made crossbows he’d ordered long ago from Tak, the craftsman and shop owner. Tak shows him the improvements he’s made over Fiddler’s original order. When Fiddler asks how much, Tak says no charge since Fiddler and Dujek had saved his life during the Mouse purge. He adds four others he’s made. Tak then sells him an ugly old fiddle for thousands and tells him a story about Braven Tooth and how Limp got his name. Fiddler asks if Braven Tooth lives in the same place.

Hellian drags Banaschar off as he tries to explain he had nothing to do with the slaughter of the priests in D’rek’s temple. They end up near the Deadhouse and when Hellian says she’s thirsty, Banaschar suggest Coop’s. She doesn’t trust him and drags him to another pub. Banaschar says it’s called Smiley’s, it once belonged to the old Emperor and Cotillion, and the current proprietor is rumored to be related to Kellanved. A mob passes them carrying pitch and Banaschar assumes they aim to fire the ships due to the plague, adding that the eel marks on Hellian could be mistaken for plague marks. They head into Smiley’s and are seated. The owner, who appears Dal Honese, heads off to deal with unruly people at the door and transforms into a demon which tears the head off of one of the mob at the door and throws it at the others who run away. He turns back into the Dal Honese and goes to get them their drinks. Banaschar identifies him as a Kenryll’ah demon.

Koryk, aboard the Silanda which is moored at the dock, warns Balm the crowd is growing and getting uglier. They pass out munitions then several of the squad head out to the jetty to hold off the crowd from trying to board. Back to top

Chapter Twenty-Three

Kalam watches more people stream toward the waterfront and wonders who is organizing this and why they didn’t know that hundreds will die if they face the ship, what with the munitions aboard and Quick Ben as well. He checks to make sure he still has one of Quick Ben’s acorns with him. He can hear screams in the distance and see smoke from burning buildings and wonders if this is the beginning of the end of the Empire. He thinks Tavore should be returning in triumph and wonders if Laseen is fully in control any more. He knows his moment of decision, a life and death one for him he believes, is quickly approaching.

Bottle moves through the city, sensing Mockra filling the streets, filling people with a hunger for violence. He reaches Agayla’s home and introduces himself (they’re related via marriage). He tells her he’s looking for someone and needs her help. She grabs his doll and asks if that’s the person. When he replies yes, she says she’s left him no choice and agrees to help him “save the world.” Bottle thinks Tavore never mentioned that.

Balm’s squad on the jetty face an angry crowd. Keneb joins them and is told Fiddler and Gesler are “scouting.” Keneb says the transports are withdrawing out of arrow range, and Destriant Run’Thurvian has given assurance the Silanda and Froth Wolf (Tavore’s ship) which will stay moored, won’t burn. The squad will be on their own, though the Froth Wolf will cover them with their ballista. The crowd shoots flaming arrows at the Froth Wolf (to no effect) and the squad retaliates with munitions. The mob charges and the fight is on. Koryk thinks they’re killing their own people now. They beat back the mob and it retreats a little ways.

Aboard the Froth Wolf, Keneb angrily tells Captain Rynag there were out-of-uniform soldiers in the attacking mob and Rynag denies knowing anything about it. Rynag says the mob want the Wickans, that a pogrom has started and an army is now marching into the Wickan Plains. Keneb threatens to land the Fourteenth and put an end to it all. He orders Rynag off the ship.

Koryk kills Rynag with an arrow. Keneb yells out who was responsible and when Koryk says him, Keneb tells him he just murdered a captain of the Untan Palace Guard. Koryk agrees and waits to be arrested, but Keneb says nothing else. The mob prepares to charge again.

Run’Thurvian asks Keneb what’s going on and Keneb tells him betrayal. He tells the Destriant the squads are holding the jetty and the ships aren’t leaving because they’re waiting for Tavore; they are hers, not the Empire’s, and the Empire can go to hell. The Destriant smiles and bows.

Fiddler, Gesler, and Stormy all congregate at Braven Tooth’s. Fiddler pulls out his fiddle and asks for names of the fallen and the others begin to contribute (Gentur, Mudslinger, Kulp, Baudin, Coltaine, Whiskeyjack, etc.). Fiddler begins to play the “sad dirge in my heads that needs to come out.”

Tavore’s group are let into Mock’s Hold by the gatekeeper Lubben. They pass by Claw guards and are met by another, who leads them into an antechamber where the Red Blades stay (save Baralta and Lostara), then the rest enter another room to be met by Laseen, Dom, and Rel. Kalam spars verbally with Rel until Laseen orders him to sit quiet, telling him she did not request his presence, a statement in which Kalam hears some sort of hidden question. Baralta requests that the Empress countermand Tavore’s order making him a fist in the Fourteenth Army and removing the Red Blades from the Fourteenth. Laseen agrees and dismisses him. Lostara follows him out. Laseen asks Tavore why the ruse with the plague flags and Tavore replies Keneb has seemingly decided it was unsafe to land the troops. She adds it appears the Empire labors under mistaken belief with regard to the Chain of Dogs. She wonders at the presence and promotion of both Dom and Rel, whom she accuses of rebellion and slaughter. Laseen replies, somewhat condescendingly, that Tavore childishly believes “some truths are intransigent and undeniable,” but in reality, “all truths are malleable,” and anyway, the population no longer seems to care much for truth. She runs through a litany of setbacks (Korel, Dujek’s loss, plague, etc.) and says the Empire must reshape itself. Rel demands Tavore hand over the Wickans and Khundryl as sacrificial victims. Dom asks who the foreign ships are and when Tavore says they are the Perish and they’ve pledged allegiance, Dom asks to whom. Tavore doesn’t answer but asks to speak to Laseen alone. Rel accuses Tavore of treason and Tavore in turn says the Empire has never had an immortal patron and wonders what a Jhistal priest is doing here. She wonders if this is personal vengeance for Kellanved wiping out the old Jhistal cult. Kalam thinks he sees fear in Laseen’s eyes. Dom states he is now High Fist and First Sword and as such commander of the Fourteenth. Laseen tells Tavore the Adjunct was never an army command position and she wants Tavore back with her at Unta. Tavore agrees, saying she’ll need to return briefly to the docks to inform Keneb. Rel reminds Laseen of Nil and Nether and though Tavore says they’re useless since the trauma of the Chain of Dogs, Laseen orders their arrest. Laseen says the Empire must have the Wickan Plains now that the Seven Cities harvest is gone.

Kalam thinks he sees something pass between Tavore and Laseen as they look at each other and Laseen asks if Tavore is ready. The Adjunct says she is and rises to go. Kalam says he’ll see her out and Laseen asks him to return, offering him command of the Claw. Kalam thinks Laseen knows he’d use it against Rel and Dom, though it would be after the purge of Wickans, and some others. He, T’amber, and Tavore leave. T’amber asks how many Hands await them and Kalam says maybe eight, saying Laseen won’t let Tavore reach the ships, fearing civil war. Tavore says instead they plan to leave the Empire and never return. Kalam says he can walk back in the room and do what Laseen needs/wants him to do—kill Dom and Rel. Tavore tells him to go, saying she has other concerns beyond the empire, though she won’t tell him. T’amber though, says there is a convergence going on, that Rel participates but is also guided by some unknown, that killing him may save not just the Empire but the world, and yet, she and Tavore stand no chance without his help. Kalam says Tavore could just wait until he kills Dom and Rel and then tries to convince Laseen to stop the pogrom, that with the Claw he can stop it all. Tavore tells him the Claw has been greatly infiltrated and adds killing the two men will not stop the pogrom, or war with the Perish, and also warns him Rel draws upon Elder power and so may not be so easy to kill as Kalam thinks. Kalam asks T’amber whose life matters more—hers or Tavore’s—and T’amber answers the Adjunct’s. When asked Kalam’s or her own, T’amber says Kalam’s. He then asks Tavore to choose herself or the Fourteenth and she tells him Keneb has his orders. Kalam decides and hears Fiddler’s song in the back of his head. He tells them it won’t be easy and they head out.

Pearl joins Laseen and the others and the Empress tells him Kalam has chosen and Pearl now must do his task, adding she’ll have a pleasant surprise for him upon his return. He says he’ll be back soon and she warns him against overconfidence. Rel orders him to send to Hands to kill Nil and Nether when he’s done, as well as Keneb. Pearl asks about Quick Ben and the Empress tell him to leave Quick alone while Rel says Quick Ben’s power is an illusion and he’ll do noting to reveal his true lack of power. Pearl leaves.

Lubben gives Kalam a warning as they pass through the gatehouse. They can see fire and hear noise from the docks and realize the squads there are holding off the mob so far, despite being so outnumbered.

Lostara helps Baralta out of his armor as he talks about his plans for getting healed and then plans for him and her. She brings up the time he had her kill all the innocent people in the garrison back in Seven Cities when they were trailing Kalam, saying it was her biggest regret. He tells her she’s got talent for such thinks and she agrees, killing him. She leaves, thinking Cotillion had been right about him.

The squads at the jetty are holding but taking losses. Koryk wonders what Quick Ben is doing and also what the damned music is in his head. A Perish ship slides in and the Perish relieve them. Nether asks where Bottle is and Koryk says in the City. Smiles tells her not to worry, her “heart’s desire” will get back. When Koryk says Nil and Nether should take shelter onboard, they tell him the squads fight for the Wickans and they choose to witness. He tells them to retreat anyway and they bow and do so.

Tavore’s group is ambushed at the bottom of the steps, but having been warned by Lubben, Kalam kills several while Tavore and T’amber kill one each, though T’amber has two daggers plunged into her. She pulls them out like they were nothing and tells Kalam not to worry about her. They move out with T’amber somehow able to sense the hunting Hands nearby (she says she can smell their fear and aggression). They’re attacked again and beat them off, with T’amber killing eight Claw despite getting a dagger deep into the lungs. Kalam directs them to a well that will lead them underground. He asks Tavore if she can hear music and she says yes, faintly. He drops into the well, thinking, “Fiddler, you’re breaking my heart.”

Pearl gives his orders to the Claw. He has prepared a paralt-poisoned quarrel for Kalam and he heads for the Mouse with his handpicked crew, who are surprised that he thinks Kalam’s group will get that far.

Kalam comes across a murdered Hand and tells Tavore it appears the Claw is turning on itself. He kills some trailing Claw and they move on, as he wonders how T’amber is even conscious.

Fiddler continues to play his song, musing on how he has changed, how he’s come to no longer believe in peace save as an ideal; he has learned that suffering exists regardless of the definitions of war and peace. He is tempted to turn away and willfully no longer see to avoid the pain his compassion causes him. He grows angrier, more demanding (a god that doesn’t require suffering, one who celebrates diversity) until Gesler tells him not to end the song in anger. And Fiddler agrees, beginning a new, more lively one.

Bottle heads out from Agayla’s to Coop’s Inn and finds Foreigner (Withal, the man with scars on his arms) and gives him the message “Your long wait is at an end.” Foreigner asks Temper (who is bar keeping) to keep an eye on Bottle while he prepares to leave. Temper tells Bottle there’s no need to worry; those in Coop’s (mostly veterans) know the Fourteenth did fine. Foreigner says Bottle being in the Fourteenth means the message makes more sense.

Helian and Banaschar are still at Smiley’s where three shadows/wraiths sit at a table nearby. Banaschar gives his guess about the bartender, saying Kellanved summoned the demon then when Kellanved left the demon took over the bar. He tries to convince her to let him go to Mock’s Hold to perhaps save the world, and she says the world’s going down. The three shadows exit.

Kalam’s group fights through another ambush, with Kalam getting badly wounded and T’amber even more so. They get chased from behind, then from in front and Kalam realizes they are being herded to the bridge entering the Mouse. Suddenly they’re ambushed again and Kalam sees T’amber taking impossible wounds. They fight through and move forward when sorcery seems to strike some of the Claw behind them. In sight of the bridge, Kalam tells T’amber and Tavore to head for the river and to the harbor while he leads the Claw away. Looking at T’amber, he can see she hasn’t long. They leave and he heads out.

Grub meets Lostara Yil and tells her he’ll take here where she needs to go, though it will be “sad.” She sees shadows paralleling them, but Grub tells her they’re his friends. They begin passing the remnants of slaughtered Claw (over a hundred).

Kalam flings Quick Ben’s acorn to the ground. Aboard the Froth Wolf, Quick Ben can sense the Perish getting pushed back while Destriant Run’Thurvian is magically protecting the ship from both mundane and sorcerous attack, though it seems the Destriant is saving his power from something bigger to come. He can also sense magical traps/ambushes throughout the city, traps created by High Ruse (sea sorcery) and he feels someone is waiting for him, is trying to keep him contained. At Kalam’s summons, he heads into a warren but hears Shadowthrone saying it’s time for Quick Ben to pay his debt.

Kalam realizes Quick isn’t coming and heads out. He fights through an ambush with the biggest, best assassins he’s faced yet (he says they’re—almost—like him), taking bad wounds in the process.

Pearl watches Kalam, appalled at his ability and terrified of him. As Kalam drags himself toward a hole in the roof, Pearl shoots him with his paralt dart just as Kalam drops through. He collects Kalam’s weapons as his trophies and orders the single other survivor to gather the Hands so they can go after Tavore, telling the Claw Kalam is finished. The assassin calls Pearl the Clawmaster and Pearl thinks he will kill both Rel and Dom by dawn now that he has the Claw. When the assassin learns Pearl uses paralt poison, he starts to leave in disgust, saying he won’t follow Pearl’s orders. Pearl kills him.

Fiddler ends playing. Legana Breed appears and reclaims his sword from Stormy, saying it took him longer than he’d thought to escape the portal at Morn. Gesler says Breed still owes them since they didn’t tell his T’lan Imass companions when he took the Tiste Andii head into the portal. Breed agrees to escort them to the docks.

The Perish and marine squads are slowly losing at the docks, but Keneb won’t call more in, fearing they’ll just get pulled deeper and deeper into the mess, worried especially about all the sorcery he can feel. Run’Thurvian warns them of Claw trying to board, saying they are especially aimed at Nil and Nether. He adds he can stop them this time but not for long, and also that the power “sleeping” in Nil and Nether won’t be of use as “it is not for us.” Keneb orders a protective cordon around the two Wickans and sends Smiles to go get Quick Ben. She returns to say he’s gone. Keneb can see armed and armored soldiers now in the rioting crowd.

Pores watches and wants the other Malazans to go help, but Kindly says they’ll follow orders and remain where they are.

A “cloth-wrapped” figure appears on the roof Kalam dropped through. The assassin killed by Pearl appears as a ghost, a “gift” he says for the stranger as to why he hasn’t passed through Hood’s Gate yet. He tells the stranger Kalam pulled out the arrow and points to it, saying there is enough poison left for Pearl. The stranger takes the arrow and exits.

The stranger moves with surprising ease through the sorcerous traps and quickly nears the Claw converging at the harbor. It begins to attack them.

Pearl sees the stranger and thinks “Shadow Dancer” at first, then worries it is Cotillion himself coming after him for killing Kalam. He runs into an alley preparing to flee by warren, but when he reaches for Mockra nothing happens (he forgot he was carrying Kalam’s otataral knife). He is hamstrung, tossed around, until the stranger stands over him. Pearl hopes Lostara will meet him at Hood’s Gate. The stranger, revealed now to be Apsalar, tells Pearl he was the last on her list and that she had planned to make it quick, but thanks to Kalam, she won’t. She stabs him with the poisoned quarrel.

Shadowthrone appears in front of Apsalar and she tells him to let Cotillion know she did what was asked. He was impressed with how she cut through the Claw, saying “Not even Cotillion.” He refers to Laseen being on her own now, bereft of allies as well as over 300 Claw killed by Apsalar, and says she made “too many bad judgments. As we feared.” He then tells Apsalar she is free. She gives him Kalam’s weapons and leaves.

Shadowthrone goes to Obo’s tower and tells him Oponn has “commandeered” his tower and suggests Obo “ousts” them. He leaves and a few minutes later the tower top explodes with a huge fireball.

As Fiddler’s group passes Smiley’s, Helian and Banaschar stumble out drunk. They move on then at the bridge Gesler and Stormy start to run for a crowd up ahead.

Tavore and T’amber near the docks, having seen no Claw on the way. They run into City Guard who turn to attack, soon joined by Claw. Tavore sees T’amber impaled. Before the Claw reach her, munitions land and kill them. Fiddler grabs her and starts to drag her toward the jetty with the reset of his group covering him.

Grub leads Lostara to Pearl, dying in agony from the poison. He tells her to put him out of his misery, that Pearl, thinking Lostara dead, had given up everything save hope for vengeance against Tavore. She asks who killed him, but Grub refuses to say. She kills Pearl and they leave. He touches Lostara so she can see with his sight and they both look upon T’amber’s corpse. A “golden glow” lifts from the body as a “savannah grasses” wind brushes past. The glow becomes the Eres’al and Grub says, “She used T’amber. A lot. There wasn’t any choice. The Fourteenth. It’s going to war,” adding Lostara can never tell Tavore, another secret to go along with the truth of Felisin’s death. Lostara says she’s not going with the army, and Grub says she has to take T’amber’s place. They head for the Mouse docks.

The Silanda and Forth Wolf pull away. Fiddler tells Tavore they appear to have left Bottle, Quick Ben, and Kalam behind. She says they’ve failed if Bottle hasn’t retrieved whom he was supposed to. Keneb arrives via another boat and has Bottle with him, along with Grub, Lostara, Withal, Cartheron Crust, the three Nachts, and Sandalath Drukorlat. Tavore tells Nil and Nether to help their people who face the pogrom. Nether tells Bottle “When you are done, come back.”

Kalam is fighting on, trying to reach a destination in mind. He collapses before doing so. Shadowthrone and three shadow-wraiths move in and Shadowthrone tells them to drag the near-dead-but-not-quite-dead (“I want to go for a walk...I feel better”) Kalam to the threshold of the Deadhouse. They put his knives back as well. Shadowthrone knocks then exits he grounds. The Guardian takes Kalam inside. Shadowthrone disappears just as a door opens at Coop’s nearby

Braven Tooth reaches Coop’s Tavern as Temper steps out. Temper sniffs the air as if sensing Shadowthrone’s presence. A woman (Apsalar) passes them into Coop’s leaving bloody footprints. They enter.

Fist Aragan, inside Coop’s, watches as Braven Tooth tries to speak to the woman who just entered and gets threatened with a knife near his eye. He leaves her alone and the woman takes her bottle and heads upstairs. Back to top

Chapter Twenty-Four

Veed, Icarium, and the Edur travel through a lifeless realm on their way to another battle, another throne. Veed thinks that it is not a bad idea to limit war and starts to wonder at his past desires. Ahn calls a rest and tells Veed they are close. Veed tells Icarium Ahn is deceiving his companions and Icarium realizes he has been too careless, too oblivious, and then also wonders if it takes a deceiver to spot a deceiver. He tells Veed he no longer believes that they are/were friends. Veed worries he has been careless.

Captain Varat Taun (second to Yan Tovis/Twilight), leads his Letherii archers forward. He thinks of his wife and daughter and the idea that he will see them again. He pities Ahn, up ahead, thinking of how easy it was for Varat (from Bluerose) to pierce Ahn’s disguise. He wonders if its purpose is mere survival or if Ahn is a spy. If the latter, Varat wishes him luck. Varat wants to impress Twilight, whom he considers the best commander in a long time. They get ready to exit the realm.

Steth and Aystar, two of the rescued crucified children sneak up on Onrack as part of a stalking game they play. When Onrack tells Steth to come down from a boulder, Steth says the enemy won’t come back; they were scared off by the ferocity of the last defense. As he says this, he is killed by an arrow. Onrack tells Aystar to run.

Trull looks on the ravaged face of Minala and considers the impact of watching her children fight and die and watch their companions die as well. He thinks of how they fight to guard a vacant throne (the First Throne), one claimed by a near-insubstantial ghost, fight to keep it from those that would hand it to the Crippled God, and thinks they have no chance. Aystar comes in screaming and they ready their defense. Ibra Gholan says a shaman has come with them this time, along with humans and a greater number of Edur. Trull heads to where Onrack fights.

Ahn says they have to deal with Onrack; he can hold the narrow entry forever otherwise. Veed says to let Icarium loose but the Edur warlock (Sathbaro Rangar) scoffs and says to withdraw the soldiers; he’ll deal with Onrack. Just then Trull enters behind Onrack and Ahn recognizes him. Rangar starts calling up chaos sorcery and is killed by a Soletaken (Monok Ochem).

Icarium looks down at the corpse of one of Minala’s children and tells Veed he refuses to kill children. Veed pulls Icarium forward and as Ahn steps in front of the Soletaken, Icarium draws his sword and Monok Ochem flees. The Edur run forward.

Ahn is shocked to see children waiting to fight behind Trull, whom he is surprised and dismayed to see standing in the chokeway. Kholb Harat and Saur Bathrada are thrilled to find the “traitor” and attack fiercely. Realizing Trull is protecting the children behind him, and in response as well to the regret that has long overtaken him, Ahn steps in to save Trull, taking a wound as he does so.

As he fights the two Edur, Trull wonders why Minala is holding Apt back, for what larger enemy. He’s surprised at Ahn’s sudden help, though he uses the aid to kill Bathrada as Ahn kills Harat. Ahn begs Trull to let him fight beside him as amends. Suddenly a loud keening strikes them all.

Onrack steps into Icarium’s path and is quickly battered back to fall broken and unmoving, though he succeeded in turning Icarium around so that his unfocused rage is now directed at the Edur and Letherii.

Trull watches as Icarium slaughters the attackers. Ahn begins to apologize for everything but is interrupted by Minala, badly (perhaps fatally) wounded, who asks where Monok Ochem is. Suddenly they’re all shoved back by a huge wind, strong enough to lift the corpses of the children into the air and spin them around as Icarium moves toward them. The rest flee as Trull meets Icarium and somehow manages to stand his ground, though Ahn is fatally wounded in an attempt to help.

Varat Tuan watches in wonder as Trull holds against Icarium. Nearby, Veed is weeping. Tuan sees Trull’s spear shatter, then watches as Apt leaps out to attack Icarium, driving him momentarily back though she is killed for her effort. Trull drags Ahn’s body back with him into the chamber with the throne.

In the chamber, Trull sees that Monok Ochem has been fused to the First Throne. Ibra Gholan announces that Ochem has “failed” and moves to face Icarium. Ahn dies.

Ibra Gholan is shattered by Icarium, who moves yet again toward Trull.

Quick Ben stumbles out of a warren cursing Shadowthrone. Seeing Icarium advancing (and clearly hostile) he throws him back with sorcery. This happens repeatedly, with Quick growing weaker and Icarium stronger each time, until Quick, nearly weeping blood from all his pores, passes out, seemingly near death. Trull steps to meet Icarium when suddenly the Eres’al appears behind Icarium and puts him to sleep with a touch to his hip. She then disappears. Veed tells Varat to help him get Icarium through the Edur gate so he may yet face Rhulad. Varat, thinking even Rhulad might die if he faces Icarium, helps drag him to the gate.

Cotillion appears, asking Trull, who is wiping blood from Quick Ben’s face, if the mage will live. Trull, angry, tells Cotillion Quick Ben wasn’t enough and wonders whom Cotillion was planning to send once Quick failed. Cotillion says he was going to face Icarium himself. Trull apologizes and asks about the Eres’al. Cotillion says her intervention was unexpected and adds Shadowthrone is on his way to heal who can be healed. Onrack enters and tells them about Icarium being taken through the gate. Cotillion curses the Nameless Ones, saying they are using Icarium as a weapon and even they don’t know what will happen if he faces Rhulad. Trull tells Cotillion he will not fight to defend the throne again, nor he pleads, should Onrack or the children. Cotillion agrees and turns away to sit with his head in his hands. Back to top

Epilogue

Scillara asks Cutter to tell her of Apsalar and he recalls when Apsalar danced one night at Coll’s, danced so well everyone just stopped to watched. Scillara says she could never dance unless drunk and Cutter asks if she misses those days. She says no; she doesn’t miss anything and Cutter says he envies her happiness. Cutter says he wants to lie in her arms and she thinks you take what you can get, though she knows he’ll lie with her for the wrong reasons. Meanwhile, Mappo is weeping in the bow.

Karsa asks Samar why she’s so excited and she tells him the Edur lost hundreds in a failed assault and only one Letheri, the champion, and the champion’s servant returned. She tells him she isn’t excited; she’s terrified because she knows who the other champion is—Icarium. Karsa says he’s pleased and recalls how their last fight was interrupted before he could kill Icarium.

Icarium asks Veed why the Edur suddenly looks at him with hope, adding he woke after the battle feeling “more refreshed, more hopeful” than ever. He says there is a warmth inside and Veed replied bitterly he’ll have to tell Icarium yet again what he is and what he must do. Icarium tells him there is no need and Veed tells him “Unlike you, I remember.” Icarium repeats there is no need for Veed to tell him, and thinks it to himself again as he turns away.

Shadowthrone and Tayschrenn meet at Mock’s Hold. Shadowthrone wonders how Tayschrenn always lets himself get “caged” and Tayschrenn says that like Shadowthrone, he takes the “long view” and then makes clear he was well aware of what was going on. Shadowthrone asks if he could have guessed how D’rek would kill the adherents and Tayschrenn says he never left the cult. Tayschrenn asks if Shadowthrone plans on taking the Empire again and Shadowthrone says no, saying “hate is the world’s most pernicious weed, especially when people like you do nothing.” He then asks why Tayschrenn agreed to be Quick Ben’s shaved knuckle in the hole and why Quick Ben didn’t use him. Tayschrenn repeats he takes the long view. Shadowthrone wants to know how Tayschrenn avoided getting killed by D’rek and Tayschrenn says he talked her out of it. Shadowthrone bemoans the upcoming fate of his Wickans and Tayschrenn says they’re stronger than Shadowthrone thinks, saying they have not only Nil, Nether, and Temul, but in years to come Temul will have a young Coltaine to teach. He then says Shadowthrone should “fear for your own child.” When Shadowthrone says he fears nothing, Tayschrenn reminds him of how he fled from Temper. Tayschrenn asks if Kalam is alive and Shadowthrone says Kalam is in the Deadhouse, agreeing with a laugh that it isn’t the full answer Tayschrenn was seeking.

The Master Investigator of Kartool makes his report regarding the deaths of the acolytes and priests in the D’rek temple, concluding they committed an “orgy of suicide.” His boss says Helian had concluded the same and dismisses him. Outside, the investigator enjoys the beauty of the paralt spiders’ webs festooned across the sky. The spiders look below with “cold, multifaceted eyes” and a sense of hunger, as well as patience as they wait for their traps to fill.

Reaper's Gale

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Prologue

Kilmandaros wanders through Kurald Emurlahn in “the age of sundering,” past dragon carcasses and wraiths trapped in their blood. The dragon blood hardens and sinks through worlds. Kurald Emurlahn begins to fragment as civil war continues and “scavengers” arrive to pick over the pieces. Kilmandaros arrives at a rent beginning to close (having been partially sealed by the last one to pass through) and steps through it.

The setting is now the “ruined K’Chain Che’Malle demesne after the fall of Silchas Ruin.” Gothos tracks Mael and Kilmandaros as they fight Scabandari even as he seals the area with Omtose Phellack. He muses on how all things must end, including species and civilizations. He arrives at where Scabandari has been trapped, badly wounded. Gothos and Kilmandaros discuss her “children” losing their way and then Gothos explains Kilmandaros can’t simply kill Scabandari because Gothos’ ritual has “denied” death in the regions. Instead he’ll prepare a Finnest to take Scabandari’s soul. She kills Scabandari (punches a hole in his skull) and Gothos takes the Finnest with his soul in it as payment.

Kilmandaros meets Rake at the rent. When she says he isn’t welcome in Kurald Emurlahn, he replies he has no interest in claiming the throne or avenging Scabandari’s betrayal of Silchas Ruin and after pointing out that she is “besieged” and Edgewalker is “committed elsewhere,” offers his help. He warns her the war now involves Soletaken and feral dragons. Kilmandaros says she wants to drive the “pretenders” out and leave the Throne of Shadow empty. He agrees and they exit, sealing the rent, then begin “cleansing” the realm.

The setting is the Awl’dan during the last days of the Letherii Empire. Preda Bivatt with a troop (The Drene legions) of soldiers investigates the landing of massive war canoes months or years ago. She calculates about a half-million disembarked here and wonders where they went. She wants to look closer, especially at the prows, which have seemingly been dismantled.

Still in the Awl’dan, a red-masked rider comes upon a battle scene between the Drene and a group of foreign soldiers. The victorious Drene have taken the dead and headed home, but wolves have eaten only the hearts from the corpses of the unknown soldiers. He notes their black and white uniforms, some with wolf-heads as sigils. His investigation is interrupted by the arrival of his two “companions,” described as powerful taloned killing machines. Back to top

Chapter One

Tanal Yathvanar delivers a new puzzle to Invigilator Karos, commander of the Patriotists and in Tanal’s mind “the most powerful man next to the Emperor.” The two join the Tiste Edur liaison, Bruthen Trana, to inspect a line of prisoners, some of whom have lost consciousness. Only a portion of the 300 + prisoners, most are there as political prisoners or due to guilt by association, such as a poet who wrote a call for revolution. Karos goes through the charges against each as Tanal thinks admiringly of the Invigilator’s “perfect laws of compulsion and control.” Once Karos finishes, Bruthen Trana leaves. Karos solves the puzzle and says he needs better ones, then discusses business, noting a lack of coinage in the city and saying he wants to meet with the leader of the Liberty Consign. Tanal says Rautos Hivanar has a theory and Karos agrees to meet with him. Karos tasks Tanal to find out what Trana’s purpose is in his weekly visits and suggests possibly investigating him, which shocks Tanal somewhat, Karos reminds him the Patriotists have a charter to “police the empire” and figure out who is “loyal and disloyal” regardless of if they are Edur or Letherii.

Rautos Hivanar one of the richest Letherii and leader of the Liberty Consign (an association of wealth families in the Empire) suspects someone is deliberately sabotaging the economy. He is surprisingly less concerned with that than with a new mystery recent flooding has brought to light. He is obsessed with figuring out the purpose of a series of boulders, posts, ands strange objects the river’s current had revealed, some strange mechanism he thinks. He tells his main assistant to go to Drene to find out for the Consign what is happening there, saying the Factor of that area isn’t giving enough information. He is happy to hear that the Invigilator is finally willing to meet with him concerning his theory on the economic sabotage.

Atri-Preda Bivatt’s Bluerose cavalry has massacred an Awl’dan camp, including elders and children, taking their herds in the name of the Factor, Letur Anict. She implies by tone she doesn’t much care for what her army is doing with the Awl, telling the Edur Overseer, Brohl Handar the Awl are not trespassers and implying this is to enrich the Factor. She asks Handar if he ever wonders who won their war. Handar thinks of how the Awl have been mostly decimated and that Anict holds the most power in this region. Bivatt tells him the “official” story is that the Awl and others are aligned in the “Bolkando Conspiracy” which threatens the Empire, but in reality there is no conspiracy. Though, she adds, they did fight and barely defeat a group of mercenaries recently of whom they know nothing. Handar asks why Factor Anict wants to enrich himself so much and when she replies gold give power over people, he says not the Edur, who are “indifferent” to wealth. Bivatt tells him that is no longer so, saying Edur have confiscated lands, are taking Indebted as slaves.

Silchas Ruin and some of his group approach an Edur slaver group, telling them they captured two Letherii (Udinaas and Kettle) that belong to him and he wants them back. When the Edur refuses, Ruin kills most of them. When Kettle says she was raped, Ruin goes off to kill the other Edur. Fear and Udinaas spar as they always do. Seren thinks how those pursuing them do so in strange manner, more akin to herding than chasing. Udinaas discovers the slavers were carrying weapons. Ruin returns.

Tanal Yathvanar looks down on a woman he’s been torturing, reveling in his power and immunity, though he thinks Karos knows of his proclivities. He joins Karos and Hivanar, who has convinced the Invigilator that someone is sabotaging the economy and asked the Patriotists to take the lead in finding the person. Hivanar also tells them to back off their arrests of academics and scholars, whose friends have brought concerns to him. Karos agrees, saying perhaps they’ve already done their job of quelling sedition among that group. After Hivanar leaves, Karos tells Yathvanar to free the woman in his room. Yathvanar says he will, but thinks he “won’t suffer alone.”

Tehol and Bugg discuss Ezgara the two-headed bug, manipulating their economic sabotage, and making a special “clever box.” Back to top

Chapter Two

Silchas Ruin’s group comes across the ruins of a city long ago destroyed by the impact of something massive that struck the mountain city. Ruin identifies it as K’Chain Che’Malle, adding the destruction was done by pure blood dragons (Eleint), unleashing their warren of Starvald Demelain, in unison, which he labeled “unusual.” Wither says the K’Chain crime was the “annihilation of all existence,” though it was unclear if it was intended and an accident. As they ascend, Seren mocks Ruin’s continued obsession with vengeance on Scabandari, whom she says is dead and “less than a wraith,” but Ruin says she doesn’t understand the complexity. Udinaas finds a tunnel and decides to take that rather than continue climbing the mountain, mocking Fear’s objections. The two continue to spar.

Tanal Yathvanar and Karos Invictad watch a prisoner being dragged to the wall. Karos asks Tanal who is the greatest threat to the Empire and when Tanal says fanatics like the prisoner, Karos disagrees, saying the prison has certainty and those with certainty can be turned and manipulated using fear to destroy their certainty then offering them a new one. Instead, he says, the greatest enemies are those without certainty, the ones with questions, the skeptics. When asked, he says his one certainty is “power shapes the world.” He then viciously mocks Tanal’s own certainty and naivety. Tanal tell him a new puzzle arrived from an anonymous source.

Tanal enters the lowest part of the dungeons where he has placed the scholar he’d been torturing and told to free—Janath Anar. They spar over the Patriotists and other items, she gets into his head/under his skin and he hits her then leaves.

Overseer Brohl Handar looks over the Drene High Market from his ornate carriage. He note that the loss of Empire hadn’t knocked the Letherii down as much as might have been expected and that what binds them was more resilient than thought, and has begun to poison the Edur—wealth, greed, inequity. Brohl is unsure what to do about Letur Anict, the Factor, and his use of imperial troops for personal enrichment, especially as he suspects connections not only to the Liberty Consign but also to Triban Gnol, the Letherii Chancellor. He sees an arrest by the Patriotists and wonders what sedition they seek to root out. Orbyn “Truthfinder,” the head of the local Patriotists joins him in his carriage and says they spotted Ruin’s group. He wonders why the Edur haven’t caught them and Brohl says things are proceeding as predicted and planned. The conversation is interrupted by alarms.

Redmask has been watching the garrison all day. He notices surveillance by a pair of Patriotists agents and kills them and cuts off their faces. A third agent sets off an alarm. Red Mask makes for the gate, killing lots of city guard with ancient Awl weapons: A cadaran whip and a rygtha crescent axe.

Redmask has left the city. Atri-Preda Bivatt arrives late, learns it was one man and orders a troop to follow. She and Orbyn, who has also arrived on scene, recognize the description as Redmask, and a guard mentions Redmask’s exile from his tribes seems to be over.

Brohl arrives and asks to be told of Redmask. Bivatt says the story is years ago Factor Anict wanted a tribe’s herds and kidnapped a clan leader’s daughter—the sister of Redmask. The Factor adopted her, she became Indebted, and he demanded the herds as payment. Just before the exchange the girl killed herself and the Factor’s soldiers killed all in the camp save Redmask, who became a great war chief. Redmask tried to convince the clans to ally against the Letherii, they refused, he said something they didn’t like, and they exiled him. He went east between the Awl-land and Kolanse. Bivatt doesn’t know the significance of his mask, mentions rumor he killed a dragon, and says the weapons he uses were made against an unknown enemy from an ancient/mythical battle the Awl supposedly fought far in the east before fleeing to this land. She adds the only Letherii expedition to the eastern wildlands was destroyed and the only survivor was driven mad by “the Hissing Night.” Before Brohl leaves, she tells him the Letherii will need the Edur if Redmask unifies the Awl.

Having outrun his pursuit (helped by his two K’Chain Che’Malle), Redmask thinks back to his return to the Awl’dan, how he had found his people nearly decimated, the land empty. He is joined by Sag’Churok (the male K’Chain) and Gunth Mach (the drone growing into a female) and he wonders why they follow and protect him and why they kill Letherii.

Seren examines Ruin, wondering if he is mad, thinking him a dispassionate killer, one who views mortal lives as “reduced in meaning” to “obstacle or ally,” and one who is certain. When Udinaas asks Fear why Rhulad doesn’t come after them with thousands, Kettle says it’s because Rhulad wants the group to find what they are looking for, and so they are herding them in the right direction, adding it was the Crippled God who told Rhulad which way was the wrong direction. She identifies him as the one who gave Rhulad the sword and says the Crippled God isn’t yet ready for war and is keeping them out of the eastern wildlands where the “secrets” are. She says the dead told her all this, and told her as well that “the vast wheel is about to turn, one last time before it closes. It closes because...that’s how he made it. To tell him all he needs to know. To tell him the truth...the one who’s coming.” Seren asks Ruin if he has any idea what Kettle is talking about and he says no, but he plans to keep listening. Back to top

Chapter Three

Nisall thinks on how she watches Rhulad’s nightly torments, then recalls events immediately after Rhulad took the Letherii throne and later: his dismissal of Hanag Mosag after making him Ceda, his giving her the choice to stay Imperial Concubine, Trull telling Rhulad Fear left and begging him to destroy the sword, Rhulad ordering Trull’s Shorning, Binadas being sent away, Turudal Brizad vanishing. She wonders at Rhulad’s ability to weather each night’s torture, the betrayal of his brothers and Udinaas, and then do his job the next day, deciding there is something “decent” in him. Triban Gnol, she knows, considers her a rival for influence and she decides to try and mend fences. As she thinks, Rhulad cries out for Trull’s forgiveness and guidance.

Triban Gnol tells Bruthen Trana he cannot see the Emperor to give his report regarding Karos and the Patriotists, though he says he will forward the report to Rhulad. Bruthen suspects the Emperor is kept busy with petitions from people rounded up and coached by Gnol’s agents. Bruthen leaves and visits the Graveyard of Fallen Champions, those killed by Rhulad. Bruthen thinks if Brys returned he would do the same to Rhulad as he had earlier and he wishes for it to happen.

The Errant (Turudal Brizad) feels a pattern forming but, unusually for him, he cannot picture it and wonders if he is being played with and by whom. Even as he declares he controls fate, he feels fear. The tiles will not reveal themselves to him since the Ceda died and he wonders if the Ceda set this all up or somehow cursed him. He’s also confused by the sudden cold and wonders if he’ll need to concede defeat and go see Mael. Rejecting that idea, he plans to take control of the Cedance, though he’ll have to find out who made it. He senses chaos in the pantheon and blames some god, though thinks it is unlikely to be Mael. He wonders about the god who had usurped the Edur.

Tehol and Bugg “discuss” a dead fish.

Tehol walks the streets worried a bit about the overt Patriotists and the spies. He recalls how the Patriotists arrested scores of illusionary Rat Catchers. He goes to several “retailers,” trading/buying one item to use for the next purchase/trade which eventually gets him through a trap door to where Chief Investigator Ruckett and other refugees are hiding. She is investigating some “Grand Mystery” which involves a map. Tehol asks for money and says it will bring about the end of the Patriotists. He also collects some specially built tiles.

Venitt shows Rautos plans for a large holding, one building containing “an iconic object.” Rautos asks to see the new artifacts.

Shurq Elalle’s pirate ship comes across an Edur ship in the doldrums. As they move toward it, she recalls her past success, as well as dropping off Iron Bars and the Crimson Guard group on Jacuruku and leaving as it appeared the Guard were about to be attacked. The find the Edur ship deserted. Clearly there had been a fight of some sort. They find amphorae with an image of a figure nailed to an x-shaped cross with hundreds of crows at its head. The amphorae are filled with blood which her first mate identifies as used by the Edur to paint/sanctify temples in the forest. They find an Edur corpse, seemingly tortured for information. Shurq notes the logs and charts were taken. She orders the ship fired and as she leaves, wonders who these enemy of the Edur are and hopes not to meet them. Back to top

Chapter Four

Redmask worries the Letherii have tainted him as his banishment hadn’t killed him, which is what usually happens to tribal individuals who are banished. He approaches an Awl camp and is approached by a group of young warriors who don’t believe he is actually Redmask at first. He criticizes what they’ve done, they accept him and offer him their clan, telling him there is nothing left; he’s returned too late and all the clans are either destroyed or greatly reduced by the Letherii. They also tell him how the Ganetok clan contracted with the foreign wolf mercenaries seen earlier, who fought well while the Ganetok fled. Redmask plans to challenge Hadralt, leader of the Ganetok clan and then lead them against the Letherii. When Masarch, the young clan leader, says it’s impossible, Redmask says he will take Masarch and a few others to steal herds from the Letherii after the young warriors do their Death Night.

Udinaas is getting tired of the group’s constant in-fighting. He thinks he did more for Rhulad than Fear or any of the Edur and resents Fear’s hatred of him. He thinks Seren might take his side if she took one, but she’s too focused on not doing so. He wonders if she knew what it meant to accept Trull’s sword and thinks she must, and he wonders what happened to Trull when he returned to Rhulad. He notes the floor mosaics underfoot, images of war between long-tail and short-tail K’Chain Che’Malle, with the short-tails winning battles followed by the Matrons employing mutually destructive sorcery. They near the end of the passage and Seren goes to scout after some sniping amongst them. Ruin asks Udinaas what gives meaning to his life and Udinaas mocks Ruin’s meaning of revenge. Ruin says he’s considering turning on their pursuers and Fear warns him against it while Udinaas says have at it. Kettle wonders why none of them like each other and Udinaas says they’re all just tortured by themselves.

Scouting, Seren comes across the garrison and is almost caught by a patrol. She returns and tells the group they’re past the fort, but Ruin says there are wards up the trail. Seren asks if he can disarm the wards or just put the garrison to sleep using Mockra and he says he’s never heard of Mockra, but he’ll just kill whoever is in there and leaves. The rest stay and Seren thinks she should do something but tries to tell herself it isn’t her business.

The K’risnan Ventrala in the fort senses the orthen (sort of scaled mice) swarming outside then, as his chaotic power surges inside him, he senses another presence out there heading their way. Atri-Preda Hayenar hears shouting and is blown off her feet. Ventrala feels immense power sweep over him, brushing aside his own chaotic power, then the fort wall explodes. Hayenar finds the compound devastated, Orthen swarming over and eating soldiers, and Ruin slaughtering others. She tells her soldiers to retreat and an Edur orders her to countermand that retreat to stall Ruin until the K’risnan arrives.

Ventrala’s power has abandoned him and he thinks how Mosag had made promises for those loyal to him, conspiring against Rhulad, stripping the Emperor of everything until he was alone in his madness. A wraith appears and mocks him, tells him Ruin has killed all the Edur while the Letherii mostly ran away and that Ruin is now approaching. Ventrala set himself to face Ruin, realizing that Mosag’s words (and through him the Crippled God’s) were lies. Ruin appears and Ventrala tells him it isn’t the Crippled God pursuing Ruin’s group but Mosag and that the CG has no interest in taking on Ruin. Ruin gives a message for Ventrala to bring to Mosag and says he’ll be merciful this once, then leaves. Ventrala thinks Ruin knows the Crippled God better than them all and rather than hate the god, Ruin feels pity for him.

Ruin leads horses back to the group and tells Fear their pursuit is from Mosag, not Rhulad, and that Mosag seeks what they do. He tells Fear they need to settle their differences now and Fear replies that while he accepts that Ruin was betrayed by Scabandari, that the Edur cannot offer reparation or appease Ruin’s need for vengeance. Ruin tells Fear the Edur cannot ease his desire for vengeance, then informs him that Bloodeye was partially responsible for the sundering of Shadow but that Ruin is more upset over the betrayals before then, especially the betrayal of his brother Andarist, whose subsequent grief drove him mad. Fear accuses Ruin of planning to betray Scabandari but simply getting beaten to it and Ruin answers that he will not allow Bloodeye’s soul to be freed. Fear says he needs Scabandari to free Rhulad from the Crippled God and when Ruin says that would be impossible even with Bloodeye, Fear refuses to believe him. Ruin tells him Bloodeye’s soul is perhaps already being used, though he refuses to say by whom, then promises Fear that the day he takes on the Crippled God, Rhulad and all the Edur will be free and they can discuss reparations then. Fear accepts that.

Wither appears to Udinaas and tells him the Orthen come from the K’Chain Che’Malle world. Udinaas points to Kettle and asks if Wither believes in innocence, saying he doesn’t generally but he’s already grieving when he looks at Kettle, grieving “innocence when we kill her.”

About to steal the herds from a Letherii drover camp, Redmask thinks of the legends of the war between the Awl and the “Kechra” (K’Chain Che’Malle). Redmask knows the K’Chain merely mostly ignored the Awl, that their migration had simply reached the other side of Awl lands and continued. He believes the Letherii think they have a moral right to possess and therefore he has a moral right to defy them, even if it destroys both. He orders his small squad to prepare over their objections it’s crazy.

Sixteen-year-old Indebted Abasard walks among the herd thinking how nice it is out under the sky and how his family seems to have found new life. He discovers his two dogs killed and then notices the herd is being stolen. He begins to run back to camp.

Redmask kills the last of the Letherii shepherds, save for Abasard who ran away, and begins to cut off his face.

Abasard sees Redmask’s two K’Chain Che’Malle slaughter the camp. He tries to save his sister and is killed.

Redmask returns to his small squad and they begin to head out with the herd. Masarch hears the screams from the camp and thinks Redmask will defeat the Ganetok leader and lead the Awl against the Letherii and believes perhaps it is not too late. Back to top

Chapter Five

Hanan Mosag quests through the barrows of the dead Azath House in Lether. He finds one not empty, filled with binding rituals and sorcery he thinks is Galain. He then realizes someone has begun unraveling the magic to try and release who or whatever is kept prisoner below. He thinks about what to do.

A female creature who has seemingly just rejoined the “mortal world” has just killed and fed on a man who had followed her from the Markets, just as she’d planned. She covered her “unusual features” which go along with her “Tiste Edur blood coursing diluted in her veins.” She wonders who has been visiting the Azath House and probing her sorcery, the intent of which had been to weaken the binding spells put in place by Silchas Ruin. She wonders if it is the Errant, “that meddling bastard,” or Mael. She thinks she needs to leave Lether soon.

Rautos Hivanar watches his excavations continue, believing he is uncovering a huge mechanism of some sort. Venitt arrives and he gives him instructions for his journey to Drene to see the Factor Letur Anict, warning Venitt the Factor’s ambition is outpacing his common sense. He tells him Orbyn Truthfinder, Karos’ agent, will be an ally for Venitt.

Bugg tells Tehol he senses individuals stirring in the city. Bugg summarizes the issues: The Errant is following Mosag to see what his plans are. Mosag is playing with magic done by a murderous ascendant who is now heading for an unplanned meeting with Mosag, where the two of them might decide to work together, while another ascendant is about to be freed which will disturb someone in the north who isn’t ready to act yet. Meanwhile, the Edur fleets are bringing back two unpredictable champions and the secret of Bloodeye’s soul is soon to be revealed. Tehol is upset Bugg didn’t mention his own plan to topple the economy and Karos’ hunt for him. He tells Bugg to improvise.

Tanal Yathvanar delivers a special puzzle box to Karos with a two-headed insect in it, the goal of which is to stop the insect from moving before it dies of starvation (about 4 months). Karos tells Tanal there is a sickness among the prisoners.

Janath Agnar thinks about the ruins of a self-contained walled complex atop which Lether was built, ruins which pre-dated the Jhag Towers or Azath House. One theory is climate change caused a disaster. She’s interrupted by Tanal’s arrival. She tells him of a cult that believed every person one hurt—every “victim”—waits in the afterlife for that person. She and Tanal argue over Karos and he beats her near unconscious. He leaves, haunted by her and the idea of justice.

The Errant has returned to the Eternal Domicile after following Mosag to the Azath House. He thinks of how the Jaghut understood futility and wonders where Gothos is now, and if there was a message in Gothos’ eternal suicide note. He travels to meet Menandore and offers to bargain for information sharing. After accusing him of delighting in “tragic failure,” she tells him “sky keeps,” and when he asks if “it “has begun yet, she says not yet but soon. He says her sisters conspire with one eventual goal being killing her, adding “her” freeing is imminent. She wonders why he does nothing, or Mael, or “others.” He wonders who else might be in Lether and she says she “misspoke.” He not thinks he has to find out and returns to the Domicile.

Shadowthrone and Hood step out of the forest to join Menandore. Shadowthrone says the three of them have met and agreed on something, then offers to help her with her sisters in return for use of the Starvald Demelain gate. She makes him promise to use the gate only once and he agrees. They both agree to help each other in this case with not future obligations. Hood leaves, then Shadowthrone, then Menandore.

Nisall visits Queen Janal, who berates her and then tells her the “master” looks through her eyes and Janal should tell Rhulad that, adding that the Crippled God is the only one who matters now; the rest are blind. When Janal says Rhulad is failing, Nisall says the Chancellor Triban Gnol is the reason and the Crippled God should know that, suggesting he kill both Gnol and Karos, who plot against the Edur. Janal says the CG is almost done with the Edur. Nisall offers servants to help take care of Janal.

Janal speaks to the Crippled God and thinks him mad. He tells her they should prefer his indifference, that they should fear him one day calling them on what they do in his name, and says he will answer her prayers (she wants her throne) but she should never say he didn’t warn her.

Nisall felt the Crippled God inside Janal and wishes no part of his plans. She has heard rumors of war against the Bolkando Alliance and thinks Chancellor Gnol is pushing for it, though Rhulad worries the Edur are being spread too thin. Bruthen Trana (the Edur overseer of the Patriotists) warns Nisall that Karos is investigating her for sedition against the Chancellor and tells her not only has he been unable to give his report to the Emperor, but that Rhulad is being isolated from the Edur, that all petitions are from the Letherii only and selected by Gnol. He offers her two bodyguards and they agree to think about working together.

Sukul Ankhadu meets Hannan Mosag standing above the Azath House grave of Sheltatha Lore, whom Sukul is trying to free. He offers to help and help them find Ruin and stop him from reaching Scabandari, saying the Crippled God is ready to face him with allies. He adds Fear will also try to stop Ruin from getting Scabandari’s Finnest. She agrees but warns the Crippled God not to betray them, though she says he’s welcome to use the power of the Finnest so long as it is destroyed (though at his agreement she tells herself he must think her a fool). He leaves when she senses Sheltatha rising. She is glad he goes as she’d prefer Sheltatha without allies, then thinks “it was all Menandore’s doing, anyway.” Back to top

Chapter Six

Shurq Elalle’s ship, laden with the cargo from the wrecked Edur ship, is heading home with over a hundred Edur/Letherii ships behind her—the two searching fleets. Worried some might chase them, they make plans to head for the “hold-out prison past Fent Reach.”

Venitt Sathad, on his way to Bluerose then Drene, stops by the inn to see the ancient mechanism being uncovered by Bugg’s crew. He notices that Rautos has uncovered an exact replica at a much smaller scale. Bugg tells him he has a few theories on its purpose, saying there are similar mechanisms elsewhere in the city. Venitt asks Bugg to get a message to Rautos Hivanar to come see this one and bring his artifacts, which Bugg says he would like to.

Atri-Preda Bivatt investigates the settlers killed by Redmask’s K’Chain Che’Malle. Brohl Handar asks if they’ll pursue and she tells him no, thinking how much more independent/confident he has gotten in his position. Handar tells her the Letherii are exterminating the Awl, not waging war on them and that they’ve lost the moral high ground. When she says she cares only about giving answer and victory, he replies the Letherii and the Awl will lose and only people like the Factor will win, calling her a slave. He says she lives in a dark world and when she asks if his shadows are any better, he has no answer.

Redmask leads his group to the Ganetok camp and faces off with the clan leader Hadralt, calling him a coward for abandoning the mercenaries to their deaths against the Letherii. Redmask calls his K’Chain Che’Malle and Hadralt’s champions step aside. It comes out that Hadralt poisoned his own father to become leader. Redmask informs him that the weapons he’s bought off the Letherii came from the Factor and are inferior, then realizes Hadralt knew that. He accuses Hadralt of making a deal to surrender then Hadralt is killed by his own. Redmask names himself leader and declares he will lead them in war.

Redmask’s squad discusses Redmask’s victory and the impending war.

On the way back to Drene, Brohl Handar recalls what he’d heard about how the Letherii conquest of Bluerose had been difficult due to a “complicated religion” and a “mysterious priesthood” that had yet to be fully wiped out. He worries about trouble in Bluerose and disruption of Drene’s supply route. He surprises Bivatt by telling her of trouble in the Bluerose mountains and the destruction of a garrison there, as well as showing he was aware of the Factor smuggling goods over those mountains. He asks about the war with the Awl and after Bivatt summarizes why the Letherii will win (while admitting Redmask might make the war longer and bloodier), he says he’ll ask for several thousand Edur troops and some K’risnan. She responds she’ll allow the Awl to surrender, then will scatter and enslave them. Brohl doesn’t like it but agrees to argue it after they kill Redmask.

Redmask has learned more about the mercenaries: They called themselves the Grey Swords, were sworn to the wolf deities, came to Lether due to prophecy, they sought the “Battlefield of the Gods,” and were led by a one-eyed man (Toc). When Redmask learns the one-eyed man is held captive in the Awl camp, he goes to meet him. Toc tells him his army sought the First Sword of the K’Chain Che’Malle and he’s surprised to find out it is a human.

A lone figure moves through the Bluerose Mountains. He finds a vantage point, waits until he sees movement in the pass, then heads down.

The figure is part Tiste-Andii and lives in Andara, a monastery refuge/place of exile led by the Onyx Wizards who follow the “Black-Winged Lord.” He’d been ordered out to watch over the pass. He now moves toward Ruin’s group, thinking Ruin is the “brother of my god.” Wither comes alongside him and they spar verbally.

Clip meets Ruin’s group and welcomes them (rudely) on behalf of the Onyx Order. He tells Ruin how Rake arrived after Ruin was betrayed and then lists the many reasons Rake didn’t kill all the Edur. Ruin opens a gate into Kurald Galain using a small chain he keeps flipping back and forth. They all enter the gate. Back to top

Chapter Seven

Atri-Preda Yan Tovis (Twilight) enters Lether harbor with the returning Edur fleets, happy to be back and thinking of how big the world had been and of the thousands who died during the journey. She asks Taralack Veed why Icarium stays below and he tells her not to worry; Icarium will kill Rhulad and most likely destroy Lether as well. She notices the greeting delegation has no Edur and thinks Tribat Gnol’s “quiet usurpation” must be working, though she thinks it will now be challenged with the fleets’ return. Veed tells her Rhulad will fall as all gods’ chosen ones do.

Turdal Brizad (Errant) watches the fleet enter, noting Tomad Sengar’s anger at seeing no Edur and sensing something “fated” about Yan Tovis. He bemoans his diminishing gift of foresight and feels chaos coming toward Letheras from the sea. He sees Veed and then Icarium and feels a sudden chill (he recognizes Icarium). When Icarium steps foot onto Letheras soil, thousands of birds rise, the ground shifts, and something huge collapses.

Veed remarks on the earthquake to Yan Tovis who pretends to shrug it off. He tells her it was due to Icarium and she scoffs.

Icarium tells Veed he has been on this ground before, pre-Lether, that the Jaghut have also been here, and that Omtose Phellack was imposed on the heart of the city. He adds everything will change, no secrets will be left and he feels as if his life has reawakened. Veed thinks his death is near and isn’t happy about it.

Karsa and Samar Dev discuss their impending disembarking. She tells him there are “resident gods” in the city who could wrest the spirits from her and Karsa says the spirits are bound to him as well, that it is his “curse to gather souls.” He adds if any god tries to take his two friends’ souls from his sword he will kill it. He is offended by the guards meant to escort him to his quarters and fights several before telling them to be civil.

Bugg feels the earthquake and senses Icarium’s arrival, recalling Icarium coming before as a refugee “from a realm you laid to waste.” A passerby asks if Bugg is sick then tells him Scale House collapsed in the earthquake.

Bugg visits Rautos Hivanar’s excavations and Rautos shows him his artifacts, adding they’ve found nothing else save some stone chips. Bugg says it was an Eres’al mated pair working the flint for tools and goes into some detail, closing with them being the last of their line, though Icarium said it was just an illusion. Rautos breaks Bugg’s reverie and Bugg tells him the artifacts are a scale model of the large object at the inn, and what is missing is energy rather than matter, energy that has yet to arrive. Bugg leaves and walks through the streets thinking the energy comes and he weeps as he walks. He remembers Icarium walking into K’rul’s temple just before K’rul created the warrens and thinks Icarium learned from K’rul’s act. Bugg is grabbed by a pair of Patriotists and he kills them.

Feather Witch exits her ship, thinking of all the deluded she’d seen worshipping varied gods when they were really only aspects of one god, one who was indifferent. She’s decided to not worry about the gods anymore, that they would come begging her rather than the other way around. She heads into the crypts beneath the old palace where she’s going to live and study scrolls she’s found. From the First Empire. She thinks of how the Letherii/Edur should have been humbled by the ocean journeys and looks forward to bringing down the Empire. She pulls out the finger she’d taken but is interrupted by Hannan Mosag who says they should work together to destroy Rhulad. He says he will kill Rhulad with Rhulad’s family and she tells him Binadas is dead. He replies when it is over he will take the Edur home for the Lether will destroy themselves, mentioning the war in the east and adding that it is Fear who will find the means to Rhulad’s death.

Triban Gnol tells Rhulad that Tomad had a vision that Binadas was murdered on his ship by a demon and that Tomad has returned with that demon (Karsa) so Rhulad may avenge Binadas. But Rhulad says Tomad wants Karsa to kill him, that is the vengeance Tomad seeks because Rhulad killed Binadas and Trull, then accuses Hanradi and Mosag of treason. Gnol tells Rhulad Karos Invictad is investigating treason among the Edur and Rhulad demands proof. Gnol leaves and Nisall tells Rhulad it is ambition driving all this and Invictad is most ambitious of all and advises he call in Bruthen Trana to report. Rhulad raves a bit in confusion back and forth.

Tomad, denied by Rhulad the chance to meet with the Emperor, runs into Bruthen Trana in the corridor, who tells him that Gnol is controlling who has access, is keeping the Edur out and is isolating Rhulad. But when Bruthen tries to say Nisall might help, Tomad tells him he is being used by Nisall and he won’t speak to him again.

Invictad is obsessing over his failure to solve Tehol’s two-headed bug puzzle. Tanal Yathvanar says Rhulad’s suspicions have been awakened with regard to Edur treachery. Invictad tells him he has to get rid of Janath (kill her and dump the body) and offers up Nisall as possible replacement, arrested falsely.

Tanal decides he won’t kill Janath; he will tell her he loves her, free her, and flee the city with her. He moves her to a new place temporarily until he can move her again where he will teach her to fall in love with him.

Bugg finds Janath and takes her, debating whether he will use his power to tear down the Patriotists, but then thinking Tehol has set his sight on Invictad and that will do it.

Ublala Pung visits Tehol and tells him of Karsa’s arrival and Tehol tells him the Rat Catcher’s Guild have noted Icarium’s arrival as well. Ublala says once his Tarthenal kin here of a pure-blood they will gather. Bugg arrives with Janath, whom Tehol recognizes. Bugg tells him she needs gentle healing and peace and Tehol takes her in. Back to top

Chapter Eight

Cotillion looks down on a longhouse ranch beside a lake in Shadow where the survivors of the defense of the Throne live now. He speaks with Quick Ben, who asks if he brought him the way out, saying because the realm is wandering he can’t just walk out having no idea where he’d end up. Cotillion says he and Shadowthrone can help via the Azath and Quick Ben makes some guesses as to the nature of the Azath and their relation to Shadow. Cotillion tells QB that Shadowthrone saved Kalam’s life by getting him in the Azath, but keeps the real reason to himself. They are joined by Trull and Onrack and Cotillion tells them they have to journey beyond the lake and soon, adding he can’t fully explain how or why. Cotillion summons Shadowthrone to answer their suspicions, and he tells them “The rooster died of grief,” referring to a thought Cotillion had earlier to which none of them were privy. He then disappears and Cotillion tells them to say their goodbyes.

Shurq Elle’s ship battles a storm while icebergs from the northern ice sheets breaking up are battering the coast as they make for Second Maiden Fort, which Shurq says is now an independent state.

Shurq enters the harbor and anchors near a strange looking ship. They’re boarded by customs, a pair of women called Brevity and Pithy. The storm/ice is broken somehow by those on the island. Shurq learns the Second Maiden is ruled by Shake Brullyg, Grand Master of the Putative Assembly, whom she knows and refers to as a “full-blooded Shake.”

Ruin’s group waits while the Onyx Wizards/Reve Masters—the leaders of the Andara refuge—are consulting with Ruin. Udinaas gives his “revised” version of the hero’s tale, which ends with the hero’s name being a curse. The hero’s companions, though, were adopted by the evil ones and lived through an artistic renaissance until the next hero arrived. Fear tells of a women’s tale that Scabandari Bloodeye chose to die seeking absolution for his betrayal, saying the story represents the Edur guilt that cannot be appeased in reality so the story does so via allegory. Udinaas tells Fear he believes Rhulad was chosen by the Crippled God, that he had no choice in what happened to him, and Fear is thrown off by such generosity. Udinaas says blaming the God is too simple though, that the rigid hierarchy of the Edur contributed.

The Onyx Order is concerned about saving their “balance.” Ruin tells them The Andara is doomed, that the Jaghut ritual is failing and the glaciers are moving again, dooming the Andara as the “spear of Omtose Phellack’s very core” is aimed right at them. The Wizards tell Ruin they know, that the ice had only been a means of “freezing in place of time. Of life, and of death.” They explain the spear casts a shadow and inside that shadow Ruin will find what he seeks (though not “in the way you desire). They add that Menandore visited them and they believe she will oppose Ruin if he tries to force his way past Andara, arguing they also have some objections to him finding Scabandari’s soul, objections based in compassion. Instead, they offer Clip—the Mortal Sword of the Black-Winged Lord—as a guide, hoping the spear of ice can be “redirected.”

Ruin returns to his group and explain how the Omtose Phellack ritual defied Hood himself and so the Andii ghosts had nowhere to go and thus were enslaved by the Edur, though many found refuge in Andara. Ruin tells Fear he (Fear) is the greatest threat to the Andii here, as the Edur would hut down all of them and the Edur now also rule the Letherii who hate them for their resisting the Lether Empire earlier. Fear says if Clip can guide him/the Edur to Scabandari, the Edur will be in such debt he imagines they will give Bluerose full liberation, something he himself would argue for. Clip laughs and Seren thinks Fear should not trust him.

Brohl Handar is to oversee a punitive expedition to hunt down the killer of the Lether settlement and make sure it doesn’t become something larger. He asks Atri-Preda Bivatt about her secret meeting with Factor Letur Anict and she says it was about financing for the army. He tells her the Edur are financing this expedition and she should be wary of lying. She tells him the Factor lost household members in the slaughter and when Brohl wonders if the Factor demanded vengeance, she tells him he wanted reassurance. Brohl thinks the Factor needs to be “reigned in,” replaced, and charged with treason and corruption, not only as punishment but also as warning to all such others the Liberty Consign and Patriotists are protecting.

Bivatt worries that Brohl will be killed by the Factor’s assassins. Anict had told her Brohl was a problem, that his actions might have “fatal repercussions.” When Anict mentioned a conspiracy amongst the Edur against the Emperor, she thought the idea absurd, thinking the true “state” is the Factor and people like him, the Liberty Consign, the Patriotists, and the Chancellor and his people. She is unsurprised that the Edur might wage war against Letherii corruption that seems to turn Letherii defeat into victory. Thinking Brohl is dangerously naïve, she excuses herself from him and rides to find a particular Bluerose horseman.

Redmask notes how Toc is physically healing but worries about Toc’s mental health/stability. Toc and the Awl discuss singing without words and telling stories via beads strung on a line. Redmask distrusts words as they change, grow corrupt, are used as weapons, and he points to how the Letherii are especially good at corrupting words. Redmask tells Toc the wolves came and took the hearts of the Grey Swords that died against the Letherii and Toc explains how the Awl kept him from joining the Grey Swords in battle. Redmask offer Toc a choice of heading off anywhere save the Lether Empire or joining the Awl against the Letherii. They discuss tactics, Toc agrees to stay for a while, and also to tell Redmask of the Malazan army and its tactics. He tells Redmask refashioning the Awl into a professional army (rather than tribal clans) will change everything, adding they’ll need a new song: a dirge. Back to top

Chapter Nine

Sukul Ankhadu sits outside a lean-to where her freed sister, Sheltatha Lore, is recovering from her experience in the Azath barrow. Sukul tells Sheltatha that Menandore was the one who betrayed her, with Sukul helpless. Sheltatha says that just means Menandore was the one who betrayed the others first, as all were planning betrayals. Sukul says she has a plan to trap Menandore and has “an answer” for Ruin as well. Sheltatha agrees to work with her and then tells her that Ruin turned his back deliberately to Scabandari, sensing the approach of powers that could destroy them both and planning on the Azath as an escape. She adds of them all, Ruin thinks the most “draconian. As cold, as calculating, as timeless.” As they prepare to leave, Sukul thinks to herself how Sheltatha has the same contempt for her that Menandore had, and that she plans to use Sheltatha’s lust for vengeance.

Samar Dev and Taxilian converse with Taxilian saying the people want Rhulad killed, but that the Emperor is unkillable and Karsa will fail. He tells her how he has noticed an underlying pattern in the city and that there are “courses of energy, like twisted wires…woven through this city,” something that was revealed by the collapse of Scale House, which he says may not have been accidental, adding that someone knows about these underlying energy patterns and has ensured that the network has remained standing. He believes something big is about to happen and warns her she should run. She replies she feels some sense of loyalty to Karsa, though she’ll think about it.

Taralack Veed watches Icarium and thinks about what the Nameless Ones have missed by worshipping a stone house, ignoring too long the living. He then turns his critical gaze on himself, wondering at his own role, his own “evil,” and wondering if Mappo’s decision to betray the Nameless Ones for Icarium was as evil a choice as he had once thought. Icarium tells Taralack that the Emperor is afraid and Veed wonders what the Emperor knows.

Yan Tovis (Twilight) recalls seeing Icarium, Veed, and the now-crazed Varat Taun emerge from the warren after the failed attack on the First Throne. She thinks how the First Throne and the Throne of Shadow were destroyed, how Veed said only Icarium was left standing and had shown himself worthy of facing Rhulad, then recalls the bad news that all paths to the Thrones were sealed. She is joined by a Cabalhii monk (“Senior Assessor”) who had volunteered to join the Edur fleet, a monk with a face painted like a clown’s but reputed to be a healer. He explains the nature and history of Cabal’s faith in the One God (his own sect, the Mockers, believes the One God to be insane). He heals Varat Taun, but when Taun mentions Icarium, the Senior Assessor flees the room. Taun tells Twilight Icarium is an abomination that should be sent away, but that he could indeed kill Rhulad. She orders him to join her when she leaves the city in two days, then to ride to join the Factor’s staff in Bluerose. They meet Veed who fears they will prevent Icarium from fighting, but Twilight tells him she and Taun are leaving and will try and take Senior Assessor with them, the only other person who seems might know the truth about Icarium. Veed tells her the Empire is being used as part of the war amongst the gods and tells her to ride far.

The Errant thinks how the Holds have faded, as he has as well. He enters his old temple and meets Fener, who bemoans being pulled into the world and the death of so many of his followers. He asks how the Errant has survived so long, but the Errant says he can’t help, telling him how his power had already been wounded thanks to the pogroms by the Forkrul Assail against his own followers. He willingly gave up what he had left, making him powerful only in this region. He warns Fener “they will want the raw power in you—in your blood” and Fener says he knows he has one final battle, and a war. Fener bargains sanctuary from the Errant by telling him how the Hold of Beasts has been awakened and that the Wolves are now the Throne. The Errant gives him sanctuary and agrees to block those calling on Fener.

Feather Witch tries to make sense of a tile casting involving Ice Hold, Beast Hold, and Gate of the Dragon, among others. She wonders where the Errant is and also wonders about Menandore’s involvement and whether or not she is now protecting Udinaas. She senses someone/something and tries to capture it. Instead it attempts to bargain with her, wondering what she plans to do with the finger. The ghost identifies itself as Kuru Qan (the Ceda killed by Trull) and she agrees to wait for his “encouragement” before using the finger.

Samar Dev and Taxilian investigate where the old temple/Scale House collapsed and Samar finds lots of rat spirits that feel ancient. She tells him she needs to think about things and she’ll tell him if she comes to any conclusions.

Tehol and Bugg arrive at Scale House and Bugg says he thinks he knows what Samar saw there, speaking of doors and saying he thinks he’s starting to understand what is coming and that the best thing to do is nothing.

Sirryn Kanar, lieutenant in the Palace Cell of the Patriotists and Sergeant of the Guard leads a violent, deadly raid on Nisall’s quarters to take her prisoner.

Bruthen Trana enters Nisall’s chamber soon after and orders a march on Patriotist headquarters to get Nisall and her handmaiden back. He is interrupted by Chancellor Gnol, who gives the “official” story of Nisall’s treachery and blames her for the deaths of the other handmaidens. Trana kills Gnol’s bodyguards and is about to kill Gnol when his aide tells him they have no time if they are to rescue Nisall. Trana leaves and Gnol vows to kill Trana.

Karos Invictad enters the room to interrogate Nisall and get her confession, telling her the handmaid has already confessed and been killed, though she’d cursed Karos in the name of a Shake god before dying. He brings her to his office where she signs a confession “for Rhulad.” She warns Karos Rhulad will be angry that Karos killed her since she bears his heir. He goes to get a healer to call her bluff. She hears shouting then Karos returns and stabs her in the heart.

Bruthen Trana enters just after and Karos says her confession required her death. Trana reads her confession then orders her body taken, backhanding Karos when he objects. He then beats Karos until his aide tells him the punishment is not his to give. He and his men leave.

Tanal Yathvanar enters the headquarters upset that Janath has disappeared and thinking it was Karos who did it. He finds the aftermath of the attack and learns what happened and also that Karos has noting to do with Janath’s disappearance. Karos tells him a war has begun tonight and this time the Letherii will not lose.

Trana tells his aide to hide the bodies and get Mosag, informing him war has begun tonight, though he expects nothing “overt” from Gnol or Karos. He believes the others weren’t ready for war yet and panicked by taking Nisall. He wants Mosag to investigate what precipitated the panic. His aide, K’ar Penath, one of Mosag’s sorcerers, agrees with the plans and with keeping Rhulad out of it.

Janath awakens at Tehol’s and it comes out that Tehol had fallen for Janath when he was her student. After some back and forth, she eventually says he reminds her of better days.

Rautos Hivanar addresses a meeting of the Liberty Consign and tells them they are facing an economic crisis due to sabotage causing a lack of coins, metals, etc. He tells them the Patriotists are investigating but have found nothing and he himself thinks they face a genius, but that their enemy cannot hide much longer. They discuss the events surrounding the arrest and death of Nisall and consider dropping the Patriotists in the future. Rautos says he has already begun hiring others for when the Consign will need them. Back to top

Chapter Ten

Hedge, wandering through the realm “where the dead went,” comes across the skeleton of a dragon, the third he’d seen, all the bones covered in what looked like black, smoky glass that ran like water off the bones and onto the ground. He argues with the “wind” as he walks, believing it to be the remains of some forgotten god. The wind try to get him to despair and give up, getting him to admit that children number greatest among the fallen. But Hedge says he continues on because that’s what soldiers do.

Hedge comes across tracks and the wind tells him a T’lan Imass walks a few leagues ahead of him. Hedge smells snow and ice ahead.

Twilight, Varat Taun, and the Senior Assessor have ridden out from Letheras. Taun looks forward to being posted with his family, worries about Twilight’s softness in that assignment, wonders if she’s cowardly then dismisses the thought, thinks nowhere will be safe when Icarium faces Rhulad. He then thinks of how he and Veed survived and now Veed, whom he sees as a brother, has stayed behind. He tells Twilight he is going back, that maybe he and Veed can do something. The monk says he will return as well. Twilight rides on with her company.

Trull, Onrack, and Quick Ben have crossed the Shadow lake. Trull remarks on how the lake floor has been oddly even and wonders if it’s a grand concourse and Onrack says a similar-sized one—K’Chain Che’Malle—takes up the entire southeast peninsula of Stratem. When Trull bemoans being outclassed by his companions, Onrack informs him he is Knight of Shadow and points out the Eres’al has taken interest in him. Quick Ben decides to try a gate, telling them he thinks the Abyss is swallowing Shadow, that the realm is dying, “with every border an open wound.” Onrack says “other forces of his soul” are awakening with his memories and wonders what a warrior is to do when peace is at hand. Quick Ben disappears.

Quick Ben feels for weak spots in the surrounding area and senses the realm aware of him and thinks it feels almost feminine. He passes through ill air then to a valley with a miniature forest and huge dragonflies—a primordial tundra. He returns to the others.

Ballant, owner of the Harridict Tavern thinks he’s falling in love with Shurq Elalle and bemoans the cheap foreigners costing him good tavern money. Shurq tells Pretty some of the foreigners remind her a bit of Iron Bars’ Crimson Guard. Ballant tells her the foreigners have been meeting privately with Brullyg Shake (whom Shurq can’t get in to see) and then waste time at the tavern. Shurq Elalle realizes they’re waiting for something and they’re the ones who saved the island from the ice, giving them power over Brullyg. When she wonders if Brullyg is even alive still, Ballant tells her he’s been seen and she comes up with a plan to get in to Brullyg’s chamber

Ruin’s group have been climbing higher for days in the Bluerose Mountains, noting what’s been left behind by the dying glaciers: water, ice, sporing mold, decayed vegetation and animals. The migrating glaciers and the remnant magic of Omtose Phellack in them are threatening the Andii refuge and Seren wonders what Clip’s mission is as they move toward the heart of the Phellack ritual. She fears the mission will end in blood. Seren tells Udinaas Clip has taken her role as guide and Fear asks her not to leave. When she asks why, Udinaas tells her it’s because Fear thinks her betrothed to Trull. When he tells Fear Trull is dead and Rhulad lacks honor, Seren has to pull Fear off of Udinaas. When she tells Udinaas not to do it again if he “values his life,” Udinaas says all of them have a death wish. But when Kettle says she doesn’t want to die, Udinaas turns away in grief. Fear tells Seren Trull was “blind to his own truth” when he gave Seren the sword and Seren says Trull is dead, and thinks she is as well.

Clip and Ruin don’t get along.

Toc, riding with Redmask’s Awl army, recalls his earlier life and Anaster’s as well, thinking how this new body which had fed on human flesh still “knows hunger and desire” when it walks battlefields. He wonders how Redmask ended up with K’Chain Che’Malle bodyguards and wonders as well what sort of redemption he expects from Redmask. He wishes Tool were with him and thinks the world that keeps trying to make him a soldier can go fuck itself.

An Elder tells Redmask he should have killed Toc. The Elder says he is the last one of the Awl who was there before Redmask was expelled, saying “I know what she meant to you and I know why” and adding that Redmask should fear him and listen to him, as he is the voice of the Awl and he will not allow them to be betrayed. When Redmask says nothing, the Elder tells him he only has to fear if he plans evil, otherwise Redmask and the Elder can work together to defeat the Letherii. Forced to say something, Redmask says yes, “an end to the Letherii...Victory for the Awl.”

Stayandi (Abasard’s sister) recalls leaving the city for their settlement on the plains, the slaughter by the K’Chain Che’Malle, Abasard’s death, and how she had fled for days/weeks. She is adopted by wolves for a while then wakes alone to find the wolves had run off rather than face a hunter wearing wolf pelts and with a white painted face. He crouches down to her and when he leaves, she follows.

Redmask tells Toc one of the scouts found tracks of a dozen skilled men on foot, non-Letherii. When Redmask announces the battle with the Letherii will occur three leagues from their camp, Toc says he will stay and guard the train. Redmask assigns a young Awl named Torrent to stay there as well. Angry, Torrent tells Toc to tend to the smallest children and leave Torrent alone. When Toc reminds Torrent of how he and the Awl had abandoned the Grey Swords and threatens him, Torrent says Toc is cursed. Toc thinks he has a point.

Redmask speaks with several Awl about the upcoming battle. Natarkas says he doesn’t like the “new way of fighting. I see little honour in it.” Redmask agrees but says it is necessary. Back to top

Chapter Eleven

Hunch Arbat, who once collected excrement amongst the farms to bury the Tarthenol gods has stopped now that the need has passed (remember the Azath fight scene), much to the dismay of his people. He looks forward to leaving but then has a vision that causes him to pack up and set fire to his dwellings. He runs into a group of villagers rushing to the fire. They tell him there is a troop of Edur at the inn and he informs them he’s leaving. Farther down, he runs into Twilight’s group and tells them of the Edur, then of a place they can stay for the night without being seen. He heads off, fearing his destination.

Ublala tells Tehol and Bugg he needs he needs to bring them to Karsa and to do so they have to break into the compound.

Ormly meets Rucket and tells her Tehol’s going too fast and the Patriotists and Liberty Consign are getting stirred up. Rucket interrupts to ask about the collapse of Scale House and he says they’d been preparing for that, though they don’t know “what’ll happen when whatever it is happens.” Rucket says the real mystery isn’t Tehol but Bugg, and wonders where they’re putting the massive amounts of coin they’ve hoarded. They also discuss the growing tension between the Edur and the Patriotists and between the Chancellor and the Patriotists.

The Errant thinks on how Mael helped arrange, with Kuru Qan, a Jaghut to use Omtose Phellack to imprison the powerful sea spirit used by the Edur. He wonders what caused Mael to involve himself, not only with the sea spirit but with the Crippled God as well (“battering a broken god senseless”), and wonders as well how Mael will deal with his worshippers that have been abusing Mael’s aloofness. The Errant begins to suspect the battle lines between the gods aren’t drawn as neatly and simply as he’d first thought. He notes the cracks in the ice imprisoning the spirit and wonders if Mael knows, if he should tell Mael himself. He is struck with a plan, for which he needs “a mortal’s hand...A mortal’s blood.” He transports himself to meet with Feather Witch and speaks to her of bargains, of the Holds clashing against the younger Warrens. Kuru Qan’s spirit appears and tells the Errant not to do this, that he is desperate and has been infected by the sea spirit’s ambition and lust. He warns him that the Warrens have a Master just as the Tiles did. The Errant thinks he will take that Master’s power and dismisses the Ceda’s warning that setting the Holds against the Warrens will wreck alliances. They argue back and forth then the Errant attacks Feather Witch with a knife to get her blood. She stabs him in the eye with Brys’ finger, then plucks out the eye to keep. The Errant leaves.

The Ceda goes to get a healer to help Feather Witch before she dies.

The Errant goes back to his temple and throws the knife with Feather Witch’s blood on it onto the tiles, where it impales his own tile, in the chest of his image. He can feel energy rippling and hope Feather Witch is dead, wanting “no High Priestess bound to his resurrected godhood.” He decides to go back and check.

Feather Witch feels herself dying and thinks the Ceda will not return in time. She swallows the Errant’s eyeball.

The Errant feels a lot of his power ripped away, then hears Feather Witch in his head declare herself “Desti Anant, God Chosen” and telling him “You are mine. I am yours.” She demands the Errant summon and heal their Mortal Sword, who waits in her hand, adding she also has someone in mind for Shield Anvil (“T’orrud Segul”)—Udinaas. The Errant tells her to leave him alone and she replies she “compels” him, driving him to his knees as he recalls what he had forgotten—“the chains. The wills locked in an eternal tug of war.” Feather Witch informs him his plan worked; “blood now flows between the Tiles. Between them all. The Warrens...The Tiles now flow...These new Warrens.” She names some of their “flavors”—light and dark, shadow, and Chance—Oponn, whom she refers to as upstarts playing the Errant’s game. The Errant tells her that her demands are weakening him and he is vulnerable. She dismisses his fears at first, but when he tells her the Crippled God lies behind the Edur, she leaves him alone. He decides he erred and now has to make new plans.

Karsa beats one of the other challengers in a sparring. Samar Dev wonders about the silent Seguleh woman amongst the challengers. Her thoughts are interrupted by the sudden “shivering along the strands—the bones—buried beneath the flesh of this realm...and every other one.” She goes to her room and is met by Kuru Qan’s shade, who asks her to come heal Feather Witch. Samar refuses (recall she knows Feather Witch from the journey to Lether). When Qan is distracted by another “shiver,” Samar collects him in her knife.

Karsa enters, walking right through Samar’s magical wards. They discuss the spirits in Karsa’s sword (his two friends) and how his sword is a “warren within a weapon,” which Samar points out isn’t unique. Karsa responds by pointing to her own knife, a prison for ghosts. He sense she has bound one, something she’d said once she never did. She answers she felt the need out of survival. He leaves, telling her the Seguleh will fight him.

A crowd, including Veed and Icarium, has gathered to watch Karsa and the Seguleh fight. Samar notices Tomad Sengar in the crowd as well.

Karsa stomps to shake the ground and throw off the Seguleh’s balance, then breaks her wrists with a sword blow (the flat of the sword), then lifts her.

Icarium recalls meeting Karsa and being interrupted. Veed thinks it must have been Mappo who saw what would happen. He asks if Icarium would resume the duel and Icarium shakes his head no.

Tomad tells Samar it was unanimously decided that Karsa would face Rhulad last (part of the purpose of the challenges is entertainment, with the most challenging going last). Before leaving, Tomad says Karsa is superb, but will still die. Karsa puts the Seguleh down and looks around, but Icarium, much to Samar Dev’s relief, has already left. Karsa says Icarium “fled” and that when he finishes Rhulad he will seek out Icarium to finish their duel. Karsa plays with Samar and as she leaves she notes how his façade—“thick-skulled savage”—is at odds with his true cleverness.

Hannan Mosag travels in what he thinks is true Kurald Emurlahn, a place he has created in his mind, a place he is free of the Crippled God. He calls upon Mother Dark and Father Light to look on their children, on Emurlahn, and heal them. He thinks of how he sought the Throne of Shadow which he would then use to make Kurald Emurlahn strong and whole again, just as he would have used chaos (the power of the Crippled God) to do the same. He believes Rhulad ruined everything. An owl passes over, shocking Mosag, who thinks, “There is no one alive to claim that title. He [Brys] is dead. He was not even Tiste Edur.” He cries out that the choice should be his, that Mother Dark and Father Light should guide him to the Throne of Shadow, or else it will be Rhulad and the Crippled God. He has an offer, calling on the Andii and Liosan, saying the betrayals are done, that he pledges the Edur to alliance and asks for representatives from the other two. He then accepts the omen, agreeing it is not his choice, and accepting Brys as Mortal Sword of Emurlahn.

Mosag comes out of his trance as Bruthen Trana watches and waits. Mosag gives Trana the mission to find Brys, though he doesn’t name him for fear of tipping off the Crippled God, telling him to stop off to find Feather Witch first to get “an item.”

Tehol and Ublala skulk. Badly.

Bruthen Trana is amazed that Mosag can offer him hope, despite all Mosag’s crimes/sins—greed, ambition, betrayal—all of which make Trana want to strangle him. As he heads down under the Old Palace, he wonders who answered Mosag’s prayers. He nears Feather Witch and senses she had grown in power.

Trana brutally assaults Feather Witch and takes Brys’ finger, then leaves.

Tehol arrives back home after creating a diversion (not of his own making) to allow Ublala to try and reach Karsa. Bugg tells him Ublala wants to do so in order to learn if Karsa is a new god or ascendant. When Tehol says Tarthenol only worship what terrifies them and Karsa is just a warrior doomed to be killed by Rhulad, Bugg merely shrugs.

Ublala makes it to Samar Dev’s room and has her take him to Karsa. He kneels and calls Karsa “Pure One.” Karsa whacks him upside the head and tells him Toblakai kneel to no one. Ublala identifies himself as Tarthenal and Samar Dev explains they are “a mixed-blood remnant of a local Toblakai population.” When she says they are mostly vanished, Ublala corrects her, informing them they are defeated not vanished, and some still live on islands in the Draconean Sea. He turns and tells Karsa “Lead us War Leader.” Karsa tells Samar his declaration that he’d lead an army of his kind has started to come true. Ublala is stunned when he hears that Karsa can resist Letherii sorcery and Samar Dev tells him Karsa makes no empty promises. Karsa tells Ublala to gather their people from the islands and bring them here, to him, their Warleader. Ublala says the marks on Karsa’s face are “as shattered as the Tarthenal. As the Toblakai—broken, driven apart.” When Ublala says he has a secret of Rhulad to tell Karsa, Karsa orders Samar Dev out. Back to top

Chapter Twelve

Brohl Handar and Atri-Preda Bivatt observe what looks like the war camp of the Awl, expecting the battle tomorrow. Bivatt tells Handar she’s relieved as it looks like the Awl will use the same old failed tactics and mentions how the battle site—Bast Fulmar—is a valley of some “arcane significance” to the Awl. Handar is surprised she let the Awl choose the battle site but she says it’s a good setting: good visibility for the mages, open territory, and she thinks the Edur will probably not need to be used. Handar notes a lack of outriders/pickets and she dismisses his concern, saying the Awl wanted them to see the camp. They ride back with Handar thinking Bivatt, under instruction from Factor Anict, wants it to be a solely Letherii victory.

Toc fletches his arrows in the train of the Awl, which has been set up to look like a war camp, while Redmask and his warriors are hidden elsewhere on the plain. Torrent mocks Toc’s weapons, then leaves. The elder who knows Redmask joins Toc and says he doesn’t trust him, noting the suspicious magic surrounding Toc’s arrows. Toc and the elder exchange “secrets,” though the elder thinks Toc is playing a lying game. The elder’s last secret is that Redmask will betray the Awl. After their “game,” the elder tells Toc that Torrent thinks Toc will run and plans on killing Toc when he does so. Toc agrees his courage may be broken, but says Torrent will have a hard time catching him. Toc yells to Torrent (hiding in the shadows) that the Awl will have to face the question of cowardice tomorrow and wonders if Redmask can “bully” them into honor.

Hedge catches up to the T’lan Imass he’s been trailing—Emroth of Kron clan. She’s badly damaged, with only one arm. He joins her in walking “north.” She tells him she can’t turn to dust in this place, much to her dismay, as Hedge yammers on. When he hits a little too close to home, she tells him to stop and he points out how the Imass’ vengeance on the Jaghut was unnecessary and in fact did worse damage to the Imass themselves. She says she is unbound and her memories, specifically memories of love, have broken her. Farther north they spot Omtose Phellack, which Emroth says they’ll have to cross. When Hedge asks what’s on the other side, she replies she thinks it’s “home,” and Hedge thinks she just “[made] things a lot harder.”

Udinaas, fevered for days, “dreams” himself crippled, overlooking a wrecked temple and surrounded by hundreds of Forkrul Assail corpses littering the hillsides. The Errant appears, covered in blood and screams out in fury. The Errant tells Udinaas “Can you feel this grief?” and says they are for him, so their deaths will not be empty of meaning. Menandore, in dragon form, arrives and tells the Errant Udinaas is hers, but then agrees to give him to the Errant in exchange for a simple “nudge” to remove her sisters’ interference, though she says the child Udinaas fathered by her is not part of the deal. The Errant warns her the “child” is now grown and “his mind is his own.” When he calls this warning an act of “mercy,” she scoffs and tells him Udinaas will fail him, as “he has no faith, the compassion within him...[is] ever moments from annihilation.” Udinaas banishes the two.

Kettle speaks to Udinaas still in his dream, telling him the temple had broken because it couldn’t hold all the grief and Udinaas had been meant to see it “so you’d understand when everything happens. And not be sad. And be able to do what he wants you to do, just not in the way he thought it would be.” Before leaving, she tells him not to cry too soon. Udinaas thinks his dreams are like “lessons in taking control.”

Seren, worried about Udinaas, asks Clip when they’ll head into lower altitudes so she can find healing herbs. Clip says Udinaas’ fever isn’t wholly natural and Ruin agrees, saying old, fragmented sorcery permeates the area. He thinks it might be K’Chain Che’Malle, though he isn’t sure, nor does he know why only Udinaas seems to be affected. Seren tries to find snow to melt and wonders why so much of the past snowfalls that have accreted into glaciers seem to have passed through “smoke, ash, pieces of once living things.” As she digs, she uncovers a spear which Clip identifies as T’lan Imass. When Seren asks if that name is supposed to mean something to her, he says, “it will.” Clip then tells her he has been “blessed” by Mother Dark, that he can “walk the Darkness,” something Ruin doesn’t know, adding Seren shouldn’t tell Ruin since Clip is the only one who can stop Ruin from killing her and Udinaas, whom Ruin sees as enemies. When Seren scoffs at the idea of the two of them posing a threat to Ruin, Clip refuses to explain. Seren plans on giving the spear to Udinaas as a crutch and Clip mysteriously says, “It belongs with us.” When she does give it to Udinaas, Ruin tells Udinaas that he’ll have to give it up at some point (and not to Ruin). Clip mentions he’s never seen a spear fighter he couldn’t take easily and Fear laughs, to Seren’s enjoyment.

Quick Ben bemoans the loss of friends and knows he is trying to avoid making more friends for fear of more pain. He, Trull, and Onrack are being tracked by giant catfish and they discuss using Quick Ben’s gate to exit. Quick, though, fears some unknown consequences for Onrack, who replies he is expendable and if he has to be left behind, he’ll turn to dust and “join oblivion.” Just before being attacked, they move through Quick Ben’s gate into the world he’d entered before and Onrack is returned to full life. Onrack asks if they’ve entered Tellann and Quick Ben says he isn’t sure.

Redmask tells an ancient tale of long ago, how the land descended from sky to earth. He talks of the Shaman of the Antlers (T’lan Imass) who, he says, cursed the earth. Though they left to fight their wars, Redmask says the Awl do not forgive. Bast Fulmar, he tells his warriors, was not the site of battle between the Awl and K’Chain Che’Malle as both the Awl and Letherii think. It was where the T’lan Imass performed their ritual of Tellann and drained the valley of magic, meaning the Letherii sorcery will not work.

Twilight’s group reaches Boaral Keep near the coast and speaks to two old women. It turns out the two women, Pully and Skwish, are Shake witches. They have been cursing the Letherii leader of the keep with madness, cursing the entire line with killing their wives. The keep’s master of arms, Yedan Derryg, has ridden to the coast having heard rumors of monsters/demons. He is Twilight’s half-brother and also Shake (part of The Watch). Twilight, who had been princess, is now queen of the Shake, as her mother died about a year ago. She orders the two to lift the curse. Pully says it’s too late and Twilight decides to execute him, “avoiding” arrest. Pully informs Twilight the witches have chosen her a husband—Shake Brullyg on Second Maiden Fort, though they no longer know what is going on there, which is something unprecedented.

Bivatt had been surprised to find the Awl already set up in force at Bast Fulmar and then was told most of their dogs had been poisoned. She notes the Awl warriors are more disciplined then usual and they are using spears, not the faulty weapons sold to them by the Factor. Brohl Handar suggests Bivatt withdraw, offering several critiques and then informing her that the valley is dead to magic. The battle begins and does not go well for the Letherii as the Awl employ unusual tactics. Suffering major losses, Bivatt orders retreat, hoping to use her mages on the plain. Then she is told of “demons” attacking and being pursued by the Letherii mages. She tries to order the mages back.

As the battle commences, Brohl Handar sends reinforcements to the supply camp, having a bad feeling about things. The camp is attacked by K’Chain Che’Malle and Handar rides to its aid but is badly wounded.

Bivatt sees a K’Chain Che’Malle wreak havoc amongst her shoulders until being driven off by sorcery. She retreats toward camp hoping Handar fought off the attack there. Redmask seems content to let them retreat.

Twilight rides with three others towards the coast. She thinks of how the prison island had been sacred to the Shake and has been freed too late, thinking of how sometimes the Shake would see “demon-kissed children” born to them, some of whom would become witches using the Old Ways and others that would be tossed from the cliffs to the “thirsty sea.” She had fled the “barbaric legacy” of her people and the “nihilism of a self-inflicted crime.” She had understood better once she saw a fully demonic birth. She had thought the coven obliterated and thinks how the shouldermen are a “devolution” from “truly knowing the god that was the shore.” She thinks the coven does what it desires and wishes the Letherii had succeeded in wiping them out. She has spent time hand-picking her soldiers, choosing those with Shake blood. They run across Yedan Derryg and his soldiers, who are also Shake. He told her that like her he’d thought his title—Watch—was merely “honorific” but he felt himself summoned three nights ago, adding that they’ve discovered strangers have arrived, though they leave no tracks. Then they see a glow and investigating, they find hundreds of ships burning on the shore and Twilight recognizes them as Malazan, from a continent where they’d killed thousands when their fleets clashed. She tells Derryg they journey to the isle and the hell with warning the Edur and Letherii. Back to top

Chapter Thirteen

Throatslitter, Deadsmell, and Sergeant Balm sit in the tavern and watch as Shurq and Skorgen take responsibility for delivering the cask of ale to Shake Brullyg. Deadsmell tells them she’s dead, and they don’t believe him at first.

Shake Brullyg watches as a pair of Malazan (Lobe and Galt) play a game and Masan stands guard at the door, thinking how the Malazan have taken control of the island from him, just before he becomes King of the Isles (if none of the queen’s daughters shows up). He asks to leave, to show himself to his people, but Lobe says they’ll “walk him” later. The Malazans can tell someone different is delivering the ale and they react with suspicion when they let Shurq and Skorgen in. Shurq tells Shake the harbor is blockaded with the biggest ship she’s ever seen and a war galley coming into the pier. With that news, the Malazans become more comfortable and say their waiting is over.

Blistig thinks how their army is now cut off from home and recalls the events between now and their departure from Malaz City a year ago: Lostara Yil, maybe at Keneb’s suggestion, stepping into the place of T’amber as Tavore’s aide; rumors of mutiny among the troops (save the Malazans); Lostara via Grub’s arcane knowledge getting Banashar to dole out cash from his hoard to pay and mollify the soldiers; then Tavore coming out and giving a speech. Tavore told them they were sailing to Sepik, a Malazan Protectorate, whose population was slaughtered, and they will “give answer.” She told them of T’amber’s words (“What awaits you in the dusk of the old world’s passing, shall go unwitnessed”) and then closed with her own: “We shall be our own witness, and that will be enough. It must be enough. It must ever be enough.” Blistig hasn’t understood that speech since she gave it, hasn’t understood the army’s acceptance of it, and can’t believe that Tavore had them burn their ships upon landing on Lether.

Lostara enters the harbor aboard the Froth Wolf. She’s glad to leave the ice behind. She thinks about the army’s reorganization and is happy they nudged Blistig out of real command. She tells Tavore Sinn is keeping the ice at bay though she doesn’t know how, adding that Ebron thinks the ice/Jaghut ritual is breaking down. She and Tavore discuss Grub’s close connection with the nachts, and then Tavore tells her to get the other ready to disembark.

A group of Letherii ride past Fiddler’s hidden squad, not seeing them thanks to Bottle using Mockra. Gesler and Fiddler discuss the “invasion” tactics—landing the marines, small groups, ambushes and night raids.

Sergeant Helian readies her squad and divides up the salvaged rum.

Keneb considers how Tavore has reshaped the army for the Lether invasion, standardizing the magic-users, using sorcery as communications, joining heavies and marines and sappers, making sure someone knows Mockra in all the small forward squads. He realizes all of this meant that Tavore had known where they were going and what they’d be facing. He thinks how she only met with the Meckros blacksmith (Withal) and the Tiste Andii from Drift Avalii and wonders what they told her. He recalls coming across a pair of Edur ships and torturing the Edur officers for information, then taking the ships logs and charts. He wonders why they are here and if Laseen and Tavore had cooked up the whole thing at Malaz City, similar to what Laseen had done with Dujek and Whiskeyjack in the Pannion War, though he doesn’t believe it. Faradan Sort interrupts his thought to say her squad is ready and she wants to take Beak as her squad mage. As they head out, Keneb considers the plan—fight the Edur, encourage the Letherii to rebel, create a civil war—and finds it sadly ironic that they deliver what they avoided in Malaz City.

Beak thinks how nobody likes him and how the one thing he knows well and loves is sorcery. He grew up in a horrible childhood (and adolescence, and early adulthood) where he was regularly beaten, sometimes near to death. He learned magic from a Seti witch who told him magic for him was “the lone candle in the darkness” and she taught him then found others to teach him the other warrens, which he sees as differently colored candles. Sort collects him as her mage to find the other squads and organize/communicate with them. When she asks about his family, he tells her they all died the night he “showed them my candle.” On the march they camp over some rubble and Beak identifies it as Jaghut and says there are Forkrul Assail and Tiste Liosan bodies under the ground and ghosts, remnants of the Just Wars. He warns them the ghosts will have them killing each other soon and they move on.

In the north of the island, Cord watches the icebergs and floes. Shard tells him he doesn’t know if Sinn is getting tired holding the ice back, saying he doesn’t really know his sister anymore, not since Y’Ghatan. He adds that she isn’t just holding back the ice anymore though; she’s “killing” it, quickening its decay and using the Omtose Phellack to “weave something else.”

Withal bemoans the way the gods use mortals, himself and Tavore and Rhulad. He wonders if Tavore is setting herself against the gods and wonders as well why Mael had him wait for her. He thinks about the other legion off the coast, and how only Tavore knows where the Perish and Khundryl have gone. Sandalath Drukorlat (his wife) tells him he should be more sympathetic toward the Andii from Drift Avalii, saying they’ve been several times abandoned—by Rake, by Andarist.

Nimander watches Phaed glaring at Sandalath and wonders at her ever-present malice, thinking she is capable of murder. He worries about her response to Sandalath, who has taken Phaed’s measure and returned scorn and contempt. They look out on the island and prepare to follow Sandalath off the ship. Back to top

Chapter Fourteen

Hedge and Emroth walk a plain of ice littered with Jaghut detritus. Emroth says many Jaghut were killed here, though there are no bodies. They find the bodies surrounding a throne of ice on which is a Jaghut corpse. Emroth tells Hedge “the spirit left” the body, adding the Throne of Ice was and is dying and so there was nothing left to rule. Hedge asks who it is and when she doesn’t answer, he believes he figures it out anyway.

As they journey, Onrack revels in his newly returned life and Trull watches in wonder and joy. The three discuss a pack of Ay trailing them and Onrack says the Ay have seen similar creatures before, and also that they await Onrack’s of a deadly cat—an emlava (sabertooth-like). Quick Ben and Trull say they’ll help and Onrack says they can go with him, but they can’t fight. They reach the emlava’s lair and are joined by the Ay pack. The emlava is killed and Onrack learns it as female, which makes them wonder if the male is still around. Then they hear the emlava’s offspring in the cave.

Wither asks Udinaas how he knows what he does, what he dreams of. Udinaas doesn’t answer. The two discuss what seems to have happened to the Short-Tail city they’re moving through—something large from the sky crashed into it. Ruin tells how the K’Chain molted and used their skin as parchment. Clip, explaining how Ruin knows so much of his enemy, says Ruin treated with the Nah’ruk, but Ruin interrupts.

Seren wonders why Ruin led them north instead of just tearing through the people and obstacles Mosag and Rhulad put before him. Seren hears a voice that identifies itself as “Mockra” which “explains” (and I use that term loosely) K’rul’s creation of the warrens. Afterward, she and Udinaas appear to have some shared knowledge.

Twilight (Yan Tovis), Yedan Derryg, and the others arrive at Road’s Eng. She tells Derryg to gather the witches and warlocks. Before going to do so, he asks her not to send the Shake to war. She enters the old tavern to find most of the witches and others already inside. Pully tells her Shake is on the island thinking he will be Rise (King of the Shake). Twilight says they will sail to the isle and then denies them the ritual that they’d been planning, telling them the Old Ways failed the Shake and that she is not her mother—she plans to not only be Queen but rule. She thinks to herself this is the beginning of a long power struggle and that the shoulderfolk will plot her downfall.

Fiddler wakes and wonders why the country that they’ve been moving through for days has been so empty. Bottle warns him against doing a Deck reading, then points out nobody has seen Gesler for a while. Stormy doesn’t know where he is either.

Gesler wanders through the ruins and thinks of how he can’t forget his dead—Truth, Pella, Coltaine, the dead of Aren. Stormy finds him and they talk of the wars they’ve fought and avoided.

Fiddler’s squad (Koryk, Smiles, Bottle, etc.) wake, banter, prepare to head out.

Corabb has been told to stay close and keep Bottle safe. He thinks he has started a new life now, one with the Malazans. Bottle asks him why he didn’t go with Leoman, then tells him this land, Lether, is filled with ghosts because it is “deathless.”

Trantalo Kendar, a young Edur, rides with his older brother commander and a small group of Edur warriors to Boaral Keep (where Twilight had ridden to find the Shake). They find the keep deserted then are attacked by Hellian’s squad and all are killed.

Hellian has her group take the horses despite Keneb having told them to foot it the whole way. She plans to keep ahead of the “bad news as long as we can” on their way to Letheras, with plenty of stops in taverns along the way.

Faradan’s group comes across a wayhouse. Beak uses magic to let them steal horses with no worry about being caught then or later. He feels he’s falling in love with Sort because of how she actually listens to him.

Throatslitter, watching events in Brullyg’s chamber, recalls his father’s stories of how Kellanved had conquered Li Heng using the T’lan Imass. He thinks of how all that power means nothing if one can still be killed by a knife in the back. He remembers his training as an assassin and thinks how all his old masters had been killed by the Claw at Surly’s command. He had evaded the Claw and thinks others did as well. He plans on following this army “for now.” Looking at the others, he notes Blistig’s “spiritual exhaustion” and thinks Tavore should get rid of him, then wonders how many other soldiers were made not just hard but “brittle” by Tavore’s “unwitnessed” line, like Blistig. Shurq asks Tavore why the Malazan Empire is invading Lether and Tavore tells her the enemy is the Edur only and the Malazans wouldn’t mind if the Letherii revolted. Shurq explains why they won’t and the Malazan grimly realize they’ve sent the marines into a war thinking they’d find allies but instead they’ll find twice as many enemies. Back to top

Chapter Fifteen

Tomad’s wife Uruth upbraids him for not seeing Rhulad and not helping him get out from under Triban Gnol. When he says their kin are weak and lost as Rhulad, she informs him of Bruthen Trana’s disappearance, adding that a K’risnan told him Trana was killed by Karos Invictad or Gnol. She thinks the K’risnan was lying, however, in order to gauge their reactions and in hopes of creating a distraction to allow Trana to do whatever it is he is doing. They agree that Lether has conquered the conquerors. When Tomad says some Edur are returning home, Uruth wonders if instead they are being killed and suggests that Mosag is the Edur’s only hope of survival, even if it means conspiring against their own son (whom both agree is insane).

The Errant enters the throne room unseen to eavesdrop on Gnol and Rhulad. Watching, he muses on the concept of power and recalls Mael saying the only “redemption” in power was that it will always eventually destroy itself and then the observers can enjoy the surprise of those who had wielded it. The Errant, though, thinks he doesn’t have Mael’s patience or temper then makes his way through thoughts of several ascendants and their relation to power: Rake, Draconus, Osserc, Kilmandaros. His thoughts are interrupted by Rhulad’s anger in learning that the Sepik Edur have been kept in the trench-pens at Tomad’s order and that they’ve been dying there in great numbers. Rhulad demands his mother and father come to him and Gnol leaves him alone to summon them. The Errant listens to Rhulad’s poignant cries and wishes, and for a moment thinks of stepping out to speak to him, but then Rhulad’s voice turns darker and his anger rises.

Sirryn Kana, a Letherii, arrives with a squad to escort Tomad and Uruth to Rhulad and Uruth stands up to them, making it clear they go on their terms and threatening to kill them with Shadow if they don’t sheathe their swords.

Karsa is straining at the restrictions the Letherii are placing on him (not wandering around with his sword). He and Samar discuss his killing of Binadas.

Karsa bemoans the long lack of a woman’s touch and heads out to distract himself from his thoughts, shrugging off the magical wards meant to prevent his exit.

Tehol and Bugg meet with Rucket (in illusory disguise). They inform her that they are close to pulling the economic plug. Innuendo and entendres ensue.

Taralack Veed can’t get an old Gral legend out of his head as he walks to Letheras with Icarium. The Gral attacked the fallen remnants of a hill people, the Tasse, but before they killed the last child of the sole village, seven hounds appeared along with a man speaking the language of the First Empire (the Gral were part of the Empire’s armies). He took the last child, while Sidilack—the leader of the Gral raiders—felt a permanent stain on his soul at the extinction of the Tasse. Veed tells Icarium he worries and Icarium says he feels something “awaits me,” something beside Rhulad. The two discuss time, Icarium’s obsession with it, his believe that it would help him “unlock” himself.

Samar Dev and Senior Assessor observe Icarium and Veed as they walk. She says Icarium will die soon, but Senior Assessor believes otherwise. Samar notes the crowd’s tension, and Senior Assessor says it is due to an impending financial apocalypse which has been purposely created. They see Karsa appear and notice Icarium.

Sirryn Kanar watches as Tomad and Uruth are made to wait to see Rhulad and thinks of the Edur hypocrisy in detesting the Letherii but becoming like them in their victory. Rhulad allows them to enter.

Rhulad accuses Tomad of betraying their own people (the Sepik Edur) and Tomad tell him they are “pathetic...Their spirits crushed...a mockery,” and says he has avenged that crime perpetrated by the humans. Rhulad demands to know where his will was in all this and as Tomad and Uruth grow anxious, the Errant senses Triban Gnol enjoying the scene. Uruth asks how are they to know his will when Gnol keeps the Edur from Rhulad. Rhulad refuses to listen, saying he knows they lie to him, as Mosag lies, as all the Edur do. He commands them to free the Sepik refugees and says they (Tomad and Uruth) will spend two months in the dungeons. The Errant is shocked and as Tomad and Uruth are taken away, he thinks, “the end had begun.”

Karsa grabs Icarium and knocks out Veed. When Karsa mentions his worry that Icarium might kill Rhulad first, Icarium tells Karsa he’s welcome to the Emperor. Karsa examines Icarium closely and sees something in there to convince him Icarium is telling the truth. Soldiers arrive and Karsa tells them he’s going back to the compound on his own. Icarium spots Senior Assessor in the crowd and asks Samar to tell him he is deluded in his worship of Icarium. Her statement that the monk’s people remember Icarium catches his interest and he thinks of speaking to him later.

Sirryn Kanar revels in the imprisonment of Tomad and Uruth.

Feather Witch, who had been nearby, eavesdrops on Tomad and Uruth as they discuss their need for and distrust of Mosag and their realization that Rhulad hadn’t sounded insane. The two also discuss the Sepik refugees and Uruth says Rhulad had a point. Feather Witch worries about Mosag allying with the Edur women and decides to speak to the Errant and “force some concessions.”

Mosag tries to sanctify a hidden, belowground chamber to Shadow, free of the corruption of the Crippled God’s chaotic power. When the act almost kills him, he calls on Father Shadow and power, “pure and resolute,” suddenly floods into him and he believes Father Shadow still lives and offered Mosag a promise. Later he brings Bruthen Trana there and performs a ritual (with Trana’s consent) to send his spirit in search of Brys. While Trana is in a trance, Mosag searches his body for some artifact of power he can sense, but unable to find it he thinks Trana somehow took it with him. He finds Nisall’s confession and wonders what Trana was going to do with it. Then, saying it is needed to fully sanctify the temple, he stabs Trana in the heart.

Bugg stares as Karsa passes by and Tehol introduces himself (all of his self) to Icarium.

Bugg follows Karsa and his escort as Karsa goes to the Sepik Edur. Karsa tells them their kin have refused them and cast them out, that he offers everything in vengeance for what was done to them, finishing by telling them their chains are gone. Bugg thinks that is not what they needed to hear and so he calls upon his power (telling his worshipers he will have his way) and tells the Sepik people he is sending them to a haven and then he does.

Karsa thinks of his meeting with Icarium and of how in Icarium’s face he had recognized Toblakai blood.

A Letherii corporal arrives and reports to Triban Gnol that a fleet has arrived on their shores, burned their ships, and are clearly intent on war. As the corporal describes how his squad was ambushed, Gnol notes that the attackers centered on the Edur. But when Sirryn says it appears the war is apparently only with the Edur, Gnol says that is irrelevant, as is the self-evident fact that they’ll defeat the invaders. He sends Sirryn to call Karos Invictad to a meeting at the palace. Gnol thinks of how he poured the poison into the wine that killed King Ezgara and the First Eunuch, wishing Nisall had also drunk but upset that the poison had killed Brys. Back to top

Chapter Sixteen

Brohl Handar has been healed by a K’risnan using pure Emurlahn, no stain of chaos. The army has since been trying to pursue Redmask but has failed and has been constantly ambushed. One of his men tells Brohl that he thinks Redmask has split his army and the enemy is all around them, adding his advice would be to retreat back to Drene. Brohl agrees but thinks Atri-Preda Bivatt will not.

Brohl’s group rejoins the army to find it drawn up to meet what appears to be Redmask’s army marching toward them for another large-scale battle.

Bivatt watches Redmask (her scouts have confirmed this) moving closer and thinks over her tactics, believing Redmask is making a fatal error in attacking.

The last elder of Redmask’s tribe, the one who knew Redmask’s past, was found strangled in his tent, which many of the Awl take as a bad omen. Redmask wants Toc kept out of danger but does not forbid him riding with them. Torrent and Toc spar back and forth. Toc wonders what Redmask has planned and how he thinks he’ll deal with the Letherii sorcery.

Orbyn Truthfinder is with Factor Letur Anict as he investigates the slaughter at the garrison and the loss of a weapons shipment. Orbyn tells the Factor that Ruin’s group probably headed north. Anict doesn’t like the idea of standing by while Fear searches for Scabandari and believes Mosag is conspiring against the Empire and the Emperor. Orbyn tells him Invictad and Gnol are probably dealing with Mosag’s treason back in Letheras. Anict worries what would happen if Fear succeeds, which Orbyn knows (he thinks this to himself) is impossible. Anict wants to attack the Andii refuge in the mountains and capture Fear and the others. Orbyn agrees reluctantly and they set out, leaving three scouts behind.

Venitt Sathad arrives with a train of guards where the Factor’s three scouts are guarding the camp. The guard lies about where the Factor went and Venitt heads back to Drene to await the Factor’s return in order to question him as Rautos Havnar has tasked him to do.

Orbyn’s group has slaughtered the Andii in the refuge and Orbyn feels “sullied” by the attack. One of his men, a mage, tells him the surprising news that the altar had been sanctified by true Darkness. The mage says the slain are Tiste Andii and comments it is strange the White Crow is with Fear as the Andii and Edur are supposed to be enemies, based on the White Crow’s death via betrayal. The mage thinks the White Crow with Fear is just a name, not the real one, though he says if it is, there might be trouble. He also says they can’t be sure they killed the only Andii left and he is “uneasy.” Orbyn agrees and tells the mage to keep this from the Factor.

Clip has stopped and is standing still for a while. As Seren and Udinaas discuss why, Udinaas says something that annoys her and she accidentally conjures up an image of Hull Beddict strangling him, which starts to actually happen. She can only get rid of it by calling up an image of Trull, who knocks “Hull” off of Udinaas, then both visions disappear. Ruin tells them Clip is mourning because all in the Andara have been killed by the Letherii. Udinaas says the Andii knew they’d die there, knew they were fading as a people, so they let their blood strengthen the gate Clip carries. Clip is angered, but opens his gate. They enter.

The Shake are taking the ferry over to Second Maiden Isle/Fort amidst a storm that threatens to swamp them and drown them all. They are rescued by a pair of Perish ships.

Banaschar thinks on how the downfall of the Malazan Empire, the disasters that have stricken it, can be traced back to Laseen’s coup, beginning in “betrayal and blood,” and the departure (or “drowning”) of the best generals/advisors. He believes as well the Laseen’s Claw has been corrupted and then decimated. As he thinks on people’s tendency to oversimplify, he realizes he was guilty as well in his view on D’rek’s killing of her own priests/worshippers, knowing as he does now that it was part of a grander war. He feels the presence of D’rek in him again, returned, and thinks it’s because he’s the only one left. Telorast and Curdle appear and tell him a “she” walked this area long ago, she who pushed her fists through big skulls. They also let slip that they’re here or “close” to where “Edgewalker wants…”

As Crump digs one of the many holes he’s been ordered to dig as they move, Shard worries how Sinn had completely changed and become frightening, though he’s mystified why she seems to frighten the men more than the women. Crump uncovers a layer of baby skulls that begin to stir (Sinn is dancing and playing a bone flute) and Cord tells Crump to fill in the hole fast. Nimander stresses over Phaed’s clear desire to kill Sandalath Drukorlat and thinks how Rake would just kill Phaed and be done with it. He envies Rake’s sense of power and wholeness and thinks how he and the other Andii with him are incomplete. His thoughts are interrupted by the sound of whirling chain which makes him think of the one in the prophecy: “He carries the gates.”

The Awl, rather than engaging the Letherii, encircled them and then waited through the day and into night. Bivatt is anxious and unsure of Redmask’s goal. Toc is also unclear on what Redmask is doing. He runs into Masarch and a line of lancer just before the horn sounds for them to attack. Toc follows them and sees the Awl attack the camp then start to get slaughtered by Letherii sorcery. Toc makes an impossible shot and kills the mage, ending the sorcery, then he rejoins the Awl.

Brohl Handar meets with Bivatt in the aftermath. His K’risnan was killed by the K’Chain Che’Malle and Bivatt lost two mages to Toc’s arrow (the other had been linked to the first and died at the same time). Despite the fact the Letherii killed many more Awl than they lost, both Bivatt and Brohl are troubled. Back to top

Chapter Seventeen

Beak thinks on how he is both stupid and a coward and how his magic, while helpful, also frightens him in that “its heat could so easily burn, right down to a mortal man’s core.” He recalls sensing the Bonehunters under Y’Ghatan but being afraid to tell either Kindly or Tavore or anyone else, then how Tavore won him over with her “unwitnessed” talk, as he considered his own life unwitnessed and thus she made the other soldiers just like him. Beak keeps Sort’s squad from being caught by a passing Letherii/Edur group while Sort bemoans the fact that the Letherii apparently aren’t as rebellious as the Malazans had thought/hoped. She’s concerned Helian/Urb are moving too fast and wants to catch up to them and hold them back. He warns her if the Letherii figure out how to use the Beast Hold they might be able to track the Malazans via the horses. When Sort says Beak might have to unveil more candles then, he hopes not: “Don’t burn me down to the core, Captain. Please.”

Balgrid tells Helian they’re being tracked. Helian tries to get Urb off in the bushes but is interrupted by Sort’s arrival.

Helian and Urb tell Sort the Letherii don’t look like they’re going to rise up and Helian suggests they move ahead “fast and vicious” and hide if they face too large an opposition. Sort agrees, though she tells them to slow down a bit. Beak warns them about the Beast Hold, that Balgrid’s necromancy might not be enough to cover them. Sort and Beak leave.

Fiddler’s group is running from an ambush that would have taken them had it not been for Corabb’s luck. Bottle tells Fiddler there’s a large group tracking them and they decide to find a place to hide out. Smiles and Koryk banter about the ambush; Smiles appears to like Koryk a bit more after he’s surprised them all (including himself) with his killing skill. Stormy is enjoying the marines’ freedom to do what they’ve always been meant to do.

Fiddler’s group comes across a farmhouse they plan to use as a trap and Bottle thinks he can use Mockra to take care of any civilians in there. Fiddler says he and Cuttle are going to do “the drum”—a famous, very tricky, very dangerous munitions action he and Hedge invented. Fiddler prepares the cussers and the drum as Cuttle watches in awe. Fiddler recalls the first time he met the Moranth and saw the munitions (Tayschrenn, Aragan, Onos T’oolan, Whiskeyjack, Hedge had all been present) and how he and Hedge had experimented with them, named them, and perfected their use.

Gesler take a group and sends out Uru Hela to call to the two inhabitants Bottle senses in the farmhouse. As she nears the house, Bottle realizes the two inside aren’t human. The farmhouse door flies open and a Kenryll’ah demon (this is the pair we met earlier) rushes out with an axe and kills Uru Hela, then is shot by Gesler with a crossbow. Smiles uses a sharper on the second demon that comes rushing out. A fight ensues then the Malazans withdraw.

The two demons discuss pursuit but then hear horses coming and head out to meet the new arrivals.

A quarter of a league away, Fiddler’s group hears the drum go off—all four cussers. No longer worried about pursuit, they head to a nearby farm to rest.

Thom Tissy reports smoke and munitions to Keneb. Keneb worries how the numbers are turning against the marines. He thinks of the other arms of the invasion—the infantry led by Kindly and the Khundryl Burned Tears and Perish who are currently far away; they are the ones who will deliver the killing blow while the marines are supposed to keep things confused. He recalls great commanders of yore and wonders where Tavore will fit, if at all. He knows he needs faith in her. Tissy tells him the soldiers know Keneb’s awful position and while Keneb appreciates it, he tells Tissy he “presumes too much.” After Tissy leaves, Keneb realizes he’s doing the same thing he complained about with regard to Tavore – pushing the soldiers away.

Hedge and Emroth come to the end of the ice fields (the Throne of Ice) and see forest ahead. Hedge says it’s time to discuss their goals. Emroth asserts allegiance to the Crippled God here and says were Hedge not a ghost she would have done something about him already, as she believes he means to thwart the CG. Hedge says he’s figured out “manifestation of the will,” connecting it to the Bridgeburners’ ascension and saying that though the Imass were perhaps the first via the Telann Ritual, they merely set a precedent.

Hedge pulls out a cusser he has “manifested” and says he’ll use it or not depending on their conversation. She tells him the forest before them is Tellann, though she can’t explain how. She wonders if it is also a manifestation, saying perhaps some of the fallen T’lan Imass from the Jaghut wars found themselves in the Jaghut underworld and maybe a “pocket” of Tellann formed, a “refugium” (we’ll use that name for this place going forward). She says there are Imass in the forest and walks away, leaving Hedge to realize she’ll go seeking allies for the Crippled God. He then realizes they weren’t her goal; she is heading for Starvald Demelain’s gate: “Where anything is possible. Including the destruction of the warrens,” thanks the blood of the dragons. He throws the cusser and destroys Emroth. Part of her, blown into the Refugium, is returned to life (as with Onrack earlier).

Quick Ben, Trull, and Onrack carry around the emlava kittens, passing signs of Imass as they journey.

Quick Ben wonders if Onrack is reborn because this place is “one fragment of Tellann that lies, somehow, beyond the Ritual...In this place there was no Ritual.” Onrack is troubled by the ice nearby, the memories it calls up. Quick Ben tells him he doesn’t have to be “shining” all the time and when Onrack says he does so for Trull, Quick says gifts lose value if they go on too long. Trull returns and Onrack shows him a frown, then says Trull can tell Quick of his painting, the story of his pain and love and crime. Trull says he will do so, and then tells them of the Eres’al and what she did to him. Then Quick says he’ll tell the story of how he became a Bridgeburner and got twelve souls. Then they hear the sound of a cusser.

The marines head out, each thinking their own private thoughts about their place in this battle, in their squad and about each other. They hear an ambush off in the distance and hope whoever was involved came out of it.

Shurq Elalle recaps for Tavore what’s been going on between the Edur and Letherii, making it even more clear that the Letherii won’t be assisting the Malazans. Twilight arrives with Yedan and claims her role as Queen of the Shake, explaining who the Shake are (though Deadsmell makes clear he actually knows more about their origin perhaps than they do themselves). Tavore tells Twilight they seek a pilot to Letheras and Shurq realizes it’s going to be her. Back to top

Chapter Eighteen

Triban Gnol mourns the disfigurement of his hands, hands he believe he got from his real father – Turudal Brizad (the Errant). Sirryn reports he hasn’t found Bruthen Trana and Gnol believes Mosag sent him back home to punish him for starting a “bloodbath” in the palace. As he heads to the Emperor, Gnol thinks how the Malazans are killing mostly Edur (especially the mages) and how he has special instructions to the Letherii commanders based on that realization that he will send them via Sirryn. Gnol admits to Rhulad he’s surprised by how the Malazans are slicing through the Edur/Letherii defenses and at their having come so far for vengeance, then wonders if the Emperor might be able to buy off the invaders. Mosag scoffs and says he knows what the Malazans are here for, though he’ll only tell Rhulad in private. Gnol tells them he knows already, that the Malazans have come solely for the Emperor. He says the Edur and Letherii must stand together and suggests two lines of defense—one around the city and one farther out. Rhulad agrees and assigns Mosag and the K’risnan to Gnol. He then gets Rhulad to resume the challenges in four days, with Karsa going second to last (Rhulad quails at how they’ve allotted three days for Karsa to kill him) and Icarium going last. Gnol tells Rhulad that his killing of Icarium, considered a god by the Assessor’s people, will help them prove/proclaim Rhulad a god himself. Rhulad agrees and Gnol thinks how he will use the Emperor and the Edur.

Leaving the Emperor, Mosag tells Gnol to stuff it and walks off. Gnol finds Karos Invictad in his office. Invictad demands Bruthen Trana. Gnol tells him Trana is gone, and they have more important issues, such as the invasion and the economy. Invictad reveals he decided a while ago to remove the power of wealth from Rautos Hivanar and the Liberty Consign and has been using the saboteur as cover for his own economic shenanigans, which have made him the wealthiest man in the Empire, and also that he doesn’t care that many of the great will fall. Gnol realizes tables have turned and Invictad says he has no interest in taking down the Chancellor – the two of them will control the Empire together He also announces he’s about to arrest the saboteur. He leaves, though not before Gnol tweaks him over his obsession with a puzzle.

The Errant, who has been watching the scene in the throne room, is frustrated at seeing the war going on between Mosag and Gnol but not being able to figure out their secrets. He sees Rhulad’s own realization of a convergence coming, and his fear, and feels some empathy. He leaves and meets Feather Witch. She speaks of having saved names of spirits from the rising floods and he informs her that the ice prison of the Edur’s sea demon is failing, though he thinks Mael will do something about that. Feather Witch orders him to stop Mael, then says tonight she’ll visit Udinaas in his dreams and recruit him.

Invictad whacks Tanal for spying on him for Gnol. Tanal, having no idea what he’s talking about, apologizes anyway and says he’ll never do it again. He looks forward to arresting the economic saboteur, though he worries about the state of the city.

The Errant travels below the city to Gerun Eberict’s old home, a place of power, an old temple to Mael, where he begins to weave a ritual.

Bugg meets with his advocate and begins the chain of defaults that will bring down the economy. The advocate is not happy.

Janath asks Tehol why he’s doing something that will cause so much pain and sorrow and death. She comes to understand he will do it for “the good of everyone” and also, that he will take responsibility for what happens. Tanal Yathvanar arrive to arrest Bugg.

Tanal announces his purpose and though Bugg isn’t there, arrests Janath as a fugitive and Tehol for harboring her (even though Tehol says she’s been “pardoned.”)

Bugg returns to find them taken. He plans to go get them, using “an Elder God’s rage unleashed.” He sends Ublala off. He begins to use his power but then is caught in the Errant’s trap set earlier.

Rhulad sees ghosts—his brother Binadas, Fear, Trull, Udinaas, Nisall. He’s just been told his parents drowned in the flooded cells.

Trull weeps as he and Onrack watch Quick Ben meet Hedge. He tries to say it’s because he thinks of his bothers being reunited, but Onrack knows there is more to it – an unanswered love. Trull begins to speak of it. Back to top

Chapter Nineteen

Seren Pedac thinks back on her time with Hull, believing she had “used/raped/killed” him, done so via her need for a hero and purity and then her tearing him down via reality and cynicism. Believing she kills what she loves, she thinks it good that Trull is dead, and begins to let her love for him bloom, as she is no longer a threat to him. Fear and she spar over just what Trull meant by giving her the sword, and he tells her that he once gave up a love and now he will defend her for his brother’s love until he the day he dies. Udinaas talks of Mother Dark taking Father Light as husband and says he wonders about those three brothers: Andarist, Anomander, Silchas. He wonders if maybe the rift between them and Mother Dark wasn’t her marriage to Father Light but learning who their father was. He warns her the myths and tales are untrustworthy, they distort and pare down, preferring “manageable numbers.” He tells her Andarist is dead and she wonders how he knows, what he learns in his nightmares and decides, calling it self-defense, to use Mockra on him later to learn his secrets, though she considers it a “rape” of his mind.

Udinaas now sees Silchas Ruin “in a new light,” as one of many aggrieved children, ones involved in long wars. He wonders where the Children of Light are then thinks it a good thing they’re not around. He sees Ruin and Clip on one side and Fear and Scabandari on the other and worries things won’t end well. He doesn’t trust his night visions, unsure of whose they really were, and refusing to give in to them. Seren asks Clip why there is light in this realm of Kurald Galain/Darkness. He tells her they walk a road, a gift from Father Light, Kurald Liosan. Udinaas says he knows where the road ends but explains he won’t tell Seren because it might keep her alive in “what’s to come.” Udinaas brings up that they are being tracked by Menandore and Clip realizes she wants Scabandari’s finnest for herself. Ruin tells them the Tiste were the very first children, rising in realms that were “elemental.” Udinaas mocks the argument and Clip’s belief that “nothing preceded Darkness,” asking about Nothing and Chaos, and Fire/Light. Ruin walks away but then, unseen by anyone save Udinaas, who turns to listen more. Fear says the Kechra (K’Chain Che’Malle) “bound all that exists to time, thus assuring the annihilation of everything,” but he doesn’t see that as chaos. Clip says, “Chaos pursues,” that Mother Dark scattered it but it seeks ever to become one again. Udinaas says she must have had allies, been helped by betrayal, but then says since Mother Dark herself had to be born of something, there must have been an even earlier betrayal within Chaos. Fear asks how Udinaas Menandore was after them and he begs off the question, thinking maybe he shouldn’t have revealed that “this useless slave does not walk alone.”

Seren uses Mockra to enter Udinaas’ mind when he sleeps. She finds him in a blasted, hot realm. A dragon passes overheard, then Feather Witch appears. She tells him Menandore merely uses him as a weapon, then informs him of her status as Destra Irant to the Errant and tells him he should be T’orrued Segul and that with him and her and the about-to-found Mortal Sword, the Errant will rise to domination once more. The Edur will be destroyed, Lether rise, and the two of them will be rich and powerful. Udinaas shocks her by saying he’s already sent the Errant away, and Menandore as well. She reaches for him and he shoves her aside, saying he’s done with rapes, then walks toward Seren Pedac (there in serpent form).

Seren wakes to Udinaas’ hand around her throat. He tells her if she ever enters his mind again he’ll kill her. Fear throws him aside and Seren tells him to stop, that it was her fault and Udinaas had the right. Udinaas tells Ruin to make it light and when he tries to pretend it’s night Udinaas insists. Clip warns Udinaas he knows too much. Kettle watches all this tumult and whispers, “What they do to each other” to Wither, who replies, “It is what it is to live.”

Venitt Sathad sits at a bar in Drene following a night of riots, which still continue. The mob had stormed Factor Letur Anict’s estate but been forced back. Orbyn Truthfinder joins him and tells him that the Factor has set assassins against Brohl Handar in the army sent after Redmask. The two discuss the financial collapse, the inevitable awakening of the Edur, the fall of the Liberty Consign, the Malazan invasion, and the Bolkando Conspiracy becoming real. Orbyn says he knows what Venitt does for Rautos and knows he’ll be going to the Factor soon. Venitt agrees, and says that because the Overseer Handar isn’t around, the Factor will have to be the one to restore order and Venitt expects Orbyn and his agents to help. Orbyn realizes to his dismay that Venitt has some sympathy for the mob, believing it to actually be “just.” Venitt tells him he will sacrifice his people, the Patriotist agents, to the people’s rage. Orbyn says Venitt may be too late and Venitt thinks Tehol and Bugg have caused this collapse and, recalling his own Indebted nature, thinks they have nothing to fear from him – the assassin of Rautos Hivanar. He hopes the two take “the bastard down.”

Bivatt and Handar are pursuing Redmask’s army. Handar wonders about the cairns they pass, with faces painted white and odd offerings. Bivatt seems to know something but won’t tell. The Letherii catch up to Redmask at Q’uson Tapi, an old salt lake.

Bivatt has made a connection between the cairns and the fleet of war canoes she’d found earlier. Two days earlier she had seen one of the cairn makers watching her and she thinks they are not alone on this plain, fearing that maybe Redmask has made alliance with these strangers. She expects, otherwise, to be able to use Letherii sorcery to wipe out Redmask at Q’uson Tapi, where magic will not be suppressed.

Toc watches as the Awl dismantle the wagon and make walkways and platform in preparation for the final battle. Torrent and Toc exchange barbs.

Redmask recalls killing the Elder who had known the truth of his past, thinking he’d enjoyed the killing but now the face haunts him. As the rain begins to fall, he thinks of his victory tomorrow, the glorious opportunity given to him by his K’Chain Che’Malle. Back to top

Chapter Twenty

Bruthen Trana wanders underwater, driven by some goal he’d forgotten. He finds an Azath house and is invited in by “Knuckles/Setch” who warns him not to speak of dragons to the other guest. Knuckles introduces him to his mother Kilmandaros. Knuckles and Kilmandaros discuss her imprisonment in the Azath (she’s since been able to leave), for which she blames Rake’s betrayal. Knuckles says she betrayed Rake. They tell Bruthen he seeks the Place of Names and once there he must walk the path. Knuckles sends him on his way.

Udinaas’ son by Menandore, Rud Elalle, is grown and has been raised by the Bentract Imass in the Refugium. Menandore arrives to speak to him and he warns her we will not allow the Bentract to be harmed. She scoffs and tells him the new Imass that recently arrived will break the Bentract’s illusion and advises him to kill them first. They discuss the imminent arrival of Ruin’s group and Menandore’s sisters (Sukul and Sheltatha) and Rud thinks he is no longer sure it is a good idea to prevent Ruin achieving Scabandari’s Finnest. Menandore leaves and he goes to meet the newcomers he’s been watching approach (Quick Ben’s group).

Rud introduces himself to Quick’s group and they do the same. He tells them other T’lan Imass have arrived. On the way to meet the Bentract leader Ulshun Pral, Quick and Hedge squabble.

Onrack and Trull discuss Rud’s mother-son connection with the dragon that just passed overhead and assume he too is Soletaken Eleint. Onrack says he fears for the Bentract and the Refugium and Trull tell him they’ll protect both while Quick Ben and Hedge do whatever Cotillion wanted of them. As they approach the Bentract, they spot the three new T’lan Imass and Onrack and Trull take an immediate dislike to them, as does Quick Ben. Onrack speaks to them and tells the others they are Bentract who joined the ritual, unlike Ulshun Pral’s group. The three are the chief Hostille Rator and two bonecasters: Til’aras Benok and Gr’istanas Ish’ilm. Pral’s group has no bonecaster anymore. Onrack says the three had planned usurping the Bentract but are terrified of Rud.

The Adjunct plans to sail out tomorrow, led by Shurq Elalle. The Malazans tried to keep the Silanda secret from the Andii but Nimander knows; the ship had carried his parents in search of Rake. He follows his sister, knowing what Phaed is planning (he’s been awake days waiting for her to make her move), and when she tries to stab Sandalath he stops her, then starts to strangle her, knowing the “truth” of her. He is pulled off by Withal. Sandalath questions him as to what is going on and she and Withal eventually realize Nimander saved Sandalath from being murdered by Phaed. Withal thinks Phaed should be killed, but Sandalath says it would be better to leave them on the island, rejecting Withal’s concern that Phaed will kill Nimander, saying that would leave her alone and drive her crazy. Nimander agrees and begs them to take the Silanda away. Sandalath goes out into the corridor and Withal throws Phaed through the window to her death. He tells everyone Phaed threw herself through and Nimander backs him up. Talking to his love in his head, Nimander says they (the other Andii from the island) will stay and “turn them [the Shake] from the barbarity that has taken them and so twisted their memories.”

Twilight and Yedan Derryg watch the Malazans sailing away. They discuss their suspicions about Phaed’s death and then their concern over the Shake witches. Derryg tells her the Andii might help with the witches and then they discuss the Malazans, with Derryg thinking they’re more formidable than Twilight had thought.

Kindly. Pores. Nuff’ said.

Masan and Cord talk, Cord telling her while Quick Ben was a High Mage, Sinn, “well, she’s the real thing.” Ebron comes up from a card game and tells Cord his magic doesn’t work well on Crump, saying the Mott Irregulars were mage-hunters, and among them the Boles were legendary.

Banaschar tells Shurq there is a ritual to find her soul and bind it to her body again. She tells him she’s fine as she is and lets him look “inward.” He sees the ootooloo in her – “roots filling your entire being.... You are dead and yet not dead.” He tells her it’s a parasite and she shrugs it off. Banaschar leaves and the Adjunct and Lostara join Shurq. Shurq tells Tavore about an uncle of hers who took ship with the Meckros and later she heard his ship was destroyed by ice then vanished. Tavore says she wants to hear about the Patriotists.

Sirryn delivers the chancellor’s orders to Hanradi Khalag, leader of the Edur army. After Hanradi leaves, Sirryn delivers separate orders to the Letherii commander, which gives him “considerable freedom” in the battle, telling him that any friction with Hanradi will probably not be a problem.

In prison, Janath has started to recall her earlier torment at Tanal Yathvanar’s hands. Tanal, who has visited once, tells her Karos is obsessed with the bug puzzle and that Tanal has made himself Karos’ beneficiary. Janath thinks if Tehol is killed, he will become a martyr.

Samar tells Karsa she is worried what will happen when he faces Rhulad. He tells her his spirits are eager for the “sacrifice they will make” and tells her that when the time comes, she must free the spirits she has bound to her knife. Also, he wants to have sex with her.

Veed thinks even Icarium will be bested by Rhulad, though it will take a long time and many deaths. Senior Assessor disagrees and tells him “the end is never what you imagine.” When asked when he will finally watch a match, the monk says the first he’ll watch will be Karsa’s.

Rhulad, over his third victim, thinks how he wants to die for real and feels that soon something will be different. He has rejected Karos Invictad’s advice to have Tehol publically humiliated before the Emperor, thinking Tehol would not, in fact, be humiliated, would instead challenge the Emperor as none had since Brys. From Mosag he has learned how his empire is unraveling and from Gnol he has learned how the Malazans are progressing toward Lether. The Empire has also been invaded by the Bolkando group. Rhulad thinks all this chaos will lead to a rebirth, allowing him to shape what is to come.

Father Witch tells the Errant their cult is growing among the Letherii slaves and indebted. She says she has promised them a return to the golden age of the Errant’s rule even over the other gods and he tells her this is a myth, the past was a time of plurality and tolerance. She says the past is what she says it is. He tries to dissuade her from her path, telling her “the lives of others are not yours to use” and people will choose their own path, even if it is one of misery. She replies that the first thing to do is take away the freedom of choice; then you can use them. Back to top

Chapter Twenty-One

Fiddler and Gesler’s squads have gotten separated. Fiddler believes they’re being herded toward a large army. They stop outside a village and Bottle uses a cat to figure out what’s going on. He tells Fiddler marines are holding the town and they can enter.

Hellian’s group is in the tavern, having been joined there earlier by Gesler’s squad (badly wounded). Fiddler’s squad enters. Hellian tells them how they’ve been successful – kill the officials, lawyers, and those with money. The other locals, mostly Indebted, loot, party, then leave.

Fiddler marvels at Hellian’s success. Gesler and Stormy argue over how things are going.

Koryk’s group tries to get Smiles to get rid of her singular trophies (as opposed to the fingers and toes the rest of them carry). They wonder how they’re going to get to Letheras and then besiege it.

Bottle warns the marines hundreds of Edur are coming.

Beak has been exhausting himself using his “candles” to protect his group. The marines have been linking up with Keneb but Sort worries those far ahead may be lost. Sort and Beak meet up with Keneb, who decides it’s time to change tactics and now make a fast, hard push for the capital. Sort tells Beak to sleep/rest, but he tells her he can’t, the “candles, they won’t go out...It’s too late.” She tells him it’s okay “to die alongside your comrades.” He agrees, calling them his friends.

Thom Tissy tells Keneb the soldiers are ready for him. Keneb orders the march.

The marines in the village fight the Edur. Bowl, Lutes, Tavos Pond are killed, Stormy wounded.

Sergeant Primly’s squad arrives at the village, with Badan Gruk, Skulldeath, Nep Furrow, Toothy, and others. They decide to fight rather than go around. The individual soldiers get ready, including Neller, who has a sword that “howls like a wild woman every time I hit something with it.”

The marines continue to fight in the village and are saved by Primly’s group.

The 3rd and 4th get together after the Edur retreat. Sands, Uru Hela, and Hanno are added to the list of dead. Fiddler says they’ll wait a while and see if Keneb catches up.

Smiles tells Koryk she’s going to make Skulldeath hers and needs Koryk to lie as Skulldeath is saving himself for royalty. She adds she’s getting birth control herbs from Bottle. Bottle tells Koryk the herbs are to make change a man who prefers men into one who prefers women and explains the etymological origins of Skulldeath’s name.

Skulldeath overhears Hellian call herself Queen of Kartool.

Quick recaps a bit of what’s been going on with Tavore to Hedge and says he thinks Tavore is going after the Crippled God. Hedge wonders just how much manipulating of things Shadowthrone and Cotillion have done.

Hostille Rator tells Trull the Bentract’s Bonecaster had sacrificed herself to save the “illusion” of the Refugium, but her spirit is now failing. He and the others had turned away from the Gathering, called by her need. Hostille says the Refugium is an illusion, one he and his companions cannot give in to for when it dies they return to what they were. Rud rejects the idea that the Refugium and the Bentract are but memory/illusion. Onrack says he will stand with Rud, but does not answer when Rud asks if he believes. Hostille says Onrack can’t face returning to being T’lan and so will happily die here. Trull says he will stand with Onrack, out of friendship. Hostille, saying he and his companions have been shamed, offers their allegiance to Ulshun Pral and Rud. Onrack tells Trull the world will not die, nor must they if they are careful.

Quick tells Hedge the Finnest of Scabandari is here in the Refugium.

Ruin’s group arrives at a massive gate, wrecked on one side. Thanks to Udinaas, Seren realizes Clip is an assassin. They all enter the gate and see hundreds of dead dragons under a sky with three suns. Clip welcomes them to Starvald Demelain. Back to top

Chapter Twenty-Two

Gaskaral Traum creeps over to the Edur encampment and into Brohl Handar’s tent. He is just in time to prevent an assassin from killing Brohl Handar, thanks to certain “senses” he has about assassins. He reflects on the fact that Letur Anict is a very thorough man, hence showing us who is sending these assasins. On the way back to his tent carrying the body, he is accosted by two more assassins and sees them dead as well.

Brohl Handar wakes up before the battle refreshed. He is taken to talk with Atri-Preda Bivatt by someone with a gentle face (I am assuming Gaskaral Traum – see, this is where it is handy when Bill does the chapter summaries, because he knows these things!) They talk about the battle, including the fact that the Bluerose lancers are going to fight on foot, with their horses in reserve, to go up against the Kechra when they make an appearance. Bivatt also has only two mages remaining.

Toc Anaster watches the Letherii preparations. Once again, Torrent needles him about his cowardice and Toc replies that he won’t be leaving because Redmask has asked him to be ready in case the K’Chain Che’Malle fail. Toc also points out that no one knows anything really about the K’Chain Che’Malle, so how come Redmask seems to and why are they doing his bidding?

Lookback, Drawfirst and Shoaly—three Falari heavy infantry from 3rd Company—discuss Gesler and Stormy, and their creepy gold skin. Lookback wants to kill them. Drawfirst asks what the point is, because the cult of Fener is dead. Shoaly and Drawfirst explain to Lookback that they intend to fight and possibly die next to these marines.

Beak explains to Faradan Sort and Keneb that all the marines who went ahead of them are in the village. He shows again his unique form of power when he identifies many of them by their magic.

Beak makes it clear to Faradan Sort that they are in a whole world of trouble, and the Adjunct will not get there in time to save them.

Bottle has a rather incomprehensible conversation with Nep Furrow, the Dal Honese mage.

Koryk watches the Fist arrive, dwelling on the thought that the new marines from 3rd Company still have something to prove, because they took the easy route and now everyone knows it.

Keneb discusses the next step with the captains. Fiddler disparages Beak and Faradan stands up for him.

Corabb looks forward to the forthcoming battle, bristling with weapons; he wants it to be the glorious last stand that he didn’t get while standing beside Leoman.

Hellian is drunk – again. Skulldeath has announced his love for Hellian, and his desire to spread his seed in her perfect soil!

The Letherii, arranged ahead of the Malazans—the anvil to the Edur hammer—look upon their enemy with some shock at the fact that they are so few. The commander of the forces is impressed and seems reluctant to kill them all.

The K’Chain Che’Malle—who have been lying concealed in the mud while the Letherii and Awl draw their battlelines—leap out and make short work of the mages, thereby leveling the playing field.

Natarkas has his instructions from Redmask – but decides to go against them. He leads the cavalry force to engage with the Tiste Edur.

Brohl Handar watches Natarkas begin his charge and begins to exult at the idea that they can win this battle. The oncoming Awl produce bows and begin peppering the Tiste Edur, causing carnage. As the Awl withdraw, the Bluerose cavalry charge upon them in turn. Brohl Handar forgets his idea of joining the rest of the Letherii and goes hunting those Awl who committed such damage upon his troops. Natarkas dies from a spear in the face, and his thought as he dies is of freedom.

The Letherii use their dead as a platform to launch into the Awl.

Fiddler has decided to make his squad’s last stand against the Edur rather than the Letherii. He contemplates his forthcoming death and starts to decide what his last screamed curse will be. As he and Cuttle discuss whether they should advance and when, the magic from the Letherii mages begins – a vast sweep of magic that has been prepared for a week. Fiddler and the Edur realise at the same time that they have been betrayed by the Letherii and are about to get swept away by the same magic that threatens the Malazans. Suddenly a fragile silver dome of magic lifts to cover the Malazans.

Beak recalls the day that he tried to save his brother when he hung himself. As he does, he “sets ablaze every candle within him to make the world bright and to save all his friend.”

Fiddler can see among his companions the injuries that they keep hidden or are unaware of. Beak’s magic encloses the Malazans, turns their hair white and scours from them all injury and illness. Fiddler invites the Edur to come within the protection and Beak welcomes them in, barring the remaining K’risnan who is too full of chaos for purification. The Letherii magic lashes back onto the mages who summoned it, with a backlash blowing apart many of the Letherii. When Beak’s magic fades as he dies, the Letherii are brought the news that the Adjunct’s army has landed at the river and is advancing. The Letherii head that way. Fiddler offers the Edur the chance to leave and they decide to head for home; they are done with empire. Hood comes to meet Beak at the gate, an honour accorded to very few.

The Awl and the Letherii continue to annihilate each other in a completely senseless waste of life. Atri-Preda Bivatt is still underestimating her enemy and failing to defeat him. Brohl Handar has succumbed to his bloodlust. Masarch dies, while blaming Redmask for failing the Awl completely. The “tame” K’Chain Che’Malle turn on Redmask and kill him in a gory fashion. Toc realises the battle is over and considers killing the children under his protection to give them a quick death. He then sees an army approaching and tells Torrent to get the children to the army, while he buys some time. Torrent turns to witness what he believes is the death of Toc. Toc realises that not one of his arrows has missed as he races to join battle with the skirmishers. Despite this, there are too many and he is cut down, his face torn away as a trophy.

The White Face Barghast (been a while since we’ve seen them, non?) appear from the warren of Tellann. They intended to kill the Awl, but the actions of Toc and his bravery hold back the sword of Tool. Torrent thinks he is going to die, but Hetan explains that Tool is not killing because of Toc’s sacrifice. Torrent passes over the bag that contains Toc’s pictures and writing. Tool realises that it is Toc who has died, and is distraught. He says that the Awl children will live.

Bivatt looks upon the new army massing with a sense of massive injustice. Her weary, battered force is about to face seventy thousand, perhaps more. Bivatt thinks that she might try to parley. Brohl Handar boasts about his survival from Letur Anict’s intentions to kill him, and Bivatt reveals that ten assassins have tried. When the new army raises standards, Bivatt realises they are the ones who have been raising the cairns and knows that they are all dead. With this knowledge, Brohl Handar heads to find Gaskaral Traum and asks the honour of fighting at his side.

Venitt Sathad kills Letur Anict.

Hetan fears that Tool will never recover from Toc’s death. She goes to join Kilava, who is near Redmask. Hetan tears the mask from Redmask and says that he is a Letherii man.

Hood waits to collect Toc the Younger. The latter believes his soul was sworn to the Wolves, but Hood reveals that Toc the Elder had sworn Toc the Younger’s soul to him a long time ago. Oddly, Toc still only had one eye. Back to top

Chapter Twenty-Three

Onrack recalls his earlier crime of painting a woman (Kilava, Tool’s sister) on the cave wall, how he’d been imprisoned, and how she had come to him, and finally how he’d destroyed her life as well. He looks at cave paintings done by Ulshun Pral and ponders the idea of witnessing, of the separation between human and beast. Trull and Onrack discuss how the Bentract think they never joined the Tellan Ritual, but Onrack says that can’t be true; they must be ghosts, memories enfleshed by the power of the nearby Gate. When Trull says Ulshun tells him he remembers his mother, Onrack says Ulshun is a 100,000 years old and his memories are mere delusions. Trull disagrees and they head off to see the Gate.

Trull sees Onrack has been awakened to something bitter in viewing the paintings. When they arrive at the Gate, they find it not as Rud Elalle had described but instead discover many gates pulsing with white fire. Onrack says the old Bonecaster has failed and the realm is dying. Trull stays behind to meet what might come through the gates while Onrack goes to Rud Elalle.

Hedge and Quick Ben spar like old comrades. Quick tells Hedge enemies will be coming from the south as dragons. When Hedge asks if Quick is worried, Quick says no because having “stretched” himself (against Icarium) he is now “nastier.” Hedge says he’ll have a cusser ready in any case and Quick tells him not to blow him to pieces, even if he thinks he’s dead because he “won’t be.” Menandore moves toward them (from the south).

Menandore calls the two “pathetic” and wonders why they’re standing where their enemies will see them first and thus kill them first. Quick tells her Rud and Ulshun Pral are coming then notes the similar gait of Ulshun and Onrack. Rud tells Menandore he will not fight with her and plans to take the Bentract away, saying he had nothing to do with her long-running feud. She tells him fine, but Ulshun Pral has to stay. Rud is about to fight Menandore when Pral tells him his mother is right; he has to stay because otherwise they’d all be pursued for his secret. Rud wants to stay then, but Quick tells him he and Hedge will do their best to keep Pral safe. Menandore is contemptuous of the idea, but Rud, looking at the two of them, grows calm and accepts their offer, then leaves.

Menandore storms off and Quick tells Hedge he put one of his “special stones” in her cloak.

Sheltatha Lore and Sukul Ankhadu look on the hills where the prior conversation took place and discuss how the Refugium is dying. Sukul is sickened by the Imass here, “Building nothing. All history trapped as memory...delud[ing] themselves into believing they actually exist.” She blames Hood’s indifference. When Sheltatha wonders at Sukul’s desire to kill them when they’ll die anyway with the Refugium, Sukul tells her “their conceit has made them real. Mortal, now. Blood, flesh and bone” but oblivious to their world’s impending demise, claiming her killing them is an act of mercy. Menandore joins them and asks if they are still all in agreement, saying she cannot guard the Finnest against Ruin on her own, adding Ruin’s group is almost at the Gate. The three agree to kill Ruin and the Imass but not Rud. Menandore tells them a pair of stupid mortals will try and stop then, and warns them Ruin has allies. The three veer into dragon form and move toward the hills.

Seren is shocked by the sheer number of dead dragons in Starvald Demelain, noting they all seemed to die of old age, not violence. Udinaas says they’re like flies trapped on the sill of a window that wouldn’t open. She watches Udinaas walking, holding Kettle’s hand, and muses on how Kettle has seemingly shifted her affection/allegiance from Ruin to Udinaas. They near the Gate and Kettle shies away until Udinaas whispers something to her. Fear tells Seren the others have seen a body, then asks her if she has yet chosen a side. Seren asks if they must kill each other at the end of all this and he wryly wonders at her assumption that they are “all that evenly matched.” Despite being overmatched, he says, he’ll do what he must, though he adds that her new power may save them. She wants to know his plans and he says he will awaken Scabandari and “purge Kurald Emurlahn...drive out the poison that afflicts us...shatter my brother’s cursed sword.” She thinks him foolish, wondering to herself if Scabandari might not be enslaved by the “poison” (the Crippled God) or might not have his own desires, such as for vengeance. She asks if he finally sees she’s not worth his protection and he, pained, tells her yes. Stung by his hurt, she thinks she will do what she can for him. He leaves her, somehow different, and the narration tells us he moves now like a warrior ready to kill.

Udinaas looks down at the body of the Bonecaster, thinking she should have found some other way to save her people, should have stayed alive for them rather than died for them. Clip announces that the world beyond the Gate is dying, then asks Udinaas if Menandore still watches them through Udinaas. When Udinaas says no, Ruin thinks she is getting ready to oppose them on the other side. Udinaas gives his Imass spear to Seren, thinking she’ll need it more as she plans on helping Fear while he (Udinaas) plans on running. Ruin starts to arm up.

Hedge, seeing the three Soletaken dragons, tells Pral to go but the Imass refuses at first, “fixing into his memory the faces of these two men so that death would not take all of them.” Pral thinks how alone among the Imass here, he was not a “ghost memory,” but had lived a true, if crazily extended, life in the Refugium because the realm had been, but was no longer, “deathless.” As he nears the cave, Onrack exits it.

Hedge and Quick agree that Menandore has betrayed them. Quick punches Hedge in the nose to impress on him that he is now bleeding.

Menandore looks down to see Quick Ben raise his arms and laughs at the stupidity. She prepares her own magic.

Quick Ben raises the Earth—the sod and soil and roots—against the dragons, crashing them to the ground, then striking them with waves and bolts of power. Amidst the carnage and chaos, Sheltatha turns on Menandore, killing her, as Sukul heads eastward. As a wounded Sheltatha starts to crawl away, Hedge lodges a cusser into her belly wound and blows her up into pieces (including one which knocks Hedge out when it hits his head). Quick Ben laughs.

In the cave, Ulshun Pral tells Onrack a long time ago a Jaghut (Gothos) gave him something, explaining that in the Refugium, the Jaghut and Imass made peace. Onrack tells him to stay in the cave then leaves. Pral remains briefly, then follows.

Rud Elalle leads the Imass into a narrow pass in the hills. The three T’lan Imass (Hostile Rator, Til’aras Benok, Gr’istanas Ish’ilm) tell him to keep going; they’ll guard the rear, explaining to enter such a narrow passage, the dragon will have to veer back into human form. He doesn’t really answer when Rud asks why they will do this, but Hostile thinks, “Because you please us Rud Elalle. So too Ulshun Pral. And the Imass. And we came here with chaos in our hearts.”

Sukul is shocked by the deaths of her two sisters and the destruction of their plan. She nears the ravine with the intent of killing Rud and the Imass. Hostile stands before her in Imass form and sacrifices himself so that the other two can attack her in their Soletaken forms. They kill her, though die doing so.

Onrack meets Trull at the Gate just as Ruin’s group exits it.

Seren watches as Fear steps out and then gets a look of horror on his face before moving to stab Ruin in the back. Before he can do so, Clip kills Fear with this chain. Udinaas, holding Kettle in his arms, is swarmed over by Wither. As Ruin fights someone Seren cannot see, Clip moves toward Udinaas, even as Wither is choking Udinaas to death. Seren sends her power into Wither, shattering the shadow wraith into pieces. Clip grabs Kettle and throws her hard across the floor. Seren hammers him with Mockra and he throws a dagger that buries itself in her shoulder.

Trull sees Ruin step out (The Betrayer) then, shockingly, Fear. He watches Fear die and moves toward Clip, slashing Ruin because he’s in his way. The two of them begin to fight and Trull realizes he cannot take on Ruin.

Onrack sees Trull in trouble but does not move because he suddenly realizes the Pral, behind him, is his son.

Seren sees Clip going after Udinaas and Trull losing to Ruin and as Trull’s spear shatters in his hands, she tosses him the Imass one then attacks Clip via Mockra.

Trull uses the spear to hold off Ruin.

Clip turns on Seren but when Trull knocks Ruin to the ground, stunning him, Clip leaves her and moves on to Trull, surprised at Trull’s skill. Trull knocks Clip out then falls due to his damaged leg.

Ruin tells Onrack to step aside, that Pral is his. Onrack refuses and Ruin knocks him out with sorcery.

Seren moves to help Trull, who is dragging himself after Ruin. She tells him it’s too late.

Udinaas, barely alive, thinks he has failed but forces himself to witness.

Kilava enters and tells Ruin, who has just grabbed Pral, that if he harms her son she’ll kill him. Ruin puts Pral down and takes his dagger, saying that’s all he needs.

Seren watches as Ruin shoves Kettle against the ground and stabs her with Pral’s dagger.

Udinaas turns away, weeping, thinking both he and Kettle had known. Where Kettle’s body lies, an Azath begins to grow. Udinaas thinks Ruin finally has his vengeance on Scabandari. He notes that Clip has exited via one of the Gates, much to Udinaas’s dismay.

Seren helps Trull stand and takes him to Fear, calling Trull her love and telling him they must return to her house so she can bury his sword before her threshold. He tells her he’s long dreamed she would say that. Udinaas tells the grieving Trull that Fear died a hero. When Trull said Fear was going to betray Ruin, Udinaas rejects the suggestion, telling Trull Fear had seen him and knew Ruin would kill him. He adds that he is “proud to have known him.” Trull thanks him.

Onrack wakes to see Kilava over him. She tells him Ruin used the Finnest to power an Azath seed (Kettle), which will grown into an Azath house that will seal the gates and thus rooting the Refugium so it does not die. Onrack asks if she was indeed the woman that night in prison and she mocks his stupidity. She tells him the Ritual no longer claims him and he tells her he has found all he needs (wife, son). He sees Trull grieving and worries.

Rud stands where Sukul was killed and knows will soon find his mother’s body. He feels the death of innocence inside him.

Quick Ben tells Hedge an Azath is now growing in the realm, making it and the Imass real. He also says the Azath will have towers and all the gates, meaning Shadowthrone and Cotillion now have access to them and thus to those other realms, including Starvald Demelain. He worries what those two know. He tells Hedge they’re going to go through one of the gates: “Fid’s never been the same without you.”

Ruin thinks he’s kept his bargain with the Azath and has also given Scabandari a “reprieve Bloodeye did not deserve,” thinking that he well knows the poison that is vengeance. He veers and takes off, heading toward Letheras with “blood on his mind” and thinking he does not like “this Crippled God.” Back to top

Chapter Twenty-Four

Before marching toward Letheras, the marines build a large barrow for Beak. They can hear the battle between the city and Tavore. They run into Letherii refugees and wonder why there are no Tiste Edur with them and why they seem more afraid of what they’re fleeing in the city than the army of invaders.

Fiddler tells Cuttle the stream of refugees has little to do with the Malazans. He wonders where Tavore is taking them and why, wonders what they are to witness.

Smile is discomfited by the sight of the refugees, as they remind her of home in their similarity to “slaves, pushed into freedom like sheep...[expecting] more slavery...They’ve been beaten down.” She looks forward to taking down the Empire and the Emperor.

Koryk and Tarr argue over the best approach to taking down Letheras, over whether they are still soldiers of the Malazan Empire and what it means if they are not.

Bottle worries that maybe Beak shouldn’t have sacrificed himself for the marines, that Tavore is going to need him at the “very end of the journey [where it] was going to be trouble.” He thinks all she has now in terms of a High Mage is Sinn, who is insane. Corabb tells Bottle they’ll be greeted as liberators and Bottle tells him they’ll have to fight street by street, also arguing that Corabb will outlive them all in terms of battle because he has the “Lady in [his] shadow.”

Helian in a fog. Skulldeath pants after her.

Sirryn flees the battle with Tavore and makes his way to a door into the city. He berates the soldier who lets him in and the youth tells him he wasn’t guarding the door; we was going to use it to escape the mob that now controls much of the city even as the Emperor is still fighting Champions. He adds that all the Edur have left. The soldier exits via the door and Sirryn heads for the palace.

Tarr’s squad captures the soldier right after he exits the door and he says he’ll tell them everything they need to know.

Balm thinks back on the just concluded battle, Tavore’s force shattering the Letherii. He and others (Masan, Throatslitter, Deadsmell, etc.) reach the “killing field” where Beak had sacrificed himself and find his barrow. Deadsmell tells them the barrow only holds one person, adding that the area has been wiped clean of all magic.

Lostara Yil tells Tavore most of the squads (not Balm’s) have returned and then tells her Keneb would have let them know what was happening if he could; he certainly wouldn’t attempt to take Letheras on his own. Lostara thinks back on the battle and how Tavore had let her soldiers slaughter the Letherii once they’d shattered, thinking “she hardens them, for that is what she needs.” Tavore informs Lostara that the Perish and Khundryl won’t be joining them; rather the Malazans will join them in the east—another campaign, another invasion. Tavore clearly thinks Keneb has in fact gone, in true Bonehunter fashion, to Letheras and says her group will march at dawn. She retires to the Froth Wolf.

On the Wolf, Shurq Elalle discusses with Withal how his wife fears for him, the approach of the Adjunct, her group’s impatience to get away from all this. Tavore arrives and tells Withal it’s nearly time and the two go below.

Banaschar sees the three Nachts dive overboard and head to shore.

Rautos Hivanar looks over his excavated objects and feels as if they are warmer to the touch. He exits his compound and is shocked by the condition of the city, though he admits to himself the “promise of anarchy, of collapse, had been whispered” long before the Edur conquest, and that too many had been willing to ignore the whispers.

Ublala Pung goes to the old Tarthenal cemetery, clears out five men there by knocking them unconscious, then begins to clear a space on the ground, trying to be ready by dawn when Karsa will face the Emperor.

Ormly and Rucket meet and he tells her their people are in place at “hardly popular” sites, in preparation for the scheduled execution of Tehol. He tells her about Ublala and neither knows what he is doing.

Ursto Hoobutt and his wife Pinosel drink while watching Settle Lake, preparing for it to melt and release the demon below.

The Patriotist compound is under siege by the mob, many of the mob shouting for Tehol, wanting to tear him apart before the execution. Tanal Yathvanar would have given up Tehol, but Karos Invictad (in his room obsessing over Tehol’s puzzle) refuses to do so. Tanal has kept Janath to himself, resuming his torture of her. He goes to Karos’ office and finds him there with Tehol. Tanal tells him the mob will break through soon and Karos advises him to dump coins over the wall. Tanal gives the order to do so then goes to Janath’s cell.

Karos tells Tehol he considers Tehol’s intellect closest to his own of any one he’s met. They discuss Karos’ attitude toward humor (superfluous) and the possibility of Karos handing Tehol over to the mob to be killed. Tehol says he’ll just buy his life and so Karos rejects the idea. Tehol offers to solve the puzzle Karos is obsessed with in return for his execution being delayed by years. Karos agrees, thinking Tehol can’t solve it. Tehol does, and Karos smashes the puzzle box then starts beating Tehol.

Janath starts to strangle Tanal with her chains as he rapes her.

Veed tells Senior Assessor he smells more smoke, and discusses the past recent events: the Edur all leaving and Rhulad slaughtering all the champions but two. He confesses he once worked for the Nameless Ones and Senior Assessor says he’s known, that the Nameless Ones, whom he labels “fools,” are well known in his land of Cabal. Icarium leaves the compound, as Senior Assessor had predicted, and the two of them follow.

Samar Dev thinks despite Karsa’s prowess and confidence, his battle with Rhulad will have to end inevitably with Rhulad’s victory. Karsa tells her Icarium has left, knowing that he will not be needed. She suggests they leave and he tells her no, that the Emperor is not the one the Crippled God wants. When she asks him to clarify, he tells her she’ll know the time to do what he needs her to do. They hear the guards coming outside and Karsa readies himself.

The Errant notices that the water has rotted Feather Witch’s feet. He tells her the water is rising and she says “he was never as lost as he thought he was.” She tells him the empire is about to be his or hers and asks him to teach her the ways of love, as if she were a virgin. He reminds her how she was “used, often and badly” when she was young by a slave and “It is what has made you what you are now.” She hadn’t remembered and tells him to go, since she has Udinaas. The Errant says she never had Udinaas and warns her Ruin is on his way to wreck the place. He then starts to put thoughts together—the water rising, Mosag seeking the demon trapped in ice, Bruthel taking the finger from Feather Witch, Mael trapped in the Errant’s snare, another missing finger and the convergence about to happen.

Varat Taun, Finadd now of the Palace Guard, learns Icarium, Veed, and Senior Assesor had left, which gave him great relief. He thinks the siege will be quick and successful, leaving only Rhulad standing amid the ruins of the empire, assuming that the five armies sent out east to face the Bolkando uprising have also been destroyed since nobody has heard from them. He watches Rhulad and Gnol and feels sympathy at the child-like nature of Rhulad’s question: “What has happened?” Gnol says Rhulad will still stand, unmovable, and eventually the invaders will fail, will “devour themselves” – them or the Bolkando group if the Malazans decide not to occupy. He adds he is drawing up a surrender and planning a return to order, telling Rhulad the Edur will return. He orders Karsa brought to him to fight.

As Cuttle and Fiddler try to figure out how to open the door Sirryn entered the city from, it opens from the other side and the female Seguleh champion exits. The two of them avert their eyes, offering no challenge, and she passes beyond them. Keneb sends the marines through the tunnel and into the city, saying he’ll take the gate and sending Sort and Fiddler through to take the palace.

Quick Ben, Hedge, Seren Pedac, and Trull enter at the Azath tower behind the Old Palace via portal. Hedge and Quick tell Trull they’re going to get him and Seren some quality alone time before they do anything else by escorting them to her house.

Walking the sea, Bruthen thinks back on his life choices, the unraveling of his people, his sympathy even for the Letherii, his desire to kill Triban Gnol. He meets the sea god’s Guardian, who tells him he is a ghost and that he has come to send Brys back. The Guardian says he could refuse, but won’t, and sends him to a pillar where Bruthen uses the finger to call Brys out (Bruthen is surprised to see Brys is missing two fingers, not just one). The Guardian brings Brys his (Brys’) sword and Brys takes it, then disappears. Bruthen tells the Guardian he had been to a house and he’d like to find it again; the Guardian tells him he will.

Selush notices that Brys’ other finger (in a jar in her shop) has twitched, so she sends Padderunt to tell Rucket it’s time.

Janath has killed Tanal Yathvanar and thinks she will die soon since nobody else would come to the room he kept her in.

Karos has had his guards flinging coins over the side of the walls to keep the mob at bay, but is running out of money. One of his agents informs him the main block is filling with rats and that the mob outside is calling for Tehol to be released, hailing him as a “hero, a revolutionary.”

Feather Witch senses Brys’ return. She starts to use her magic and the fact that Brys’ finger still has a connection to her to control him, but some force drags Brys from her. When she starts to fight she drops into the water and the Errant, thinking “sometimes, it was true, a nudge was not enough,” drowns her. She submits with a sense of relief.

Hannan Mosag crawls up the street toward Settle Lake, thinking of how all will come back to him, a pure Kurald Emurlahn, a healed body, power. He thinks how if he had had his way, he would have ruled over the Edur in the forests, kept them separate from the Letherii, and how he now, having sent his people home, plans on ruling over them again as the Warlock King.

Ormly nears Settle Lake, after having paid people to shout for Tehol in the crowd. He meets Ursto Hoobut and Pinosel, calling them “the fell guardians.” He adds that he’s seen a panel in the Old Palace depicting Settle Lake from six hundred years ago and in it are pictured as well Ursto and Pinosel. Brys comes up from the lake and Ormly gives him the finger from Selush.

Ursto says they need to know the demon god’s name so they can send it away and Brys gives it to them. Brys asks to be taken to Tehol and Ormly says he’ll do so and explain what’s been happening on the way.

Ursto and Pinosel step away from Mosag and watch as he is killed by the Jaghut that sealed the creature in ice at Mael’s request. They tell her she’s not really needed as they now have the name of the demon god and offer her a drink. She accepts and joins them.

Balm, a tad confused (flashing back), enters the city with his group and is met by Keneb, who orders Masan to go tell Tavore to double-time it to Letheras to support his marines.

Fiddler and Gesler’s groups take out a large group of City Garrison troops with Moranth munitions.

Hellian finds a tavern.

Icarium thinks he is done being used, done with companions. He heads to Scale House to begin using the machine he built here long ago, though he realizes it has been damaged over the millennia. Taxilian meets him there and tells him “This is your day.” White light starts to emanate from beneath Scale House, the city shakes and buildings collapse as part of his machine come to life. Icarium slices up his forearms so blood falls freely, thinking “If K’rul can, why not me.”

Taxilian dies in the blast of white fire and power and then Senior Assessor and Taralack Veed are killed by the debris from falling buildings, Veed after seeing a vision of his home and recalling his blood feud.

Buildings collapse all over and a web of white fire rises over the city. Rautos Hivanar is killed by a large part of the machine that rises up to a large height then drops down on him. He is enveloped in white fire that “sucked out from his mind every memory he possessed.”

The web of fire lasts only a few seconds and all who die in it “emptied their lives into it. Every memory, from the pain of birth to the last moment of death.” The web fades out and the city begins to settle back.

The earthquake cracks a canal and up from it rises Mael, “torn between incandescent rage and dreadful fear [for Tehol].” Furious that he can’t save Tehol in time, he heads off to deal with Karos Invictad.

Riding toward the city, Tavore’s group feels the earthquake while Sinn is dazed by Icarium’s power. The river is filled with the Malazan fleet and the rest of the army is just a little behind Tavore’s cavalry. They enter the city and Keneb moves to join them.

Old Hunch Arbat wakes up Ublala Pung and tells him to get out of the circle he’s cleared.

Karsa and Rhulad meet. Rhulad flails away at Karsa, who moves only to deflect Rhulad.

Karos Invictad drags a beaten-to-unconsciousness Tehol into his office. He wants the mob to see him kill Tehol. Brys arrives and kills Karos.

Brys tells Ormly there’s no need for a healer; an Elder God is on the way. Tehol wakes and, seeing Brys cradling him, asks if he’s dead. Brys says no.

Quick Ben and Hedge move toward the sound of sharpers.

Silchas Ruin nears Letheras in dragon form, “a white leviathan with murder in his heart.”

Karsa slices off Rhulad’s sword arm just after the sword impales Karsa’s leg. Samar Dev releases the spirits in her knife, who swarm Karsa just as he is swallowed by chaos and disappears.

Kuru Qan, trapped a while ago in Samar Dev’s knife, had figured out how to leave but decided to stay, curious as to the sense of purpose he felt among those others in the knife. When Samar releases them, he leads the spirits to the sword impaling Karsa’s leg, “understand[ing] the path that must be forged...the sacrifice that must be made.” The spirits open a portal and then sacrifice themselves to the chaos that strikes against them, holding the portal open and pushing Karsa through. The spirits are joined by those within Karsa’s sword, but even then Kura Qan feels they are failing.

Old Hunch tells Ublala it is time and Ublala, weeping, stabs Old Hunch as he sits in the circle, bleeding him to feed the ghosts now rising from the old cemetery. He warns Ublala to leave then “showed them [the spirits] their new god...and the way through.”

The Tarthenal/Toblakai spirits shove the others forward, giving them enough power. Kuru Qan pulls Karsa forward onto the Crippled God’s beach, then he and the other spirits fall into the sea and end.

The crowd waits for Rhulad to rise while Ruin nears in the sky.

As Fiddler lays out the plan to enter the Eternal Domicile, Corabb tries to interrupt with the somewhat important news that a huge white dragon is about to land on them.

Hedge tells Quick Ben they need to get to the roofs; that’s where Fiddler will be. Quick follows but senses something amiss, then tells Hedge to hurry.

Fiddler blasts Ruin with a cusser that wounds the dragon’s chest and shreds its wings. As Ruin falls, Hedge hits him with another, sending him crashing into a building that collapses on top of him. Fiddler sees Hedge and Quick Ben and follows them. Ruin rises from the building terribly wounded and Quick Ben hits him with sorcery, driving Ruin back until finally he retreats. Fiddler calls after Ruin, “This ain’t your fight...Fucking dragon.” Hedge tells him he’s back, alive and everything.

Bottle, Koryk and the others stare from across the street at Quick, Hedge, and Fiddler in amazement. Bottle, watching Ruin exit stage left, thinks “Allow us to introduce ourselves.”

Trull tells Seren he must go seek Rhulad and his parents. She asks him to come back and he says he “can do nothing else. You have all there is of me, all that’s left.” He heads out for the palace, the Errant watching him do so.

Bugg heals Tehol then tells him he’s found Janath and they’ll have more “work to do” to heal her. They hear the mob outside and Bugg informs Tehol he’s now a hero to the people, mostly due to the work of Rucket and Ormly. Tehol asks to be taken to Janath.

The Letherii garrison surrenders to Tavore and she leads a group to the Eternal Domicile. As they march through the crowd, they can hear them shouting two names: Savior (Brys) and Emperor (Tehol). They meet Tehol, Brys, Ruckett, and Ormly and after Tehol is introduced as the new Emperor, Brys says they will escort them to the palace, adding he assumes the “liberating” Malazan will not “overstay their welcome.” Tavore asks if he’s aware of how the Letherii have been defeated out in the country, then admits she has no wish to stay as conquerors. They move to the palace.

Sirryn, fleeing the Malazans, heads for the arena.

Triban Gnol realizes Rhulad is truly dead. He orders Varat Taun to gather the soldiers to escort him to the Throne Room to meet the Malazans, and to bring Samar Dev as well.

Gnol’s group runs into Fiddler’s and Gnol is killed before his men surrender. Quick Ben tells the Malazans not to kill them and Fiddler orders they be taken prisoner. Varat Taun tells them the Emperor is dead in the arena and leads them there to see.

Trull finds Rhulad’s body and cradles it in his arms, thinking he has forgiven Rhulad and wondering if Rhulad in turn would have forgiven him. Sirryn stabs Trull in the heart from behind and is then shot by Koryk.

Hedge grieves for Trull, as does Quick Ben. When Fiddler announces Sirryn will live, Hedge asks Quick Ben to send him somewhere with eternal torment. Quick asks Fiddler if he should, but Fiddler tells him to decide, to “do what needs doing.” Quick Ben says Hood owes him and magics Sirryn so the body disappears with a final scream. Quick tells Fiddler not to pity him and Fiddler says he won’t. Hedge weeps over Trull’s body.

The Errant, having observed, steps away, thinking “He was what he was. A tipper of balances. And now, this day — may the Abyss devour him whole — a maker of widows.”

Karsa pulls the sword from his leg then overturns the Crippled God’s hut. Behind him, Rhulad’s spirit awakens and the CG tells him to take up the sword lying nearby. Karsa warns him not to, saying when he kills his spirit, Rhulad will find oblivion. The CG tells Rhulad he can go back and make everything right, adding that Trull is even now going to the palace to find Rhulad, that Rhulad can now ask Trull to forgive him. Rhulad looks up at that, seeming so young, and Karsa, with a moment’s regret, decapitates him. The CG tells Karsa he’s waited and worked a long time to get Karsa the sword, but Karsa tells him “No one chooses me...All choices belong to me.” The CG promises him immortality, tells him he can proclaim himself Emperor of the Teblor and sweep all before him. Karsa turns his back on the god and goes to meet Withal and the three nachts that have appears on the beach.

Withal tells Karsa he will break the sword now, surprising the Crippled God. Karsa asks if he’s the one who made it and when Withal say yes, Karsa backhands him and tells him not to do it again. Karsa disappears into a portal. As the Crippled God weeps, Withal starts to destroy the sword. Back to top

Epilogue

Nimander wakes to the sound of Clip’s spinning, snapping chain in the street below his window. He goes out and meets Clip, who tells him to get his kin and he will lead them home to Anomander Rake. When Nimander objects that Rake doesn’t want them, Clip says it doesn’t matter what Rake wants or even what Clip desires, because he is “her [Mother Dark is implied] Herald.” He adds that he would have killed Nimander’s sister himself had she still been alive, as she was insane. Nimander goes to get the others, thinking, “Our exile is at an end.”

While Nimander is gone, Clip thinks how “pathetic” he and the others are, and how he had told Nimander mostly lies. He wonders how Ruin did in Letheras, thinking probably not so great, then thinks about how he and Nimander’s group will find Rake and make him “give answer to us. No, not even a god can blithely walk away, can escape the consequences of betrayal. We will find you...We will show you just how it feels.”

Rud and Udinaas talk, while below them in the valley a lost ranag calf bawls for its mother. Udinaas tells Rud he can hear Seren’s grief even at such great distance, and mourns telling Onrack of Trull’s death. Rud, fearing the answer, asks how long Udinaas plans to stay, and Udinaas replies until Rud kicks him out, though he says doesn’t have much to teach him. Rud disagrees, saying Udinaas can team him how to survive. The calf is found by three adults.

Onrack tells Kilava he must go to where Trull’s body is, must tell Seren of Trull’s life since he’d known him. Kilava tells him she is going to go with him.

Tehol is Emperor. He meets with Bugg, Brys, and Janath. Tehol is still Tehol.

Seren is trying to pry up the paving stones at her house entrance to bury Trull’s sword. Bugg moves the largest one, then before leaving tells her “Do not grieve overlong Seren Pedac. You are needed. Your life is needed.” Bugg comes back for a moment to tell her he found the Errant and that is how he learned of her and what happened, finishing by saying “You have all there is of him, all that’s left. Cherish it...and yourself.” She touches her stomach.

Toll The Hounds

Back to top

Prologue

Two unnamed characters, a male former priest and a formerly-wealthy woman, are in a run-down, dust-filled and equally nameless town. Both believe themselves to be dead and each has a dog. The woman’s dog attacks the other and is killed. The priest says it feels like he has been in this town forever, and the woman feels the same, though it appears she just arrived. They note a storm approaching, one filled with jade rain. Edgewalker, taking no notice of them, walks by and meets a hooded figure and both agree the hooded one called Edgewalker here to “mitigate.” They are joined by Shadowthrone and several Hounds, and then eventually a fourth appears in the distance whom they have apparently been waiting for.

Inside Dragnipur, Ditch, a former wizard of Pale who’d been killed by Rake for betrayal, speaks with a demon who is carrying many of the fallen on his back. The demon tells Ditch the wagon-pullers are failing, which Ditch considers obvious. Ditch complains that Rake should have killed more dragons and then the two discuss the need to find someone who knows what will happen when the storm of chaos that chases the wagon catches up. The demon disappears and Ditch, pondering who might know what would happen or what to do, thinks of Draconus, whom he’d met earlier.

Still inside the sword, Apsal’ara, Lady of Thieves, thinks of how she has spent uncounted years under the wagon trying to use friction to break the chains. She recalls the arrival of a stranger (Paran) and the subsequent escape of the Hounds and Paran, how she’d tried to follow but had been driven back by the cold of “negation. Denial.” She thinks of how she has stolen the moon, stolen fire, walked in Moon’s Spawn, and how there must be a way to break her chains and escape.

In a mountain village of the Teblor, a mangy, limping dog suddenly takes off and is followed by two near-twin girls who noted his departure. They head south toward the lands of the Nathii.

Kruppe sits by a fire and is approached by K’rul, who says he has something to tell him. K’rul notes that Kruppe appears sad and asks if he’d like to talk about it, but Kruppe points out K’rul himself doesn’t look so great and forebears. K’rul tells Kruppe he is “not in this war,” and Kruppe says he knows, but he knows as well that K’rul is the “prize” in it. K’rul agres. They are joined by a third and Kruppe says he will tell them a tale as he “dances” and a tear glistens in his eye. Back to top

Chapter One

Lady Vidikas, once Challice D’Arle and now wife to Councilor Gorlas Vidikas, stands on the balcony of her home watching the crowds celebrating the New Year. She thinks of the fad lately among Daru men of wearing Malazan-like torcs (but gold and gemmed) and also of her husband’s contempt for much of the nobility. She believes she has seen what her life is now going to be like, and she mourns the past.

Picker is returning from the market on her way back to K’rul’s Bar, cursing Blend’s inconvenient “sprained” ankle and annoyed as well at Mallet’s misery since retirement.

Dester Thrin, a member of the Assassin’s Guild, is tailing Picker as part of a contract on at least several of the retired Malazans. He thinks back on the succession wars after Vorcan’s disappearance, his relative contentment with the new Grand Master. He recalls Rallick Nom’s use of poison over the then-preferred magic and how a cult has grown up around Nom since his disappearance, though the current Grand Master had outlawed it and killed several of its alleged leaders.

Baruk’s demon Chillbais, perched atop a wall watching over the Azath House, sees something emerge from the house and go over the wall. Chillbais flies off to tell Baruk.

Zechan Throw and Giddyn the Quick, two other Guild assassins, wait to ambush Antsy and Bluepearl, who are returning from the market with wine and who seem a bit drunk as they stumble toward K’rul’s.

Dester makes his move on Picker, but she kills him instead, having long ago picked him out tailing her. Realizing Dester was an assassin and not a common thief, she hurries back to the bar.

Zechan and Giddyn make their move, but Bluepearl had been casting an illusion to make it seem that he and Antsy were ten feet ahead of where they actually were and the Malazans kill their attackers easily, realizing afterward, as did Picker, that they weren’t muggers but paid assassins.

Picker spots what seems to be another assassin near K’rul’s. She kills him just before Antsy and Bluepearl catch up to her and the three enter the bar. Picker calls a meeting, telling Blend to find Mallet and Duiker. Blend notes it’s too bad Spindle has taken off on a pilgrimage. As they head to the meeting, a bard is singing Anomandaris, though no one is listening.

Challice observers the three councilors in her home: Shardan Lim, who seems to regard her with a predatory eye; Hanut Orr, an arrogant playboy; and her husband, contemptuous and seemingly indifferent to how Lim looks at Challice. Challice goes to her room and tells her maid to pull out her old jeweler. Looking at the pieces, she decides to see them tomorrow.

Murillio’s latest woman, the widow Sepharia, has passed out and her daughter makes a move on Murillio, which he knows he should ignore but doesn’t. At the close of their amorous adventure, the girl’s current suitor stabs Murillio, wounding him badly. Murillio leaves the house, blood streaming from the wound.

In the Phoenix, Scorch and Leff bemoan having taken on the job of taking on a debtor’s list. And acting as collectors/enforcers. They lose a game to Kruppe and he tells them he’ll defray their debt if they cut him in on the list for a percentage. Their conversation is broken up by the arrival of the badly wounded Murillio. Kruppe sends Meese for Coll.

At K’rul’s the Malazans discuss the contract put out on them. Coll bursts in requesting Mallet’s immediate help. Mallet goes with Bluepearl.

Baruk is reading a seemingly not-so-credible account of the old Tiste days, involving the alliance between Anomander Rake and Osserick against Draconus. The scroll was a gift from Rake, delivered by Crone, who watches as Baruk reads. Baruk and Crone discuss the White Face Barghast and Grey Sword taking ship and Rake’s delay in accepting Darujhistan’s offer to set up diplomatic relations with Black Coral. Crone says Rake wants to know “when will it begin,” and if Baruk needs assistance, adding Rake can make said assistance hidden if necessary. Chillbais enters and tells Baruk “Out! Out! Out!” after which Baruk tells Crone “it has begun.” Back to top

Chapter Two

Endest Silann, castellan in the palace of Black Coral and once a High Mage, walks through the city. He recalls the day he and Rake first set foot on this world, then the day he held back the water from Moon’s Spawn, long enough to do what needed to be done, though it destroyed his power. As he fights off painful pressure in his chest, he thinks he should have stayed with Moon’s Spawn when Rake sent it away to crash, both of them (he and the keep) having died that day it rose from the sea.

Spinnock Durav and the former Seerdomin of the Pannion play (as they often do) an ancient Andii game of strategy known as Kef Tanar, a game inspired by the succession wars of the Andii First Children. Spinnock wins and as the two converse afterward, he thinks how Seerdomin’s burden of sorrow makes him more similar to the Andii, and reflects how the human’s ability to hold back despair, something the Andii have been unable to do, makes him necessary to Spinnock. Spinnock wonders if, in fact, it is all that is keeping him alive. Seerdomin tells Spinnock he has lately seen Rake standing every night on the keep wall looking out to sea, something he finds unnerving. Spinnock says Rake prefers solitude, but Seerdomin doesn’t buy it, and he wonders if Rake is chafing at having become mere “administrator.” Spinnock replies he doesn’t know what Rake is feeling, having not spoken to him in centuries, adding he’s only one almost-incompetent soldier, a claim Seerdomin is suspicious of.

Clip leads Nimander’s group through Kurald Galain to a resting point. Skintick tells Nimander he’s suspicious of Clip’s claims and wonders if they should just leave Clip to his own “dramatic accounting” with Rake, though he also wonders if their group hasn’t earned a place among a community of Andii. Aranatha joins them and says Clip had told her they’ve exited the warren further south than he’d hoped, that there had been “layers of resistance.” The three head for a look at the sea then return.

Clip likes seeing how angry Nenanda gets, thinking he can shape him, unlike Nimander, whom he considers far too sensitive and destined to be destroyed by the realities of the world. He dismisses the others as well, save Destra. He toys with his chain and thinks how it has been fashioned by the combined powers of the Andii in the refuge, “miniature portals...[a] cacophony of souls residing within these rings was now all that remained of those people.”

On his way back from the game at the Scour and seeing Silanah curled about the tower, Spinnock recalls when Silanah had been unleashed in Mott Wood, and how she’d been struck by Cowl, leading to Rake’s fury and subsequent hunting down of Cowl. He wonders who had finally yielded in the great battle that ensued. He thinks as well of Silanah laying the trap for Raest, joined by the Soletaken Andii of Moon’s Spawn, and wonders if he is alone in feeling uncomfortable with the alliance between the Andii and the Eleint, recalling how Rake himself had warred against them: “when such creatures broke loose from their long-standing servitude to K’rul; when they had sought to grasp power for themselves.” He doesn’t know, though, why Rake chose to oppose them, nor why Silanah later joined Rake. Entering the palace, he passes a chamber marked by the invisible sun as an homage to Mother Dark, a place Spinnock considers the “heart” of Kurald Galain, “in this realm’s manifestation of the warren.” He meets with Rake and reports on what he found on Assail, his mission for Rake, saying he doesn’t see a need for Rake to travel there, that the “madness there seems quite self-contained.” He makes it clear he chafes at not being used by Rake to do more, and Rake tells him the time will come, until then “Play on, my friend. See the king through, until...” Spinnock exits, meeting Endest Silann on his way to talk to Rake.

At a restaurant in Coral, three humans complain about Rake and the Andii, talk of rising against them, discuss masterminds and meetings. They exit and Seerdomin, who had been nearby listening, follows.

Under Silanah’s eye, pilgrims make their way to the grave of the Redeemer (Itkovian). Back to top

Chapter Three

Kruppe reacts to the arrival in Darujhistan of various powers. Near Quip’s Bar, a Trygalle Trade Guild carriage arrives with several surviving shareholders: Faint, Reccanto Ilk, Sweetest Sufferance, Glanno Tarp, and the High Mage Master Quell. They enter Quip’s.

Mallet joins Kruppe after having spent the night healing Murillio. He tells Kruppe Murillio is physically healed, but he has concerns about Murillio’s mental state. Mallet leaves, but before he does so, Kruppe promises he’ll find out who put the contract out on the Malazans. After Mallet leaves, Meese wonders if it might have been the Empire, but Kruppe tells her the Empire has a pair of its own assassins in the embassy, so that doesn’t make sense.

Scorch and Leff wait at the docks to see if anyone on their list tries to make a run for it.

Gruntle leads a caravan of kelyk (with animated dead guards/drivers) into the city. He tells the merchant who hired him (Sirik) they were attacked by a hundred Dwell raiders and he was the only one who survived, adding he doesn’t know why the dead obeyed his orders. He gets his money and leaves, dreading facing acolytes and a self-proclaimed High Priestess of Trake at his home. He passes by the Trade Guild carriage and thinks how crazy those people are, but then reconsiders in light of his own recent experience, which had gained him relatively little financially.

Torvald Nom lands at the quays and is jumped by Leff and Scorch, his old compatriots, as he’s on their list of debtors. He tells them he’s going to clear his debt and gets them to give him a day to do so, at which point he’ll help them. He heads for home, Moranth alchemicals secreted in his raincape.

The city’s largest ironmonger, Humble Measure, recalls how his adopted father had treasonously tried to open the gates of his home city of One Eye Cat to the Malazan invaders and been executed for his troubles. After seeing his mother and sisters raped and murdered, Humble Measure had been saved by a member of the Crimson Guard and then (after the city fell anyway to the Empire) eventually set free. He’d made his way from there to Pale (taken by the Empire) and then to Darujhistan, the last place left of his father ironmonger business. Here he swears the Empire will not win and he has a plan to stop them, one based on a secret he’d discovered in the centuries-old records of his father’s business. He receives a report that his contract on the Malazans had failed, and he thinks they’ll have to do better next time.

Spite’s ship lands at the wharfs, crewed by bhok’arala. Cutter chafes at Spite’s argument that anyone disembarking should wait until dusk. She warns him the city has changed and is “poised on the very edge of great danger,” to which he replies he knows and that’s why he’s anxious to leave. Mappo says he plans on leaving to start after Icarium, Pust and Mogora spar, Cutter complains, Barathol says he looks forward to being anonymous in the city, Spite whines about being almost eternal. They all head out in various ways into the ship.

Barathol offers to go with Mappo, but Mappo says he must do it alone, adding he plans on taking shorter, more dangerous paths. They discuss possibilities for Barathol—a blacksmith, a caravan or estate guard. They make their goodbyes.

Pust and Mogora spar some more. Pust decides to visit the Shadow temple. The Mule changes sex.

To Cutter’s relief, Scillara says she’ll tag along with Barathol and Chaur. Scillara thinks how Cutter has changed her; she no longer has her old confidence.

Rallick Nom is awakened by Raest inside the Azath House. Raest tells him Vorcan has escaped, then Rallick leaves.

A bird’s eye view of the city gives us a glimpse of many of the characters going about their business. Back to top

Chapter Four

Traveller lands ashore, his ship wrecked in the shallows, and is almost immediately attacked by a plains bear (“driven here”), which he kills and eats. He heads inland.

Nimander, Skintick, and Desra debate power. Nimander worries about Nenanda and how Clip is influencing him, then is tormented by the two voices in his head, his lover and Phaed, speaking to him. The group reaches fields of strange plants fed by corpses wrapped in rags dripping black fluid. They can see thousands of such “scarecrows” over distant fields. They head toward the town beyond the fields and are met by a priest of the Dying God, who tells them the former cities of the Pannion are rising in this new age of Saemankelyk, and that the Dying God’s body lies in the city of Bastion. He mistakes them for traders from Black Coral. Clip says he wants to travel to Bastion to see this god.

Seerdomin makes his way through the city to the Great Barrow. At the barrow, he prays the same prayer he does every day, asking not for redemption but giving the Redeemer his “paltry” gift of company to aid the Redeemer in his great loneliness. He asks the Redeemer to bless the pilgrims with peace. Afterward, the High Priestess, a young woman, speaks to him, calling him the “Benighted,” which she says is a title of respect and that they believe the Redeemer has chosen him to guard this children. He tells her he refuses the responsibility and leaves.

Endest Silann flashes back to when he was an acolyte in the Temple of Mother Dark entering Kharkanas during a time of chaos. The city is riven by civil war, corpses line the streets, in the sky colors and light “spread in waves that devoured darkness.” The Priestesses are convulsing in the temple and the male priests/acolytes flee. Rake arrives, the “blood of Tiam ran riot through him, fired to life by the conflation of chaotic sorcery.” Rake tells Endest to come with him to the Temple, saying “The crime of this day rests with Mother Dark,” and Endest realizes Rake means to confront her.

Endest sits in his room feeling the “stain of Light upon his soul.” He recalls Rake telling him to hold the way open for him despite how Mother Dark might rage against Endest. When Endest replies he has sworn his life to Mother Dark and that she is the creator of them all, Rake responds, “Yes, and she will answer for it.” On their way, Rake asks if Endest will await him on the “day at the very end...Until the moment when you must betray me...You will know the time, you will know it and know it well.” Endest remembers another conversation, a recent one when Rake asked what was rising in the Great Barrow—if it was Itkovian, if Itkovian was becoming a new god. Endest had to say he didn’t know, as he’d been “closed to such things...since that day in the Temple.” Rake had apologized for forgetting and said he’d ask Spinnock. Endest thinks he still waits (for that moment).

Back in the early flashback time, heading for the Temple Endess and Rake walk past the bodies “of various factions: Silchas Ruin’s. Andarist’s, and Anomander’s own. Drethdenan’s, Hish Tulla’s, Vanut Degalla’s.” Before Rake reaches the doors, Mother Dark’s voice speaks, telling him “Be warned, Anomander, dear son, from Andii blood is born a new world...You and your kin are no longer alone, no longer free to play your vicious games. There are now others.” Rake tells her he is neither surprised nor horrified, adding, “It could never be enough, to be naught but a mother, to create with hands closed upon no one. To yield so much of yourself, only to find us your only reward—us slayers, us betrayers.” She is horrified to realize he has Tiam’s blood in him and he tells her “Like you, I have chosen to embrace change...There will be wars between us (the Andii and the others), and so I shall unite the Andii. Resistance is ending. Andarist, Drethdenan, Vanut Degalla. Silchas is fleeing, and so too Hish Tulla and Manalle. Civil strife is now over.” Mother Dark replies, “You have killed Tiam. Do you realize what you have begun? Silchas flees, yes, and where do you think he goes? And the newborn, the others, what scent will draw them now, what taste of chaotic power? In murder you seek peace and now the blood flows and there shall be no peace, not ever again. I forsake you Anomander Blood of Tiam. I deny my first children all. You shall wander the realms, bereft of purpose. Your deeds shall avail you nothing. Your lives shall spawn death unending. The Dark—my heart—is closed to you, to you all.”

Spinnock muses on the eventual fate of his sword as he oils it in the High Priestess’ room. He notes the Priestess has walked more often lately in the Darkness and asks if Mother Dark has forgiven them. She laughs bitterly and tells him the “visions are growing more fraught.”

Spinnock heads for the tavern and his game with Seerdomin, whom he knows is troubled by something having to do with the Great Barrow, something that has caused his friend to give up his daily trips there. He worries that Seerdomin’s loss of faith will mean his own loss of hope. He stops to visit a priestess of the Redeemer and asks if there is a crisis of faith among them. She tells him Seerdomin “denies us in our need,” though she won’t say what that need is. She does say Spinnock can’t help his friend, and that she and the believers “await the Redeemer, to end that which afflicts his followers.” When she adds the Redeemer is unafraid of the Dark, Spinnock warns her it would be unwise for the Redeemer to think of embracing the Andii, for “such an embrace will destroy him. Utterly.” And, he thinks to himself, “us as well.” He offers to help, but she refuses aid from him or Rake.

Kallor walks the plains of Lamath, musing on the futility of history, of the ephemeral nature of achievement, the banality of life and death. He kills a hare. He doesn’t care. Back to top

Chapter Five

Kruppe gives us a big picture sense of Darujhistan’s liveliness.

Torvald breaks into Gareb the Lender’s home. Gareb’s wife thinks it’s her husband playing a role-playing game—“The Night Stalker this time? Ooh, that one’s fun”—and Nom makes love to her, also getting the location of the loot during.

Five-year-old Harllo eats an onion, leery of his cousin Snell, who is a sadistic bully. He thinks of Uncle Two (Gruntle) as the “bravest, wisest man” in the city. He also thinks of Aunt Two (Stonny), “who wasn’t Aunt Two at all, but Mother One. Even if she wouldn’t admit it.” Harllo knows he is the product of rape and that is why Stonny acts as she does. Both his adoptive parents, Aunt Myrla and Uncle Bedek, suffer mentally and physically: Bedek has no legs below the knees and can’t do much and gets depressed, and Myrla was injured in childbirth and tires easily. Harllo does much of the work (including stealing food) for the household, especially as Snell does almost nothing. Gruntle arrives to Harllo’s pleasure and Snell’s fear and hatred. As Gruntle and Bedek reminisce and Snell plots some cruelty, Harllo thinks how tomorrow he’ll head out of the city to collect dung for the fire.

Duiker burns his failed attempts at writing a history of the Chain of Dogs, disdaining history as well as his own every-more-uncharitable feelings toward people. He mourns the singular constancy of human stupidity, broken only now and then by rare and fleeting moments of greatness. Mallet tells him the marines are working on tracing back the assassins to their source then talks of his own sense of growing cynicism and his feelings of being lost in retirement, having lost so many friends for who knows what reasons. Duiker’s says he has a meeting with Baruk tomorrow and heads off to bed, warning Mallet to watch his back.

Thordy, who runs a vegetable stall in the market (the one Harllo has stolen from), watches her husband Gaz storm off in a rage. She thinks of how Gaz never hits her because he needs her, but he takes his rage out on others, likes “kicking faces in, so long as the victim was smaller.” Gaz lost all his fingers to an underwater creature when he’d been a fisherman, and part of his rage stems from that accident and how it had made his hands fit “for fighting...and nothing more.” She considers how she has changed recently, how her former “emptiness” had begun to fill, and she thinks how both she and Gaz would be happier were he dead.

Gaz walks away, thinking Thordy should have kicked him out long ago. He thinks how he lies to her about his victims, how he actually chooses “the meanest, biggest bastards he could find” and how he’s killed four of them so far (“that he was sure of”). He knows someday it’ll be him dead and that Thordy won’t mourn him. He is met by a cowled figure who tells him “Welcome your god,” whom Gaz has sacrificed to six times. The figure tells him to keep harvesting souls (though he had no need of sacrifice) and when the time for more comes, Gaz will be “shown what must be done.” When Gaz begins to protest, the figure says Gaz’s desires are irrelevant and then the sound of flies buzzes into Gaz’s head. Sensing killing will drive the sound out, Gaz strikes out at someone who has just entered the alley.

Rallick Nom meets an old friend and current assassin, Krute. Krute tells him there was a cult around Nom, that it had been outlawed by the Guildmaster (Sebar), that Krute is under suspicion and being cut out, and that a lot of assassins have left for Elingarth, Black Coral, and even Pale to join the Claw. He explains the cult was not so much religious as philosophical with regard to assassination: no magic, lots of poisons, otataral dust if possible; but that Seba is trying to go back to magic. Krute assumes Rom will take over, but Rom tells him Vorcan is out as well and he has no idea what she plans. He tells Krute to sit tight for a while.

Pust (followed by some bhok’arala) enters the Shadow Temple, announcing himself as Magus of High House Shadow.

A night watchman escorts Mappo to the Temple of Burn. On the way, they come across Gaz’s victim, and the watchman notes it’s the fifth victim thus killed and he thinks it’s time to bring in a mage/priest to the case. The watchman leaves Mappo at the temple, where he is met by a priest who opens the door as if expecting him. The priest asks if he would “walk the veins of the earth” despite its risks and Mappo says yes. He lets Mappo in and shows him his path—a gate/warren as a river of molten rock. He says they’ll prepare Mappo by bathing him in blood. Barathol feels for Scillara and thinks Cutter was a “damned fool.” He thinks of how the words “too late” had haunted him for some time. He accidentally leads Chaur and Scillara into the red light district and on their way out Scillara asks what he would do if he could and he replies that he would open a smithy. They head to a tavern.

At the same tavern (Fisher having told them to eat there tonight), Antsy, Picker, and Blend take notice of the new arrivals and of Barathol‘s resemblance to Kalam. Picker wonders if he’s a Claw and Antsy suggests maybe he’s the one trying to kill them. Blend goes over to ask.

Blend tells Barathol she knows Kalam and he tells her they’re cousins. They discuss how neither is with the Malazan embassy, how Barathol never served “directly” in the empire, and how Blend’s group is retired and running K’rul’s bar. She leaves and Barathol says they’re probably deserters worried he’s a Claw come to kill them (he mentions they’re Bridgburners). They’re impressed by Blend’s blunt courage and send over a pitcher.

The tables send drinks back and forth until it ends with the Bridgeburners drinking Quorl Milk and passing out.

Crone watches Baruk conjure a demon with jade eyes which he says is a disembodied soul “from the realm of the Fallen One...Reaching [for its god], touching, recoiling...from the ferocious fires of pain.” He admits he recently had a visit from Shadowthrone. He asks Crone where the other gods are who “cringe every time the Crippled God clears his throat. So eager for this war, as long as someone else does the fighting,” adding she should warn Rake that whatever Shadowthrone offers, “nothing is as it seems. Nothing.” Crone says Rake is not blind; “He stands before a towering stone and would see it toppled.” She also warns him of Vorcan’s imminent arrival and also that she has found the confirmation that Rake sought, which Baruk assumes was that Shadowthrone “spoke true.”

Baruk tells Chillbais to fly to Derudan and invite her to counsel with him and Vorcan. The demon leaves and Baruk thinks of how Vorcan has left only the three of them to stop “if we can, the return of the Tyrant.” He wonders if he should have asked Rake for help, then thinks even Rake wouldn’t be enough, “which means one of us will choose to betray the others. Currying favor for when he returns.”

Cutter stands outside the Phoenix torn about going in. He’s surprised from behind by Rallick whom he wounds when instincts take over before both recognize the other.

Scorch and Leff tell Kruppe they found Torvald and didn’t hand him over to Gareb because Torvald said he’d pay Gareb himself then pay them. Kruppe thinks if Gareb hears they’ll be in trouble.

Cutter helps Rallick in and they help. When they’re suspicious he’s an assassin, Cutter denies it and Meese tells the crowd to cool it. Cutter talks to Kruppe.

Torvald returns to his wife Tiserra, apologizes for being gone so long, and tells her he stole from Gareb.

Kruppe closes with a bird’s eye view of the city and several of the characters. Back to top

Chapter Six

Two days from where he’d landed on the coast of Morn and in bad shaped, Traveller is met by Shadowthrone and Cotillion. Shadowthrone makes the point that when Traveller dies and is taken by Hood, Traveller will have “lost” (by failing his goal of killing Hood). When Traveller sarcastically asks if Shadowthrone cares much, Cotillion surprisingly says yes, though they don’t give him a reason. Shadowthrone offers to give Traveller food and drink and have the Hounds lead Traveller to “salvation,” but refuses to say what he wants in return. Traveller says he won’t be stopped or delayed and Shadowthrone and Cotillion say they prefer the opposite. Traveller asks about the two white Hounds and Cotillion says they just showed up one day, and Traveller wonders if they might be the “fabled Hounds of Light.” Traveller realizes the bear had been driven to him by the two gods and angrily asked which of them wrecked his ship and killed his crew. Cotillion says they wouldn’t have done that, and Traveller seems to accept that and leaves.

Shadowthrone and Cotillion go “whew” after Traveller leaves without trying to kill them and discuss how Mael had been the one who smashed Traveller’s ship and they had pulled Traveller out. They wonder why Mael wanted to delay Traveller, and then Cotillion says it doesn’t matter since Mael is working under a false assumption: “A quarry on the run.” They discuss how they cannot fail and timing is all.

In the tavern, surrounded by villagers drinking kelyk, Nenanda tells the group they should discuss Clip while he’s gone, saying Clip has contempt for them and “sees what he chooses to see.” They appear to be behind Nimander, though there is disagreement as to whether they can trust Desra. Clip and Desra return and Clip tells them the Dying God will soon appear and they should go, which they do. Outside they hear the scarecrows singing and Nimander and Skintick go to investigate while the others return to their rooms. They sense the arrival of the god: “in terrible pain… the gate to his tormented soul open.” They come across the scarecrows writhing above the plants, which have opened and sent out clouds of pollen. Nimander is tempted to rush in and “taste the pollen… He wanted to dance in the god’s pain,” but is pulled back by Skintick, who is also drawn. They barely make it back, but are brought inside by Aranatha, “reaching down to grasp them… The strength she kept hidden was unveiled suddenly.” He feels Aranatha’s power, “an emanation of will” that she keeps cloaked “until it’s needed.” They worry about Clip, then hear sounds of him slaughtering the villagers. As they wait out the night, Nimander wars with the ghosts in his head. Phaed implies she killed his love, then warns him he should kill Nenanda before he is usurped by him. At dawn they find Clip, comatose, covered in the blood of the villagers he’d killed in the tavern. Aranatha says “they took something from him” and they decide to go to Bastion, where the Dying God resides, to get it back.

Endest senses a shout, “a cry that bristled with… affront. Indignation. Outrage.” Knowing that every other Tiste Andii must sense it and hope it is Mother Dark returned, he heads to find Rake. Rake asks Endest if he agrees with Mother Dark’s past judgment of him: “Did I not see true what was to come? Before Light’s arrival, we were in a civil war. Vulnerable to the forces soon to be born. Without the blood of Tiamatha, I could never have enforced peace. Unification.” Before Endest can really answer, Rake sighs and says “Yes, a most dubious peace… the peace of death… As for unification, that proved woefully shortlived… I wonder, if I had succeeded, truly succeeded, would that have changed her mind?” Endest asks what they should do about what is happening but as he listens he has no idea of what Rake is saying or thinking: “his thoughts traveled a thousand tracks simultaneously.” Rake decides, “I cannot give answer this time… Nor I am afraid can Spinnock. He will be needed elsewhere… It must fall to you, again. Once more.” Endest, though, says he cannot do it and Rake, at first surprised, accedes, saying “Reborn into fury, oh, would that I could see that… you cannot stand in my stead… Do not set yourself between two forces, neither of which you can withstand. You may well feel the need, but defy it with all your will. You must not be lost.” Suddenly, the strange power disappears, and when Endest asks Rake if it will return, Rake instead muses on the ever-changing sea: “nothing lasts forever.”

Salind says the Redeemer is troubled by something from the south that “had the flavor of Kurald Galain.” Around her are pilgrims worried about their safety now that they’ve been abandoned by the Benighted (Seerdomin). She muses on faith and the faithful and wonders “where the Redeemer’s reward?” The pilgrims ask if the Redeemer is yet another indifferent god and wonder who will stop/punish Gradithan (the one who preys on them). Salind recalls her own troubled past as a First born of the Tenescowri. They decide to go confront Seerdomin, though she thinks it a bad choice.

Spinnock and Seerdomin are playing in the tavern. Spinnock thinks of this strange drink—kelyk—that has been all over, one that causes “an alarmingly dark discharge—he’d begun to see stains… all over the city… abusers, stumbling glaze-eyed.” Spinnock is shocked when Seerdomin surrenders the game. Salind arrives and Seerdomin is shocked and furious, telling her this is his “refuge” and demanding she leave. Spinnock leaves the two alone and waits outside.

When Salind leaves, Spinnock speaks to her. She tells him how Seerdomin used to pray each day at the temple. When Spinnock asks why, saying it bothers him to see Seerdomin so upset, she points out that Seerdomin “answers [your] need, and so wounded as he now is, you begin to bleed.” Spinnock is shocked and she apologizes, then tells him Seerdomin offers the Redeemer his company, “asking for nothing, he comes to relieve the Redeemer’s loneliness.” She says Seerdomin is missed and leaves. Spinnock thinks he must do something “For Seerdomin. For her.” And he wonders at the effect she has had on him.

Kallor recalls his past women and how he’d had to watch them age while he didn’t (at least not at close to the same rate), until “there was no choice but for Kallor to discard them, to lock them away one by one in some tower.” He thinks too how it’s “too bad he’d had to kill every child he begat… He’d tear those ghastly babes from their mother’s arms not moments after they’d tumbled free of the womb and was that not a true sign of mercy? No one grows attached to dead things.” Which leads him to his belief that attachments were “a waste of time… a weakness. To rule an empire—to rule a hundred empires—one needed a certain objectivity. All was to be used, to be remade howsoever he pleased.” He doesn’t understand the “willingness of otherwise intelligent… people to parcel up and then bargain away appalling percentages of their very limited lives in service to someone else… He would bargain away nothing of his life. He would serve no one… He would never be one of the multitude.” He aims now for a “crown… a kingship… Mastery not over something as mundane as an empire… but over a realm.” His thoughts are interrupted by a sense of power north of him and then another he recognizes as Tiste Andii, and he wonders if it is “those two accursed hunters” (Korlat and Orfantal). He remembers how he has killed dragons before, though thinks two tat the same time might be harder. The powers disappear and he heads toward Darujhistan.

Kallor, employing his inimitable charm, hitches a ride with Nimander’s group, heading toward Bastion with Clip still comatose in the back of the wagon.

Traveller meets the Kindaru, “the last clan left” on the Lamath Plains, who tell him they’ve recently found an ambushed group of thirty raiders, killed seemingly by “a demon we think, who walks like a storm, dark with terrible rage.” They explain the raiders were Skathandi, who prey on everyone on the Plain, ruled by the Captain who sits in an ever-moving, two-story carriage drawn by slaves. The next day they scavenge the ambush site, Traveller taking a horse, and then are surprised by the appearance of Samar Dev, who says she’s following the damned demon (Karsa) to give him his damned horse back. Back to top

Chapter Seven

Harllo heads out of the city to collect dung. Snell comes out afterward. Ominous voiceover.

Burn’s priests find themselves unable to give Mappo the protection he needs to travel Burn’s warren due to the web of Ardatha that had earlier healed him, and they suspect she has “ensnared [him] for purposes unknown to any but her.” When Mappo says he will track down Mogora, who had called upon Ardatha to heal him, the priest says he has a better idea (but it’ll cost him).

Sweetest Sufferance, Quip Younger, Faint, Glanno Tarp, Reccanto Ilk, and Master Quell recover from their last Guild return trip in the bar when a young boy arrives to say he has someone who wants to negotiate for a delivery. Faint sends him back to return with whomever it is. Burn’s priest leads Mappo there and then leaves. Mappo recognizes the carriage outside the shop as similar to the one that had arrived in Tremorlor. Master Quell recognizes Mappo, who says he needs to hire the Guild to get him to Lether and the Edur Empire. When Quell asks, Mappo says he thinks Icarium and the Emperor did not fight or Mappo would have sensed it. Quell says he can let Mappo know by the next day if they can take the job.

High Marshal Jula Bole, High Marshal Amby Bole, and the swamp witch Precious Thimble (former Mott Irregulars), sign up as shareholders with the Trygalle Trade Guild, thus giving Quell enough for the job.

Councilmen Gorlas Vidikas (Challice’s husband), Shardan Lim, and Hanut Orr sit in Vidikas’ home plotting to put a nominee on the Council and then “shove aside the elder statesmen… and take the real power.” They worry that Coll might be a problem. Vidikas, bored, thinks of how the other two are fools but at least useful to him, especially as they lust after his wife, whom he’s seemingly happy to dangle as both bait and prize.

Challice looks at a favorite wedding gift—a glass hemisphere with a semblance of the moon shining bright floating inside. Once, she thinks, it offered her “promise” but now it seems a symbol of entrapment and of the inevitable fading that comes with time, and a provoker therefore of “strange thoughts and hungers growing ever more desperate for appeasement.” She avoids Gorlas, whom she’s felt nothing toward for some time now and prepares to head out. She thinks of warning her father about Gorlas and his allies and their plotting, but knows her father would just dismiss it.

Gruntle visits Stonny at her dueling school and tries to get her to visit Harllo and the others. When she tells him she gives money to Snell for them he tells her Snell has been stealing it all. She tells him she can’t look Harllo in the face; she sees only her rapist, adding later that “Stonny Menackis died years ago.” Gruntle says he’s considering joining the Trygalle Trade Guild and she says not to, accusing him of having a death wish. He decides he’ll do it, “take my share, my fortune, and buy them a new life.” He heads out to join.

Snell knocks out Harllo and leaves him there.

A shepherd finds Harllo and decides to take him to his shack and sell him.

Cutter wonders if he should have taken a different path in his life. Murillio tells him he (Cutter) has changed and he isn’t sure it’s for the better, guessing someone broke Cutter’s heart. Murillio says he is feeling old and will take advantage of the second chance he’s been given, beginning with trying to get a job at the new dueling school (Stonny’s).

Rallick has healed more quickly than normal, due apparently to lingering effects of the otataral dust he’d used all those years ago. He considers his options: he could return to the Guild, but Seba would see him as a threat and try to kill him; he could go into hiding and wait for Vorcan to make her move and then second her, as he’s one of the few she trusts; he could kill Seba himself and await Vorcan’s quick return. He’s surprised Cutter left without visiting, and then is saddened by Irilta’s obvious terminal illness. Murillio tells him not to pity her as “she’s ready to leave.” Murillio fills Rallick in on what’s happened while he was in the Azath House.

Torvald listens to his wife working on her pottery. He wonders about the time he was gone, and she tells him she’s had only two brief lovers. She’s laundered his ill-gotten goods. She warns him not to get mixed up with Scorch and Leff.

Scorch and Leff discuss their list of people who owe money with Kruppe. Kruppe tells them the six found before had “mysteriously” flown the coop just in time. Nom arrives and hands over all the money he owes Gareb (from what he stole from Gareb). Kruppe mentions how a thief took Gareb’s money and slept with his wife. Kruppe tells Torvald Rallick has returned and suggests a reunion, warning him, though, to keep Rallick’s return secret. Torvald passes and asks Kruppe not to say anything to Rallick.

Antsy’s group is recovering from the night before. Fisher and Duiker talk, Fisher revealing he’s from Korel originally, “but that was a long time ago,” adding he knew Greymane. When asked what is true or not, Fisher replies as a bard he doesn’t care: “Lies, truths, the words make no distinction in what they tell, nor even the order they come in.” Duiker then asks about the verses of Anomandaris Fisher has been singing that Duiker has never heard before. Fisher suggests he help Duiker tell the tale of the Chain of Dogs, and Duiker agrees.

Picker and Blend discuss the sex they all had the night before (their group and Barathol’s group, save Chaur). Barathol and Mallet went out to find the Blacksmith’s Guild.

Down in the basement of K’rul’s, a ghost tells Bluepearl he should breach a cask and “that will tell you everything you need to know.”

Faint watches as the Bole brothers follow Precious Thimble and thinks she won’t be surprised if one or more are killed on this job. Gruntle shows up and Quell isn’t happy but when Mappo says they’ll probably need someone like Gruntle, Quell shrugs and says fine. They take off.

In Kruppe’s bird’s eye view, we see several characters and then close with Harllo being taken away after being sold to an ironmonger for the mines. Back to top

Chapter Eight

Samar Dev and Traveller continue behind Karsa and the thought of a Toblakai sends “Pangs of regret and pain through Traveller, for reasons he kept to himself.” Samar tells the story of Rhulad and Karsa, speculating Karsa killed the Emperor and spoke to the Crippled God. Traveller guesses Karsa replaced Rhulad, but Samar doubts it. Traveller declares if Karsa has Rhulad’s sword he will have to give it to Traveller to destroy or fight Traveller for it. She notes Traveller is hardly the first to turn against the Crippled God, but Traveller says he hasn’t been against him, nor has he any wish to be against him now, but “he goes too far.”

Once, the Captain had been imprisoned and staked out on the plain, fed to ants, but he’d managed to survive, though he thinks the ants are still in his head, joined there by river spirits that had conjoined with him, healing him but also becoming “restless, uncivil guests.” For the past seven years he’s been the “nomadic tyrant of the Lamath Plains,” sitting the throne of this two-story carriage drawn by 1000 slaves (500 at a time) and using his two hundred cavalry and hundreds of horsed scouts as protectors/raiders, a full kingdom on the move. He receives a report from a scout of another raiding party slain. Karsa appears and cuts the chain yoking the slaves to the carriage, declaring them free. The Captain feels his spirits flee and tells his men to invite Karsa to dinner as his guest. Knowing he is dying now without the spirits, and sensing tonight will be his last, he calls Karsa his heir.

Desra suggests Aranatha look at Clip, though Nimander doesn’t understand why. Kallor gropes Aranatha and to his and the others’ great surprise, she tosses him through the air, leaving Kallor “shaken” and with bruised ribs, while Aranatha stands there, “something dark and savage blazing from her eyes.” As Nimander looks on, she asks him if he can “feel her now.”

Endest recalls the great black river of Kharkanas, Dorssan Ryl, the madness that fell at the abandonment of Mother Dark. He then remembers a much more recent event: Rake, yesterday, looking at a tapestry depicting Silchas Ruin (I’m assuming it’s Ruin from the white skin and two swords—but am happy to entertain other theories, what with the black eyes and backstabbing). Rake told Endest “He did not mean it… There was a cabal… They used him badly.” Endest asked permission to visit a nearby river that is said to be similar to Dorssan Ryl and Rake gives it, saying only Endest needs to return in a month’s time, but also warning him against despondency. Endest is now packing, ready to go.

Rake tells Spinnock he needs him to make a journey, saying he’ll need “as long perhaps, as you can manage,” an implication which dismays Spinnock at first, as his thoughts go to the Redeemer’s priestess Salind and to Seerdomin. Rake adds that whatever Spinnock plans to do about Seerdomin’s problem, he should “hurry.” Rake muses on the Redeemer and wonders “is his ability to forgive truly endless… I cannot but wonder at a god so willing to assume the crimes and moral flaws of its followers while in turn demanding nothing—no expectation of a change in behavior, nor threat of punishment… absolution is not the same as redemption… He takes on the task of redemption for all who come to him… But he does not expect the same of his people… He appears to possess no expectations whatsoever.” But Spinnock suggests Itkovian “leads by example,” though he admits he doesn’t think any of the Redeemer’s followers have considered this. Rake speculates, “If the Redeemer cannot deny, then he is trapped in a state of imbalance,” and wonders “what would be needed to redress that imbalance.” Spinnock, in his mind, replies, “A man who refuses,” and thinks how Rake has led him to an important realization and a resolution to not fail in his task. Rake tells Spinnock to give his regards to the priestess and Spinnock heads off to the High Priestess (which is not the one Rake was referring to; he meant Salind).

Spinnock thinks how since the strange force that “trembled through Kurald Galain,” all the priestesses had been frantically bedding male Andii (and even some humans according to rumor), but had found no answers. He thinks of Salind and then of Korlat and Whiskeyjack, noting that Whiskeyjack had at least been a human who’d lived much of his life (and he still wonders what Korlat might have done once Whiskeyjack got old) while Salind was all too young. The High Priestess is angered at how Rake treats Spinnock, how Spinnock is so willing to die for Rake, and she tells him Rake’s attempts to “hold on to some meaning, some purpose” via engaging the Andii in “the struggles of lesser folk” is misguided, and says Rake knows it too. She says the Temples chooses instead to hope for the “rebirth of our Gate, the return of Mother Dark,” though she admits they also fail in this. Spinnock realizes then what priestess Rake meant and asks the High Priestess her thoughts on the Redeemer Cult. She replies it is young and this time is dangerous as “nothing has been formulated, no doctrine—and all religions need such things.”

Salind is tired of being a High Priestess and of feeling she can do nothing for her god, is upset at how Gradithan is preying on her people, and bemoans her “failure” with regard to Seerdomin. She questions the cult, the roles of empathy and compassion, the speed with which righteousness becomes judgment and then turns oppressive and even violent. She wants to scream, “Absolution is not enough” but knows they will look to her for answers then. Spinnock arrives and discovers she is fevered and when he offers to help, she asks what about the others, and he responds he’ll bring healers to the pilgrims. She tells him Salind is not her name and of her past, that that she is a Child of the Dead Seed (the reason she is one of the only ones that has not been raped). She adds she is sick because the Redeemer is and Spinnock, saying he’s not surprised, picks her up.

Spinnock tells the others Rake will send healers, then heads out, wondering why Rake, who must know of all this, hasn’t done anything and then wonders whom Rake expects to deal with it. Recalling Rake’s “regards,” Spinnock decides “I will attend to her, because within her lies the answer,” though he doesn’t know what the question is.

Monkrat, a bald priest of the Undying God, (“a priest of some unknown god somewhere to the south—Bastion perhaps”), speaks to Gradithan (a former Urdo in the Pannion army) and says now that Spinnock has taken Salind away—the Redeemer’s eyes and ears—they can do whatever they want. Gradithan tells his lieutenant to “get word to our friends in the city. It’s all taken care of at the Barrow.” He looks on the tower and its “dragon edifice” and thinks, “soon it would all come down. Nice and bloody, like.”

Silanah is described as “Sleepless, all-seeing protector and sentinel… possessed of absolute, obsidian-sharp judgment… And terrible in wrath… Mercy in compassion, no dragon lives.” Nimander recalls his youth (via a flashback to how Deadsmell and some rum had brought these stories out in the ship they’d come in on), brought up in a keep by someone they called Father, with scores of kids and Rake “wandering the corridors in godlike indifference.” Before that had been a priest, “an ancient companion of the Son of Darkness [Endest],” who had taken care of them. He thinks how the children had tormented that poor old man until the arrival of Andarist, who after some fighting with Rake about something unknown, took them away to Drift Avalii and how Endest had wept when they left, Endest whom they’d thought a heartless “ogre.” They traveled via portal with Andarist, who taught them weaponscraft and whom they came to love despite his sternness. Nimander thinks about how children make great soldiers but the vessel “breaks” and speculates that the Dying God is a child. He recalls two Dal Honese who had been shipwrecked on Drift Avalii and of their cultural habit of not burying their dead, but making them part of the huts’ mud walls, each corpse beginning a new wall until three corpses allowed for the new room to be roofed over. The shipwrecked pair had said the pressure of living with one’s dead often drove people insane and told the tale of how the land was filled with constant war, blood vengeance, and that the only rational response was to flee. Kallor interrupts Nimander’s thoughts with a comment on the scarecrows they’re passing and notes that the plants are “not even native to this world.” Kallor and Skintick debate whether things change and if things get worse. Kallor claims greater wisdom and Skintick complains about the desire by the old of keeping the status quo. Kallor tells Skintick to get off his lawn and turn off his damn noisy music. Kallor reveals he can see them as kin of Rake and mockingly asks what they think will happen when they find Rake, telling them “Anomander Rake is a genius at beginning things. It’s finishing them he has trouble with.” He tells them he knows Rake, but they are interrupted by a Jaghut ruin. The Jaghut recognizes Kallor and invites him, Skintick, and Nimander in for tea.

Inside the tower, two of the walls have been replaced with “black, glimmering barriers of some unknown substance” that make Nimander feel dizzy to look at. The Jaghut discusses gods, essences, first forms, chaos, DNA (though not calling it that) and then tells how it met a wolf god when the Jaghut was fleeing in disguise from the Imass that had been allies against a Tyrant but turned against him and the other Jaghut they’d been helping. The Jaghut says he killed 43 T’lan Imass and a Bonecaster and then names the Tyrant they imprisoned as Raest, one of his “more obnoxiously arrogant offspring.” The Jaghut grabs Kallor’s wrist and tells him he (Kallor) “wounded that wolf god...terribly when you laid waste to your realm.” Kallor threatens to kill the Jaghut, who points out the ruin used to be an Azath House and asks if Kallor would like the Jaghut to awaken it. Kallor recognizes the Jaghut now as Gothos. Gothos orders Kallor outside just as the tea starts to have an effect on Nimander and Skintick. Unfortunately, Nimander falls through the strange walls.

Desra thinks how there are strong people and weak people in the world and the weak were worthy of contempt, despite outnumbering the strong. Most of the strong are just as bad, bullies more often than not, but some are worthy—the quiet ones who often thought themselves weaker than they were but when push came to shove held out. Clip is not one such, Clip whom she will use as necessary. Nimander, however, is one of the worthy ones, she has decided.

Kallor exits and tells the others the Jaghut has decided to “use” Nimander and Skintick. Desra heads for the tower.

Skintick awakens to find himself naked on a stone platform surrounded by a grove of olive trees and broken columns. He sees corpses, feels an “evil” sun, and realizes this is a world with no one left alive, a dying world where someone had “seeded a world with life...then nudged the sun to anger.” The question “Who is the Dying God” keeps repeating and then he finds himself flying free because “nothing mattered anymore...We all die. Meaningless!” He is slapped awake by Gothos, who calls him a “bad choice...Answering despair with laughter like that.” He continues: “There is a last moment when every sentient creature alive realizes that it is over, that not enough was done...You Tiste Andii understood that. Anomander Rake did. He realizes that to dwell in but one world was madness. To survive, you must spread like vermin. Rake tore his people loose from their complacency, and for this he was cursed.” When Skintick says he saw a dying world, Gothos replies, “So it is. Somewhere, somewhen. On the paths of the Azath, a distant world slides into oblivion.” He asks what Skintick felt and when Skintick responds “free,” Gothos repeats he was a bad choice. Desra arrives.

Nimander finds himself in darkness, being grabbed and pummeled. Suddenly a giant figure grabs him and runs up a slope and then down into a caldera filled with heat and ash. The “child-like” giant tells Nimander “Like you, I too do not belong here,” and explains that Nimander’s attackers were “Spirits. Trapped like ants in amber. But...it is the blood of dragons.” He is named Elder by the spirits and he says he doesn’t know how he arrived here and that he is lost. He talks of how he used to build houses of stone that would vanish just as he finished them and thinks if he could build another he’d stop being lost, but the spirits’ attacks prevent him. Nimander explains what happened to him and the Elder says he remembers Gothos, recalling how Gothos would appear “just before the last stone was set. He would look upon my house and pronounce it adequate...And then he would walk inside and close the door, and I would place the last stone, and the house would vanish. Nimander speculates to himself that the Elder builds Azath Houses. When the Elder says the spirits cannot get inside the caldera, Nimander suggests he build the house there, using the rim as the foundation, and that Nimander set the last stone from outside (knowing that it would trap him there forever and accepting that sacrifice so as to help the Elder escape).

Gothos tells Desra he doesn’t know how to get Nimander back. He admits to drugging the two Andii, explaining he “had reasons for doing so, which seem to have failed. Therefore I must be more direct.” He asks that when they meet Rake, they tell him “He chose wisely. Each time, he chose wisely. Tell him, that of all whom I ever met, there is but one who has earned my respect and he is that one.” Desra looks inside the walls and thinks she sees motion.

Kallor tells the other Andii no Jaghut should be trusted, especially Gothos. Kedeviss guesses Kallor is being chased and Aranatha says, “He has always been hunted.”

Nimander watches as the Elder is nearly done (he has no sense of time in this place) and wonders what a tower built of dragon’s blood would do. The Elder explains what Nimander will need to do to set the last stone, but wonders why they can’t both stay inside and have the Elder set the stone from there. Nimander says wherever the tower will take the Elder, maybe to his home realm, it will not be Nimander’s home. The Elder replies the spirits will war over Nimander and kill him. Nimander sees the truth of that, but accepts it and goes out through the window, then sets the final stone. As he does so, he falls down the slope and feels his hands grabbed. He is pulled out of the wall by Desra. Gothos yells at Nimander for what he’s done with the Elder, saying, “I was saving that one for later. And now he’s free...I needed that one. There is now an Azath in the blood of dragons...You idiot, Nimander. Dragons don’t play games. Do you understand me? Dragons don’t play game. I despair, or I would if I care enough. No, instead I will make some ashcakes. Which is will not share.”

The Andii exits Gothos’ tower and Aranatha says she needs to talk to Gothos and goes in. Kallor calls her “uncanny” and wonders what she has to say to Gothos.

The Captain tries to convince Karsa he is the Captain’s heir but Karsa refuses, saying he will free all the slaves and without them the Captain’s kingdom will be destroyed and all forgotten. Dying, the Captain whispers, “You could have lied.”

The Captain dead, Karsa tells everyone to exit the carriage, saying they don’t have much time. He recalls how once “he had set out to find glory, only to discover that it was nothing like what he has imagined it to be. It as a brutal truth that his companions then had understood so much better...[but] the power of Karsa own will had overwhelmed them. What could be learned from that? Followers will follow, even unto their own deaths. There was a flaw in such people—the willingness to override one’s own instinct for self-preservation. And that flaw invited exploitation...Confusion and uncertainty surrendered to simplicity, so comforting, so deadly. Without followers the Captain would have achieved nothing. The same the world over. Wars would disintegrate into the chaos of raids, skirmishes, massacres of the innocent, the vendetta of blood feuds, and little else. Monuments would not be raised. No temples, no streets...no cities...Every patch of ploughed land would shrink to what a few could manage. Without followers, civilization would never have been born.

He would tell his people all this...make them not his followers but his companions. And together they would bring civilization to ruin...Because for all the good it created, its sole purpose was to breed followers—enough to heave into motion forces of destruction...at the whim of those few cynical tyrants born to lead...with irony words—duty, honour, patriotism, freedom.” He sets the carriage aflame and exits.

Karsa tells everyone the slaves are free and the loot shall be divided amongst everyone—officers, soldiers, slaves—equally. He tells them to leave, but adds that next time he sees them, in however many years, he will come “as a destroyer” where they hide in their cities. Years later, these people will speak of how “Broken Face” came among them.

Traveller tells Samar Dev “I once led armies. I was once the will of the Emperor of Malaz...We served death of course in all that we did. For all our claims otherwise. Imposing peace, ending stupid feuds and tribal rivalries. Opening roads to merchants...Coin flowed...And yet, behind it all, he waited...Where all the roads converge, where every path ends. He waits.” They see flames ahead and when Traveller wonders what burns, Samar says, “Karsa Orlong burns, Traveller. Because that is what he does...The Skathandi are no more.” Traveller says her tales of Karsa frighten him and she understands. Back to top

Chapter Nine

Gaz wonders what Thordy is doing building that strange pattern out of stones in the yard and thinks he might have to do something about it soon. Tonight, though, he will beat another man to death so he can hold off.

Thordy works at her pattern, thinks of how Gaz talks in his sleep at night about “gods and promises and bloodlust...and maiming.”

The clerk at the Blacksmith Guild gives Barathol a catch-22 runaround which prevents him from practicing as a blacksmith. Barathol says the Malazan Empire broke up all such closed shops/professional monopolies, adding, “Some blood was spilled.”

Barathol tells Mallet he’ll open a smithy anyway and Mallet warns him the Guild will burn him out and beat him to death, and will certainly intimidate anyone trying to do business with him. Barathol says he knows how to make Malazan weapons and armor, and Mallet agrees the Malazans won’t be scared off by the Guild. They head off to find a good spot for a smithy.

Scorch and Leff apply to be guards at the estate of a mysterious, veiled noblewoman just arrived. They are hired by Castellan Studlock, wrapped and hooded and seemingly masked. Studlock tells Leff he suffers from Greva worm parasites and gives him some medicine.

Tiserra tells Torvald he’s trying too hard and tells him head off to get a job or a drink. He goes to the Phoenix and meets Scorch.

Studlock gives Leff drops to cure his Greva worms.

Torvald gets a job with Scorch and Leff and wonders at their lack of knowledge of their employer.

Studlock makes Torvald Captain of the House Guard, and asks if being of House Nom is going to be a conflict of interest as his mistress is about to be named to the vacant Council seat. Leff appears with bright orange eyes from his medicine and Torvald points out humans can’t get Greva worms. Studlock says “whoops, my bad.”

Murillio arrives at Stonny’s school and asks about a job. Stonny hires him but then they are interrupted by Myrla arriving to say that Harllo has been missing two days. Murillio offers to help and asks Myrla to tell him everything.

Indignant at being accused, Snell goes out to where he’d left Harllo and finding the body gone (he thinks Harllo is hiding to get Snell in trouble), fears what Gruntle might do.

Gorlas tells Challice he’s heading out on a trip and that Shardan and Hanut will be over for dinner while he’s gone. He heads out, thinking either or both of his co-conspirators can have her (if they get him an heir it’ll get his parents off his back); eventually he’ll have everything they own anyway.

Challice thinks on the implication of tonight and its possible repercussions, loss of reputation, more men trying for her, maybe one who will fall in love with her, and then that one might do what she needs—kill Gorlas. She heads out into the city.

Scillara joins Duiker and talks to him of his work with Fisher, says she can tell him of Heboric, reminds him that loss of old friends doesn’t preclude new ones. She tells him she wants him to take her to the Phoenix so she can embarrass a friend.

Kruppe and Cutter discuss Rallick’s anger at Cutter for becoming an assassin, Sorry, Murillio being “crabby and toothless.”

Pust and Mogora leave the temple to go shopping, much to High Priestess Sordiko Qualm’s relief.

Gorlas is given a tour of Humble Measure’s mine (Gorlas is now its “manager”) by the workmaster, who appears to be dying of a lung illness. The workmaster tells him of how they use young boys as “moles,” and prisoners in the lethal areas. Gorlas offers to finance the workmaster’s purchase of an estate (he’ll get it when the man dies soon and without an heir).

Harllo, working as a mole, exits a new seam, helped by 16-year-old Bainisk, a kind “veteran” of the mines. Harllo asks to stay and work, afraid of a bully named Venaz, but Bainisk sends him off, saying he’s spoken to Venaz. On his way back, Harllo thinks of his odd experience this morning, when he’d been lowered into a deep shaft and found a T’lan Imass missing his legs. The Imass, Dev’ad Anan tol, says he is the sole survivor of his clan that had been sent down to die by Raest the Tyrant. Dev’ad says he was feared by Rest and his own clan because he was an inventor with wild idea, and he offers Harllo his tools. Harllo agrees to tell the miners the shaft is filled with bad gas, and he says he’ll try and come back to speak with Dev’ad, who thanks him and, when Harllo asks if he can bring him anything, suggests splints.

Scillara tells Duiker of Felisin Younger, her travel with Heboric and Cutter, how they met Barathol. He lets her know they’re all aware of his actions in Aren and sympathize with the “raw deal” he got. They reach the Phoenix Inn.

Murillio is telling Kruppe and Cutter of Harllo and both agree to help in the search. Kruppe suspects Murillio has a soft spot for Stonny, but before that goes much further they’re interrupted by the arrival of Scillara and Duiker. Scillara gives a quick recap of her history and how she ended up here with Cutter. The others tell her she has to tell it right and she begins to as they drink and eat.

Challice dines with Hanut Orr and Shardan Lim until Orr leaves angry. Shardan changes suddenly, telling Challice that Orr is no friend of his and that he wished Gorlas saw how dangerous he is. He asks why Gorlas is trying to put Humble Measure on the Council and when Challice says she has no idea, he asks her to find out for him. He expresses his anger and disgust at how Gorlas treats her and says she can take him as a lover or kick him out; he just wants her to know what freedom feels like. He warns her though that Orr will spread rumors he (Orr) has already had her and thinks that eventually Gorlas will challenge Orr to a duel once he no longer needs him. He offers to kill Orr for her tonight and she instead takes him to bed.

We zoom out and see Challice having (good) sex with Shardan, Torvald heading home after seeing a cloaked and hooded figure arrive at the estate, Humble Measure plotting the downfall of the city and especially a group of resident Malazans, Harllo telling Bainsk wondrous stories of the city as Venaz seethes nearby, and finally, Crone heading out of the city. Back to top

Chapter Ten

Endest has reached the river and finds it nothing like Dorssan Ryl. He comes across Caladan Brood, who says he cannot tell Endest why he is there. Endest tells Brood he doesn’t believe in forgiveness and is struck to silence when Brood replies, “What of restitution?” Endest says after a moment he will do all he can and Brood responds, “He knows that.” Staring into the fire, Endest sees again the death of Kharkanas.

Samar Dev and Traveller come across the wreckage of the Captain’s carriage. Traveller says the scene—no dead bodies—was not what he’d expected and he now fears Karsa even more, though he still will face him down over the Emperor’s sword if need be.

Traveller and Samar find a small camp of former Skathandi slaves. As Samar looks to the pregnant women, Traveller learns that Karsa carries a flint sword, not the Emperor’s, and Samar says she is not surprised. Traveller informs her that the Captain was dying and Karsa, having been named his heir, simply “dissolved” the system and freed everyone, taking nothing for himself, making Karsa a man Traveller would like to meet. When Traveller asks if Karsa knows how Samar feels about him, she answers she herself doesn’t know how she feels. As they continue on, Samar notes the interconnectedness of the natural world around them and how it is constantly in a cycle of adaptation. She notes the Gandaru women and says, “Against us they don’t stand a chance.” When Traveller points out Karsa is a member of a “remnant tribe isolated” and asks, “do we stand a chance?” she says of course they do because they can fight back. They reach Karsa, standing over bodies of those who’d attacked him. Just as Samar starts to yell at him, he sweeps her off the horse and hugs her. They all decide to travel together to Darujhistan and head out under the watchful eye of a great raven.

Salind, fevered, has visions of a parade of pregnant women passing through her, allowing her to see the life of the unborn children. “She understood that souls travelled countless journeys, of which only one could be known by a mortal—so many, in countless perturbations...[some] died in violence and this was a crime, an outrage against life itself. Here, among these souls, there was fury, shock, denial.” Salind hears a woman’s voice blessing them “in the name of the Redeemer” and then she wakes, healed by the Tiste Andii priestesses Spinnock had brought her to. Salind tells Spinnock she has to go back to the pilgrim camp as soon as she can because her people are in danger. When Spinnock asks what he can do, she says, “Nothing. This belongs to me. And Seerdomin.” She is stunned, though, to learn Seerdomin is missing and perhaps has left the city, though she says “he will come when he is needed,” adding “The Redeemer brought me to the edge of death to show me why I was needed.” Spinnock leaves and Salind wishes Mother Dark to bless her children “in the name of redemption.”

Seerdomin is in the tunnels under the city, following footprints until he comes across four conspirators in the old prison of Toc the Younger. He kills them all, after getting the details of the conspiracy from the last of them.

Seerdomin walks away with a list of conspirators, upset he’ll have to kill again and that he’ll have to return to the pilgrim’s camp. He wonders if this is religious based and if Salind is involved. He decides to begin his “slaughter” in the city and then deal with the pilgrim camp.

Rats, summoned by their master, Monkrat, watch Seerdomin leave. Monkrat thinks something will need to be done about Seerdomin.

Nimander’s group enters Bastion, which appears to be empty, though they can hear singing from somewhere. Aranatha warns them the entire city is a temple and that when the god is awakened, she is not sure if she can defend them. They come across what looks like a K’Chain Che’Malle flying mechanism that had crashed. Kallor leaves them to investigate the machine. They continue on to an inn and then Skintick and Nimander head out to scout. Nimander wonders if the Dying God had come down in the flying machine. They find a large building where the singing appears to be coming from, but an armed mob gathers and marches toward them. Kallor appears and kills a bunch, then they let him pass as he moves forward to look at the large building (the altar). Skintick and Nimander discuss how it’s clear that to get to the temple, they’ll have to kill the residents. Skintick says, “This kelyk is worse than a plague, because its victims invite it into their lives, and then are indifferent to their own suffering,” and wonders if they have the right to put an end to it, but then answers himself by saying there is also the question of mercy and suggests killing the Dying God. Nimander says they’ll try and sneak past with Clip later. Skintick says that will be tough to do.

Aranatha tells Desra Nimander and Skintick are returning unharmed and Desra wonders at the changes in Aranatha: “Too calm. Too empty...a kind of pervasive disengagement.” Desra warns Clip is dying.

Crone reports to Rake that Baruk understands, “more or less. Perhaps. We’ll see.” Rake notes, “Something is happening to the south.” Crone says, “It is not in my nature to grieve...And yet, what is it you force upon me?” Rake replies, “I have no such intention. Clearly you fear the worst.” Rake sends her to tell Endest it’s time to return. Back to top

Chapter Eleven

Kruppe extols the imagination of children, decries those who “drive children into labour [which] is to slaughter artists.” Harllo delivers “splints” (leg bones of an emlava) to Dev’ad Anan Tol, who tells him they will serve him as actual legs instead, since he has been caught in the Tellann Ritual. Harllo heads back.

Scorch and Leff let in two visitors to the Lady Varada’s estate: Lazan Door and Madrun. They tell Studlock (whom they call Studious) that they are late because they had to dig their way out of a mountain, collapsed by Brood’s hammer. Studious makes them compound guards and takes them to meet the Lady.

Nom arrives and is told of Lazan and Madrun. Nom recognizes the name Studious Lock: “Studious Lock the landless, of One Eye Cat” and thus knows why he wears a mask and rags—“to cover up what had been done to him back in his adopted city.” When introduced to the new guards, he blurts out “Where are their masks,” and then has to admit he’s heard rumors of “the ones hired to oust the Malazan fist.” Lazan says the rumors are lies, that they “completed our task, even unto pursuing the Fist and his cadre into the very heart of a mountain.” Nom recalls that Lock, however, was involved in a different action, but then decides silence is the better course. Nom leaves them and decides to try and break in to see the Lady to see if she is aware of the guards’ history. He overhears Studious telling Lazan and Madrun to get new masks. Nom makes it to the Lady’s balcony where she is sitting, veiled. She invites him in for some odd talk Nom doesn’t understand, then tells him it’s unfortunate he’s estranged from House Nom and that he should rectify that. She dismisses him without him telling her his suspicions about the new guards, asking him to get Studious on his way out. He does so, gives the other two their duties, and walks away, recalling the names he’d heard for Studious: “Blood Drinker, Bile Spitter, Poisoner.” He wonders at the point of making new masks, since “renegade Seguleh are renegade—they can’t ever go back.”

Leff suggests Nom’s wife is poisoning Nom, using her witchly powers to make him sick, because she hates Scorch and thinks he’ll get Nom in trouble like always.

Kruppe meets with Baruk, who asks if things are as desperate as they seem and tells him “certain arrangements have been finalized.” Kruppe replies that time and nature march on, heedless of kings and tyrants and mortal acts. He offers up two situations: a man who beats another to death in an alley and a wealthy man who conspires with other rich people to raise the price of grain, causing ripples of desperation, starvation, crime, and early death, asking if both are acts of violence. They discuss which has more blood on their hands, justifications and rationalizations, the idea that the rich man is waging war, the balance that holds off revolution, the cycle of oppression—revolution—new wealth—oppression again, the idea of everything getting wipe clean and starting again.

Barathol has set up his smithy in an old bakery and is working with Chaur when Guild thugs come in to wreck the place and beat him. He faces them down with an open gas line and a cusser (a blank). The woman leading the thugs withdraws. Barathol knows eventually there will be a fight, so he plans to outfit Chaur with armor and weapons.

Gaz heads out to kill while Thordy works on her stones, Scillara and Duiker walk the streets, Challice and Cutter pass in the market, Rallick and Krute meet to talk, Murillio comforts Stonny who reveals all, and assassins prepare to attack the marines.

Inside Krul’s, folks are having their usual night. In the cellar, Bluepearl is checking casks and finds one that tastes of magic, but then he is interrupted by a ghost. He closes the cask and starts to head upstairs with it. Upstairs, assassins start to enter through a second-floor window. Blend watches as five nobles enter, seemingly drunk. Antsy is hunting a two-headed rat in the small storeroom. Eleven assassins are now on the upper floor while the five new entrants starts up a loud argument as a diversion. Picker and Mallet pick up something funny about the argument, just as Blend realizes the argument is an act. Three more assassins enter via the door, these ones with crossbows that they immediately fire, killing Stevos the bartender, Hedry the serving girl, and possibly Picker, who ducks back. The five “nobles” draw weapons and begin attacking.

Everyone gets involved in the fight. Blend is struck in the shoulder by a crossbow. Mallet is hit in the stomach and the throat and is killed before he can try and heal himself. Bluepearl is killed by another assassin. Antsy kills several with sharpers, Picker kills some more with her crossbow and then another sharper, then the two work together to kill more. Blend comes to after having passed out, only to see another six assassins in the street heading toward the open door. Just as they’re about to enter, Barathol and Chaur attack them, then are joined by Antsy. Eventually all the assassins are killed and they take note of their losses: Mallet, Bluepearl, workers, guests. They don’t see Fisher, but there are a pile of bodies near the stage where he’d been. They’re angry and sad and wondering if there are enough of them left to retaliate. Antsy says he feels “old.”

Cutter and Challice meet. There is a flash forward: “Later, he would look back on this moment, on the dark warning contained in the fact that, when he spoke her name of old, she did not correct him. Would such percipience have changed things? All that was to come? Death and murder... Back to top

Chapter Twelve

Endest flashes back to a Brood and Endest discuss gifts, Endest saying, “We give so that we can then justify taking it back,” arguing that’s the way of all races/worlds. Brood disagrees, saying not the Jaghut, who “gave far more than they took. Excepting the Tyrants, of course.” He also argues against the Endest’s characterization of them as “stewards,” saying it implies an arrogance that wasn’t present. He calls the Forkrul Assail the Jaghut’s “opposites...the purest manifestation of arrogance and separation.” When Endest asks if there had been war, Brood implies it continues still, “far way from here.” Crone’s arrival interrupts the conversation, telling Endest Rake summons him.

Seerdomin kills what he thinks is the last of the conspirators (Harak). He ponders the agony of soldiers who have fought an unjust war, the ravaging guilt that often leads many to suicide, though he hasn’t taken that path. He thinks he will fight for justice, for Black Coral, for humanity, despite no hope of redemption for him, though he believes it a paradox, as “one cannot murder in the name of justice.”

Salind considers redemption and morality and justice, the lack of a “moral compass” in the Redeemer faith as he embraces all, punishes none, and thinks it an “abomination.” She imagines building up a church and how it would become corrupt over time, breed cynicism, lead to a loss of faith in religion. She walks to the Barrow, thinking, “There was meaning in Seerdomin’s refusal of the easy path. In his prayers that asked either something the Redeemer could not grant or nothing at all.” She stops at the Barrow to demand answers of the Redeemer, but is grabbed by Gradithan, who orders Monkrat to get some saemankelyk so she can open up a “path straight to [the Redeemer].” They make her drink.

Spinnock finds Salind missing and heads out to the Scour tavern. Seerdomin enters, smelling of blood. Spinnock confesses he’s lost his heart and Seerdomin mistakenly believes he means the High Priestess. When Spinnock corrects him (not saying it is Salind), Seerdomin calls him a fool. Seerdomin explains he’s killed eleven people (“so far”) that were conspiring against the Andii. Spinnock says it was unnecessary and Seerdomin agrees, but says he did it to show humans could take care of their own problems sometimes and to keep the blood off Andii hands. Spinnock recalls the tale of Whiskeyjack trying to keep from Rake the burden of killing the Pannion witches. They return to discussing Spinnock’s love and when Seerdomin realizes it is Salind, who has gone back to the Barrow, he is horrified at what awaits her there. Seerdomin rushes out.

Samar Dev resents the easy companionship Karsa and Traveller have fallen into as they trade tales (Traveller telling of Ereko, Karsa of his two friends Bairoth and Delum). Traveller discusses the old history of the Empire, Kellanved’s Napan commanders, all secretly sworn to Surly as the heir to the crown of Nap Isles, though Traveller isn’t sure she really was. He calls Urko, Crust, Nok, “all of them quick to fanaticism, willing to do anything and everything to advance the Empire.” Karsa wonders if they were just using Kellanved to advance Surly, but Traveller explains after Kellanved’s “death,” all of them save Nok “drowned.” Samar reminds them there was also Dassem Ultor, who was Dal Honese, saying Laseen had him assassinated. They discuss how the Edur occupied Lether while the Malazan conquered Seven Cities, saying Kellanved knew the difference. Karsa declares his intent to destroy civilization and Traveller quotes Duiker: “The first law of the multitude is conformity. Civilization is the mechanism of controlling and maintaining that multitude. The more civilized a nation, the more conformed its population...until multiplicity wages war with conformity. The former grows ever wilder, ever more dysfunctional in its extremities, while the latter seeks to increase its measure of control, until such efforts acquire diabolical tyranny.” Nimander’s group, carrying Clip, sneak through the city to arrive at the altar building, where they are faced by armed mobs trying to herd them inside. They enter the building and Nenanda and Kedeviss hold the doorway.

Following the others, Desra feels her “entire body surging with life” after they cut down the priests inside the temple, feeling herself and the others unleashed.

Skintick can’t wait until he finds a life of peace.

Nenanda and Kedeviss kill scores, but are pushed into the building.

Skintick goes to help and Nimander takes Clip’s body forward further into the building. He, Desra, and Aranatha enter the altar room and Nimander feels himself pulled out of the present place and then he hears a child singing.

Seerdomin goes after Salind, thinking Spinnock should have denied her rejection of his help, though he understands the Andii have a different sense of things: “what was avoided one day could be addressed later, decades, millennia, ages later. In their eyes nothing changed. Nothing could change. They were a fallen people. The dream of getting back up had faded to dust.” He thinks he’ll save Salind and bring her back to Spinnock—“one can be saved and that should be good enough.” He is knocked out by Gradithan from behind.

They drag Seerdomin’s unconscious body to the Sacred Tent, past the Redeemer’s once-worshippers now caught in kelyk. Gradithan thinks how “The Dying God was more important than Black coral...than the Redeemer...The Dying God’s song was a song of pain, and was not pain the curse of mortality?” Inside the tent, Salind dances and Gradithan can taste the sacrifice from far away “closing on the threshold.”

Itkovian/The Redeemer tells Seerdomin he is dying, bleeding into his brain. He explains Seerdomin must fight Salind, pointing to a storm of blackness under which was a giant dancing figure, saying, “It is her need...for answers. What more can a god fear, but a mortal demanding answers.” He asks Seerdomin to defend him. Seerdomin asks if Itkovian is worth it, and Itkovian replies, “Worth the sacrifice you must make? No, I do not think so.” When Seerdomin asks if Itkovian will beg to be saved, Itkovian responds, “Will you?” Thinking he never has, Seerdomin rises to face Salind.

Rake finds Spinnock in the tavern and says it is time. He considers telling Rake of his love for Salind, of what is happening, but knows Rake would then not send him to do what he needs him to do, so Spinnock simply accedes to the request. Rake tells him “It is all right to fail, friend. I do not expect the impossible of you.”

Skintick tries to follow where Nimander and the others went. He understands that “surrender is what kelyk offers. The blood of the Dying God delivers escape from everything that matters. The invitation is so alluring, the promise so entrancing. Dance! Al around you the world rots. Dance!...Dance in the dust of your dreams. I have looked into your eyes and I have seen that you are nothing. Empty.”

Nimander finds himself in a seemingly infinite room of light and air filled with dolls—on the floor, hanging from the ceiling, many broken. He notes the dolls’ similarities to the scarecrows and realizes they were “versions.” The Dying God says, “On the floor of the Abyss...are the fallen. Gods and goddesses.... junk of existence...All broken, more broken than me...Am I a god now? I must be. I ate so many of them...their power...I first met him on the floor—he was exploring he said...The machine was broken, but I didn’t know that. I rode its back, up and up. But then...we fell a long way. We were terribly broken, both of us. When they dragged me out. Now I need to make a new version...And you have brought me one [Clip].” Nimander thinks the Dying God must be one of the dolls and begins to cut them apart. The Dying God mocks the attempt, saying he will soon be gone thanks to the “river of blood” Nimander’s group has given him, which will open a gate and “take me away from here, bring me back. All the way back. To make her pay for what she did!”

Salind and Seerdomin fight.

Aranatha joins Nimander and speaks to the Dying God, saying she will summon him. She says she knows he spoke to Hairlock on the floor of the Abyss, and that “She discarded you...The fragment of you that was left afterwards. Tainted, child-like, abandoned...You were the part of her that she did not want.” She summons him by name: “Husband, blood sworn to Nightchill...Bellurdan Skullcrusher, I summon you.” A puppet appears in her hand but does not speak. When Nimander wonders if she really has him, she shrugs. Nimander then wonders what the Dying God meant when he said to her, “I know you know—and it is too late.”

Nimander’s group has killed all the humans or they’ve fled. Clip wakes and they tell him where they are. Nimander looks at Clip with suspicion, but says it’s time to go. Clip is not very grateful.

Salind retreats and Itkovian tells Seerdomin he held long enough, that Seerdomin had help. He asks if Seerdomin will stay, as he may need him again, and adds he’s been lonely. Seerdomin replies “As long as I can you will have someone to speak to.” Itkovian tears up.

Monkrat and Gradithan look at Seerdomin’s corpse, then Gradithan tells the mage to get more kelyk.

Silanah stirs, but Rake tells her, “not this time, my love...Soon. You will know...I will not restrain you next time.” He senses Endest’s arrival (with one “most difficult” task left him) and Spinnock’s departure.

Kallor walks on toward a “throne, a new throne, one that he deserved. He believed it was taking shape, becoming something truly corporeal. Raw power...I am the High King of Failures, am I not? Who else deserves the Broken Throne? Who else personifies the misery of the Crippled God?” He senses an upcoming convergence as well. He thinks he will defeat the curse at last by destroying civilization: “I vow to take it all down...I will make a place where no fall is possible.” Back to top

Chapter Thirteen

The Trygalle Trade Guild carriage wades through hordes of attacking animated corpses, all the dead heading in a single direction. Just before Quell pulls them out of Hood’s warren, Gruntle catches a glimpse of an army of the dead marching in formation in the same direction. They land on a tiny tropical island, joined by one of the animated corpses. Quell tells them they never reached the gate, that there wasn’t one.

The Bole brothers, Amby and Jula, spar over a moccasin and who most impressed Precious Thimble.

Sweetest Sufferance tells Faint about her grandfather’s time in the Revenants, a group commanded by an outlawed Seguleh in One Eye Cat. When Faint asks how her grandfather was still around when Hood supposedly took all the Revenants to serve in his realm, Sufferance explains her grandfather had lost his sword arm and he retired. She continues to say her grandfather had taught her that the Hood ritual Dawn of Flies, when the priests covered themselves with honey (Faint says other places use blood) to attract flies, the priests were doing it wrong. The flies weren’t the important part according to her grandfather; it was the blood:

Blood on the skin, life bled out to die on the skin...It’s why Hood cherishes dead soldiers more than any other of the countless dead...The Merchants of Blood, the army that will fight on the hidden plain called Defiance Last...A final battle.

Glanno Tarp and Reccanto Ilk leer over Sufferance and Faint.

Mappo, watching Quell try and deal with his pain, feels guilt over the fact that it was his coin that put them on this journey, and also muses over the things of real value in the world and how “all the truths that mattered were banal.” Quell explains a bit about warren travel and confesses he’s become troubled about it: “I think we’re scarring the whole damned universe. We’re making existence bleed.” He also says he’s concerned about the fact that “the dead sleep no more.”

Precious Thimble recalls her rite of passage when she was buried in peat for two days (given a breathing tube): “Most of them [died], but the soul remained in the dead body...A child must be given into the peat...and the soul must be broken free of the flesh it dwelt within, for only then could that soul travel, only then could that soul wander free in the realm of dreams.” Since then, she’s discovered she has some power and has also decided she would never give herself to those men who desired her. She sees the Bole brothers as the solution: protectors against both magery, men, and each other, though she worries what would happen should one die on this Guild journey.

At night, Gruntle and Mappo see the astral form of Precious Thimble hover over the Bole brothers, then drop back down into her body. Gruntle then dreams himself into a jungle glade in tiger form. He’s approached by a group of proto-humans and Gruntle realizes he has preyed on their kind (“in this form in this place and in this time). They ask him for protection from a she-leopard who has been feeding off their children and one offers herself as a sacrifice. Gruntle refuses the sacrifice and tracks the leopard’s spoor. The leopard tells him she too is “ridden;” her soul has traveled “through time. Through unknown distances.” He realizes he is summoned by prayer and then asks her to spare the humans, calling them the only ones that can pray. She tells them there are others—the K’Chain Che’Malle and Forkrul Assail, the Jaghut and Toblakai and Trell. She agrees, though she warns that both the leopard and tiger, “unridden”, will still hunt. When she asks why he cares, he tells her he pities them, and she replies that “for out kind there is no room for pity.” But Gruntle disagrees, saying “It is what we can give when we ride the souls of these beasts.” The soul rider tells Gruntle she is from “New Morn” and he wonders if she comes from a time long ago in his world. The two separate.

In Dragnipur, Ditch (badly wounded and unable to pull anymore) is dragged along by Draconus toward the wagon. Eyeing the nearing storm of chaos, he thinks that Rake has stopped killing and they in the sword are doomed. He tells Draconus it’s ironic in that he’d long ago looked for him thinking Draconus might know how to escape, though he realized if that were true, he would have. Draconus agrees that’s a logical deduction but adds he is “not in the least” logical. Still dragging Ditch, Draconus climbs the mountain of flesh in the wagon bed, drops Ditch at the top, then leaves. Ditch sees a blind and legless Tiste Andii crawl toward him with a sharpened bone and warns him he’ll defend himself. The Andii asks if Ditch can see, and when Ditch tries to access his warren, it’s still a barrier like a wall, but unlike prior times he’s tried, he can sense cracks in the wall, “things bleeding in, bleeding out” thanks to the nearing chaos, and he wonders if a time might come just before the storm hit that he can use his warren to escape. Pulling on the tiny power he can use, Ditch sees the pile of flesh he lies amidst:

A mass of tattoos blanked every exposed patch of skin...patterns within patterns...Not a single body atop this massive wagon had been exempted—barring Ditch’s own.

The Andii tells him he could see the Apsalar has decided her biggest mistake wasn’t breaking into Moon’s Spawn but in trying to stab Rake when he caught her, even though he’d seemed more amused than angry and hadn’t said anything of punishment. She recalls the look of regret and sorrow he had on his face afterward as she died. She can sense that the chaos storm will catch them soon and thinks back to a childhood memory of the caribou migration, her sense of both awe and terror, her recognition of the cycle of life and death and the constancy of chaos. Lying under the wagon, she feels it all over again. Darujhistan’s watch finds lots of assassin corpses and rumors start to spread that the Guild had bit off more than it could chew, as people wonder who could “with impunity cut down a score of deadly assassins.” Nobody takes note of K’rul’s Bar, boarded up.

Rallick and Krute discuss the assassin’s guild, with Krute thinking Seba is destroying the guild with his errors and wondering what he and Rallick are waiting for. Rallick goes out for a walk, thinking how things used to be easier.

Thorby continues to work in her garden, rubbing ashes into the grooves on the stones, covering over “beautiful glyphs with all the promises they whispered to her.” Gaz enters and she thinks how he kills every night and were it not for that he’d kill her. He notes the place is full of flies and wonders why she put the stone in the middle of her garden, then leaves. She thinks he shouldn’t worry about things, “Be a plant, Gaz. Worry about nothing. Until the harvest.”

Another beaten body is discovered in a gutter outside a tavern and inspected by the guard with the heart condition. The corpse wagon carter offers up his not-far-off theory on cells/genes/DNA (or “bags” and “notes” as he calls them).

Sordiko Qualm goes to a meeting with Pust, whom she’d hoped not to bring along. When they enter Lady Envy’s home, Fisher is there. He leaves and then, after all of one minute, Envy mentions she’s considering killing Pust. Qualm informs her he’s unfortunately the Magus of Shadow. Pust tells Envy he arrived with Spite.

At breakfast, Cutter thinks of the past night spent talking with Challice, the way he’d realized they had both changed and aged, yet still could talk like old friends. He notes how “she is bored. She wants a lover...what she could have had but didn’t take. A second chance, that’s what she wants. Do second chances even exist?” He considers it “sordid” and wonders if Apsalar “saw all too well. Saw right into me, to the soul that was less than it should have been...Maybe she was right to walk away.” He worries there was a “darker current” to Challice’s desire, though he knows he will meet her at a small apartment this evening.

Barathol, Chaur, Picker, and Antsy are burying the bodies in the cellar. Scillara sits next to Duiker, wishing she could ease his grief, and recalling the look of anger he’d given her upon realizing he would have died with them had she not taken him away earlier. Fisher enters and Scillara thinks how he (they assume) had killed a half-dozen assassins. He tells Duiker whatever the Bridgeburners do he’s in, and when Duiker says he thinks they’ll just sell the bar and leave, Fisher says he “called in an old favor.” A crash comes from the cellar and they rush over to see a broken cask with a dead Seguleh in it.

Kruppe zooms out. We see Stonny unable to sleep, Murillio trying to comfort her. Tiserra works on her pottery, amazed at how much she loves Torvald. Torvald walks the Varada estate wondering just who the Lady is and considering the rumors about the Assassins Guild. Out in the mines, Harllo has been whipped for being in unauthorized areas and Bainisk for not supervising Harllo enough. Harllo tries to come up with a cover story, but Bainisk doesn’t believe him and leaves Harllo feeling all alone.

Dev’ad Anan Tol uses the emlava bones Harllo brought him to stand. He recalls Raest crushing his legs after Dev’ad had dared challenge him. He goes to his hiding spot and pulls out an iron sword “forged in the holy fires of Tellann,” and a knife. Armed, he makes his plans: “The Tyrant was gone. Somewhere close then, waited an empty throne. Waiting for Dev’ad Anan Tol.” Back to top

Chapter Fourteen

Quell tells Gruntle he needs a quick look into Hood’s realm to see what is going on there. Gruntle suggests they begin by talking to the corpse that came out with them. The corpse, who calls himself Cartographer, says Hood has never before commanded but now he does, telling the dead to “come.” He adds Hood also told him to “go,” and thus he says he will not return to Hood’s realm. Quell and Gruntle enter Hood’s realm, where they see the dead gathered as a marching army. They’re approached by a Seguleh, who tells them how nice it is as a commander to have troops without fear. Quell asks what Hood wants with an army, and the Seguleh only says it isn’t to be used against the living. Three others approach: Toc, Whiskeyjack (named Iskar Jarak here) and Brukhalian. Toc asks Gruntle to tell his god (Trake) “not long now.” Whiskeyjack mentions Skinner, which gets the Seguleh all upset and he rides off. Gruntle, looking at the remaining three, sees “nothing of redemption, nothing purged—guilt, shame, regrets and grief, they all swirled about these figures.” Whiskeyjack points out that Gruntle has lost all of his followers and also that they are not in Hood’s realm. When Gruntle says “And they should be, I suppose?” Brukhalian answers they aren’t sure anymore. Toc warns Quell the gate is now closed to the living: “Where we march you cannot go. Not now, perhaps, never. Stay away, until the choice is taken from you.” Gruntle sees now that Toc’s seeming coldness to him is more anguish: “bone-deep fear and dread… the man’s warning was a cry to a friend… Save yourself… Gruntle, give this all meaning.” Quell tells the others he will inform the Guild and readies his and Gruntle’s departure as an undead dragon begins to rise from a barrow nearby. Quell and Gruntle get out, but the dragon follows them through the portal and flies off.

Traveller senses the dragon’s escape and tells Karsa and Samar “something is happening.” They prepare to move on as Samar wonders how Karsa seems different. Traveller tells her Karsa isn’t that complex: “A child dragged into the adult world, but no strength was lost… young enough to still be certain.” He informs her they are being shadowed not only by Great Ravens, but also by Hounds of Shadow. Karsa says he’ll ride off to try and see what the Hounds want, though Traveller tells him the Hounds aren’t interested in him.

Skintick recalls Andarist’s death and thinks of how many died and wonders for what cause, especially as Traveller’s easy slaughter of their enemies had made all those deaths meaningless. That day, he thinks, killed off many things he once believed in—duty, honor, honesty, courage, patriotism. He wonders if Rake grieves for any of the dead and expects when they finally meet Rake, unlike what his compatriots expect, they will be met with disdain and platitudes. He himself assumes he won’t survive the journey and isn’t sure he wants to. He thinks Nimander has changed and wonders if he might be used by Skintick, might become someone to follow down a sordid path of ambition. Skintick asks Nimander why they saved Clip, whom he trusts even less now, and Nimander says Aranatha believes Clip is needed, though he doesn’t know why she thinks this. Both Skintick and Nimander agree they feel like they are “drowning in blood,” and to Skintick’s shock, Nimander also agrees Rake will not be the answer.

Endest meets Rake in a deep cavern where Rake sets Dragnipur down for a short while. Rake tells Endest he’s sent Spinnock away and now Endest “has no choice” but to do what he can, adding the High Priestess will help as she is able. Rake tells Endest “We were murdered by compromises. No those that followed the arrival of Light. Not those born of Shadow… The day we accepted her turning away, Endest, was the day we ran the knives across our own throats… Without the blood of dragons we would all be dust, scattered on the winds… the chaos, Endest, gave us the strength to persist, to cease fearing change… And this is why you chose to follow us, each in our time, our place.” Endest thinks to himself, “Yes so few of you proved worthy of our allegiance… until now here you stand, virtually alone… The one who was worth it. The only one.” Rake says both he and Endest will find the strength to do what must be done, and he reclaims Dragnipur’s burden.

Seerdomin asks Itkovian if he can’t summon the T’lan Imass to help him against Salind, a way to pay back for his acceptance of their burden, but Itkovian says he won’t, that what he gave was a gift. He says Seerdomin has a choice, though he admits not much of one. If Salind wins, Itkovian says the Imass and all within him will “succumb,” insisting though that Seerdomin is not responsible for what happen to them. It was, he says, his error, his lack of “provision for judgment,” which he is trying to change. Seerdomin realizes Itkovian is talking about him, and he recoils, saying “I am not one of your pilgrims… I do not worship you!” Itkovian responds, “Precisely… believers… second guess the one they claim to worship.” When Seerdomin asks what choice they have given the god’s silence, Itkovian replies, “every choice in the world.”

Salind dances in the “bliss of certainty.” She thinks she will give the Redeemer the “gift of certainty,” allow him to see “difference… who was deserving and who was not.”

Karsa meets Shadowthrone and Cotillion (Cotillion seemingly unimpressed at first). Shadowthrone, noting Karsa’s resistance to magic, wonders if all humans will eventually be that way. They warn Karsa that he will be driven (by the Crippled God I assume) to Darujhistan, where a crown and throne await. Karsa replies he’ll know when to turn aside. Shadowthrone says “It is because we understand you that we do not set the Hounds upon you… We too left civilization behind… Acceptable levels of misery and suffering… Acceptable? Who the fuck says any level is acceptable? What sort of mind thinks that?” And when Karsa answers a “civilized one,” Shadowthrone responds, “Indeed!” and gives an I-told-you-so to Cotillion, who “stands corrected,” and says if the Crippled God hasn’t learned his lesson yet with regard to Karsa, he’ll obviously get more lessons. Shadowthrone warns Karsa not to stand in Traveller’s path and Karsa’s response: “We are agreed… I will not stand in his path and he will not stand in mine,” silences the two a moment as they consider it. As he prepares to leave, Karsa notes he killed two Deragoth, who were “arrogant,” and warns the two that, “You laugh at those coming to the Crippled God. Perhaps one day I will laugh at those coming to you.”

Shadowthrone and Cotillion discuss how the spirits in Karsa’s sword were “proud” and Shadowthrone pities the future clerks of civilization when Karsa gets around to them.

Quell’s group, much to Gruntle’s dismay, plans to hitch a ride on a huge storm heading their way. Back to top

Chapter Fifteen

Bainisk and Harllo mend their friendship. They talk about Venaz’s cruelty, his desire to take Bainisk’s job. Harllo tells Bainisk more stories about the city, including when he and Gruntle went to visit the ghost Hinter. They head off to a chute, with Bainisk dreaming of the city and Harllo sadly recalling his absent father, his mother, and Gruntle.

Kruppe tells his listeners he isn’t looking for easy emotionality.

Upstairs in Krul’s Bar, Blend recovers from her wounds, thinking of Mallet and Blue Pearl, the arguments since the attack between Antsy and Picker. Scillara arrives with food and Blend tells her she’s unsure they’ll recover, pointing out how years ago Picker would have been charging off to kill someone. Scillara responds by telling how Picker can’t sleep and is still shaken, thanks to almost losing Blend, and how she can’t even see her in this condition. Blend says if that’s what stopping Picker, that Scillara should tell her it’s “unattractive,” saying soon as she heals she’s going on a hunt. She asks Scillara to find her a mage healer.

Downstairs, Picker and Duiker discuss the Seguleh found in the basement cask. Picker says they’ve found twelve altogether. Duiker says Baruk was upset at the news and they discuss the role of women in Seguleh society (they can choose to be warriors or not, the need to replace a constantly-being-killed-off population). Picker, feeling Duiker isn’t telling her everything he knows, heads to find Antsy. Antsy is anxious to go after the Guild, but Picker says their real foe is whoever hired the Guild. She wishes Paran were there to help, and Antsy suggests going to the Azath House to see if he’s there or to try and send him a message. Picker agrees, knowing Antsy is right about being proactive rather than reactive, but she is afraid, especially due to Blend almost being killed.

On the way to the Azath, Antsy seethes as this feeling of defeat and muses on how the Bridgeburners had transformed from the camaraderie of a fighting squad to being more like a family, which made the losses even harder to bear. He recalls his younger self (with a mustache) and thinks of how remembering is like telling a story and living is the narration still going on. He tells Picker they’re in more trouble than usual, because in the past when trouble found them they were trained to deal with it and were still sharp, but now they’ve lost their edge. Picker seems to agree. They arrive at the House and Picker knocks. Raest opens the door and lets them in. After some Jaghut humor, Raest agrees to try and help them with their problem if they do something for him. They outline their issues, he offers some suggestions, then they circle back to the original idea of contacting Paran and he leads them to a Deck of Dragons room.

Raest tells Picker if she concentrates on Paran, his card may become active and she can gain his attention, though she might also simply go insane. She sees Paran: “The Raest drags the unconscious Picker to Antsy and tells him the only thing he could hear from her was the name Kruppe. He adds that his payment for his assistance will be a dead cat to have as a pet.

Baruk and Hinter the ghost converse at Hinter’s tower. Hinter says the return of the Tyrant would mean his enslavement, so he is willing to help. When Baruk starts to refer to forces in the city, Hinter stops him and asks him to quit his deception, saying many of the forces were invited by Baruk and the alchemist can hardly be surprised by the others. Baruk objects he didn’t invite all of them, pointing to the dual presence of Spite and Envy as particularly worrisome. Hinter admits Envy has visited him several times and is probably aware of Spite’s presence. Baruk asks what Envy wants and Hinter replies, “What she has always wanted.” When Baruk says she can’t have it, Hinter suggests he visit Spite then. Baruk brings up the High Priest of the Cripple God “squatting in an abandoned Temple of Fener,” calling the CG a “most unwelcome complication.” Hinter calls it “the legacy of messing with things not yet fully understood,” pointing out “of course, those precipitous sorcerers all paid with their lives, which prevented everyone else from delivering the kind of punishment they truly deserved. Such things are most frustrating, don’t you think?” Baruk feels this is aimed at him, and argues he doesn’t shirk his responsibilities. Hinter agrees, saying Baruk would have allowed himself to escape via being killed, by Hinter, or, as his Cabal mates, by Vorcan. Baruk says he’d always wondered how easily his comrades had died that night. He asks if Vorcan has visited Hinter (she hasn’t) and realizes she hadn’t even tried to speak to him or Derudan that night. Baruk recalls how it had seemed the contract with the Empire that night had simply let Vorcan do something she’d always wanted to do, “murder every other mage in the Cabal,” though he isn’t sure why. Before leaving, Baruk asks leave to put Chillbais on Hinter’s tower, to warn if any of those trying to resurrect the Tyrant attack the ghost, saying he will try and help Hinter in that case. Hinter agrees, so long as it doesn’t mean he is in Baruk’s debt.

On his way home, Baruk recalls his meeting with Vorcan shortly after her escape from the Azath House. Vorcan had told him they can’t stop what’s coming and they need to focus on their position, their “level of comfort” at that time. When she tells him she plans on keeping her current “privileged state,” Baruk objects that there will be no Assassin’s Guild in the new circumstances and she agrees, saying the Guild’s days are numbered. He asks if that’s why she sent her daughter away (Taya) and she tells him it’s none of his business. He asks what role she foresees for herself then, and she replies, “a quiet one.” When he responds, “Until such time, I imagine, as you see an opportunity,” she says they are understood and that he should also inform Derudan. He agreed. Now, recalling that conversation and the events before, he thinks she had seen what was coming and prepared for it—removing herself from the Guild, sending her daughter away, “visiting her version of mercy upon the others in the Cabal,” and he wonders if she might try again to be the sole surviving member.

Kruppe waxes poetic on Fisher meeting Envy, who has taken him as her lover.

Torvald tells Tiserra something odd is going on at Lady Varda’s estate, adding Varda’s claimed her place on the Council. Tiserra warns him to leave it, but Torvald tells her his instincts are up. She does a Deck reading and pulls The City, then the Rope, followed by a “nest” of three: Obelisk, Soldier of Death, and Crown. Then Knight of Darkness (“The Rope on one side, the Knight on the other”). Then another nest: King of High House Death, King in Chains, and Dessembrae. Then finishes with The Tyrant. She thinks she has seen the end of Darujhistan and terrible deaths coming. Tiserra then opens Torvald’s cache and finds a Sea Raider’s axe as well as Moranth munitions made of glass and imbued with magick, both of which are unusual traits for munitions.

At the Phoenix, Torvald tells Kruppe that Rallick wants to see him; Torvald is scared because he once did something “horrible, disgusting, and evil” to Rallick—the reason Torvald ran away—and he assumes Rallick will kill him for it. Kruppe agrees to talk to Rallick and then “lets slip” that he knows Torvald was formally blessed by the Blue Moranth, though Torvald can’t figure out how Kruppe could know that.

Cutter and Challice have sex. Cutter is appalled at what he sees in Challice’s eyes: something “all-consuming, frighteningly desperate… he had become a weapon on which she impaled herself… There was something alluring in being faceless, in being that weapon,” and he wonders if this is what Apsalar was afraid of. Cutter thinks of how he’d hurt Scillara and that perhaps he’d gone to far to return to what had been “precious” and “true.”

Challice, meanwhile, thinks of Gorlas and how he seems happy that she is sinking into depravity and that there is a sexual tension now between them that hadn’t been there before. Gorlas had told her of a falling out amongst the conspirators—himself, Hanut Orr, and Sharden Lim. She worries what Gorlas might do if he finds out her lover is “outside the game,” and she warns Cutter her husband is a duelist and dangerous, that he might hire thugs or assassins. Cutter asks what she wants from him, what she sees for the future. She reminds Cutter that he once asked her to run away with him and though she said no, she’s changed. He scoffs at the idea she’d leave her high life behind and she, angered, replies that the “lowborn always think we have it so easy… don’t think that people like me can suffer.” He tries to show her the difference between her life and the lives of others—how she has more choices, including saying no to Gorlas. To which she says he’s just showing his naiveté. She’s shocked at how indifferent he seems, though they agree to meet again the next night.

On her way home, Challice feels trapped, knowing Gorlas would find out about the affair sooner or later—she wonders if Gorlas would confront her, or possibly kill Cutter. She wonders if she is capable of using Cutter to get the life she desires.

Barathol punches out a Guild agent sent to collect a fee. Business has been slowed by the Guild’s blacklisting of his new forge, though the resident Malazans have been coming. Barathol worries he’s gotten mixed up in two wars, not the peaceful new life he’d been hoping for.

Murillio thinks 15-year-old Bellam Nom is the only student of any worth at the dueling school. He and Stonny talk; Murillio knows the role he plays for Stonny with regard to her guilt and fear for Harllo, and isunsure how long his “love could survive such abuse.” Murillio has been looking for Harllo, searching for unclaimed corpses and checking at the docks. Stonny tells him she’s thinking of signing over the school to him, that nothing much matters to her now. He knows she feels the need to drive him away and thinks she might be moving ever closer to suicide. He knows he’s given his love to the wrong woman, but tells her to wait; he has one more thing to try.

Back at K’rul’s, Blend has been healed and an attempt made as well for Picker, but nothing could be done. Blend and Antsy get armored up with plans to go talk to the Eel. Back to top

Chapter Sixteen

The undead dragon that escaped arrives at Kallor’s camp. The dragon tells him “You cannot feel my pain,” and “I have dreamt of a throne.” When Kallor expresses surprise the dragon would take a master, the dragon replies, “Because you do not understand… You think to make yourself the King in Chains. Do not mock my seeking a master.” Kallor tells the dragon, “The Crippled God’s days are numbered… Yet the throne shall remain.” The dragon and Kallor discuss the Jaghut, the dragon musing on how they only went to war once. Kallor said the Jaghut should have exterminated the Imass, but the dragon replies he’s referring to an older war, one that some of the Eleint joined in beside the Jaghut armies, an image which humbles even Kallor. The dragon says they failed, telling Kallor:

Grieve for the Jaghut… for the chains that bind all life… Know, for ever in your soul that the Jaghut fought the war no other has dared to fight… Think of them High King. The sacrifice they made for us all. Think of the Jaghut, and an impossible victory won in the heart of defeat. Think, and then you will come to understand all that is to come… The Jaghut’s only war, their greatest war, was against Death itself.

The dragon flies off, with Kallor thinking “Bless you, bless you all,” and that he owes Gothos an apology. Kallor, crying, wonders about a dead dragon choosing The Crippled God as master, and then recalls a Kellanved quote: “A throne is made of many parts, any one of which can break, to the king’s eternal discomfort.” Kallor thinks he’d learned long ago it wasn’t enough to simply sit on a throne.

Endest muses on the beginnings of things, of purity and time and aspects of Darkness, Life, Light, etc., believing the Age of Purity was merely a myth and those aspects were “nothing more than the raw materials for more worthy elaborations… transformation was only possible as a result of admixture. For creation to thrive, there must be an endless succession of catalysts.” He thinks that belief was what drove Rake to all his decisions. He recalls the coming of light, a sun, remembers Andarist covered in blood with horror on his face, thinking “Do not look so betrayed, damn you! He is not to blame. I am not to blame.” Memories continue to flood him: Shadow born; “the knowing half-smile of Silchas Ruin on the dawn when he walked to stand beside Scabandari, as if he knew what was to come;” Shadow shattered and pieces drifting; Andarist broken; Ruin gone; Rake alone. He chooses to believe in Rake’s belief in him.

Draconus drags Apsal’ara out from under the wagon and asks if, “when the time comes to fight,” she will be on his side. When she asks why, he tells her he’s impressed by how she’s been working ceaselessly to escape and he would have those few he “admires” by his side at the end. She notes it’s been said will is the only weapon that can fight against chaos and they both agree she has lots of that. She wonders if he is gathering a group of similarly strong-willed ones, a “core of resistance. Of stubborn will… To win through to the other side.” She asks if there even is another side and when he says he doesn’t know, she tells him, “All my life I have chosen to be alone… I will face oblivion in the same way. I must—we all must. It does nothing to stand together, for we each fall alone.” He apologizes to her and she walks back to her spot on the wagon, thinking:

Draconus… You made this sword, but the sword is only a shape given to something far beyond you… You just made it momentarily manageable… Rake understands… More than you ever did. Then you ever will. The world within Dragnipur must die… This is the greatest act of mercy imaginable. The greatest sacrifice… You [Rake] give us chaos. You give us an end to this.

She thinks how neither she nor Draconus would do what Rake does.

Ditch awakens to Kadaspala trying to tattoo his face, after having done half his body. He tells Kadaspala he refuses to be part of this and crawls away, with Kadaspala complaining he is “necessary” and warning he’s summoned Draconus. Draconus arrives and breaks Ditch’s spine so he can’t crawl away, then tosses him back to where Kadaspala needed him. Ditch bemoans his inability to heed lessons or take to heart the truth of people like Draconus and Rake who “do what they have to do when it needs doing.” Kadaspala resumes the tattooing.

Kedeviss takes pleasure in how the mountains and nature are reducing structures into ruins, finding “a secret delight in impermanence, in seeing arrogance taken down.” They’d crossed a dead lake filled with shipwrecks of all sorts and she ponders how Andii would learn to “Take no chances. Dream of nothing, want less,” while humans would try to figure out ways to better the odds for next time. Kedeviss tells Nimander she doesn’t trust Clip and when he agrees, she says she plans to confront him. He wonders if they should all do it together, but she tells him only if she fails. She wonders if Nimander knows how like Rake he has become, how strong.

Clip thinks he senses Rake keeping him at bay, and he wonders why Rake is forcing him this longabout path. He believes the Liosan were right about judgment being “unequivocal,” and considers mercy a flaw, as is doubt. He thinks justice and punishment must be pure and plans to make it so, using the Tiste Andii to “deliver justice upon this world. Upon every god and ascendant who ever wronged us, betrayed us, scorned us.” And he thinks too of Rake’s betrayal; of Mother Dark; of the Andii left in the Andara; of Nimander and his kin; of Clip himself.

A witch meets with the Andii High Priestess to tell her the Redeemer Cult has become corrupted, explaining about saemankelyk and the Dying God and saying outlaws have made addicts of the cultists, including Salind. The witch warns the corruption could spread (offending the High Priestess with the implication the Andii are just like humans) and asks for help, specifically Spinnock Durav. The High Priestess brings her to a chamber of power, telling her, “By entering here, you have drawn Kurald Galain into your body… The sorcery is now within you.” When asked why she’s done this, the High Priestess said she’d sensed the Witch’s weak heart and ascertained she’d die on the way back. The witch surprised the High Priestess by saying she’d known that, that she’d hoped her sacrifice would have been worth saving Salind. The High Priestess tells the witch Spinnock is gone, adding that humans always make the mistake of thinking they need to “bargain” with the Andii instead of simply asking. The witch, realizing she’s been healed, thanks the High Priestess (playing by her own rules) and asks her to help Salind. The High Priestess refuses, saying the Temple believes neither Salind nor the Redeemer need help yet, though they will act if they have to, adding it’s been hard restraining Silanah.

Karsa rejoins Samar and Traveller. She tells Karsa she once lived a civilized life with all its benefits, but he says “birds sing of imprisonment” and points out her life was isolated from the reality outside her house as well as what it took to proved her civilization’s benefits. The undead dragon arrives then sembles into Edur form, introducing himself as Tulas Shorn. He tells them he doesn’t recall his death, then refers to Samar as a priestess of Burn. Samar slaps down Traveller and Karsa for their belligerent reaction and invites Tulas Shorn to their fire. Tulas tells Samar Burn is sick and the illness must be purged or the goddess dies. Samar, frustrated by his assumptions, tells him she has no idea where to start. He says the illness comes from the pain of the Crippled God and says he doesn’t know if that pain, both physical and spiritual, can be mended. Samar calls the CG “anathema to the likes of me,” and Tulas talks about the courage of knowing a stranger’s pain, a courage beyond himself and most others. They sleep and in the morning, Tulas is gone, as are their horses (save for Havoc). Traveller thinks Tulas was slowing them down for Hood’s purposes.

Tulas, who has seen “far too much death,” had taken the horses and dropped them off leagues distant with other horses. He flies away, thinking that too many “animals were made to bow in servitude to a succession of smarter, crueler masters.” He senses the Hounds of Shadow (calling them “My Hounds”) and flies toward them, wondering if they would remember him, “The first master, the one who had taken them raw and half-wild and taught them the vast power of a faith that would never know betrayal.”

The Trygalle Trade Guild carriage makes its typical entrance.

In the tower atop the coastal cliff where the carriage landed (in a town called Reach of Woe), a Jaghut sighs “not again,” and his dozen reptilian servants begin “a wailing chorus” which wends its way down into a crypt where “three women, lying motionless on stone slabs, each opened their eyes… and began shrieking.”

Gruntle and the others sit in the tavern in Reach, the conscious ones wondering why everyone went into the cellar and shut a suspiciously thick door. Gruntle and Mappo look at each other, realizing what they’d thought was the storm was in fact “terrible, inhuman voices, filled with rage and hunger.” Back to top

Chapter Seventeen

Our narrator Kruppe meditates on the nature of evil and the way that it can be represented, pointing out that it doesn’t always wear the form of scales and talons. And that behaviour that seems evil can often seem reasonable at the time. Apparently Murillio seems to be about to embark on that behaviour, going by his expression. Bellam Nom follows him from the duelling school.

Speaking of evil… The next Bellam Nom has realised that something is wrong at the duelling school, that the heart of Stonny has been broken, and that Murillio is equally shattered because he loves her. We are informed that Bellam Nom is particularly sharp, has been keeping his mouth shut and his ears open, and is able to read lips. Consequently, he knows that Murillio is embarking on something daft and so plans to be there in case he is needed. Like a hero.

Seba, Master of the Guild of Assassins, does not like Humble Measure, the person who hired the assassins to do away with the Malazans. Now Humble Measure has offered a new contract to Seba, and it’s important enough that he advises Seba to concentrate on it. The task is to make sure that a certain councillor dies, in order for Humble Measure to be elected to the Council. “Now, you will assault this particular estate, and you will kill the councillor and everyone else, down to the scullery maid and the terrier employed to kill rats.”

Councillor Coll is accused of either giving or accepting bribes by Hanut Orr. The latter is trying to discredit the former. Coll rather neatly forces Orr to back off. Coll and Estraysian D’Arle then discuss the fact that the Malazan embassy’s reasons for expanding are incredibly flimsy, and refer to keeping Hanut Orr and his two cronies as busy as they can on various committees while they conduct the real business.

The three councillors—Hanut Orr, Gorlas Vidikas and Shardan Lim—snipe at each other outside, passing various insults. We learn that Vidikas is dealing with the Ironmonger, and this name is familiar because Humble Measure was referred to as such. We know that Humble Measure is taking rather fatal steps to get a seat on the Council, even though Lim is pretty sure that he won’t.

Seba Krafar heads down into some cellars on his way back to the Guild, and is accosted by someone who we are not given a name for. Someone who has managed to follow the Master of the Guild of Assassins without him noticing at all. This person pays five councils to buy out the contract against the Malazans.

We learn that the person who bought out the contract is none other than Fisher kel Tath. On his way back to K’rul’s Bar, he in turn gets accosted by one Iskaral Pust, who passes on a convoluted message from Shadowthrone that Fisher should “seek out the eel,” or something similar!

Bedek and Myrla are standing amidst a mob of people waiting to see the Prophet of the Crippled God. Bedek starts to get worried about the nature of the help they might receive from the Crippled God, but Myrla is determined to stay.

Snell is busy trying to create a sling in order to take his sisters to a man who would buy them no questions asked, when Murillio enters the house and finds out from Snell what actually happened to Harllo. Bellam comes in as well and offers to watch Snell while Murillio tries to find Harllo’s trail.

Bellam begins a “delicate and precise form of torture” on Snell, in that he allows Snell’s imagination to fill in the gaps as to what Bellam might do to him.

Gorlas catches Challice as she returns from her tryst, and deliberately lets her know that he will be away at the mining camp for three days, meaning two nights’ absence. They have a chat about Challice’s new lover—Gorlas letting her know that he wants to know who it is, so that he can picture him.

Murillio starts out on the trail to find Harllo, and comes upon the shepherd who sold the boy to the mines.

Some stuff about the mysterious ox. As ever, I am mystified.

Snell tries to escape from Bellam, who catches him with ease and then drags the boy to a slaver called Goruss—who turns out to be his uncle. They fool the boy and throw him in a cell, so that Goruss is able to break Snell’s secrets from him without actually hurting him. Barathol and Scillara are talking about various matters, but beneath this chat are deeper feelings and confessions from both of them. Barathol is worried that Scillara might leave him in her wake as she moves onto someone else; he wants something more permanent. They talk about her feelings for Cutter, and she says she’s not broken-hearted. As they’re about to kiss, a delegation of City Guard come to take Barathol into custody for not following some more of their daft rules. Scillara hurries off to find an advocate, cursing her luck in men.

A truly scary saunter into the mind of Chaur, where his love and hate are described. Love that he feels when contented and with people he likes; hate that he feels and that has to find a way to escape. And this escape is through fists and fury against the guards, leaving Barathol devastated.

Some stuff that compounds how petty and nasty Gorlas is: “It’s my smile of indulgence.” Then a discussion about this discovery of red iron and the question of how Barathol got his hands on it—can he create it from ordinary iron? At the end of the section a cart approaches.

Murillio arrives at the mine with blisters and the intention of buying back Harllo. However, Gorlas recognises him and his part in the death of Turban Orr, and manipulates Murillio into calling him out for a duel. Murillio makes some barbed comments about Challice and her “popularity” just before they start the duel.

Krute tells Rallick Nom that he is going back to the Guild, and that Seba has asked him to take part in a new contract. He refuses to turn it down, even though Rallick offers to buy his retirement.

Rallick heads back towards the Phoenix Inn, knowing that he is ready to “stir things awake.”

Barathol drags Chaur away from the Kruppe talks on and on. Cutter ignores him. Kruppe tries to be less talky and to warn Cutter of something in his future. Cutter continues to ignore him and walks off, no doubt drawn back to Challice.

Bedek and Myrla meet the Prophet of the Crippled God, who blesses them and tells them that they are creatures that the Crippled God will welcome, while Harllo is not. Bedek dies from the crush of people, while Myrla suffers gangrene from the touch of the Prophet.

Gorlas and Murillio begin their duel, before which Murillio tries to give money to the foreman to buy Harllo but is turned down. In fact, Gorlas has now marked the name of Harllo, which possibly leaves the boy in a worse position. Gorlas strikes first blood in the duel and Murillio thinks it is over, but then Gorlas announces it was to the death and kills Murillio.

Gorlas tells the foreman that the body of Murillio should be shipped back to the Phoenix Inn. And then demands that Harllo is brought to him.

The ox takes Murillio’s body back to Darujhistan and reflects on life. Back to top

Chapter Eighteen

We see the Hounds of Shadow, accompanied by Lock and Pallid, running across the plain. Shan doesn’t like Lock at all. They meet with Shadowthrone and Cotillion, who discuss the fact that there are new complications to their plan. Tulas Shorn then joins them and beckons to the Hounds, who do not approach him. Tulas is aghast that the two white Hounds have joined the Hounds of Shadow, and it looks as though he runs away, since he turns into a dragon pretty damn quick and flees.

Kallor also walks through the plain, living with past memories—of a wife who committed suicide rather than spend eternity with him; of a warhorse that gave its life in battle.

Skintick and Nenanda bicker, watched by the other Tiste Andii. Nimander reflects on the fact that they are having the same arguments, the same discussions over and over again.

While Samar Dev, Traveller and Karsa are sat by the fire, a bear god—De nek Okral—turns up and gazes at them. It is another god of war, to join Togg, Fanderay, and Treach. When it departs, the three of them discuss the nature of progress and Karsa’s plans to further his own vision of progress.

Within Dragnipur Pearl, the demon defeats an enkaral that is trying to kill him, affected by madness. Pearl and Draconus talk about the end drawing near and Pearl says he will welcome it. Pearl suddenly hears drums and they both watch as an army of chaos materialises behind them. They both start wondering about the nature of chaos, and how it is manifesting here.

Ditch dreams. I’m not quite sure what the dreams mean!

Kadaspala watches Ditch dream, and thinks about patterns. In his madness, he addresses the godling that he intends to birth through his patterns.

Seerdomin and the Redeemer watch as Salind, High Priestess, weaves and dances and grows in power. The Redeemer wants to know if Seerdomin will still fight her, and he says he thinks so.

Monkrat walks through the pilgrim camp, which appears far more dishevelled than it used to be. Monkrat considers the fact that he prefers to stay apart from the world. It is revealed that Monkrat came from Mock’s Hold originally, and it seems to be indicated that he was once a member of the Bridgeburners.

Anomander Rake meets with the High Priestess and talks about Endest Silann, and the fact that they both know he still has his abilities, and it is more his faith that is lacking. Then Anomander Rake takes what seems to be a very final leave-taking.

Reccanto hides beneath a table as the demonic women try to force a way in, but are prevented by Gruntle, Mappo and the Bole brothers. In a slapstick moment, Reccanto manages to hurt himself in the action of somehow killing one of the demonic women.

Precious Thimble worries that the Bole brothers are not paying her much attention. They all learn from a local that the demonic women are actually cursed daughters of the village, so they go hunting for the cause of the curse.

Gruntle and the Boles leave the shelter of the inn to go fetch Glanno Tarp, whose leg is broken, and Cartographer.

Precious Thimble realises that there is probably a Jaghut living in the Provost’s tower. Quell points out that if they stay in the village too much longer then the women amongst them might also fall foul of the curse.

Mappo, Quell and Precious Thimble have a chat to Bedusk Pall Kovuss Agape, a Jaghut Anap and the person elected Provost. He buried his mate after an argument, and then fell in love with a woman from the village who spurned him, and so he brought forward the curse (which happens not to affect those who have been with child).

We have a look at the beach where the villagers conduct their wrecking activities, luring ships to their doom. Something emerges onto the beach from the sea.

Precious Thimble marches back to the inn with the intention of getting out of the village as soon as possible, worrying about the fact that the curse might afflict her and not liking the way that she could get around it.

The Provost’s Jaghut wife is the creature who came from the sea. She says she’ll allow those of the Guild to live, but she’s planning to destroy the village and everything in it.

Kedeviss goes to join Clip, and talks to him about the fact that he is now more than he was. She realises with horror that they actually released the Dying God to go into the world with their actions. Clip tells her that his target is the Redeemer, and then kills her.

Aranatha wakes as Kedeviss is killed, and tells Nimander what has happened, warning him that he cannot show anything when Clip comes to them with the news that Kedeviss has fallen down a crevasse. Aranatha thinks fondly that many people under-estimate Nimander, and then sorrows for the loss of Kedeviss.

Endest Silann and Anomander Rake part ways. Back to top

Chapter Nineteen

Kruppe urges the reader to realise that events are now beginning to speed towards their conclusion, and he hopes that he is able to recount it all. Murillio’s body is brought by the man with the ox to Two-Ox Gate.

The body of Murillio is taken on the cart through the streets of Darujhistan and Kruppe rages a little about the way in which citizens are treated by those seeking power.

The old man on the cart goes into the Phoenix Inn and decides to get breakfast rather than dealing with giving Murillio’s body back.

Cutter wonders whether he loves Challice. All he knows is that he doesn’t feel the same with Scillara, and he senses that Challice is desperately seeking something that she still hasn’t found. When Cutter meets Challice, she tells him that Gorlas knows about the affair, and will kill them both. He realises that she is excited by the idea. She refuses to run away with him, and instead encourages him to kill Gorlas.

Kruppe takes us back to the mine, where a child named Venaz heads for the tunnel called Steep to retrieve Harllo.

We’re shown a Harllo discovers new black silver within the mine and feels an odd attraction to it. Bainisk warns Harllo that someone came to find him from the city—Gruntle, he immediately assumes—but was killed in a duel, and now Vidikas wants him. Bainisk says they have to escape, so they set off. Bainisk helps Harllo along, and tells him that he needs him for when they reach Darujhistan. They crawl through seemingly endless tunnels that open at a cliff face; Bainisk lets down a rope and they make their way down the cliff. Harllo reaches the end of the knot and calls for Bainisk, who now realises that they are in trouble as he hangs onto the rope. He feels a tug from the top and sees Venaz and their gang, and decides he and Harllo are better off if he cuts the rope.

Kruppe begs the trust of his reader as he skips back to the present, and takes us to K’rul’s Bar, where Blend watches Scillara but thinks guiltily of Picker lying in a coma upstairs. And Antsy surveys the crazy array of weapons in front of him and wonders which to carry, even though he’s supposed to be on a peaceful mission. Blend tells Antsy he doesn’t need the weapons, as Fisher says the contract out on them has been cancelled. Blend sits down with Fisher in an effort to distract herself from thoughts of Scillara, and questions him about the amount of poems attributed to him. Finally, Scillara, Antsy and Blend set out to the Warden Barracks to see Barathol.

Baruk arrives at the temple where Iskaral Pust and Mogara are staying. Mogara tries to put a curse on him, but he orders her to retract it. He meets with the High Priestess and Iskaral himself, who passes on a message from Shadowthrone.

Lady Spite wonders what to do with Chaur, since she has to visit Lady Envy. She says Chaur needs to remain there out of sight and he nods, but we’re given to believe that he hasn’t quite understood the command.

Meese is told of a body on a cart outside the Inn and goes to investigate—stunned by grief, she realises who it is, and gradually news filters out of Murillio’s death. Two men then converge on the Phoenix—Rallick Nom and Cutter—and we’re basically told it would have been better all around had Rallick been the first to get there. Instead…

Cutter arrives at the Inn and is told by Kruppe about Murillio and the duel. Cutter has a horrible premonition about who killed Murillio and has his fears confirmed when he hears it is Gorlas Vidikas. Cutter is determined to go and seek out Gorlas.

Bellam Nom takes the children Mew and Hinty to the duelling school and gives them to Stonny. He manages to get through to Stonny about her responsibilities and what her lack of caring has caused.

Shardan Lim waits for Challice to return from her tryst and uses her body, telling her that giving in to him should be easy now.

The old friends gather at the Phoenix to take Murillio to his final resting place. Rallick learns about Cutter’s plan for vengeance, and says that he will make sure that Shardan Lim and Hanut Orr cannot interfere with Cutter’s path. Coll starts drinking again, although Kruppe has ensured that the drink is not a strong one.

Picker’s soul wanders lost, into a realm where she is chased by the Wolves of Winter. She is captured by humanlike, primitive figures and made captive in a cave where she is pushed into a hole.

Harllo falls safely to the ground with nothing but cuts and bruises. Bainisk is not so lucky, and asks Harllo to tell him of the city. Harllo’s words seem awfully reminiscent of his own life in the city, and he holds Bainisk until he dies.

Kruppe ends the chapter by showing us some of what has changed in Darujhistan thanks to these events, including Cutter on a lonely road experiencing visions of Apsalar, who tells him to turn back from this path. Back to top

Chapter Twenty

We go back to the group of Tiste Andii, who have now learnt of Kedeviss’ death. Skintick feels betrayed by Nimander’s lack of emotion and draws away from him. He wants to climb down the crevasse so that they can observe Kedeviss’ death properly. They set out again and Nimander walks behind Clip, feeling the judgement cast against him by the eyes of his companions. When they draw closer to Black Coral, the Tiste Andii talk and Nimander realises that none of them are fools, that all of them have realised to a greater or lesser degree that Clip is not what he once was. Nimander asks them to pretend to be fools for a little longer and pick their own time to confront Clip.

Nenanda asks Skintick how Nimander has managed to bring them back into his hands, and Skintick reflects that it is true leadership, that he helps them find their resolve.

Monkrat watches as new pilgrims approach the camp by the barrow, and feel the wrongness of the place. They are offered cups of kelyk, and Monkrat wonders how many will succumb. He knows that if the Redeemer falls to the seduction of kelyk then the dragon will fly from the tower and raze the camp in flames. As he heads back to Black Coral, Monkrat realises someone is following him. It turns out to be Spindle, and he recognises the soldier (ex-Bridgeburner) that Monkrat used to be. They talk about current affairs, and then head into Black Coral to get a drink together.

The High Priestess realises that the time is coming, and reflects that she isn’t ready. She contemplates Mother Dark and Anomander Rake, and suddenly comprehends that Rake’s betrayal of their god had been necessary, at least in Rake’s mind. A priestess—the temple historian—hurries in to her and asks whether they are at war, and the High Priestess says that they face a greater risk than at any time since Kharkanas.

The Redeemer explains to Seerdomin the difference in worship, intent and followers between the Crippled God and the Dying God. The sky begins raining kelyk and Seerdomin realises that Salind is now ready to begin the fight.

Kallor stops to observe the Gadrobi Hills, and thinks about the throne within the city. He seeks to take it by wresting it from the Crippled God—or, at least, open negotiations about the manner in which he will sit the throne. He plans to make demands of the god, and, with that thought, approaches Darujhistan.

Samar Dev and her companions arrive at a line of enormous standing stones. She realises that she has been slowing them down, because she’s not as driven as they are. Karsa asks her why she will not share the back of Havok with him.

Karsa wonders whether he truly wants to lead his people into a world of cynicism, even to deliver civilization from evil. He thinks about the fact that the Crippled God has never understood him since Karsa knows he cannot be broken, and yet all the CG’s gifts are an invitation to be broken. Something happens to Traveller where he stands against the standing stone—he becomes haggard and Karsa tells Samar Dev that “shadows are cruel.” She decides to ride Havok with him.

Ditch watches as Draconus violently tells Kadaspala that he must not fashion a god there, that Dragnipur is nobody’s womb. He is angry because Kadaspala was supposed to be creating a cage to keep Darkness in and Chaos out. Kadaspala thinks that the pattern to keep out Chaos is doomed to fail. Draconus tells Ditch that he has been made the nexus of the pattern, that the word of identity is written on him—and if he manages to hold onto himself then he can break the pattern. When Draconus leaves, Kadaspala tells him the word is kill.

The three ladies of the Trygalle Trade Guild watches as the wagon approaches and ask what happened with the Jaghut couple. Master Quell says they need a new place to hole up to mend the wagon, and so Cartographer draws a map which he tells Quell should be invested with power—then they can get to where they need to.

Kallor, Samar Dev, Traveller, Karsa and the Seven Hounds all converge on Darujhistan. The Hounds howl and Kallor knows a moment of fear. Back to top

Chapter Twenty-One

Cutter arrives at the mine, and an old man starts to make his way towards him.

Gorlas Vidikas is told that another man has come to take Harllo back, and wonders what is so special about the boy. He has a vision of paupers as he walks towards the ridge, and thinks that he is right to be greedy and ambitious, as it has brought him everything he desired. He hopes that the man waiting for him is Coll, but is even more pleased that it turns out to be Cutter, considering what is happening with Challice. He assumes that Cutter is here because of Challice, and tells him that Harllo is dead. Cutter goads Gorlas into a duel, to the point where Gorlas says they should dispense with convention—Cutter replies ‘“I was waiting for you to say that.”

The foreman watches as Cutter assassinates Gorlas with two knives. The two of them talk: Cutter makes sure that the foreman will confirm that he never issued a formal challenge; the foreman ascertains he won’t have to pay back the loan he owed Gorlas. As Cutter leaves, the foreman spits on Gorlas’ face, then sends messengers back to Darujhistan with the news of Gorlas’ death.

Cutter stops riding on his way back to the city, and weeps both for Harllo and the boy that he used to be.

Venaz likes to be thorough and so heads off the confirm that Bainisk and Harllo are actually dead. He thinks he will be rewarded that way. He finds Bainisk and soon realises that Harllo is still alive and has escaped the mines. He follows Harllo through a womblike passage to the surface, until he spots him and shouts after him: “Harrrllo! Found youuu!” The chase is on—Harllo reaches the top of the scree first and makes a run for it.

Kruppe shows us a few of the inhabitants of Darujhistan as a strange wind blows and events begin to quicken.

Shardan Lim goes around to the Vidikas estate to look on it and think about his plans for the future, when he has impregnated Challice and can seek to usurp Vidikas. He is therefore in place to receive the message that Gorlas is dead. One of the men reveals that it was murder and vengeance rather than a duel. He directs the messengers to tell Hanut Orr of what has happened, while he gives the news to Challice.

Challice selects a rather revealing gown in which to receive Shardan Lim. When she meets him, she realises that he is trying not to smile as he tells her the “terrible” news. Shardan Lim suddenly thinks—as he talks to her—that maybe Challice took a contract out on Gorlas. He thinks she had him murdered, and asks why she didn’t go to Shardan for help. Challice lets Shardan Lim assume it was her, since she believes that Cutter killed Gorlas Vidikas at her request.

Hanut Orr receives the news about the assassination of Gorlas Vidikas and believes Coll to be the culprit. He assembles four guards and together they go to the Phoenix Inn, with the intention of bringing justice to those within.

Torvald Nom stands on the roof of the estate, watching Madrun and Lazan Door throw knuckles, and sees that they are also being watched by Studious Lock. He feels an odd wind, and thinks to himself that at least he has done all he could, but it most definitely isn’t enough.

Even Scorch and Leff can feel the tension in the air.

Cutter is back in Darujhistan and heads for the ship he arrived in. He chastises himself for the way he treated Scillara, and then realises that he needs Lady Spite’s particular form of hard comfort. There is no one on board ship. He goes below to the main cabin and finds the lance that the dead Seguleh horseman gave him in the plague-stricken fort in Seven Cities. The lance’s blade appears to be sweating; it feels warm to the touch and seems to be trembling. As he goes back on deck he hears the deafening chorus of howls and realises that the Hounds have arrived. Grisp Falaunt lives on the Dwelling Plain—a place he claimed because it was empty and available. And a place he realises is unclaimed because it’s useless. Over the course of his time there, he’d pretty much lost everything and just dwells now in a little shack on the edge of the Plain. On this night—as thunder and lightning fills the sky—Grisp’s two-legged dog senses something out there, and Grisp sees the Hounds approach. He decides fairly swiftly that the time has come to leave the Plain.

Kruppe introduces the arrival of the Hounds.

Spite brings half a mountain’s weight of magma and releases it over the estate where Lady Envy resides—and misjudges just how far the magma is going to go. As she runs away gracelessly, Envy targets her with her own magic. Neither notices the arrival of the Hounds into the city, gripped as they are in their own power struggle.

Scorch and Leff, on guard at the estate, are attacked by a group of rather ineffective assassins, comprising the diversion force for the main attack.

Torvald—on the roof—is also attacked. One of the assassins receives a bolt in the head from an unknown party as Torvald rolls off the roof, with the Blue Moranth sharpers tucked into his belt. Turns out they become a sloshing sphere of water, which rather protects him from the sorcery that engulfs the courtyard from the hands of assassins. As Torvald is released from the sphere and lies on his back recovering he is approached by Rallick Nom. We are finally given the reason for why these cousins have not been close—Torvald thought Rallick hated him for “stealing” Tiserra. Rallick was the one who shot the assassin, looking out for Torvald. Lady Varada emerges from the estate and we learn that she is actually Lady Vorcan (not Lady Envy!)

Harllo runs along the road, knowing the Venaz is right behind him, catching him up. He knows that Venaz is going to beat him to death, and that there is nothing and no one to stand in his way. Harllo understands that no one really loves him or wants him, and thinks that Gruntle is dead and that he wants to be where Gruntle has gone on to, because then he will be safe. Venaz catches hold of him and Harllo realises that he doesn’t want to die. As Venaz strangles Harllo, a strange boy rescues him and, as this boy gets pounded on by Venaz, Harllo steps up and beats Venaz to death with a rock.

Hanut Orr stands waiting outside the Phoenix Inn in the alley, and a shambling figure passes by.

The shambling figure is Gaz; he turns around and kills Hanut Orr. When he realises that he has killed a highborn and not an ordinary drunkard, he determines to get home and pretend that he’s been there all night.

Coll and the others at the Phoenix have trapped one of Hanut’s men, so we know that Hanut probably wouldn’t have survived for long, even if Gaz had not already killed him. The man they have captured neglects to tell them that there are two men waiting at the gate of Coll’s estate.

Sulty calls on the guard we’ve met before (with the bad heart) to attend the death of Hanut Orr. He suspects that this is the work of the same killer, and Kruppe helps him piece everything together. The guard hurries off to face Gaz, while feeling more and more ill, after Kruppe has told him to “Beware the Toll.”

Gaz arrives back home and goes to the garden to find Thordy, who promptly kills him and lets his blood fall on the circle of flat stones. She calls him a soldier, and refers to herself as a mason who has been getting it all ready for… him.

And we must assume that “him” refers to Hood, the High King of the House of the Slain, who begins to manifest physically in her garden. Eep.

The unnamed guard arrives at the house of Gaz and Thordy, and begins to die. In his last moments he sees Hood come for him, and realises that it is the end. But Hood wants to have his own way just this once, wants to save this soul that is bright and blinding with honour. So he gives the guard back his life and then walks on.

The guard goes into the house and is met by Thordy, who confesses to the murder of Gaz and then claims the reward, which the guard agrees to give.

Kruppe explains that the harvester of souls walking through the city of Darujhistan results in unmitigated slaughter; we flit from person to person to see the results.

A massive Soletaken dragon swoops down to land near Worrytown. It blurs into a human-like figure watched by a coyote, a man who blesses the coyote with anguished love.

Anomander Rake walks un-accosted and unnoticed into Darujhistan, unsheathing Dragnipur as he comes. The sword unleashes chains of smoke, writhing in his wake.

The sisters Envy and Spite pause in their fight as they sense Rake’s arrival into the city of Dragnipur.

Anomander Rake and Hood approach each other, witnessed by Hounds and Great Ravens.

As Hood begins to speak, Anomander Rake lashes out with Dragnipur and decapitates Hood (OH MY GOD) and the night is but half done. Back to top

Chapter Twenty-Two

Karsa, Traveller and Samar Dev don’t stop for the night on their way to Darujhistan. The city is aglow in the distance and Samar can feel the pressure in her head. Traveller is completely obsessed and not aware that they are even with him. Finally, in order to keep up, Karsa and Samar ditch Havok and head onwards on foot. Samar wants to leave Traveller to it, but Karsa says that he plans to guard Traveller’s back. She asks who will be watching their back, and Karsa indicates the bear god that has returned.

Kallor heads towards Darujhistan, thinking on the nature of convergence and compassion. He arrives at a crossroads where four torches are set on high poles. Spinnock Durav awaits him, and tells Kallor that he cannot let the High King pass: “Darujhistan…is not for you.” Kallor tries very hard to avoid fighting with Spinnock, but can’t do so and they begin to fight.

The group of Tiste Andii come to a stretch of black water that Clip says he can use, that the power rising from it is pure Kurald Galain, and can form a Gate to take them to Black Coral. Nimander worries that he hasn’t had enough time to plan and sort out what they’ll do, and thinks that he has no choice but to act alone, since there will only be one chance to take Clip out before they cause him to suspect anything. The Gate comes out of the water and Clip rushes through. Before Nimander can follow, Nenanda darts through. As the others go after him, they find that Clip has slit Nenanda’s throat, that he knew everything and wanted to kill Nimander instead. Clip heads off into the darkness and leaves Nimander alone and wandering through the dar, suspecting that Skintick and the others didn’t make it through the Gate. The voice of Phaed in his head tells him to stop the self-pity and says the others are also wandering lost, and that shouting for each other won’t get them back together, that there are layers in the place. Phaed also reveals that Nimander and the others have Eleint blood and that Clip doesn’t know and Andarist told them to suppress it. Nimander doesn’t know how to access the Eleint power, and then realises his hands are stained with the blood of dragons, which brings Aranatha to him.

Salind feels the Dying God coming, and thinks that she is going to be the fist that will close around the soul of the Redeemer.

Salind lies on the floor of Gradithan’s hut, leaking saemankelyk from her eyes and other places. Gradithan looks upon her with lust and Monkrat watches with disgust. Monkrat sees as Gradithan feeds her more saemankelyk, watches as the god appears in her eyes. The ex-Bridgeburner leaves the hut as Salind convulses, and Spindle approaches him, saying “It’s time.” Monkrat asks what for, and Spindle says they need to get the children out of there. Monkrat is reluctant and Spindle tells him some home truths about the role of a soldier and the manner in which justice should be dispensed. Spindle forces Monkrat to look at himself and what he’s become. They were both taught the words by Dassem Ultor, and Monkrat remembers them. He decides to do the right thing.

Seerdomin stands ready in front of the Redeemer, who seems to have lost all will and desire to fight. As Seerdomin wonders what he is doing there, Itkovian starts to wonder if he can help the Dying God, which absolutely staggers Seerdomin. “You cannot heal what does not want healing!” The Redeemer knows that the Dying God wants him partly because of Salind’s influence. Itkovian tells Seerdomin to find the true Salind within herself, and implores him to do it for Spinnock Durav’s sake. Seerdomin realises in a flash that his friend has fallen in love, and so goes forth to try and bring Salind back.

Picker stops falling endlessly, and stands within this mysterious realm watching as a crazy wagon lunges through the place where she now is.

Endest Silann stands alone and feels alone, questioning why Anomander Rake has to be the one to carry the burden. Silanah sits and waits and watches the camp, but the waiting is almost over.

Traveller, Karsa and Samar Dev arrive at the wall devastated by the Hounds. Samar Dev is still feeling overwhelmed by the pressure in her head. Karsa tells her to raise walls in her mind, to try and withstand “the one who had arrived.” Karsa can feel him blazing. Samar manages to push the presence out and they both set out after Traveller into Darujhistan. As they do so, they catch a glimpse of the sky and see that the moon has shattered.

Chillbais tracks Traveller, quivering with terror thanks to all of the events of the evening. However, it is Traveller who is giving him the real cobble-wobbles. He can feel that Traveller is exerting a malignant will. And, explicitly, Chillbais thinks: “He is here! He is here! Dassem Ultor is here!”

Karsa and Samar Dev watch as Traveller pauses in the street and is approached by Cotillion, supported by a couple of Hounds. Karsa does not allow Samar Dev to eavesdrop on the conversation, saying that it isn’t for them to know. Whatever Cotillion is saying to Traveller is something that he doesn’t want to hear. Cotillion is forcing Traveller to make some sort of decision. Traveller cries out in sorrow and then proceeds, allowed past by Cotillion, who shows pain at what has happened. Samar Dev wishes desperately that Traveller would change his decision.

Hood arrives in Dragnipur, which is floundering into destruction before his arrival. The chaos army is charging the wagon. Ditch watches the descending heaven with terror that is not his terror, but the feelings of the teeny godling within him. Pearl weeps for the end of Dragnipur and the idea of all these enemies managing to work together. Draconus apologises for creating the sword, but Pearl is sorry for its ending. Apsal’ara watches as something strange starts to happen at the portal, the Gate at the centre of the wagon. She determines that she would rather try to use it to escape, even if it might destroy her.

Draconus watches as Hood arrives in Dragnipur—he says: “He is indeed a man of his word” as he materialises. We learn that Hood is here as the result of a bargain, a gamble agreed between Hood and Anomander. Draconus thinks that Hood on his own isn’t enough, that chaos will claim him, but Hood says: “surely you do not think I have come here alone?” Then the marching armies of the dead arrive. Hood says that they will fight of their own free will, and that this is all he will ask of them. Draconus asks who will claim the dead after this, and Hood says that the gods will have to see to their own.

Draconus watches as figures arrive, including the Second Seguleh. The Second moans about who they have to fight for, but Hood says that instead Iskar Jarak will lead the dead into battle. They start planning the battle, and then Hood tells Draconus to turn the wagon around. Back to top

Chapter Twenty-Three

Kruppe shows us the chaos of Darujhistan, and an ox tearing his way through the crowds, wishing for the safety of his mamma. We also see Iskaral Pust and Mogora departing the Temple of Shadow in a frenzy.

Pallid—one of the white Hounds—heads through the city, followed by Baran intent on vengeance. The two Hounds battle each other, destroying a gaol in the process—which just happens to be the one where Barathol was trapped. As Kruppe remarks, serendipity. Barathol’s legs are pinned under the rubble from a falling ceiling and he cannot get away as Pallid notices him and gathers himself for a charge. As he springs forward, a small figure strikes the Hound—it’s Chaur. Chaur throws Barathol the axe he carries, then faces down Pallid with a rock. The Hound sweeps him across the alley, leaving him motionless. Barathol finally breaks free, tearing his legs. As Pallid turns to face him, Baran breaks into the alley and Pallid flees.

Barathol sees that Chaur is wounded grievously. The reader is given the news that he is in a protective oblivion but not quite dead yet. Antsy also breaks out of the gaol, bemoaning his loss of weapons, and Barathol asks where there is a healer. As they head off, they hear the sound of hoofs and wheels on cobbles.

It’s the ox!

The two Nom cousins stand on the roof and watch the Gadrobi District go up in flames. Torvald wonders why the Hounds are there, and they both stare up at the shattered moon. A lot of the fragments are heading away from them, towards another moon. Torvald wonders if that tiny moon is a world as large as his, and will be experiencing a rain of death soon. Vorcan comes to join them and suggests that she and Rallick head to the High Alchemist. Torvald is amused that his cousin has attracted the most dangerous woman alive.

Scorch and Leff go hunting Hounds, discussing what they want to do with the body parts once they’ve taken it down. When a Hound of Shadow slinks into view, they get ready to shoot with their crossbows but it flinches back after smelling something and leaves. Leff blames the smell of Scorch.

Cutter rides through Darujhistan, haunted by his memories of Apsalar.

Challice climbs out onto the roof of the estate tower, holding onto a globe that seems to hold the moon prisoner, and stares up at the sky.

Cutter continues through the city, thinking that the Hounds know him and so he has no reason to fear. He suspects that their wilful destruction of Darujhistan is at the command of Shadowthrone, since Cotillion wouldn’t have anything to do with this. He carries the lance he was given and hopes that Shadowthrone appears, so that he can “plant the damned thing” in the Ascendant.

Back to Challice on the roof, who thinks about the choices that have brought her to this point.

Cutter thinks about his destination—Challice. He wants to deliver the news about her husband, but knows that he never wants to be in her future because of what it would mean subjecting her to. He knows that this journey through Darujhistan is his last, that he plans to leave the city.

Challice looks once more into the globe and sees the flagstones beyond it far below. Then she jumps.

Kruppe sorrows as he leaves the Phoenix Inn. He thinks about the death of a god, a pact that has been sealed, and contemplates the honourable man Anomander Rake. He thinks that “Rake is the sort of man who sees no other choice, who accepts no other choice.”

Barathol and Antsy arrive at the house of Baruk, who tells them that he cannot delay and must leave immediately. Antsy suggests another option and they head on.

A tiny flash in Chaur’s mind proceeds along a darkened path it has never explored, and then something happens. shrug

Antsy and Barathol continue on to the estate of Coll. Barathol is incredibly upset about Chaur and the fact he didn’t stay on the ship with Spite. Behind the estate is the Finnest House, and they carry Chaur up the path. Antsy knocks on the door and Raest answers. As they chat Raest indicates a steaming pile of earth where a visitor has expired—a T’lan Imass with odd legs (Dev’ad?) Antsy asks if they can leave Chaur in the Azath and Raest agrees once Antsy hands over a dead white cat.

Chaur’s body hovers in limbo, but his mind continues to explore new pathways.

Quick poetic look at Dragnipur and the fact that it has drunk deep this night, “caring naught who wields it.”

Envy and Spite put their feud on hold, knowing that Anomander is currently weakened. Both think that they can kill Anomander together and then contemplate killing their sister with the claimed Dragnipur.

Samar Dev and Karsa witness as Traveller comes upon the kneeling figure of Anomander Rake, who stands to face him. Traveller wants Hood, but Anomander will not stand aside. Traveller says that Rake has never been his enemy. He doesn’t want to fight Anomander Rake, but the Tiste Andii says: “If you so want Hood, come and get him.” As they fight they are surrounded by a chanting crowd of Dassembrae cultists, and watched by hundreds upon hundreds of Great Ravens. It is an even match, but then Samar Dev watches the death blow, which seems “all wrong.” Rake is actually killed by his own sword, Dragnipur. Dassem Ultor cries out in anguish and then collapses. Rake’s body is surrounded by Ravens and the five Hounds of Shadow, and Samar Dev realises that things are not over.

The moon explodes and fills Darujhistan with light—and the Hounds of Light arrive.

There are ten Hounds of Light, each a match for the Hounds of Shadow who remain and who number just five. These Hounds of Light have come to claim Dragnipur for their master.

Shorn, in his dragon form, flies above the city and tracks the Hounds of Light.

Mule on mule showdown! Iskaral Pust and Kruppe sharing page space as they battle each other in a truly epic, titanic struggle.

Samar watches as two women stalk side by side down the street towards Rake. She asks Karsa who they are, but he is too busy watching a rider with a lance also approach.

Baruk weeps for Anomander Rake—knowing that he has made a necessary sacrifice and understanding why it had to be done, but mourning the loss of a friend.

Cutter dismounts and walks to Anomander’s body. He asks how it could be and who did it, and Samar Dev tells him it was Dassem Ultor, who was known to them as Traveller. Cutter whispers about the sword that Dassem carried, forged by Anomander Rake himself, and known as either Vengeance or Grief. Karsa tells Samar that he needs Traveller, and that Cutter should ready his spear, as the ten Hounds of Light arrive. Cutter introduces himself to Karsa as Crokus Younghand. As the Hounds of Light charge, Spite and Envy use their combined warrens to destroy the Hounds of Shadow.

Spinnock holds Kallor at bay, being wounded to death in incremental hits. As he falls, Kallor asks him what the point was. Spinnock felt the death of Anomander Rake, and realises that he has achieved his goal of delaying Kallor. Spinnock offers Kallor compassion and hopes that he will one day find his true self. Kallor rails at Spinnock, and the Tiste Andii flinches, asking if Kallor will curse him now. Kallor says he will offer a clean death as tribute to the fact that Spinnock defended against him for so long. He admits Spinnock could have wounded him, but the Tiste Andii says he wasn’t there to do that and then reveals that Anomander Rake is dead. Kallor sets off up the road to Darujhistan. As he does, two dragons fly over him, one of them heading down to grasp Kallor in its talons, the other landing and sembling near Spinnock. It is Korlat and she gives Spinnock a potion to start him healing. She is astonished by how long he held up the High King.

As the dragon—Orfantal—carries Kallor, the High King manages to wound him with his sword and they both plunge to the ground. As Kallor watches, Orfantal sembles then falls to the ground. Kallor heads onwards towards Darujhistan despite his wounds. Back to top

Chapter Twenty-Four

The fragments of the shattered moon rain down on this new world as Endest Silann watches. They start to release light around Black Coral, driving back Night. Endest thinks back to events from his past, where he chose to make a stand, and remembers holding back the sea. Now he reflects that Anomander Rake has asked him to hold back Light itself, and he does not know how.

The High Priestess watches Endest Silann as he gets beaten down by the Light besieging Dark. She knows that the Dying God is aiming to claim for itself the Throne of Darkness and the only thing standing against that is one old and broken warlock. She dwells on the fact that without Rake their confidence is lost, and perhaps their previous successes came because Rake believed in them. She is angry at him for failing them, but desolate because she knows they will fail him.

Apsal’ara struggles away from the swirling vortex of darkness, then falls onto the ash-smeared clay, free.

As she realises what has happened and thinks to crawl her way to freedom, Apsal’ara hears a familiar voice that tells her to steal the eye of the god. She suddenly feels hope.

The battle rages between the forces of chaos and those who have answered Hood’s call. Of the dead, most were too ancient to have enough power to face the indomitable legions. However, a few had the power to stand tall—Brukhalian willing himself immovable, unconquerable; the Seguleh fighting through pride, having been downed by Rake; and the Bridgeburners. Above them, two chained dragons tear the storm clouds.

Toc rides a Wickan horse—one of appalling endurance—into battle and feels miserable at his habit of dying and dying again. The horse bears him away from the front line of the Bridgeburners, and Toc curses, wanting to die for the final time beside them, however little he thinks he deserves to do so. The horse carries him to Hood, who watches the battle. Hood tells Toc that he is the Herald of Death and has a message to deliver. Toc says his missing eye is driving him mad, and Hood says: “about that—”

Glanno Tarp guides the wagon to a rather precarious halt in Dragnipur, and yells for Cartographer. Hood comes to greet Cartographer, telling him that he wondered whether he had got lost. He also calls Gruntle Treach-spawn and suggests that he’s not required.

Toc mutters “damn Trygalle,” then sees Gruntle and exclaims with surprise, although then realises that he doesn’t look like Anaster anymore. Hood tells Toc it is time, that he is to go with the Guild. Toc asks if he is going back to the living, but Hood says no, says that this is his final task as Hood’s herald and that another god now claims him.

Gruntle stares at the battle and steps away from the carriage to join the carnage, but Glanno Tarp tells him shareholders can’t just walk away, that they’re leaving now.

Draconus watches as his Bound companions fall away, as chaos eats them. He thinks back to the moment where he forged Dragnipur, even in the face of Burn’s displeasure. He wonders now what will happen to the world once chaos (the chaos that he snared away from everyone else) is unleashed. He steps forward to take his place beside his companions, but Hood stops him, says it is not yet time.

Draconus is convinced that Hood must be wrong, that he is the last to arrive. But then Anomander Rake arrives in Dragnipur.

The Second of the Seguleh watches the Trygalle Guild and Toc depart, then Hood says he is free from his service and can pursue Skinner. The Second leaves the realm of Dragnipur…

…and snatches the lance from Cutter’s hand, charging towards the white Hounds in front of him.

Karsa Orlong is badass. The Second is just as badass. They bond over killing a white Hound together, after having dispatched two others.

Cutter watches as seven Hounds round the two warriors and unsheathes two knives. As he does so, he is pulled out of the fray.

Barathol takes on this Hound, which happens to be the one that Chaur tangled with. He manages to cause a nasty blow, but is thrown unconscious to land near Anomander Rake’s body.

A dragon sails above the street as Karsa and the Second whirl around. It grabs two Hounds in its talons and then snaps up another one in its teeth.

Samar watches the dragon fly away, then crouches over the fallen form of Dassem Ultor, who looks at her and then begs for her not to blame him. Then he grabs her just as a white Hound and the bear clash pretty much where she was standing. The two behemoths crash into a building and fight in a frenzy.

Two Hounds of Light proceed on to Anomander’s body and one grabs hold. Both are driven back by the combined forces of the Second, Karsa and two mysterious Teblor women accompanied by a dog. Karsa voices an ancient Toblakai warcry, and once the Hounds flee, the Second advises him never to voice it again where the Seguleh can hear.

The Daughters of Draconus—Envy and Spite—drive back the five Hounds of Shadow, drawing ever closer to the prize of their father’s sword.

The sisters don’t register the arrival of a carriage, but do sense the regard of one who steps out from the carriage, and back off.

Samar Dev approaches the mostly demolished building, seeing that the bear and the Hound have battled to the death. Samar asks what the bear god wanted, then uses its blood to bind it.

Tulas Shorn drops the three white Hounds with immense satisfaction.

Iskaral Pust climbs from the ruckus to find that Kruppe has already gone. He and Mogora swap some choice insults, and she terrifies him with the thought of them having babies. He flees at the mule’s pace, which is no pace at all.

Picker, stuck in the cave, hears thunder and the Trygalle Guild comes rushing into the cave. She recognises Toc, and he says that he is Hood’s Herald now and has a message for her, torc-bearer. She curses as she realises that she has a task: “I ride to all the gods of war.” He tells her to “Find the Toblakai… and lead him to war.”

Anomander Rake stands in the heart of Dragnipur, above the very Gate of Darkness, and thinks on the fact that he will stand, and “face that ferocious chaos.” Beneath his feet the tattoos drawn by Kadaspala swarm.

Kadaspala watches Anomander Rake and plans his vengeance. “This is the sacrifice he will make, oh so worthy so noble so noble yes and clever and so very clever and who else but Anomander Rake so noble and so clever.”

In Black Coral the Tiste Andii have felt the death of their Lord and feel despair. A rain of kelyk falls on them, and against it they feel helpless. Monkrat and Spindle have gathered up twenty children and brought them to the nearby forest tunnels. Monkrat reflects on how he is different now, a new kind of soldier, so much so that he talks Spindle out of taking vengeance on Gradithan so that he doesn’t add more horror to the children’s lives. He tells Spindle he feels “redeemed,” a state of being Spindle admits he was looking for himself. Monkrat tells him “You don’t need answers no more, because you know that anybody promising answers if fulla crap… But maybe it don’t have to be someone else. Maybe it’s just doing something, being something, someone, and feeling that change inside—it’s like you went and redeemed yourself.” He adds that Spindle did what a priest should have—“no fucking advice, no bullshit wisdom, no sympathy… just a damned kick in the balls and get on with doing what you know is right.”

Clip nears the Temple of Darkness, hoping it is Rake inside resisting him, as he can sense his weakness. He is filled with rage at Rake’s absence when those in the Andara were killed. He enters to find Endest and the High Priestess instead of Rake and he lashes out in rage and power.

Endest feels the Dying God’s power tear into him and begins to yield, but then realizes he is the sole hope of his people and so he holds, seeking something to hang onto to, to give his strength and confidence now that Rake is gone. In his mind, he sees a black river and reaches for it.

The Dying God feels his victory nearing, with both Seerdomin and Endest weakening. He thinks how his need for Clip, whom he disdains, will soon be over.

Aranatha leads Nimander through darkness “to battle,” and as he follows he wonders if this is truly Aranatha. She asks if he will defend her, saying she can “barely reach through… but now she insists. She commands.” When Clip asks who “she” is, the answer comes: “Aranatha.” When he asks then who this person is holding his hand, it becomes clear this is Mother Dark:

Will you defend me, Nimander? I do not deserve it. My errors are legion. My hurt I have made into your curse… We stand in the dust of what’s done… I do not think enough of me can reach through. If you do not stand in his way, I will fall… I feel in your blood a whisper of someone. Someone dear to me. Someone who might have withstood him.… But he is not there to defend me. What has happened?

Seerdomin weeps at his helplessness and (he thinks) laughs at his silly pride that had made him think he would nobly resist beyond expectation so that songs would be sung of his glorious stand. When her hands begin to strangle him, he realizes she’d been the one laughing, and that all he had in him had been self-pity.

The High Priestess watches in horror, shocked at how Endest continues to hold even as she can feel her people start to succumb.

Everything stops in Dragnipur as all eyes turn to Rake standing atop the pile of bodies on the wagon. From the bodies, “the tattooed pattern had lifted free… unfolding, intricate as a perfect cage, a web of gossamer…suspended in the air around Anomander Rake.”

Kadaspala tells his child to stab Rake. And stab. And stab. And stab.

Ditch watches as the tattoo-god raises its knife to achieve its “one purpose. The child-god’s reason to exist.” He speaks to the child-god and it considers how “to give its own imminent death all the meaning it demanded.” The god asks what Rake is doing and Ditch, smiling, tells it: “Know this for certain. Whatever Anomander Rake now attempts to do, he does not do it for himself.” The child-god is stunned at this possibility: “Was such a thing possible? Did one not ever choose, first and foremost, for oneself?” And then the god decides to “do no less,” and so it stabs Kadaspala. As Kadaspala “dies,” Apsal’ara comes up with a knife to Ditch. He tells her to take it, and she slices out his eye.

Rake smiles at Apsal’ara and tells her “Go, with my blessing,” and when she asks where, he says, “You will know soon enough.” She watches as his eye darken and then tosses him the god’s eye.

Rake begins to dissolve “as the Gate took hold of him, as it fed upon him, upon the Son of Darkness. Upon what he desired, what he willed to be.” Draconus finally understands and is humbled, crying out “Rake! There is no forgiveness you must seek—not from me, gods below, not from any of us!” As he sees Rake “scattered into the realm of Kurald Galain… [perhaps] to the very feet of Mother Dark,” Rake whispers “Mother Dark. I believe you must face him now. You must turn to your children. I believe your son insists. He demands it. Open our eyes, Mother Dark. See what he has done! For you, for the Tiste Andii—but not for himself.” The pattern grabs the Gate and sinks out of Dragnipur.

Clip draws a dagger to finish off Endest and then true dark enters the Temple as the floor “suddenly awakens with black, seething strands.”

Spindle and Monkrat watch the pattern form above Black Coral and sink down upon the city. When it touches Silanah, she spreads her wing and roars, “a cry of grief, of rage, of unleashed intent,” then launches herself into the air.

Nimander and Aranatha step through into the Temple Room and at the sight of the pattern forming, Aranatha whispers, “The Gate. How, oh, my dearest son. Oh, Anomander.” Clip’s damned chains get caught in the pattern, finally stop spinning, and sever his index finger before disappearing. He is shocked, in pain, bewildered, realizes he underestimated Nimander, and mostly thinks “Oh, s—” He gets tossed across the floor by Nimander and then the Dying God wakes in him. Not-Aranatha floats past Nimander, fully present now, and the Dying God also thinks, “Oh, s—” as she says, “Ah my son. I accept.”

Sensing the Gate has found its home in the Temple, Endest, dying, rises from the river that had sustained him to find the High Priestess mourning over him and asking how Rake could have asked this of him. Endest tells her for all that Rake has asked of everyone, “he has given us in return. Each and every time… We served the one who served us.” Then, to Mother Dark, he says, “For you Mother, he did this. For us, he did this. He has brought us all home. He has brought us all home.” And Mother Dark answers, “I understand. Come to me then. The water between us, Endest Silann, is clear.”

Salind tosses aside the “ruined, lifeless remnant that had once been Seerdomin,” ready to attack Itkovian, who now marvels at a new presence: “A mother. A son. Apart for so long, and now entwined in ways too mysterious, too ineffable, to grasp.” He witnesses, then realizes “the truth of gifts, the truth of redemption,” and having had the epiphany, he embraces Salind and blesses her, [and] “Against this, the Dying God had no defense. In this embrace, The Dying God came to believe that he had not marched to the Redeemer but that the Redeemer had summoned him… to heal what none other could heal… [and] The Dying God simply slipped away… The Redeemer leaves judgment to others. This frees him, you see, to cleanse all.”

Chaos has disappeared from Dragnipur and Draconus looks around to see so few left. Among the fallen is Pearl, “defiant to the very end.” Whiskeyjack/Iskar Jarak tells Draconus that Rake had called him a friend, and Draconus says he wishes he could have said the same, that he could have known Rake better. He then asks Hood what is next, now that they all remain chained but can’t pull the wagon due to being so few in numbers. Whiskeyjack says Draconus truly didn’t know Rake, and Hood adds that the final part of the bargain is still to come, though he wonders if he whom Rake made that bargain with will keep it. Whiskeyjack upbraids Hood for thinking anyone would betray Rake in this and Hood agrees.

Antsy helps Barathol to his feet, Baruk and Caladan Brood walk up to Rake’s body, Karsa and his two daughters stand there as well. Baruk tells Brood what Rake had asked for must be done, but Brood refuses to do whatever it is until he buries Rake and builds a barrow for him. Barathol helps Brood load the body onto the ox cart and then Brood leads the ox west of the city. He is momentarily interrupted by Kruppe, who bows in deference and grief, and then the ox moves on.

People line the streets to watch and then follow the procession of Rake’s body as bells toll and thousands of Great Ravens flock overhead. Spinnock heads away from the city. Kallor sits alone in a tavern, listening to the bells playing “his song”—“Death, ruin, grief.”

Blend walks into K’rul’s Bar to find Duiker sitting there alone. He tells her Picker left, saying something about “them damned torcs.” They hear a bell ringing overhead and realize they’d put the bell in the cellar.

Samar asks Karsa if the two young women are his daughters and he tells her “I raped a mother and a daughter… It was my right.” She points out that “claiming a right so often results in someone else losing theirs. At which point it all comes down to who’s holding the biggest sword.” He says he was young, and when she marvels at the idea he might have regrets, he says he has many, though not his daughters. She asks why he isn’t talking to them and he says he’s waiting to think of something to say. Picker arrives and tells Karsa she has a message from Hood: “You must not leave Darujhistan… [or] you will have lost your one opportunity to fulfill a vow you once made… to kill a god.” Karsa shocks her by simply asking “which god.”

As tens of thousands follow, Brood leads Rake’s corpse to a place where a hill had been transformed by Tennes, a barrow and chamber raised, and after he inters the body, he seals it with a capstone that rose from the ground and marks it with the Barghast glyph for “Grief.”

Alone at the site where Rake died, Shadowthrone and Cotillion discuss events. Cotillion says things are out of their hands now “until the end.” Shadowthrone agrees, then remarks he never liked Brood. They were surprised by so many Hounds of Light, and then Cotillion mocks Shadowthrone’s attempt to pretend that Pust going for Dragnipur had nothing to do with him. They decide to let Traveller have a few days before approaching him, and Cotillion says he tried to explain things, but Traveller wouldn’t listen. They leave.

Torvald and Rallick find Bellam (with a broken arm) and escort him home, then the two head for Torvald’s home.

Spite and Cutter talk aboard the boat and when she says she’s returning to Seven Cities, he says he’ll go with her. He asks if she got what she wanted and she says no and mostly. As the ship heads out, they watch the procession and Spite says Envy once loved Rake, but then he got Dragnipur, which she assumes was the reason Envy, whom she calls aptly named, fell out with Rake.

From the bar’s roof (the non-existent bell has stopped ringing) Scillara watches Cutter’s boat head out, thinking Barathol is probably on it with Chaur. She thinks she’s “doomed ever to open her arms to the wrong lover, to love fully yet never be loved in return.” But then Barathol appears and kisses her. They agree to chain themselves together. It’s a blacksmith thing.

The heart-ill guard returns home to his family, Thordy gets her reward for Gaz, Picker and Blend reunite, Pust finishes rewriting holy text to allow for two wives, and Tiserra sees the two loves of her life at her door. Kruppe sings, “Love is in the air.”

Kruppe heads to the Phoenix Inn, drowning his grief in cupcakes. Harllo returns home and when Stonny tries to turn away, he demands her attention and love and she accepts it, looking it his eyes for the first time. Harllo gets his mother. Back to top

Epilogue

As Nimander watches Spinnock walk to find Salind (Nimander commanded him to go to his love), he tells Skintick it should be Spinnock or Korlat on the throne rather than himself. Skintick says the Andii will follow Nimander because Rake’s “blood courses strong within you,” and also that Nimander made a lot of friends with his command to Spinnock. They discuss the others: Nenanda is healing, Clip is alive and likely to be a pain in the future, Aranatha is dead, Silanah has disappeared, Seerdomin is having a barrow built for his bones at the foot of the Redeemer’s tomb. Skintick notes Nimander’s seeming high interest in the Redeemer, but Nimander just smiles and leaves.

A group gathers at Baruk’s to watch as (and ensure that) Brood breaks Dragnipur: Baruk, Derudan, Vorcan/Lady Varada, Crone. Baruk thinks how people in the city are working to awaken one of the old Tyrants and the three remaining T’orrud Cabal fear the results. Brood brings his hammer down on the sword.

After visiting Rake’s grave, Envy returns to find Fisher in her garden. He asks what happened and she replies, “Caladan Brood… And there’s more… My father. He’s back.”

We return to the start at Kruppe’s fire and Fisher and K’rul witness Kruppe dance, as “The tale is spun. Spun out.”

Dust of Dreams

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Prologue

On the barren, wind-scoured Elan Plain, west of Kolanse, a long train of refugee children travels the wasteland, fleeing the “Fathers.” The oldest, a 13 or 14-year-old boy named Rutt (“head of the snake,” as they call the train) swaddles a baby he calls Held and speaks with Badalle, a girl who speaks in poetry. He tells her “they live,” the words having become a ritual of their journey as they fled first the “starvers and bone-skinned inquisitors,” then the “ribbers”—packs of starving dogs—and the “Fathers”—cannibals who stole children away. The snake contains tens of thousands, starving, dehydrated, worm-ridden, sick, and as thousands drop dead on the journey thousands join. Badalle climbs a barrow and looks back on a “road of flesh and bone,” thinking of how the children who died were simply stepped over or on and she composes a poem about birds feeding on their dead.

In the Wastelands, Kalyth wanders the machine-filled corridors of “Root”—a K’Chain Che’Malle home. She recalls her past: born in a tribe on the Elan Plain, how she became wife and mother, then fleeing the destruction of her people “on a morning of horror and violence.” She passes the Feed level and then the Womb, where “dread surgeries were performed, and moves onto the “Heart,” where huge Ve-Gath soldiers line a long ramp. It is the number of them being produced by the Matron that tells Kalyth that war is coming. She continues on to Eyes, the Inner Keep, home to the Matron herself, passing by J’an Sentinels to enter the Matron’s chamber. Two K’Chain Che’Malle, badly wounded, stand before Gunth’an Acyl, the Matron: Sag’Churok, a K’ell Hunter, and Gunth Mach, the One Daughter. Their state is evidence of their failure. The Matron, referring to Kalyth as Destriant, tells her she must accompany the two who will try again, that “what is broken must be mended.” Kalyth tries to refuse, saying she is no Destriant and has no ability to find a Mortal Sword or a Shield Anvil. The Matron tells her “We have failed every war. I am the last Matron. The enemy seeks me. The enemy will destroy me. Your kind thrives in this this world… Among you, I shall find new champions. My Destriant must find them.” Kalyth leaves, the plan set for her to depart at dawn with three K’ell Hunters and the One Daughter, along with a Shi’gal Assassin, that last meaning if they failed they would not return. Kalyth considers this further evidence of the Matron’s insanity—sending away the only K’Chain that can possibly breed (the One Daughter) and one of only three Shi-gal whose job it is to protect the Matron, including against the other two. She thinks this must be her penance for fleeing her people, her family, and she has no sympathy for the K’Chain either, thinking “the world will not miss them.” She considers that “the only real curse is when you find yourself the last of your kind… the cruel comprehension of a solitude without cure, without hope of salvation.” She recalls how her people, the Elan, died, “death winging across the face of the setting sun, a black, tattered omen” and knows all is bleakness.

Shi-gal Gu’Rull (6100 years old!) considers the sanity of the Matron, thinking her “assumption of the godly structures of faith” was a bad move, as was her desire for human help, humans her were “too frail, too weak to be of any real value.” He thinks Kalyth is the perfect example of that, as the “flavor of percipience” the Matron had gifted her with, that “should have delivered certitude and strength” had become the basis for “self-recrimination and self-pity.” He knows Kalyth’s gift will quickly wane in the journey without the Matron to replenish it, and she would revert to her true state—unintelligent, a burden. Gu’Rull thinks this quest will fail just as the prior one, which had chosen Redmask as Mortal Sword, though this trip will go elsewhere—south, into the Wastelands. He admits, though, that leaving Ampelas Root for the first time in 800 years fills him with a sense of “exhilaration” if not hope.

An unnamed narrator “travels” with a group through the wastelands, no memory of having ever been alone and wholly “incorporeal, possessed of the quaint privilege of being able to move from one companion to another almost at will. If they were to die, or find a means of rejecting him, he believed he would cease to exist.” The group bicker and seem generally miserable: Seb, Last, Asane, Nappet, Breath, Rautos, and Taxilian. They see a huge structure and decide to head there, as “none of them even knew where they were.”

The POV switches to a group of capemoths looking down on the speaker—a single “gaunt figure, skin of dusty green, tusks… Carrying a sword… A lone wanderer who spoke in seven voices.”

A speaker considers visions and tries to find patterns in them: a strange two-legged lizard in armor looking at a dragon crucified and bleeding. Two wolves. Dolmens, statues with jutting cowls and tails. Stars and sun and voices. Tattoos. He knows himself now—Heboric Ghost Hands. He sees “jade suns” streaming down and knows that “he and his god were in their path, and these were forces that could not be pushed aside. No shield existed solid enough to block what was coming.” He understood “the gods of war and what they meant… he was overwhelmed by the futility.” He thinks people have done this to themselves: “We stood tall in paradise. And then called forth the gods of war to bring destruction down upon ourselves… I see now with the eyes of the Abyss… with my enemy’s eyes, and so I shall speak with its voice… I am justice. And when at last we meet, you will not like it.” Back to top

Chapter One

On the grounds of the dead Azath House in Letheras, lizards eat two-headed bugs, which in turn kill the lizards, “as from the mouths of dying lizards grotesque shapes emerged.” All this observed by an owl who does not learn the right lesson of the sudden pain in its full-of-lizards stomach.

Smiles and Throatslitter discuss someone who bolted from them and think they’ll get a chance to jump him again.

Bottle, Koryk, Tarr, Corabb, Maybe, and Masan are trying to corral a quarry. They have him cornered in a tavern when Gesler, Stormy, and Balm arrive. The “target” escapes after a fracas and something that caused some white smoke went off. Bottel yells at Balm, telling him they need the target alive.

The target is flushed out toward Smiles and Throatslitter, who take him down as the others arrive to help. They tell the target—Fiddler—that Tavore wants him and there’s no using running. Balm asks if Fiddler want mutiny and Throatslitter replies Tavore wants him to do a reading.

Sinn and Grub are outside the dead Azath House. Sinn notes that people have been digging there. They discuss the upcoming reading, that when Sinn looks at Grub she thinks “Mockra,” and that each thinks the other is “what’s coming.” They enter the house.

Lt. Pores had been watching when Sinn and Grub went in, ordered to observe them by Captain Kindly. He’d been surprised to learn that Sinn wasn’t actually mute and that she had a crush on Grub. He starts to go in after them but whacks his head on a black wasps’ nest. He runs, is stung into unconsciousness as he nears the Malazan barracks.

In the house, Sinn starts a fire in the fireplace using sorcery (“too easy” for her, Grub says, adding he didn’t “even feel a warren), and the two examine a tapestry showing the Tiste Edur and Andii warring against K’Chain Che’Malle, with sky keeps and huge dragons overhead overhead. Up in the tower, they find a Forkrul Assail corpse. He tells Sinn he thinks the Azath didn’t die but “just left… just walked out of here.” She wants to know how he knows things—about the Azath, how he can identify a Forkrul Assail. He tells her he bets Quick Ben knows too, knows “the truth… You, me, the Azath. It’s all changing. Everything—it’s all changing.” He comments on her utter control of fire and she says she would use it to “break the world” and that Grub is the only thing stopping her from trying, “just to see what it can do.”

Tehol asks Bugg what’s wrong, and Bugg replies he’s nervous about Fiddler’s reading tonight, especially that the Errant might “object to its [the Deck’s] unveiling. He may do something precipitous.” Tehol decides to send Brys to warn the Malazans. Inside the throne room, they meet with Brys, Rucket, and Queen Janath. Banter ensues, mostly about sex. Brys then says he wants to hire the Malazan sergeants to remold the Letheri army in the same vein as the Malazan marines. More banter about sex ensues.

Pores wakes to the ministrations of a squad healer and the criticisms of Captain Kindly, who mentions blood blisters on the testicles to the healer.

The healer tells Nep Furrow to quit cursing Captain Kindly with blood blisters.

Preda Norlo Trumb bravely refuses to hand over prisoners sentenced to be executed to a squad of Malazans. His soldiers being less brave, they refuse, after which Norlo gets a common sense epiphany (Skulldeath’s two swords and “sleepy” eyes helped) and orders them turned over.

The prisoners, which include Sergeant Sinter and her sister Kisswhere, come out in horrible shape, having been near starved. Skim and Honey “accidentally” graze the Preda’s ears with crossbow bolts.

Banaschar, in a room with Telorast and Curdle, recalls his time as a priest of the Worm of Autumn, the way they sold blood, the amount of treasure they had. Curdle and Telorast promise him more power than he can imagine. After they seal the bargain, it is revealed that the Errant has been sitting there and Banaschar agrees to listen to him.

Faradan Sort and Lostara Yil report to Tavore, who tells them to round up, forcibly if needed, the usual suspects—those who will attend the night’s reading.

Brys passes Sort and Yil, eliciting sighs, and then gives his warning to Tavore about the “Errant Master of the Tiles… the Letherii corollary to your Deck of Dragons.” Tavore guesses that the Errant “would view the divination and the Deck as an imposition, a trespass,” and Brys says the Elder god’s response “cannot be predicted.” He explains that the warning comes from Bugg, whom she can consider the Chancellor and a Ceda, and adds that Bugg is not afraid of the Errant, but plans to hide away during the reading. Tavore is stunned when Brys says Bugg didn’t want his presence to unduly influence the reading, and then is stunned again when Brys offers his assistance, implying the Errant would hesitate before tangling with him. When he says he can at least negotiate with the Errant, Tavore says she’d appreciate his help.

Quick Ben and Hedge are talking in a tavern. Quick Ben says Hedge is keeping secrets and that the Adjunct is nervous about him. To which Hedge replies that Tavore makes him nervous. Lostara and Sort show up to collect them.

Kindly politely orders Bent (the Wickan cattle-dog) to find Sinn and Grub, but the two show up anyway, admitting they’d tried to hide from the reading in the Azath. They go with him to the reading.

Bugg goes to Seren Pedac’s and offers himself as protection for her baby, the child of Trull Sengar. He tells her Trull was the Knight of Shadow (through no choice of Trull’s, his son is now, and that he [Bugg] will not allow the Errant to “strike his enemies through the child you carry.” Seren demands the High King of Shadow come himself to protect his new Knight. She is skeptical when Bugg tells her he will suffice, so he offers to summon other forces for her if she wants. She agrees, but says she will speak herself to this King of Shadow after tonight. He warns her that she will most likely find that meeting “unsatisfactory.”

On the way to the reading, Fiddler asks Bottle what he senses, and Bottle answers that “things [that were] mostly sleeping up until now” are awake and that his reading is a very bad idea. Fiddler tells him he’ll have a cusser the whole time, in case some “nasties” show up. Fiddler just hopes they don’t have thirteen because it’s a bad number for a reading. Bottle reassures him Tavore said only eleven.

Ursto Hoobutt and Pinosel (whom we’ve met before) arrive at Seren’s. Bugg explains they are “the remnants of an ancient pantheon… the first two, the Lord and Lady of Wine and Beer.” They reveal that Bugg is an Elder God.

Fiddler is dismayed to learn that Brys has been added to the reading.

Banaschar notes “green swords”—new stars in the sky—and thinks they might be getting closer. The Errant has grown suddenly pale and tells Banaschar “Your allies do not concern me but another has come and now awaits us… You go in ahead of me. I will await the full awakening of this Deck.” Banaschar says the Errant had promised to simply stop the reading and that there would be no violence, but the Errant says things have changed. When Banaschar demands no innocent blood be spilled, the Errant orders him to keep them out of his way then. Banaschar walks on, thinking, “that’s the problem with the Bonehunters, isn’t it? Nobody can keep them out of anyone’s way.”

The Errant waits ”with murder in his heart” in the alley, not knowing he is “the thirteenth player in this night’s game,” a fact that had he known it would have made him “run for the hills.” We hear the chimes at midnight. Back to top

Chapter Two

Udinaas watches the still figure of Silchas Ruin, joined by Onrack T’emlava. They discuss the albino Tiste Andii—what he wants and whether they should drive him away. Udinaas goes to talk to him. Silchas Ruin confesses that he was misled, and feels humbled by what he has seen. He tells Udinaas that his son Rud Elalle is in grave danger and that he wants to speak to him, but can’t get there because the Eleint blood does not allow him to approach a community (I think, anyway!) He asks that Udinaas give him his son, telling him what is coming and why this is needful.

Onrack sees Silchas and Udinaas walking towards him and notes the latter’s “battered spirit, his fugue of despair” and thinks that no good is going to come from their talk.

Onrack considers the peacefulness of the Refugium, and the fact that “intruders into this realm rode an ill tide, arriving like vanguards to legions of chaos.” He thinks on his mate Kilava, who is waiting to give birth, which leads him to remember sadly when he visited Seren Pedac and spoke to her of Trull Sengar’s death. As far as he is concerned “…women could be frightening. In their strengths, their capacity to endure.”

Shield Anvil Tanakalian of the Perish Grey Helms looks on the D’rhasilhani (well, that isn’t something I want to be spelling too frequently! I pity the copy editor who had to make sure each instance of that was kept accurate…) coast and ponders on how different it is from the coast that he had known for most of his life. “The constant inflow of fresh water, thick and milky-white, had poisoned most of the bay, as far as Tanakalian could determine.” We learn that the Perish Grey Helms are trying to find a delegation of the Bolkando, that the Destriant Run’Thurvian has visited the Adjunct. Tanakalian is pleased that neither the Destriant or Mortal Sword are out on the deck, since they make everything so much more formal. He is considered to be “too young, woefully inexperienced, and dismayingly inclined to rash judgment”—and he takes his cues from the way the Bonehunters interact. He heads below to find the Destriant in order to seek his help in providing sorcerous protection to help the ship through the passage to find the Bolkando. In his cabin, the Destriant is dying—literally melting—and tells Tanakalian that there will be betrayal, “she is not as we believed,” and “the vow—we have made a mistake!” The Destriant refuses the embrace from his Shield Anvil, telling Tanakalian that he is insufficient. Tanakalian resolves to tell the Mortal Sword that Run’Thurvian did accept the embrace.

Yeden Derryg, the Watch, walks down to the shoreline, watching the night sky which shows smears of jade comets that reflect in the water. He washes his hands in the water, contemplating idiots and the fact that the coven of witches and warlocks who, until recently, had rules the Shake were an example of how trouble could come from hidden deceivers and those of middling intelligence. His sister comes down to him at the shoreline and we learn that he has butchered twenty-eight people who he deemed to be a threat to her new leadership. Yan Tovis banishes him from her realm.

Pully and Skwish—now the last two remaining Shake witches after Yeden Derryg’s cull—talk about the fact that the world is pushing back on them. (At least I think they do; their dialogue is pretty dense).

Udinaas thinks on his son Rud Elalle, and the fact that his innocence is a soft cloak masking a monstrous nature, thanks to his ability to change into a huge dragon. Silchas Ruin thinks that Rud Elalle might be able to go against his Eleint nature, but it isn’t certain. Onrack is confused as to why Udinaas is allowing Silchas Ruin to talk alone to Rud Elalle. Udinaas believes that Rud Elalle cannot go against his nature and so needs to speak to another with the same blood. Udinaas realises that sending his son away is the best way to save those within the Refugium. When Rud Elalle emerges from the hut, Udinaas knows he is going with Silchas Ruin and goes to say goodbye.

We see Mortal Sword Krughava from Tanakalian’s point of view, and it is not really a favourable look at this character—one who heads towards inevitable betrayal at the climax of the tale. Tanakalian believes that the Destriant has manipulated him into stirring Krughava into outrage concerning betrayal and so has decided not to tell Krughava the news that might send her into a frenzy of retribution. He does tell Krughava about Run’Thurvian’s death, and acts in such a way—appealing and needing reassurance—to manipulate her into steeling herself and avoiding panic. He and she head out to meet the Bolkando emissaries, who are Chancellor Rava and Conquestor Avalt. They are offered a drink, which contains the blood of the King’s fourteenth daughter, who has been sacrificed to show the King’s commitment to these proceedings.

We see the aftermath of the meeting from the point of view of Chancellor Rava and Conquestor Avalt, who suggest to each other that they advise the King that these people who are so desperate to go east into the Wastelands are allowed to do so. If there are any survivors then they will strip them of any valuables and sell them as castrated slaves.

We learn that one of the servants attending Rava and Avalt is expecting imminent death, but has already passed on an account of what was talked about with the Mortal Sword and the Shield Anvil.

Pully and Skwish are expressing their anger using urine about the deaths of the rest of their coven. Yan Tovis says that they three now need to discuss what they must do. Skwish says that Yan Tovis needs a king, but she is firm that she does not. Instead she says that all the inhabitants of the island—not just the Shake—must evacuate because of the rising of the sea. They must flee the shore. When the two witches leave, Yan Tovis breaks down and mourns her brother.

As dragons, Silchas Ruin and Rud Elalle leave the Refugium.Back to top

Chapter Three

Shurq prepares to leave her bed companion of the night—one Ruthan Gudd—who both likes her but is also trying to avoid the reading that Fiddler is doing, so wants to stay away from the Malazan compound. As Shurq leaves on her way to find another man to sex—her appetites are currently voracious—she encounters Ublala, who has been inducted into the Palace Guard, but isn’t enjoying his time because the other guards are bullying him into cleaning their boots and stuff. Shurq tells him to talk to Tehol about it, since they are such good friends.

We learn a little of the history that led Kisswhere and Sinter into the Bonehunters and into this particular situation. As Kisswhere contemplates the fact that she has lost her sister to the Bonehunters, Sinter urges the whole squad back to the city at speed.

Keneb and Blistig talk about the way in which Arbin associates perhaps a little too much with the troops in his command. Blistig then asks Keneb what it is like to be at one of the readings, and points out that people say the last reading led to the Adjunct’s decision about Malaz City and Kalam’s fate. More building of tension about the reading.

Deadsmell and a group of marines are crowded into a room that he hired for the night. They are all trying to find a way to get through the reading intact, including carving, drinking, praying etc.

Urb and Hellian head into a brothel to retrieve Brethless and Touchy.

Brys Beddict observes the other people attending the reading. There is talk before the reading starts—people there trying to convince Fiddler not to begin the reading, saying that there is too much power present. Even Quick Ben seems very reluctant. Fiddler says he is able to do the reading, but he worries about the possibility of unexpected guests. The effects of the start of the reading ripple out across the city, causing the Errant to taste blood, Seren Pedac to watch as Pinosel and Ursto Hoobutt burst into flames, dead creatures return to a semblance of life.

Okay, I think that Bill would have been able to sum up this Bugg and Seren Pedac contemplate the colourless puddles that used to be two gods, and discuss what happened that night. Again, I’d like to be able to sum up Bugg’s words in some semblance of order, but I’m not entirely sure what he was saying. Man, I do wish Bill had been the one to provide this summary. I’m doing you all a disservice! Bugg does tell Seren Pedac that Onrack will always be there for her son, and that Kilava has set a blessing on her so that she will be aware of what is going on. Seren Pedac’s son’s card was dropped onto the table by Fiddler. Ehh. I’m pretty sure that’s important.

The Errant thinks on the events of the reading, and decides that, although he cannot go up against the Master of the Deck and avoided that confrontation, he can kill Brys Beddict. Rather than use sorcery, he wants the more personal approach—something he thinks he could become addicted to after experiencing snuffing out Feather Witch’s life. He thinks about his potential allies—Banaschar, Fener, and some mysterious forces far to the east who might value his alliance.

Telorast and Curdle enjoy the aftermath of having briefly sembled into dragons and gone flying across the city. They discuss the fact that someone in the city is causing trouble (not specified whether this is the Errant or Fiddler), and wonder whether they should kill the one who likes keeping the throne empty (not sure who this is!) They wonder what the green blobs in the sky are.

Sandalath and Withal talk about the cards and the role assigned to her. She questions the whole High House Dark thing, and how she is able to be Queen of Dark. She also asks how Quick Ben could be Magus of Dark when he’s not even Tiste Andii (a good question, non?)

Aftermath of the evening discussed between Ebron, Shard and the others. They figure that the reading has decided the Adjunct’s next actions, now that the roles are set. Ebron says that it is like the warrens all woke up at once.

Tavore talks to Brys Beddict about the fact that her brother is Master of the Deck of Dragons, and that they are not allies. Tavore then says that she intends to go east.

Quick Ben is rather cross at Fiddler, thanks to the whole Magus of Dark thing. He and Hedge talk about the reading, with Quick Ben saying that Hedge is needed to build a road. Quick Ben also mentions that Tavore was behind the reading, that she was the one who told him.

The Errant attacks Brys Beddict but is hit in the face by Ublala, who is accompanied by Sinter’s Malazans. They then escort him to the palace. Quick Ben relaxes back down on his roof—he finds the Dal Honese woman interesting (Sinter?)

Fiddler says that Tartheno Toblakai is the Herald of Life. And then looks at the last card—Unaligned. Chain. Back to top

Chapter Four

Camped along their trail, Kalyth prepares to “ride the Spotted Horse,” recalling how the shamans of her tribe (the Elan) took vision quests via a combination of potentially deadly herbs. She wonders if she is doing so to seek out prophecy and clues to finding a Mortal Sword and Shield anvil, or if she wants to see the ancestors of her now extinct tribe to see if they might forgive her. Overhead, Gu’Rull flies sentinel. She pops the herb mixture into her mouth.

Sag’Churok, Gunth Mach’s protector, overhears Kalyth’s whisper “Never trust a leader who has nothing to lose” and looks over, the only one of the three K’ell Hunters to pay attention. Sag’Churok thinks that “errors in judgment plagued Ampelas Rooted,” and thinks of the Matron and her spawn as “flawed,” leading to an “abiding sense of failure. He considers Redmask (another flawed person) and wonders if maybe the Matron relying on a human is not a bad idea. Gu’Rull sends a message of intruders ahead with lots of fires and when Sag’Churok wonders if what they seek might be there, the assassin responds, “The one who leads is not for us.” The scent he sends along with that prepares the K’ell Hunters for battle, but the assassin warns they should avoid battle, as they are so outnumbered. Gunth Mach tells Sag’Churok that the assassin wants their quest to fail, though he respects Sag’Churok. She adds that she could overhear Gu’Rull’s sendings because the assassin isn’t aware of her maturity, that she has hidden it from the others who think her a mere drone. She tells Sag’Churok “I am close, first love, so very close. He is shocked and asks about the matron, but Gunth Mach tells him “she cannot see past her suffering.” He tells the other hunters about he humans and says they will avoid them, but they should prepare themselves for eventual battle.

In her vision, Kalyth sees an old man with tattoos, digging before a jade monolith of a finger buried in sand. He tells her of an ancient tribe that quenched blades in sand as he is trying to do, though he has forgotten so much he believes he is doing something wrong. Asked if he is Elan, he says he can name hundreds of tribes and all have this in common—they are “”about to be extinct. Melted away in the fashion of all peoples, eventually… nothing but dust, even their names gone.” She replies that she is the last Elan and he answers that he is “readying myself to wield a most formidable weapon. They thought to hide it from me… even thought to kill it… The key to everything you see is to cut clean, down the middle. A clean cut.” After a discussion on vision questing, she tells him “The old ways have failed,” and he responds that “The old ways ever fail…so too the new ways, more often than not.” She begs him for something and he adds “The secret lies in the tempering… You weapon must be well-tempered… It is a flaw to view mortals and gods as if they were on opposite sides… Because then, when the blade comes down, why, they are forever lost to each other.” He pulls his hands out, which are rust-colored, and he says they are not green jade, “not this time, not for this.” But then says they aren’t ready and shoves them back into the sand.

A group of scouts, faces painted white, approach the lone campfire. Gu’Rull kills all but two and takes off after those ones.

Sag’Churok smells the battle but holds back, disappointed in the way the other two K’ell have lost control of their glands and thus shown their inexperience/immaturity. He thinks they will move out into the wastelands to try and avoid the humans, but such attempts would eventually fail if there as many as the assassin implied.

Gu’Rull ignores the dogs rushing back to the human camp, thinking them mere scavengers. He kills the two fleeing scouts and heads back.

Her vision of the old man fading, Kalyth hears him say “It ever appears dead, spiked so cruelly and no, you will see no motion . . Even the blood does not drip. Do not be deceived. She will be freed. She must. It is necessary.” She has a new vision of a burning plain and shadows overhead. She sails upward and looking down sees the fires are “crushed and twisted pieces of the kind of mechanism she had seen in Ampelas.” She wonders if this is a vision of the past or the future. She sees a battle, wonders “Humans? K’Chain Che’Malle?” but cannot tell. She exits the vision in a flash of fire/light.

K’Chain Che’Malle eat meat a lot.

Hetan thinks how her twin daughters (via Kruppe), Stavi and Storri, are good at manipulating their stepfather Onos Toolan, who tends toward indulgence anyway. She scoots them away and informs Tool that the clan chiefs are gathering, troubled, adding that a third haven’t sent anyone. She continues that most are saying those that haven’t, mostly from the south, have mutinied, “lost their way, their will. That they have broken up and wandered into the kingdoms…hiring on as bodyguards… to the Saphin and the Bolkando.” When she tells him outlying clans too have not sent anyone, he thinks that odd and she agrees. She warns him the chiefs need to be reminded of why they are there, but Tool says he doesn’t know if he can help. He says that though they rushed after the Grey Swords to fight the Tiste Edur, “we sought the wrong enemy.” Hetan agrees, saying there is no glory in defeating a crushed foe, with Tool adding nor one terrorized by their own.

She thinks how he has had trouble since becoming Warchief, how he was “deaf to the fury of the awakened Barghast gods . He’d shown no patience with those so eager to shed blood.” The prophecy, “which had seemed so simple and clear, was all at once mired in ambiguity, seeding such discord.” Hetan wishes Kilava had stayed, thinking her presence would help Tool, not just with the Barghast but in his grief for Toc. She worries about the restless young warriors, though she agrees when Tool says he sees no enemy. Tool tells her things were simpler with the Imass and she mocks the idea: He admits it is not good “to ignore one’s own flaws. The delusion comforts, but it can prove fatal.” She tells him he’s not dead and his response is “Am I not?” She closes the conversation by telling him, “We are White Face Barghast! Find us an enemy!”

Torrent is agonizing over being so close to the Awl’s homeland, where he is camped with the Gadra White Face clan and where he feels haunted by the ghost of Toc. The dogs from the slaughtered scouts find Torrent as he rides out from camp and he goes with two of them to where he spots some circling birds while the other dogs continue on to camp. As he rides, he recalls Redmask’s time, how Torrent had felt “contentment” then, killing Letherii, but how then Toc’s skepticism had shaken his faith in Redmask and what the Awl were doing. He thinks the Letherii could never in truth be defeated, with their “need to possess and rule over all that they possessed… desires that spread like the plague, poisoning the soul of the enemy.” Even the Barghast, Torrent thinks, are doomed, considering that “Invaders did not stay invaders for ever… Eventually they became no different from every other tribe or people in a land.” He thinks as leader of the Awl (a group of children already picking up Barghast ways) his task is to preside over their extinction. He finds the slaughtered bodies of the scouts and realizes they had fought a single huge foe. He heads back to camp.

In the Barghast camp, Setoc sees the four dogs come in, noting that they “stank of death.” And she recalls how the wolves, “who had given her life… her first family” had howled at dawn. She is called “The holder of a thousand hearts” by the clan thanks to her having been found among the wolves that had eaten the hearts of the Grey Swords. The wolves are anxious about a gathering storm and “understood that she would be at the very heart of the celestial conflagration. They begged to sacrifice their own lives so that she might live. And that she would not permit.” She thinks she is the symbol of the wild and “it was this wild that must be worshipped.” She considers the words she will say to Cafal: “God, my children, is the wilderness. Witness its laws and be humbled. In humility find peace. But know this: peace is not always life. Sometimes peace is death…The wild laws are the only laws.” She thinks she will also tell him the Gadra and many Barghast would die, that “from the skies death was coming,” and that she will warn him to return to his own clan and make peace with his kin.

Cafal recalls his pretentious words to Paran long ago (“A man possessing power must act decisively else it trickle away through his fingers”) and wishes he could speak to him again, thinking what he had taken as indecisiveness had been instead wise caution. He thinks Tool is losing his power, but Cafal doesn’t know what to do about it. At news of the dogs, he wakes Talamandas and the two spar a bit. Talamandas tells Cafal the Barghast gods “cannot live in isolation. We cannot. They are stubborn… We need allies… Against what comes.” Cafal sees Setoc and thinks she “had been given back to the wild, a virgin sacrifice whose soul had been devoured whole. She belonged to the wolves, and perhaps to the Wolf God and Goddess, the Lord and Lady of the Beast Throne.” He thinks back to how the Barghast had come after the Grey Swords, seeking an enemy, the Barghast gods “eager to serve Togg and Fanderay, to run with the bold pack in search of blood and glory.” He thinks of them now as “worse than children.” Talamandas warns Cafal to cast Setoc out, but instead Cafal speaks to her. She tells him the warriors that just left will die, that the Barghast “have found the enemy, but it is the wrong enemy. Again.” When Cafal sends Talamandas to bring the group back, she warns him it doesn’t matter; the entire clan will die. She asks if he knows what he green spears in the sky are and he tells her that “the firmament is speckled with countless worlds no different from ours. To the stars and the great burning wagons [comets like the spears] we are as motes of dust.” She finds it interesting that the Barghast believe this, then seemingly makes a comparison between the spears and a hunter throwing his weapon at a dodging antelope. Before leaving, he asks her, as priestess of Togg and Fanderay, who the enemy is, and she replies, “peace.”

Badalle speaks words over Visto’s corpse, then they continue their march. Badalle and Rutt, still carrying Held, are joined by a new girl—Brayderal, who had joined the Snake two days earlier. She reminds Badalle of “the Quitters, the bone-skins who stood taller than anyone else… and commanded everyone and when they said starve and die, that’s just what everyone did.” She thinks if the Quitters found the Snake they would kill them all. She wonders if Brayderal thinks to take Rutt’s place at the head “when Rutt finally broke.” She does not like Brayderal.

Saddic, who worship Badalle, is walking behind Rutt and Brayderal. He considers that Badalle’s words weren’t for Visto but were for the survivors, and that she was telling them to “give up remembering. Give it up so when we find it again it all feels new . . The cities and villages and the families and laughing.” The Snake finds a waterhole and rests, even as scores die. Shards, flesh-eating locusts, attack. Back to top

Chapter Five

Corporal Tarr is in charge of getting the Letherii soldiers in shape, with Cuttle in the “Braven role,” and the two try to get a rise out of the Letherii. They point out the ridiculous number of casualties this particular brigade has suffered and suggest they start by killing all their mages (on both sides).

Watching, Brys tells Queen Janath they actually have very few mages left and those have gone underground. He adds what worries him more about the Malazan soldiering tactics is “the notion of taking matters into their own hands,” and he wonders if that sort of independence, which he admits works with the Malazans apparently, will work with the Letherii. Janath points out the Malazan pact seems to be “an exchange of trust between the ruler and the ruled. Abuse that from either direction and all mutual agreements are nullified,” continuing by noting they avoid civil war if one party simply leaves. Brys agrees maybe the Letherii can learn from them.

Cuttle and Tarr worry that “thrashing” the already cowed Letherii even more won’t work, but can’t come up with any other ideas. They march the soldiers to stall. Brys and Janath head to a meeting.

Lostara, Keneb, Blistig, and Quick Ben await Tavore. Blistig says she already knows what she’s doing and the meeting is moot, but Quick says everything has changed and they need to strategize. Lostara worries that not only does Tavore want to use her army, she might even “use it up.” She thinks no one really knows what is driving Tavore. Quick says they’re marching through the Wastelands, but Lostara thinks he’s just as clueless. Tavore enters with Sinn and says “The gods can have their war. We will not be used… That reading was an insult. No one owns our minds.” She announces they will march east, negotiating or fighting their way through to war, “marching to an enemy that does not know we even exist.” Quick Ben tells her: “It will be war, yes, but a messy one. The Crippled God’s been busy, but his efforts have been, without exception, defensive, for the Fallen One also happens to know what is coming. The bastard’s desperate, probably terrified, and thus far he has failed more often than succeeded.” When she asks why and he replies because mortals have gotten in the way, acting as “the weapons of the gods,” she wonders how that makes him feel. He responds that “the gods have inevitably regretted using me,” which she likes. He continues, saying the gods will chain the CG again: “this time it will be absolute, and once chained they will suck everything out of him.”

He adds the gods are far from united, that there will be inevitable betrayals, and when he starts saying he can’t imaging Shadowthrone is that stupid, she tells him Shadowthrone has outwitted him. He admits Shadowthrone has been playing him all along, adding Cotillion and Shadowthrone are ruthless and view mortals as a means to an end. When Tavore asks what end, Quick guesses the end of the current pantheon and everything—“sorcery, the warrens . . All fundamentally changed.” Tavore assumes with ST and Cotillion at the head, but Quick isn’t so sure, though he admits he doesn’t believe in altruism. He wonders “Who’s to say that the changes create something better… that what emerges isn’t even worse… It might seem a good move, driving that mob of miserable gods off… put[ting] us out of their reach… but without the gods we’re on our own… What mischief we might do!” Tavore points out not wholly alone, but Quick says Shadowthrone would get bored, adding “sorcery will rot.” Tavore guesses maybe the idea isn’t changing everything but ending everything, starting again from a blank slate. Quick , though has his doubts, pointing out that Kallor tried it “and the lesson wasn’t lost on anyone.”

When he adds that Shadowthrone claimed Kallor’s destroyed warren as the Imperial Warren, he stops suddenly, caught by a thought. After a while he suggests “It comes down to gates. Kurald Emurlahn… the old ones—and the Azath. No one has plumbed the secrets of the Houses as they have, not even Gothos.” Tavore pulls him back and asks about their enemy in the east. Quick replies that “Justice is a sweet notion. Too bad its practice ends up awash in innocent blood. Honest judgment is cruel… and what makes it a disaster is the way it spreads.” He refers to “Those cold-eyed arbiters,” and when she objects that nature requires balance, he says Nature is blind. To which she points out so is justice. Keneb interrupts, asking if they are now the “champions of injustice” and questioning how they can fight an idea (justice).

Tavore mentions Kolanse, an isolated group of monotheistic kingdoms that has suffered a terrible drought the past ten years. Quick says the CG came down in pieces, most falling on Korel, but the heart landing in Kolanse. Keneb says they’re “marching to where the gods are converging… to chain the Crippled God one final time.” He asks why and Quick says we’ll know upon arriving. Tavore answers Kolanse has been “usurped… in the name of Justice of a most terrible kind,” explaining it is the Forkrul Assail. Quick says the FA are preparing the gate (Ahkrast Korvalain) and so will need lots of blood. Lostara points out that Tavore’s army trying to destroy that gate will certainly please Shadowthrone, and Tavore agrees, saying Quick thinks they ST is playing them (Lostara silently agrees with Quick), but she says sharing an enemy doesn’t make one allies. Lostara asks what the FA plan to do with the Gate and Quick guesses “the delivery of justice,” though he is unsure not knows against whom. Tavore dismisses them.

In the throne room, Brys thinks about his near-murder at the hands of the Errant, still shaken by it. And by his sense since his return of rootlessness. He thinks of Hull and hopes he can lead the Letherii army to do some good and thus “heal Hull’s wounds.” Ublala tells Tehol Karsa charged him with rounding up the Tarthenal and meeting Karsa with his army “to destroy the world.” Brys suggests holding off. They discuss Tavore’s desire to march east, with Brys saying he doesn’t trust the Bolkando or Saphii and would like to provide an escort. Tehol says OK, noting that Brys can also chase Tavore or, perhaps a better choice, Lostara. Tehol tells everyone the Malazans are going to Kolanse, though he says he doesn’t know why, and Bugg says he’d rather not be asked as he’d have to lie.

Bottle muses on the trade-offs of being a soldier. He and Ebron meet Deadsmell to discuss “the miserable extinction of sorcery and the beginning of our soon-to-be-useless lives.” Ebron and Deadsmell agree their warrens are confused and have been worse since the reading. Bottle says the Fiddler fed into what Icarium made in Lether months earlier, and he speculates it was “the imposition of a new pattern on to the old, familiar one… the warrens,” explaining he thinks Icarium made a new set and suggests exploring them and “nudging” them so they overlap better. He wonders if they should bring in Quick Ben or Sinn but Ebron warns him to not have anything to do with Sinn. Ebron brings up the two dragons that rose at the reading and worries about others showing up.

Sinn and Grub are at the Azath again and they too feel the new pattern Icarium made. Grubb says it is broken, though, and she suggests fixing it. They enter the Azath and see “blood-red threads . . forming a knotted, chaotic web.” They enter.

The Letherii are about to drop after all the marching Tarr and Cuttle are making them do. Fiddler arrives, gives them great advice, and leaves.

Hedge meets Fiddler, who tells him “You died. So I went and go over you. And now you show up all over again. If you were a ghost then maybe I could deal with it… but we ain’t squad mates any more, are we? You came back when you weren’t supposed to, and in your head you’re still a Bridgeburner… you keep slagging off these Bonehunters… [but] the Bridgeburners are finished, Hedge. Dust and Ashes.” Hedge agrees he has to readjust, and Fiddler suggests he take up with Gesler’s squad.

Pores, pretending to be Kindly, “punishes” Sinter and her sister Kisswhere for being incompetent enough to get captured, and tells them to cut their hair and put it on the desk. Kindly arrives and Pores says the sisters haven’t reported yet, agreeing to go out and look for them.

The two sisters decide to get hair from somewhere else and then ask Nep Furrow to curse Kindly. Sinter tells Badan Gruk he’s the only kind of soldier one can trust—a reluctant one.

Tavore Keneb, Blistig, and Lostara meet with Tehol. Quick Ben explains about the warrens, Icarium’s attempt to impose a new one, the way the Reading showed up a flaw or “wounding,” the relationship of the Deck to warrens, how the wounding or “broken” warren is rippling outward and will soon incapacitate mages in Lether, though he thinks the Malazans leaving will help the eventual healing. Bugg is impressed by Quick Ben’s breadth and depth of knowledge. At first reluctant, Tavore agrees to an escort. Back to top

Chapter Six

The Bolkando, who have been overcharging the Khundryl Burned Tears, encircling them with soldiers, and treating them with contempt, enact one more usurious hike in fees. Young Khundryl take offense, say “we’ve got your 100% price hike right here,” and kill lots of Bolkando. They then ride off to give Warleader Gall the good news.

Warleader Gall hears the bad news, realizes the Khundryl can’t just flee onto the plains if they’re to help Tavore and the Malazan army (and the Grey Helms), and orders that the Burned Tears march on the capital.

While the Grey Helms make landing, Tanakalian and Run’Thurvian discuss choosing another Destriant, but Run’Thurvian decides to wait. They move on to discussing the likelihood that the Bolkando will try and ambush them as they march through the upcoming pass, catching the Grey Helms between the Bolkando “escort” and a waiting army. Tanakalian internally muses on how they will change the world with war and bring justice via the sword, and decides the old Destriant was just a crazy old man and thus no need to tell Run’Thurvian of what he had told Tanakalian.

Chancellor Rava and Conquestor Avalt (leading the Bolkando escort of the Helms) receive news of the Khundryl turning against the Bolkando. They assume the Khundryl will flee to the Wastelands where they can easily be dealt with, and plan to use the Perish’s “absurdly elevated notion of honour” to keep the Perish from helping the Khundryl, by speaking of the Khundryl atrocities. After which they will ambush the Helms as planned, then turn on the Malazans, who most likely will not be supported by the Letherii, who are led by a “useless, bumbling idiot.” Having so astutely taken the measure of the three disconnected armies marching through their territory, they turn to discussing their fear that their own queen has agents in Lether hunting down their spies, their dread that the Queen’s Evertine Legion might take the field if the Queen finds a reason to “shove her useless husband aside,” and the unnerving news that the King’s 14th daughter and her handmaiden have disappeared from the palace.

Tanakalian and Run’Thurvian meet with Chancellor Rava and Conquestor Avalt, who apprise them of the Khundryl’s activities. Run’Thurvian assumes the Burned Tears had cause, calls the Bolkando on their duplicitous nature, reaffirms the Helm’s alliance with the Khundryl, and tells them if the Bolkando want the Perish as enemies, they should prepare to be “obliterated.” As the Bolkando leaders try to stumble their way out of this mess, Tanakalian thinks if they’re “shaking with terror” at the idea of the Khundryl and Perish, “Wait until you meet the Bonehunters.” After Rava and Avalt leave, Run’Thurvian orders an immediate march, correctly assuming Gall is leading his army toward the capital.

Yan Tovis (Twilight) head back toward her people, sadly meditating on how King Tehol, who has been challenging much of the entrenched Letherii system, will soon “swept aside,” as “The beast that was civilization ever faced outward...[and] devours the world to come” Her brother Yedan Derryg (the Watch) appears and tries to convince her not to take their people on the journey she is planning, but to take “the mortal road” instead. She tells him she has no choice.

Pithy and Brevity, assuming Yan Tovis will lead the people to resettle in Lether, discuss ways to use the current crisis with the Shake to their mutual benefit. [Pithy and Brevity were ex-cons who were part of the inmate take-over of Second Maiden Fort]

Yan Tovis shocks Skwish and Pully by telling them that “By my Royal Blood I will open the Road to Gallan...To the Dark Shore. I am taking us home.”

The “group” including Taxilian, Breath, etc. heads toward a massive structure carved in the shape of a dragon, which turns out to be a city. They bicker. The ghost that flits amongst them wonders how they keep suddenly having stuff he’s never seen before, like torches and waterskins, and daggers and Tiles, and SPF 50 sunscreen that isn’t too oily at all but rubs on real nice and...Nappet finally says out loud what they have all been thinking: “Someone was hunting them.” A spear is mentioned and the ghost recalls someone using one against him once, “lunging at his face, his chest, slicing the muscles of his arms, rocking him back, one step, then another.” He decides he does not like Spears at all, he does not like them in a hall. The group finds a covered entrance and begin to dig through. They bicker. The ghost muses on self-delusion and wonders why the concept makes him so anxious, the idea of knowing oneself too well. The group breaks through, bickers, Breath says she wants nothing to do with flooded tunnels, they light mysteriously appearing lanterns and enter. The ghost realizes he is bound to these people that don’t even know he’s there and feels a moment of torment which quickly moves onto rage and indignation and promises that any god/goddess who so judges him and remains hidden will be hunted down. Inside the city, the group finds two-dozen or so throat-cut K’Chain Che’Malle. They move inward. One assumes they bicker as they do so. Back to top

Chapter Seven

The Errant walks through the flooded tunnels, thinking about the fact that events are unfolding and that not all of them are responding to him as he’d like. He also contemplates Feather Witch and the fact that her soul is not around where he expected it to be. He walks out and onto the ocean floor, down the length of a vast skeleton. He ends up at an Azath on the floor of this ocean, and is greeted on entry by a Forkrul Assail who calls him Errastas and invites him to come within. This Forkrul Assail is called, variously, Setch, Sechul Lath and Knuckles, and turns out to be an Elder God. The Errant tries to reform his alliance with Knuckles, assuring him that the Forkrul Assail have found new power and made new alliances, and have a chance in the war that is coming. The Errant announces his attention to summon the Clan of Elders, those who have survived. He says that he is Master of the Tiles, and so they must obey.

In the tower of the Azath, walking through a realm that is a part of Emurlahn, is Kilmandaros. She is greeted by Osserc, who is hiding in the realm like a big old coward because Edgewalker is waiting at the single remaining portal to this realm to kill him. Apparently Edgewalker is angry at Osserc.

Stormy wakes with a howl (or possibly a scream—it is debated) from a dream in which black clouds on the horizon advance in broken lines. He and Gesler discuss the possible meaning while keeping guard over Hellian, who is facedown and drunk on the table.

Bottle wakes, apparently to words uttered by Faradan Sort, which leads him to think that Faradan Sort has been given information by another member in the squad. And he thinks it might be Smiles. And all this is just so much comedy before Bottle realises that Quick Ben is speaking to him mind to mind and wants Bottle to join him at the Cedance. There they discuss the fact that, despite the Warrens being introduced in a big way to the Letherii, the Tiles are still awake—and a big old dragon is front and centre. Bottle and Quick Ben talk about Mael: his presence with Tehol and his motivations for being there. The Quick Ben says he is going to get the Adjunct to elevate Bottle to High Mage, and Bottle convinces Quick Ben to keep him with Fiddler’s squad as his shaved knuckle in the hole.

Sandalath tells Withal that she wants to leave the Bonehunters, to go in search of the Shake and find out what they know and how they’re connected to the Tiste Andii.

Telorast and Curdle check that Banaschar is passed out from drink before discussing the fact that they think they have lost their “pet” to the Errant. They discuss whether to kill the pet or the Errant, and are probably coming down on the side of the Errant when Banaschar interjects the fact that the Errant enjoys manipulating fate and that they have to use the same method to trap him. Banaschar confirms he is still of D’rek and has been manipulating the Errant himself.

The Malazans think rather unkindly on the skills of the Letherii, as they play the war-game. The Bonehunters are overconfident, but Fiddler has warned that the Letherii are commanded by Brys Beddict, who is a pretty sharp chap and has also seen them in action so would be familiar with ways to beat them. The Letherii ambush the Malazans and take down 300 of them, but, in turn, lose 800 to Keneb’s counter-strike. Both Keneb and Brys are happy with the lessons learnt and consider each other with new respect.

Faradan Sort enters Kindly’s office to find him looking in bemusement at a mountain of hair. She asks him if he has found Sinn and Grub yet, and he says that they need to get Quick Ben involved, if the two mages are worth finding. Faradan Sort emphasises their usefulness.

Kisswhere and Sinter are playing the bones with Badan Gruk—all three of them cheating merrily—when Pores approaches them (or it could be Kindly) and tells them to present themselves at his office to show if they have gained weight. They plan to cause more trouble.

Sandalath tells Withal that the Adjunct is fine with them leaving, and then tells him that the Nacht can’t come with them. He explains that he thinks they came from Mael and it isn’t exactly an option to send them back.

Sinn and Grub explore one of the new Warrens, which, frankly, isn’t very inviting, what with burned bodies and tumbledown buildings. Grub doesn’t like it at all, and his fear of Sinn is growing. They encounter ghostly figures who see them as real.

The Errant approaches Kilmandaros and tells her that he has come to speak of dragons. Back to top

Chapter Eight

The K’Chain Che’Malle can sense something hunting them and, having no patience for Kalyth’s slow pace, end up carrying the Destriant along with them. The fear for those hunting them is not fed from the humans following them, but flowing out from their matron Gunth’an Acyl. They fear the war that is coming. The Matron is relying on Kalyth to provide answers from humans as to how to face those who hunt them, and she is desperately worried that she will find no answers. The K’Chain Che’Malle skip around the bones of a massive beast, trying to avoid stepping on them, and Kalyth wonders if this is a dragon, wonders whether the K’Chain Che’Malle worship dragons. She wanders through the bones and picks up two teeth—one is bleached from the sun, and one is reddish, like rust. Sag’Churok speaks into her mind that the otataral is making it difficult to reach her. Sag’Churok talks to Kalyth about the nature of one god and how just having one god would make the universe have no meaning. He talks about having two opposing forces, and how otataral is the opposing force to magic, and hence to the existence of life itself, since he believes that all life is sorcery.

Sag’Churok talks of the Otataral Dragon, and calls her the slayer—he says she has been bound, but that she will be freed under the belief that she can be controlled. He tells Kalyth that the “other” is their god and asks that she show them its face.

Kalyth tells them she believes in no god and beats on her temples in despair when Gunth Mach speaks for the first time in her mind and breathes on her. That breath leads Kalyth to a vision of the bound Otataral Dragon and a realisation that if two forces are in opposition and one is bound, then the other cannot exist. So, if this Otataral Dragon is freed then the K’Chain Che’Malle might get back their god.

Kalyth returns to her body and tells the K’Chain Che’Malle that they should find their faith in each other and not in a god, that they should not worship the one or the ten thousand, but the sacrifice they will make. And the K’Chain Che’Malle are pleased and follow her, and have accepted her as their Destriant.

Setoc watches as the Gadra Clan stir themselves to make war on, well, frankly, anyone who gets in their way first after the death of their scouts, but the Akrynnai in the first instance. Setoc then sees Torrent saddling his horse in preparation to leave, his plan to go to Tool and beg permission to leave the Barghast. Cafal asks him to wait, but he is determined. Setoc determines to go with Torrent, saying that the wolves will join none of this. Setoc argues with Talamandas about the war with the Tiste Edur that brought the Barghast here, and their raised voices bring the warriors and women of the Gadra Clan to surround them. Sekara, the wife of Warchief Stolmen, is particularly vicious and bitchy to Setoc, so she picks words designed intentionally to rile Sekara. It works. Cafal says he will open a warren using Talamandas’ power, because if they stay they will all be killed. Setoc warns Cafal not to use his warren; he disregards her and they end up somewhere they never intended to be, trapped because Talamandas has burned.

The three of them work their way out of the cave they arrived in, into a world that isn’t theirs, that has only the ghost of wolves because they have all been slaughtered. Cafal says he will sanctify a space to bring the power alive and tells Setoc to summon the wolf ghosts. She does and is almost overwhelmed by their numbers and by the violence of their deaths.

The Icarium person(s) bicker as they head deeper into the K’Chain Che’Malle fortress. Rather worryingly, Icarium starts fiddling around with mechanical bits and pieces. We see hints of the past from Asane, from Last, from Sheb, from Nappet, from Breath (who we learn is Feather Witch), from Rautos, from Taxilian.

Yan Tovis watches as a riot rages between armed camps of the islanders that she had freed and offered to take with her and the Shake along the Road to Gallan. As the Shake themselves are threatened, Yedan Derryg uses his Letherii troop to force them back and tells his sister that they will hold the portal to the Road to Gallan to present two thousand criminals following on their heels. Yan Tovis opens the portal and lunges forward “into the cold past”.

Yedan and his troop deliver fierce slaughter. They are so effective that they manage to hold against the two thousand and, in fact, scatter them. Pithy and Brevity say that he should be the commander of the Shake army and tell him to leave the petitioning to them. They then walk through the portal.

The leaders of the Snake contemplate their next actions, and decide they must face the Glass Desert. Back to top

Chapter Nine

Tehol, Bugg, Janath, and Shurq meet. Sexual banter somehow breaks out. Janath and Shurq have a verbal catfight. Tehol and Bugg exit. Janath and Shurq, having staged the cat fight, move on to discuss new “guests” Janath met with that may need Shurq’s ship, then Shurq suggests Janath consider an open marriage.

Having pretended not to know the catfight was staged, Tehol and Bugg discuss using the king’s Intelligence Wing to play factions against each other.

Janath introduces Shurq to Princess Felash (14th daughter to King Tarkulf of Bolkando) and her handmaiden. Felash tells them the Malazans are about to march into “a viper’s nest” and war might possibly result, which has prompted her mother the Queen to send her to Lether. She now wants to hire Shurq to transport her home and, displaying a discomfiting knowledge of events in Lether thanks to her spies, tells Shurq she can bring along Ublala Pung. Shurq agrees and the princess and handmaiden leave.

Janath tells Shurq the princess (really their handmaiden, they surmise) seems to have eliminated rival Bolkando spy networks.

Felash suggests to her handmaiden that if Shurq proves a problem they can always kill her, but the handmaiden informs her that Shurq is already dead.

Janath and Shurq pick on Tehol.

We flashback to Deadsmell as a boy in his village north of Li Heng on Quon Tali where, as keeper of the dead, he sits last vigil with a dying priest of Fener. Deadsmell feels a presence and assumed it is Fener, but instead Hood arrives and Deadsmell is surprised by the “deep, almost shapeless sorrow rising like bitter mist from the god’s own soul… the grief one felt… when those doing the dying were unknown, were in effect strangers.” Hood tells Deadsmell the gods don’t come/care: “There is no bargain when only one side pays attention. There is on contract when only one party sets a seal of blood.” And he calls himself a harvester of the “deluded.” Hood takes Deadsmell as one of his own, telling him to “steal their lives—snatch them away from my reach. Curse these hands… Cheat me at every turn… respect the fact that I always win, that you cannot help but fail. In turn, I must give to you my respect. For your courage. For the stubborn refusal that is a mortal’s greatest strength,” adding Deadsmell will also get back “the sigh of acceptance. The end of fear.” Deadsmell agrees, and asks Hood not to be cruel to the priest, to which Hood says it is not in his nature to be willfully cruel. When Deadsmell says Fener should pay for his betrayal of the priest, Hood replies: “One day, even the gods will answer to death.” Back in real time, at the Letheras Azath House, Deadsmell feels Hood in the world again, and “he feared for his god. For Hood, his foe, his friend. The only damn god he respected.” He thinks on Brys, wondering his resurrection didn’t drive him mad, and Shurq, who doesn’t want her curse lifted (a decision he agrees with). Bottle arrives to say the army is marching out and Deadsmell tells him Sinn and Grub went in the House and disappeared, he thinks “the way Kellanved and Dancer learned how to do.” He says he tracked them using Bent and Roach, who went through the portal after the kids. Deadsmell tells him a story about a ram looking over the cemetery and the dying priest and the revelation all come to that “you see it’s empty… The whole Hood forsaken mess, Bottle. All of it.” Bottle says he saw the same in the eyes of the Eres’al: “The animal side of her… as if I was looking into a mirror and seeing my own eyes, but in a way no one else can see them. My eyes… with nobody behind them. Nobody I know.” Deadsmell says he saw the same look in Hood’s eyes: “Me, but not me. Me, but really, nobody. And I think I know what I saw… those eyes, the empty and full, the solid absence in them… It’s our eyes in death. Our eyes when our souls have fled them.” Deadsmell thinks of how the ram was ready to rut and wondered, “Was it the beast’s last season? Does it believe it every spring? No past and no future. Full and empty. Just that. Always that. Forever that.” He ends by telling Bottle he (Deadsmell) is “out of moves.”

Helian recalls coming across a dead minnow and remembers, “the deep sorrow she felt. Young ones struggled so. Lot of them died, sometimes for no good reason.” She tries to remember where she grew up, who she is. She blames her “sobriety” on Skulldeath, who tells her he is a prince and she will be his Queen. Helian says the hell with royalty, she accepts an officer having to be in charge—“between that orficer and me—it’s just something we agree between us… to make it work. Highborn, they’re different. They got expectations.”

Fiddler and Cuttle discuss the lack of munitions for the army. Cuttle says there’s a sense of dread about the army he can’t figure out and wonders what they’re doing now. They talk about past battles and squads and Cuttle asks why Fiddler is so anti-Hedge considering all the stories of how close they once were. Fiddler says that when Hedge died Fiddler had to put him behind him. When Cuttle suggests giving up the past and forging something new with Hedge, Fiddler explains it isn’t just that, but how looking at Hedge makes him see all his dead. They discuss a fever going around, blamed on mosquitoes, and when Fiddler notes the Letherii don’t seem to be suffering from it, they go off to find Brys and ask if he has any advice.

Tarr and Smiles spar. Corabb arrives with his new sword and when Smiles mocks him, Tarr gives her duty and then asks Corabb about the new weapon.

Smiles comes across a group looking at a huge footprint—mysteriously one only—which they say belongs to Nefarias Bredd.

Captain Kindly promotes Pores sideways to Master Sergeant and gives them the “valuable recruits” he has, including the two whores that got wrapped up in Pores’ earlier scheme. Pores gives one a new name—Twit—and makes him sergeant, calls the two whores Corporals Rumjugs and Sweetlard, then attaches them to Badan Gruk’s group (includes Sinter, Kisswhere, and Primly).

Pores commandeers a tent in the name of Kindly to do supply lists, adding it would be a surprise if he didn’t “lose” a crate or two. He enters and starts to drink.

Kisswhere tells Rumjugs and Sweetlard they’re all sisters and brothers now—“that’s what being a soldier is all about.” Kisswhere exits to go get Skulldeath.

Twit, upset at his name, tells Ruffle his backstory—how he lost everything and that’s why he joined up. She renames him Sergeant Sunrise—“Fresh. No debts, no disloyal friends, no cut-and-run wives.”

Brys tells Fiddler and Cuttle how to deal with the fever (the “Shivers”). They compare methods of Empire-growing. Brys tells how the Letherii used “creep and crawl… spreading like a slow stain until someone in the beleaguered tribe stood up and took notice… and then there’d be war [which] we justified by claiming we were simply protecting our pioneering citizens, our economic interests, our need for security… the usual lies.” Fiddler tells a story of how the Malazans gave gifts to an island chief, but something in the gifts killed a third of the islanders, including the chief, of whom Fiddler wonders to this day if he thought “he had been betrayed, deliberately poisoned… out intentions didn’t mean a damned thing. Offered no absolution. They rang hollow then and they still do.” When Cuttle groans and says the two are going to make him commit suicide, Fiddler tells him, “I’ve learned that knowing something—seeing it clearly—offers no real excuse for giving up on it… Being optimistic’s worthless if it means ignoring the suffering of this world. Worse than worthless. It’s bloody evil. And being pessimistic, well, that’s just the first stop on the path, and it’s a path that might take you down Hood’s road, or it takes you to a place where you can settle into doing what you can, hold fast in your fight against that suffering.” Brys chimes in, calling it “the place where heroes are found,” but Fiddler says that doesn’t matter, “You do what you do because seeing true doesn’t always arrive in a burst of light. Sometimes what you see is black as a pit, and it just fools you into thinking that you’re blind. You’re not. You’re the opposite of blind.” Brys leaves, thanking Fiddler. Back to top

Chapter Ten

Kalyth recalls a long-running rite of her people involving a spirit figurine, hers now lost, meaning her soul would “find no haven” upon her death. She thinks how her people had thought too highly of themselves, something she assumes is true of all peoples. Until they are humbled. She remembers a bhederin who took a long time dying and thinks how she too still stands.

Kalyth wonders why they are hiding from clouds. She sees flashes of light beneath the far off clouds, the ground shake, and she sees the plain on fire. Gunth Mach suddenly grabs he and the K’Chain Che’Malle take off running. Gu’Rull flies down before them and they come to a stop. Kalyth tells him they fled the storm on her command, surprising herself at standing up to the assassin. Gu’Rull looks at her, then takes off. The others set camp.

Zaravow of the Snakehunter (a sub-clan of the Gadra Barghast) bitterly recalls how his clan had once been powerful until their losses on the One Eye Cat Mountains to the Bridgeburners, their dissolution since then. He thinks their trip here to Lether was a disaster: their current camp is filled with rubbish, the young warriors are getting drunk and becoming addicted to a local drug, and he wishes he’d convinced the council to kill Tool and “Hobble” Hetan. As he prepares his deathmask, he sees his wife and soon after a young warrior—Benden Ledag—and he realizes they’ve been having sex. He decides he’ll challenge and kill Benden, then Hobble his wife. His wife suddenly starts screaming at something outside of camp and as he spins to look he sees a bank of quick-moving storm clouds moving right for the camp, before something inside is revealed.

Sekara, wife to the Gadra Warchief Stolmen, is proud of her title Sekara the Vile and the power it gives her, power greater and more efficient than her husband’s, whom she controlled anyway. She considers herself the rightful Barghast Queen, as opposed to Hetan, who won’t even take the title. She passes by the crucified victims of the Gadra with nary a glance, and she can’t wait to see Tool, Hetan, and their children suffer the same fate. She sees the storm clouds off in the distance, but dismisses them once she notes they aren’t moving closer, just as she dismisses the cowering dogs.

Hetan is with her son in their yurt when Tool enters and tells her somewhere Barghast have died. She and some warriors follow him to the edge of camp. When she asks if they’ve found their enemy, he says maybe, though he hopes not. They see storm clouds on the horizon and Hetan asks if the storm is magic. He tells her no, but makes it clear it is something, something grim. He adds that 500 Barghast were killed in seconds and he would cut his tongue out before telling her what he knows. He drops his sword, saying he wants to run, he does not want to lead the Barghast against what comes. She replies she stands with him, whatever, but she needs something from him. He asks if the Barghast will follow him if he tries to lead them away and she thinks to herself no, they’ll kill you, our children, and then do worse to me. But aloud she whispers if that is the plan—for them to flee in the dark. He tells her to select a hundred of his worst critics for him to lead to the killing site, where he says they’ll find no enemy, just their work. He hopes that will incite fear enough in them, though Hetan believes it will incite anger instead. He tells her stay behind with the children and await the return of Cafal and Talamandas, whom she should make sure stay until he returns as well.

As she watches Tool’s group ride away, Hetan thinks how the Barghast have become scattered, how peace has acted upon them like a poison. She notes the Jade Spears above and wonders if they truly had been omens of evil, thinking “When ruin is coming, we choose not to see it.” She realizes Tool had been asking her permission to flee with her and the children, to be a coward, and she had refused, had forced him into his position. She believes they will find an enemy, will go to war, and will lose, though Tool will command strongly even knowing that.

Setoc, Cafal, and Torrent reenter the world in the Wastelands, the ghosts they brought with them flowing out and vanishing. When Cafal says the land is empty, he tells them it was once full of great beast, but “we emptied it and called that success.” Setoc says she’ll travel with Cafal back to his people rather than with Torrent, saying she is responsible for the ghosts she brought and that “their journey remains incomplete.” They separate.

In Icarium’s city, a K’Chain Che’Malle drone is awakened and senses the intruders, much to the “ghost’s” dismay.

Feather pulls out new tiles and tells the others: “The old ones are dead. Useless. These belong to us, just us. For now. And the time has come to give them their names… No Holds, you see? Each one is unaligned, all of them are unaligned. That’s the first difference.” She names/describes them: Chance—Knuckles “at war with itself”; Rule and Ambition the flip side of the same tile as they “kill each other”; Life and Death, Light and Dark, Fire and Water, Air and Stone, Fury and Starwheel—Fury “blind, a destroyer of everything” and “Starwheel “that’s time, but unraveled”; Root and Ice Haunt, that “both seek the same thing. You get one or the other, never both”; and finally Blueiron and Oblivion, Blueiron as “the sorcery that gives life to machines” and Oblivion as “a curse [that] eats you from the inside out. Your memories. Your self.” She says Oblivion is getting stronger, that someone is coming to find them and that they need to feed Blueiron. Taxilian says he knows but can’t figure out how to help the city. Feather says to cut himself and let it—“the taste” of the city—inside. Icarium watches and thinks Sulkit, the drone, is coming, but not to slaughter them. Icarium feels a new sense of hope.

Yan Tovis leads her refugees through the dark road, though inside she is panicking because she is lost and she can feel her power waning, herself growing weaker. Pully and Skwish have grown younger on her power. Yan Tovis collapses and the refugee train drops out on the “underside” of Gallan. Yedan Derryg heads toward his sister. As he passes through the mob, he thinks the Shake have become “a diminished people, in numbers, in spirit… they had made themselves small, as if meekness was the only survival strategy they understood.” He wonders if they’ll ever be able to rise again. He arrives at the van and finds Pully and Skwish, though he doesn’t recognize them in their youthful bodies at first. They tell him Yan Tovis is in a coma, maybe dying, and they acknowledge what Derryg knows—they’ve landed in a realm of the Liosan. He tells them to force feed his sister, then he rides off to face the Liosan and slow them down once they, inevitably, come after them.

Swish and Pully discuss how their original plan to do nothing and just let Twilight live or die is unworkable now—either Derryg will kill them if she dies or he won’t return and they’ll need her alive to get out of this realm. They think maybe they can come up with another plan once they’re out.

Derryg is surprised by the appearance of a Forkrul Assail named Repose, who tells him “this land is consecrated for adjudication” (as proven by the skulls on the ground) and that because Derryg’s people have brought “discord” to the land, they need some of that Forkrul Assail “Truth”. Derryg declines the offer, but Repose says resistance is futile. Derryg, having seen what happened to Picard, decides to fight anyway, surprising the hell out of Repose by both winning and by declaring that he is the Watch of the Shake, just before he not-so-futilely cuts off Repose’s head. Just then, five Liosan appear. Unfortunately for the reader, none of them are Jorrude. Derryg kills them all, employing the age-old Watch tactics of sword-hurling, head-removing, eye-gouging, horse-leaping, and vertebrae-separating. He turns back to the camp.

Yan Tovis wakes up to find her people under assault by light and fire (five suns have now risen). Her brother returns and tells her they have time. She tells the two witches to begin the preparations to continue the journey. Pully and Skwish leave to do so, and the two siblings look at each other in recognition that they might have to kill this two before their quest is over. Back to top

Chapter Eleven

Tehol, Bugg, and Janath discuss a gift from the Akrynnai. Somehow, innuendo and banter break out. They also more seriously (somewhat) discuss Tehol’s repatriation law, which involves taking land away from wealth and soon-to-be-angry folks. The Akrynnai envoy arrives, disabuses them (somewhat) of their guesses re the gift, and informs them the Barghast have declared war and the Akrynnai are following the age-old ritual of request aid—have-aid-denied-go home, but also want to make sure the Letherii won’t attack during the upheaval. Upon being asked re the Barghast’s grievances, Bugg tells Tehol that they might indeed have once lived on those plains, but that’s what happens with migratory peoples—they’ve lived everywhere. And along with the Barghast, the Tarthenal, the Jheck, and others did as well. Tehol reassures the Akrynnai that they won’t be attacked either from Lether or by Brys’ troops riding along with the Malazans, and Bugg adds the Malazans as well have no interest in the Akrynnai. Tehol sends him off with much nicer gifts than the Akrynnai are used to. After the envoy leaves, Bugg says he’s worried about Brys and he thinks the Wastelands will have great peril. Tehol replies that he’s pretty sure Brys knew that, adding that his time being dead changed him and he probably didn’t return just to hang out around the palace. Bugg agrees, but says he can’t “see” Brys, that Brys is unaligned and “therefore unpredictable.” He adds that Brys is probably safest from the Errant with the Malazans, and as for when he returns, well, the Errant will have Bugg to deal with, for he is feeling vexed by him. Tehol leaves and Bugg promises Janath he’ll do what he can before he has to leave, which will be soon. He asks if she knows she is pregnant, and she answers yes, but Tehol probably does not. She worries about carrying, but he tells her he fully healed her, both physically and (mostly) mentally.

Knuckles and the Errant run down the list of Elders: Draconus in Dragnipur, Nightchill’s soul scattered, Edgewalker able to ignore compulsion, who knows what’s happened to Grizzin Farl, Ardata and others in hiding, Olar Ethil dead and “supremely indifferent to that condition.” The Errant says she bound herself to the fate of the T’lan Imass by embracing the Ritual. Meanwhile, Kilmandaros is getting her armor on. Knuckles says her rage has been awakened by the Errant and now she needs a target, and he warns the Errant that any semblance of “control” over her is a façade. The Errant sneers at his “weakness.” Kilmandaros announces she’s ready and before they leave, the Errant angers Knuckles by making him look as he once did and should look now: “a tall, youthful Forkrul Assail.” He returns Knuckles to how he wants to be and they all leave.

Foreboding.

Shurq Elalle and Ruthan Gudd have a somewhat prickly goodbye. She heads to her ship and makes preparations to leave, wondering if Ublala Pung is going to make it.

Gudd heads out for the departing army, not upset at the idea of being left behind, though “the last thing he wanted was to be sniffed down by a magicker.” He is unhappy being a captain “since it meant too many people paid attention to him.” He muses on some old army analysis, wonders if he’d heard it from Greymane, sure it wasn’t Korelri or Malazan. He recalls Greymane telling him to keep his head down, which isn’t working, and remembers how he’d seen that Greymane knew it wouldn’t (as it wasn’t working for Greymane either).

Harlest Eberict meets Ublala in the cemetery and via the ghost of Old Hunch (the night soil collector connected with the Tarthenal gods) leads him to an old grave where a Thelomen first Hero (from the First Empire) is buried. Harlest instructs Ublala to take the dragon scale armor and the mace “Rilk” which will “know how to use” Ublala. Harlest helps him get armored and tells him he has an important task in the Wastelands.

Alone in his tent, Brys feels that “something was growing in him” that is distancing him from other people. He wonders at the point of life if it is just to die, and wonders as well what was the point of his holding onto the names of those long-ago gods, of keeping them “alive.” He has reshaped the Letherii army, and hopes their sense of competition with the Malazans that had recently routed them would go a ways toward creating a sense of unity as well as help hone the army. He fears this will “be no simple, uneventful march” and that the image of death he sees in his soldiers’ faces is prophetic.

Reliko’s squad (Ruffle, Nep Furrow, etc.) do grunt dialogue

Fiddler has a meeting of sergeants, an old Bridgeburner tradition. They start to question what Tavore is doing, and he tells them it doesn’t matter—they’re the Adjunct’s fist and that’s it. They continue to ask why and if it’s all worth it and arguing if they knew more they’d have a better chance of surviving. At which point Fiddler yells at them that “Surviving isn’t what this is all about.” He wishes he could all it back, especially thinking how Sinter “is not natural soldier… how many more like her are there in this army.” But then Sinter surprises him and everyone else by simply replying: “Glad that’s cleared up. Now, let’s talk about how we’re going to work together to make us the meanest Hood-shitting fist the Adjunct’s got.”

Throatslitter, who’s been spying on the meet, thinks Fiddler had been lying about not knowing what Tavore’s business is, and thinks he just revealed he knows and what it was; the details don’t matter because “who needs details when we’re all ending up crow meat?” He thinks he needs to talk to Deadsmell and find “that other Talon hiding among the marines,” who has been leaving markers. His attention goes back to the sergeants when he hears them talking about betrayal, Fiddler saying, “I wasn’t meaning within our ranks.” Cords says he doesn’t believe the Perish or Burned Tears will turn on them, and when Sinter mentions the Letherii, Fiddler just says he can’t be more specific and they should just keep their eyes out. Throatslitter sees a rat and realizes Bottle is also here, and he likes the idea of Fiddler holding Bottle back as his ace (shaved knuckle) in the hole.

Ruthan Gudd joins a group of captains, including Kindly and Faradan Sort (of whom Ruthan thinks the rumors about her serving the Stormwall—something he knows a bit about—are true). They discuss Blistig’s falling down on the job, being “broken,” and its negative impact on Keneb as Fist. Faradan Sort suggests using the sergeants, and Ruthan backs up the idea. One of the other captains, Skanarow, tells Ruthan, “The old ones among my people say that sometimes you find a person with the roar of a sea squall in their eyes… In you I see not a squall. I see a damned typhoon.” She rides off and he thinks he needs to avoid her. He recalls Greymane telling him he (Ruthan) was the luckier of the two of them. He disagrees.

Koryk returns to his squad, greatly weakened by the fever, as are many of the Malazans, though at least Brys’ water cure has worked. Bottle tells them Fiddler is expecting a bad fight and is “hard” at getting the sergeants ready for one. He walks out, leaving the rest wondering how bad it must be.

Hedge finds Bottle and gives him a sack from Quick Ben; it has Bottle’s rat that was trying to spy on Tavore’s tent in it. As they head to meet Quick, Hedge talks about how he is the last living Bridgeburner (the other survivors have “moved on”) and he’s realized finally he doesn’t need to start over; it is what he is. Pores has given him his own squad and he’s working with a Letherii alchemist to replace what they’re sorely lacking in with regard to the Moranth munitions. He dreams of an entire Bridgeburner army: “five thousand, all trained as marines… but every one of them is also trained as a sapper, an engineer.” Bottle finds the idea terrifying. Hedge drops him at the command tent and leaves. Inside, Quick Ben is looking over dolls and tying threads, but complains there’s at least three in there he can’t ID, “A woman, a girl, and some bearded bastard who feels close enough to spit on.” Quick Ben starts wondering out loud about Tavore or T’amber, saying, “They’ve sniffed me out, Bottle. They’ve edged closer than anybody’s ever done, and that includes Whiskeyjack… Maybe Kallor. Maybe Rake—yes, Rake probably saw clear enough—was it any wonder I avoided him? Well, Gothos, sure.” He snaps out of his musings and tells Bottle about the Wastelands: “a snarl of potent-energies… warring rituals, sanctified grounds.” Bottle calls it “the ghost of a gate,” and Quick agrees, but says the ghost gate has wandered, isn’t there any more; it’s east of the Wastelands. When Quick says better the ghost one than the real one, Bottle asks if he’s familiar with that one, and Quick replies, “She’s worked that one out all on her own.” Bottle wonders if Tavore is talking with Paran, and Quick says he doesn’t know, though it would explain a lot. If not him, they wonder who it might be helping her know things.” When Quick says he can’t get too close to her thanks to the otataral sword, Bottle tells him the sword isn’t as much an obstacle as he pretends; he’s just afraid of exposing himself to Tavore. Therefore, Quick should let Bottle spy on her and Quick agrees. They discuss the possibility of someone with a lot of power, a god/Elder, being able to possibly blind Bottle’s spies with Mockra/illusion. Quick tells Bottle to see what he can find about the Wastelands using his soul riding, as neither he nor Tavore can see in it. When Bottle worries about the risk, Quick tells him he’s got a doll and a thread just for him and he’ll pull it back. Bottle wonders who else might be pulling though.

Pores schemes.

Hedge meets with Bavedict (his new alchemist) and his recruits (formerly Pores’), who include Sweetlard, Rumjugs, Sunrise, etc. He deems there may be hope for them, despite appearances.

In the Letherii palace, Lostara tells Tavore Keneb has been struck hard by Grub’s loss and that Blistig has “decided he’s already good as dead.” She notes the Adjunct’s worsened appearance, the grief and loneliness in her eyes, and worries that with T’amber’s lost her “last tie to the gentler gifts of humanity had been severed.” Tavore talks of Lorn’s death, legacies, the way it doesn’t seem to matter what is achieved and what is not, and her growing belief that “fate and mercy are often one and the same,” an idea that chills Lostara. Tavore says the current chaos in the army is fine, is something she gives them for her own reasons. Tehol and Bugg enter and say they have a gift for them—a “water-etched dagger.” Bugg tells Tavore, “When you face your most dire necessity, look to this weapon… When blood is required. When blood is needed. In the name of survival, and that name alone.” Lostara wonders if Tavore’s speechlessness means she already knows what that moment might be, that necessity, and “is horrified by this gift.” They leave.

Bugg tells Tehol he doesn’t expect to see the Malazans again. Tehol asks about Brys, but retracts the question immediately. Bugg tells him Brys has “unexplored depths… [and] carries within him a certain legacy… it has the potential to be vast [in measure]” Tehol tries to cheer up. Back to top

Chapter Twelve

Maral Eb, war leader of the Barahn White Face Barghast, is heading west after having slaughtered an Akrynnai caravan and is dreaming of killing Tool and becoming rich and powerful. Two of his scouts bring him a nearly-dead Snakehunter Barghast, who he questions as to what happened. The man, Benden Ledag, tells him he is the last of the Snakehunters, a survivor only because he ran like a coward, which he suggests the Barhan do as well. When Maral tells him they will instead avenge the Snakehunters, Benden smiles and says he’ll await them in hell.

Women of the Skincut (Ahkrata) discuss the bad omens lately, one of them—Ralata—saying she has “felt shadows in the night and the whisper of dread wings. Something stalks us.” The warleader, though, scorns her warnings. The warleader, Hessanrala, says they will follow the track of the Akrynnai merchant they’ve just killed north, but Ralata says it is foolish and refuses, saying she’ll return to the camp instead. She leaves alone, but once out of sight, worries that she is shirking her responsibility to the young women and turns to stealthily follow them, hoping she can save them from themselves.

Tool’s group (off to investigate the death of a lot of Barghast) passes by an old Imass kill site, and he regrets the animals having been hunted to extinction, thinking that the Ritual had allowed the Imass to “elude the rightful consequences of their profligacy, their shortsightedness.” Bakal asks how Tool could have sensed the Barghast’s deaths when even their shouldermen did not. The two spar verbally, and when Bakal notes that a thousand back at camp will challenge Tool due to his cowardice, Tool asks if Bakal has ever seen him fight. They continue.

Upset he once again is facing a war, Sceptre Irkullas of the Akrynnai prepares to attack the camp of the Nith’rithal Barghast, confident of victory.

A Nith’rithal picket guard sees the leading edge of the Akrynnai attack and is happy that his clan will soon get to bloody these fools. He dies.

Warleader Talt, who had ridden out earlier from the Nith’rithal camp to chase some Akrynnai raiders, decides to rest his war group. He notes the clouds on the horizon moving closer.

The Akrynnai raiders, having led Talt’s group by the nose until they were exhausted, all the way to where a larger force of Akrynnai wait, decide to turn and attack quickly before that closing storm arrives. They anticipate a “fine day of slaughter.” Inthalas, third daughter of the Sceptre, who has led the raiders, retreats off to the side to watch the battle. As Talt’s wargroup is surrounded, Bedit, one of Talt’s men, sees the nearing clouds lift and something “like white foam tumbling out.” The Barghast charge amidst thunder and lightning.

Inthalas is shocked to see the Barghast wedge drive through the massed Akrynnai and leads her knights to deal with the tip of the wedge, when suddenly the ground erupts and people and horses are thrown into the air. She looks to the west where the “storm” has hit and as she watches:

Something huge and solid loomed within the nearest cloud—towering to fill half the sky. And its base was carving a bow-wave before it, as if tearing up the earth itself… Lashing, actinic blades ripping out from the dark, heaving cloud, cutting blackened paths through Sagant’s lancers and the clumps of reeling foot-soldiers… in a crazed, terrifying web of charred destruction.

She sees a blinding light then dies.

Tool’s group finds the Snakehunter camp totally destroyed, the hills flattened and tumbled down. One of the Barghast mocks Tool for bringing them to their “enemy”—an earthquake—and challenges him. Tool points out the reasons it could not have been an earthquake, but Riggis ignores him. Tool asks if the warriors will die in challenges to Tool over the ground where other Barghast died, as if this is the way to honor their deaths. Tool tries to explain the undermining impact of leadership based on this right of challenge, of killing those who disagree with the warleader. Riggis charges him in the middle of the lecture and Took, in a blink’s moment, kills him. Tool tells Bakal and the others he will yield command to any who want it, “I will be the coward you want me to be. For what now comes, someone else will be responsible.” He warns them to gather the clans and march to Lether to ask for sanctuary if they want to save their people, for they face an enemy and a war they cannot win. Bakal refuses to challenge him (to Tool’s dismay), but when Tool says he will lead the Barghast from the plains, Bakal warns him only the Senan will follow. He asks that Tool tell them what he knows, that he “buy[s] our loyalty with the truth.” Tool agrees.

Maral Eb’s scouts tell him they’ve found Tool’s Senan war-party. They prepare to attack at night, with Maral telling them to would Tool only, not kill him. They attack. Tool senses the attack and tells Bakal to kill him, then shout Warleader Tool is dead! Bakal refuses, but Tool grabs his hand and does it himself. Tool dies.

Hearing the cries that Tool is dead, Maral Eb calls off the attack, thinking his way now lies open to dominance.

Hetan feels Tool’s death as a dream and wakes to grit on her lips. Their dog whines, their son cries, and she knows it for the truth.

Ralata watches over the five other Barghast women, noting their horses shifting in terror and wonders why the women do not wake. She creeps closer and finds them all dead, smells something like “an oily bitterness… of serpents.” Noting the wounds and wondering at the quickness and silence of the killings, she recalls the K’Chain Che’Malle outside Coral. Looking closer, she thinks the wounds are different, but the smell is the same. She feels wind suddenly and duck as something huge flies overhead. She tracks its direction, thinking of vengeance.

Torrent, riding in the Wastelands, runs into Olar Ethil, as she complains “The fool. I needed him.” She tells him Toc the Younger, the one-eyed Herald, begged her on Torrent’s behalf, adding that Toc has been busy lately. He asks if Toc will come again and she answers, “As they shall, to their regret, soon discover, the answer is yes.”

In Maral Eb’s camp, Tool’s body has been torn apart and scattered, the bones as well, though they could not break his flint sword. Bakal watches all in anger, and with a sense of guilt as well. When one of his fellow Senan, Strahl, asks about informing Maral of the enemy Tool was worried about, Bakal says no. When the Senan warrior says that means Maral will lead them to their deaths, Bakal replies that the Senan will just have to cut themselves loose and head for Lether. Strahl thinks how Maral the others will hobble Hetan and kill Tool’s children, and how the Senan would have joined in, yet now they sit “ashes in our mouths, dust in our hearts.” When he wonders what Tool has done to them, Bakal answers, “He showed us the burden of an honourable man… To think we called him coward.” They agree that they had failed Tool.

Yan Tovis continues with her people on the Road to Gallan, many of them dying, starving, dehydrated, darkness closing around them. She does not seem to know how to get off the road, until she realizes that “the darkness comes from within,” and opens her eyes to find her and her people near a rush of “black water on stony shores… run [ning] between the charred tree-stumps climbing the hillsides… to a silent, unlit ruins of a vast city. The city. Kharkanas.” She thinks, “The Shake are home,” but realizes the city is dead.

Yedan Derryg sets the camp then rides past wreckage and the detritus of long-decayed corpses through the gate into the city. Back to top

Chapter Thirteen

Silchas Ruin speaks to Rud of Draconus, how “power was drawn to him like slivers of iron to a lodestone… Draconus was indeed neutral. He would use any and every Tiste Andii to further his ambitions… at the very core of his desire, there was love… Consort to Mother Dark—he laid claim to that title… Who were we to challenge? Mother’s children had by then ceased to speak with her.” He tells Rud they will travel tonight so Rud can see things that will help him decide “the side you will take in the war awaiting us,” adding that his mother chose a mortal father for “a good reason. Unexpected strengths come from such mating; the offspring often exhibit the best traits from both.” Rud wonders what will happen if he chooses differently from Ruin, and Ruin replies that one of them will then die, though he warns him that the Refugium is at risk if the war is lost and that no seal, including the one on Starvald Demelain, is perfect. He returns to his earlier tale, saying that Draconus may have been a true Eleint or something else, that he only “wore the skin of a Tiste Andii for a time,” though they never found out why, once Anomander Rake killed Draconus, which Ruin says was inevitable. He wonders if Rake regrets it, though he himself does not: “Draconus was a cold, cold bastard—and with the awakening of Father Light, ah well, we saw then the truth of his jealous rage.” Rud says he should go home to defend the Refugium, but Ruin says he can do more with him. He tells him his true name—Ryadd Eleis, which means “Hands of Fire,” evidence that Rud’s mother, Menandore, “cherished you, but she also feared you.” He brings the discussion to an end, saying Korabas awaits, the Otataral Dragon. He wants to convince Rud that the two of them should not try to prevent others from freeing her. They veer and enter the Imperial Warren.

Sandalath Drukorlat and Withal (along with the three Nachts) have arrived via the Rashan warren on the island only to find the Shake have disappeared through a gate, after having killed the witches and warlocks she wanted to question. She complains about Blind Gallan, about not knowing if Nimander and the other went with the Shake, and about the Shake not only listening to Gallan but believing him. Knowing it takes Andii blood to open the road and royal Andii blood to keep it open, she thinks they must have bled someone, probably Yan Tovis, dry. Sandalath says the wound (the gate) is still thin enough for her to open and warns Withal to have a weapon ready. After Withal takes care of some personal business (Sandalath makes sure he washes his hand afterward), they enter the Road, only to be immediately attacked. Withal’s horse is decapitated, he falls to the ground (glad he took care of “business”), hears some fighting, then Sandalath rushes to him aghast at all the blood. He tells her he’s close to having had enough, then is shocked to see the three Nachts (now looking like enormous, hulking black-skinned Venath demons—Sandalath thinks they might be Soletaken or D’ivers) beating the hell out of a dead Forkrul Assail. Sandalath thinks the Shake are all dead and the FA was going to exit the gate to kill anyone still there. She says the Jaghut must have found a way to “chain the wild forces of Soletaken and D’ivers,” then suggests hurrying on to confirm the Shake’s death then getting out of there. After she worries aloud about Nimander and the others, Withal tells her not to underestimate them.

Badalle thinks how she can her mind out, ride “the fuzzy backs of capemoths, or the feathered tips of vultures’ wings.” She flies into a “host of beautiful, terrible words… Tales, yes, of the fallen. There was no pain in this place… Worries dwindled… She could be an adult here… Nothing would ever change and what changes came would never tough her adultness, her perfect preoccupation with petty extravagance and indulgences. The adults knew such a nice world, didn’t they? And if the bony snake of their children (the adults’) now wandered dying in a glass wilderness, what of it? The adults don’t care. .” She thinks of the adults’ “murderous legacy… Great inventions beneath layers of sand… proud monuments not even spiders could map, palaces empty as caves… broken all that remained of some unknown civilization’s most wondrous chalice.” She thinks how adults “have no room in their heads for a suffering column of dying children, nor the heroes among them.” She speaks to Saddic: “So many fallen… I could make them into a book ten thousand pages long. And people will read it, but only so far as their private borders, and that’s not far. Only a few steps.” Saddic tells her no one will hear it, the “one long scream of horror,” and she sadly agrees, but reminds him, “I am Badalle, and all I have is words.” She (I think here) imagines this conversation with Saddic: that Rutt will deliver hold into the arms of an adult, that Saddic will see the “last colour… burn [ing] bright in a dying child’s eyes. See it, must this once, before you turn away.” And Saddic says he will when he is grown up, but not until then, when he has “done away with these things… and freedom ends.”

Kalyth dreams of the underworld of death, the “very beginning of things” where the world began and where life ceased. A group sits nearby on horses, as they ride nearer, she sees they are dead and wearing army uniforms. One (Whiskeyjack) tells her “Your Reaper’s time is coming to an end. Death shall surrender his face. “ After he is interrupted by Mallet, Dujek says: “You don’t even belong here yet. We’re waiting for the world to catch up—Learn patience.” Whiskeyjack continues, “Where one yields we shall stand in his stead.” When one soldier—Cage—complains that Death was a god and they’re just “a company of chewed-up marines,” Whiskeyjack says it’s true that “we’re no gods, and we’re not going to attempt to replace him… We’re Bridgeburners and we’ve been posted to Hood’s Gate, one last posting… It’s what we do.” When Kalyth asks what they want of her, he address her as Destriant, saying it is due to her role that she must “consort with the likes of us—in Hood’s—your Reaper’s stead… We will become the new arbiters, for as long as is necessary… we shall be more than the Reaper ever was. We are not distant. Not indifferent. You see, unlike Hood, we remember what it was to be alive… We are here, Destriant. When no other choice remains, call upon us.” When she tells him this is not the death she expected, he replies, “No . . We are the Bridgeburners. We shall sustain. Not because we were greater in life than anyone else. Because, Destriant, we were no different… Do we suffice?” She answers that she no longer fears death as she once did. Whiskeyjack tells her she will find her Mortal Sword and Shield Anvil, that a time will come when she must lead the K’Chain Che’Malle rather than follow them, for she is their last hope for survival. When she wonders if they are worth preserving due to their alieness, Whiskeyjack tells her that is not her judgment, and they are no more alien to her than she is to them. She agrees and they disappear in the snow.

She wakes to her K’Chain Che’Malle around her, save for Kor Thuran, who is dead, and Gu’Rull, who has disappeared. She wonders momentarily if the assassin killed Kor Thuran, then realize that Kor Thuran died defending them, that they are hunted. Despite the K’Chain Che’Malle’s fear, she feels a new sense of assurance after her “dream.” She tells them “if they find us, they find us. We cannot run from ghosts… We drive south” in search of their quest’s goal.

Sag’Churok thinks how Kor Thuran’s only flaw had been to be young and in the wrong place at the wrong time. He, and the other K’Chain Che’Malle, believe their quest has already failed and they will all die this die, no matter Kalyth’s strange new-found and unexpected confidence/strength. He believes Gu’Rull is also dead, as they cannot mind contact him. He senses the approaching enemy and when Kalyth notes all the K’Chain Che’Malle looking west, she calls upon the Guardians (the Bridgeburners) to help. Sag’Churok sends Rythok to slow the enemy and he runs off. The others head south, furious at the suicide mission. The feels Rythok’s death soon afterward. Before dying, he strikes something armoured, biting into the flesh beneath, then is killed by a massive axe. Sag’Churok is humbled by how Kalyth weeps at Rythok’s death. He prepares to do as Rythok did, but Kalyth forbids it, telling him she has prayed and “they said they would answer.” He tells her to continue the quest, that he will buy them time, and finally, “This is not your war. This is not your end—it is ours.” But before he can leave fourteen dead Jaghut appear. Sag’Churok considers it impossible that they would be allies, for “as all know, Jaghut stand alone.” Kalyth tells the Jaghut she had expected familiar faces and they say Hood wouldn’t want them or he would have summoned them, but he knew they would not have come because he “abused our goodwill… at the first chaining. He knew enough to face away from us at the next one… Instead he abused you, child of the Imass. And made of one his deadliest enemy. We yield him no sorrow… He will stand alone. A Jaghut in solitude.” Turning to her companions, the Jaghut swordswoman warns Kalyth she will learn nothing from the K’Chain Che’Malle, for they are cursed to repeat their mistakes, “again and again, until they have destroyed themselves and everyone else.” Kalyth responds that humans seem to have learned it all already from the K’Chain Che’Malle, even if the humans knew the source. The Jaghut laugh at that, then tell her to flee, for her enemy will face the “last soldiers of the only army the Jaghut ever possessed.” They also ask that if she sees Hood, she tells him “how his soldiers never faltered. Even in his moment of betrayal. We never faltered.” When Sag’Churok says he will stay, worried that the Jaghut are not enough, the Jaghut speaker tells him they will suffice, but he can stay and watch, for being as arrogant almost as the K’Chain Che’Malle, they’d like an audience. Another, though, says he believes Sag’Churok has been “humbled.” Before leaving, Kalyth orders Sag’Churok not to die, to watch only and return to them and report. As they wait, the Jaghut swordswoman asks, “Is not Iskar Jarak a worthy leader?” and the others all agree he is, then reveal that Whiskeyjack had told them to “pretend they [they enemy] are T’lan Imass.” They all laugh, and continue to do so during the ensuing battle, as Sag’Churok watches, then leaves once he is sure the Jaghut would win. He thinks: “Jaghut. Though we shared your world, we never saw you as our foe. Jaghut, the T’lan Imass never understood—some people are simply too noble to be rivals. But perhaps it was that very nobility they so despised. Iskar Jarak… How did you know precisely what to say to your soldiers?” He moves on, thinking he will never forget that laughter, how it will always gives him strength, and he believes he understand what cheered Kalyth so.

Sinn kills a dinosaur.

Grub thinks this has been a mistake, but Sinn says they can’t leave the trail now (“It’s as if we’re walking the track of someone’s life, and it was a long life… [one that’s] given shape to the mess at the far end where we started from”). She asks where Grub came from, and when he tells her about Duiker saving him in the Chain of Dogs and putting him in Keneb’s arms outside Aren, and how he remembers it all, she tells him he remembers it because the Chain of Dogs made him: It build you up out of sticks and dirt… filled you with everything that happened. The heroes who fought and then died. . It took all of that and that became your soul.” She compares it to what made her—when Kalam found her hiding with bandits: “He carved things on to my soul and then he left. And then I was made a second time—I was added on to. At Y’Ghatan, where I found the fire that I took inside me.” When he says she was born to a mother just like him, she wonders why they are so different then, to which he has no answer. She runs off and then sends a huge ball of flame at him. Just before it gets to him he raises the ground and trees into its path. Sinn reappears and tells him, “It doesn’t matter Grub. You and me—we’re different.”

The ghost (Icarium) feels “his people were failing… pulling apart.” He recalls being on board a ship, sacrifices to an Elder God, and his own laughter, “Cruel as a demons,” as the sailors turned to him, seeing “a monster in their midst.” He remembers, even as he wonders if the memories are indeed his, how the propriation, the blood, merely fed his power, recalls a tribe, “corpses cooling… and the stains of spite on my hands,” being betrayed by a wife and so “all would die.” Sulkit arrives where the “others” are and for a moment, as the drone looks at him, Icarium thinks, “You can see me… And all at once he could feel something—my own body—… and then it was gone.” Sulkit exits and several follow him. Nappet says they’ve seen someone walking on the plain toward the city. After a fight amongst the others, Icarium thinks (though again, recall his lack of clarity as to whether these are his memories): “What drove me to such slaughter? They were kin. Companions… My wife, she wanted to hurt me—why? What had I done? Gorim’s sister? That was meaningless… I’ll never forget the look in her eyes—her face—when I took her (the wife’s) life. [or] why she looked like the one betrayed. Not me… She had to know I wasn’t the kind of man to let that pass. I got my pride. And that’s why they all had to die.” Then, “You blink, you lose that time forever. You can’t even be sure how long that blink lasted… [or] what you see now is the same as what you saw before… You tell yourself that… How long was that blink? Gods below, it was fucking eternity.” Back to top

Chapter Fourteen

Gall orders Jarabb to stop the raids. Vedith rides up and tells him a Bolkando army is nearby, and Gall wonders what they are thinking, a slow-moving army he could ride easily around to strike the capital. Vedith sees scouts coming their way and guesses they are flanked. Gall orders Vedith to head out and deal with the northern army and Shelemasa the southern. When Vedith wonders, Gall says this is what he’s learned from the Malazans: the side with the most people using their brains is the side that wins.” Vedith says, “Unless they are betrayed,” to which they both says, “Even then the crows give answer.”

Shelemasa, after scorning the Bolkando’s preparations, makes her plans for raids and attacks.

Vedith leads his soldiers, bitter at the knowledge that not all will ride back, knowledge that all soldiers/leaders share. He wonders if the Bolkando King is regretting the war. He thinks nobody every learns; “Each new fool and tyrant to rise up from the mob simply set about repeating the whole fiasco… until the earth drinks deep again.” He hates that he must do this, but he does.

Rava and Conquestor Avalt make it through the pass, the Perish legions far ahead and out of sight. Rava asks why they’ve halted and Avalt tells him the army is exhausted, sore, the equipment is terrible, officers are deserting, the Perish are too far ahead, and the Burned Tears are almost at the capital. In short, they screwed up. Rava dismisses him and his offer to resign and they set camp.

Shield Anvil Tanakalian tells Mortal Sword Krughava they Bolkando army is done, and that a captured scout has confirmed Galt’s march to the capital. She orders a march so as to arrive sooner to help Galt and maybe intimidate the king enough so the Bolkando don’t even fight. He asks if she’s chosen a new Destriant yet and she says no. He thinks she doesn’t want one so she shines all the more. But he plans to bide his time for when, “the Shield Anvil must stride to the fore [and] I shall be judgment’s crucible.” He watches her move among the soldiers deliberately “knitting every strand of her own personal epic… It took a thousand eyes to weave a hero, a thousand tongues to fill out the songs.” He plays his part, he thinks, “because we are all creators of private hangings, depicting our own heroic existences,” though only some are “unafraid of truth” and will go “where the bright light can never reach, where grow the incondite things.” He knows when his time comes; he “shall not be as the ones before me [“who were cursed to embrace all”],… but will scour your souls clean.” He believes he is “witness to the manufacture of delusion, the shaping of a time of heroes. Generations to come will sing of these lies built here… The will hold up the masks of the past… and then bewail their present fallen state. For this is the weapon of history when born of twisted roots… We heroes know when to don our masks.”

Gall is parleying and has been told there are strange Barghast among the Bolkando—with funny “turtle shell” armor.” Seeing the banner, a crown, he assumes he will meet with the Bolkando king.

The Bolkando Queen, Abrastal, prepares to parley with Gall, along with the Gilk Barghast war chief Spax. When she wonders if he’s hoping to get a better offer, he tells her the Gilk are “true to their word.” She says “the one you call Tool” might laugh at that and he replies he’d have her hobbled for that joke were she not a queen. When he tells her what that means, she tells him she’ll have “chop you cock off and feed it my favorite corpse-rat” if he uses that word again in the same sentence as her name. She is impressed by Gall and thinks the Bolkando have “fatally underestimated” these “savages.” She tells him her Evertine Legion has never been defeated, so the Burned Tears are not quite as assured of victory as they might think, and warns them of annihilation. He mentions the Perish and, “the worst you will face”—the Bonehunters. She asks his demands and he lists them (modest to her surprise), adding they have no interest in taking their kingdom. She shows him the bodies of the principal agents involved in extorting the Burned Tears, and Gall says he is reconsidering taking over, “out of compassion for your people.” She says it is “justice,” and is surprised he is so sensitive, given the rumors she’s heard of the torture habits of savages. Gall cuts her off and says they don’t apply to them, unless “we happen to get very angry.” But he tells her she misunderstood anyway, that he meant that the fact that the Bolkando have people who “know no self-constraint” speaks of “self-hatred.” He adds he would outlaw lying, but she says the biggest liars are at the top. He asks why he is meeting with her and not the king, and she says the role of her Legion is both “arbiter of control” in the kingdom and defender of outside threats, the former actually being more important, especially as Gall isn’t trying to conquer Bolkando. She modifies his demands, giving him more and also warns him he will find something “terrible beyond imagining” beyond the Wastelands. He says he will hear more when either Tavore or Krughava arrive. They agree to peace. Before he leaves, she asks if his words about the Malazans being the best soldiers were true and he tells her of Coltaine and the Chain of Dogs delivering 30,000 refugees to safety at the cost of their lives. After Gall leaves, Spax tells her he was right about the Malazans. She says she will escort them to the border and maybe beyond.

Gall was impressed by the Queen and thinks they will not soon be quit of her, as she will probably escort all the way to the border at least. He worries about the her vague warnings though and wonders what Tavore knows and is not sharing. He orders the Tears to withdraw from fighting, then meets his pregnant wife in the tent. She still won’t tell him whose child it is, though she makes it clear it is not his. He thinks how important she is to him, how much wiser, stronger, older (though not years) she seems, and he is about to try and tell her this when he is called away. A scout reports that Vedith died due to an accident. He returns to his wife, who reminds him of how Vedith used to play with their son, the one who died before he was seven and whom they had silently agreed to put away the memories of. He tells her he feels alone, and she replies that is why women have children over and over, because “to carry a child is to be not alone. And to lose a child is to be so wretchedly alone that no man can know the same, except perhaps the heart of a ruler… a Warleader.” He tells her tonight they will eat with all their children, as a family. Back to top

Chapter Fifteen

Tool muses on the way his people have been warped by the Ritual of Tellann: “The sealing of living souls inside lifeless bone and flesh, the trappings of sparks inside withered eyes.” He recalls the way the new species killed (and ate) the Imass: “the children of the Imass, who were not children at all, but inheritors nonetheless, had flooded the world with the taste of Imass blood on their tongues.” Anger threatens to overwhelm him, to obliterate any sense of empathy, but he resolves to push past this vision/world and on to his own people’s paradise. Ahead of him though, waits Toc, who does not move when Tool tells him to let him pass so he might see what he has “earned… “the great ay and the ranga… my kin…” Toc tells him he cannot pass, provokes Tool to anger and hurt, does not yield when Tool reminds him of how he had given Toc an Imass name or how he had wept at Toc’s death. They tell each other of missed opportunities when each “saw” the other but did not recognize him. Toc reminds him of why he (Toc) had died—for “the lives of children”—and asks Tool if he can do the same. Tool says he cannot, but Toc says rather he “will not” and when Tool yells that “They are not my children!” Toc tells him he has found “the rage of the Imass—the rage they escaped with the Ritual… The world you so seek, you will infect with the lies you tell yourself.” Tool asks what Toc wants, and Toc says nothing, “We are guilty of so many pasts. Will we ever be made to answer for any of them?” When Tool wonders if Toc wants forgiveness for humans, Toc says, “do not forgive us. Never forgive us, “ adding that the Imass chose the wrong foe for their vengeance; they should have declared their war against humans. He wonders if Silverfox will see that. He tells Tool that only Tool, is “in the position to take on the necessary act of retribution… for all the so-called lesser creatures that have fallen and ever fall to our slick desires.” Tool asks of Hood’s Gate and Toc replies it is locked and he (Toc) is the lock. Tool is near overcome with sadness and pain, “the murder of a friendship, the death of love… The one thing left in me—it is slain. You have murdered it.” As he turns to go, Toc tells him to find his children, “not of the blood. Of the spirit.” Tool thinks, “There are none you bastard… You and your kind killed them all.” Toc tells him, “And we’re far from finished,” to which Tool thinks, “I know cast away love. I embrace hate.”

After Tool is out of sight, Toc weeps, and Olar Ethil steps out to say “compelling” him to such things gives her “no pleasure.” He calls her evil, and she shrugs, saying what she wanted is done: “Onos Toolan is severed from you. And more importantly, from your kind.” Though she is upset with Toc resisting her influence enough to say that line to Tool about the children, even if she thinks it won’t matter since Tool, “Failed to understand.” She dismisses him.

Torrent wakes after having dreamed of Toc, and when Olar Ethil says she’ll keep Toc from him he wonders why she thinks he wants that. She asked if she heard the wolves howling from Toc’s lost eye and asks what he thinks “the beasts want with him,” before warning him that Toc is “filled with lies [and] would use you, as the dead are wont to do with mortals.” She directs him south toward some water, saying she’ll rejoin him later. She tells him of how humans killed the Imass who did not partake of the Ritual, mostly killing them (a few rare matings), but he just shrugs, saying “Peoples die. They vanish from the world. It is as it was and ever will be.” She gives a long speech about what she has done/been (we’ll cover that in comments). Torrent listens to her rant, then guesses that while she might once have been all those things, they’ve all been lost, “when you gave up life, chose to become this thing of bone.” She throws him down, telling him, “I am promised! The Stone Bitch shall awaken once more… And you will fall upon each other… You will choose evil in fullest knowledge of what you do—I am coming, mortal, the earth awakened to judgment… And I will give you… not a single instant of mercy.” She asks if Toc spoke to him in his dreams and when he says no, she warns him again Toc is “filled with lies.” Torrent thinks, “I will do as you ask. When the time comes, I will do as you ask.”

Setoc wakes to find Cafal dreaming restlessly. She thinks of his repeating how, “Something terrible is about to happen,” as they ran on. She has a sudden vision, as of the area in ancient times, when it was an oasis. As she watches, a grey cloud comes near, dusting the oasis so that everything died—animals and plants. She wondered at first at the cause, then realized it had been weapon, and she cannot imagine who would “wage war upon all living things. Upon the very earth itself. What could possibly be won? Was it just stupidity?” She realizes the anger she feels does not belong only to the wolves, to Togg and Fanderay, but “it is the rage of every unintended victim. It is the fury of the innocents. The god whose face is not human, but life itself. She is coming.” Wolves circle her and Cafal, and she senses her old mother, the one who raised her when she was little. She warns them to flee, to hide, saying if they follow they will be killed. Cafal wakes and tells her the wolves bring magic, a warren they can use, maybe to arrive in time. She tells him their gift is not for him, but when he asks where they’ll lead her, she says of course they’re going back to his people’s amp; “No other path is possible, not anymore.”

Sag’Churok tells Kalyth they are running out of time, that the enemy is hunting the Rooted refuge, and she replies that they are all the last of their kind; there “is no such thing as refuge.” As they move on, Kalyth thinks how while the Matron wants the K’Chain Che’Malle to learn the human secret of success, they don’t get that it is pretty simple: “We annihilate everyone else until none are left, and then we annihilate each other. Until we too are gone.” She thinks she will find her hands of fire, and “we will use you Sag’Churok. You and Gunth Mach and all your kind. We will show you the horrors of the modern world you so want to be part of.” She pities them, for their naiveté she will destroy.

Gunth Mach considers the racial memories she holds, and how they show that every Matron eventually goes insane, though the males never know this. She has tried to break the pattern, which hadn’t been working, with Sag’Churok. She recalls the height of K’Chain Che’Malle civilization, then the civil wars, the founding of new colonies, the betrayal of the Nah’ruk, a dying Matron “loos [ing] her eggs into the surf in the mad hope that something new would be made—a hybrid of virtues with all the flaws discarded,” fleeing, death, wastelands. She knows that Gu’Rull is the one who will decide if she is a worthy successor to Acyl, and thinks how this quest is doomed to failure, that she, even if deemed worthy, will be the last Matron. And that was “just as well.”

Sceptre Irkullas looks at the devastation on the Barghast/Akrynnai battlefield, knowing his daughter lies there somewhere. He thinks it is as if the very spirits of “earth and rock were convulsing in rage and perhaps disgust, demanding peace.” He thinks how he has won four major battles, scattering all the Barghast save the Senan, which even now has three armies marching on it, and yet he will now ask for peace. A warrior passes on his guess that this disaster looks like the work of Malazan munitions, but Irkullas dismisses it and says it was sorcery. He orders a pyre for the night and plans to stand vigil. He considers dying in an attack on the Senan camp and finding his peace that way

Maral Eb’s army grows as survivors find his camp. He knows the Senan have been untouched and plans to claim them for his own and to lead them against Irkullas. Bakal doesn’t buy it; he thinks this is “the wrong war,” the one Tool did not want. As Bakal tries to figure out a way to save his people, he starts to realize Tool’s burdens. He thinks Tool should have killed them all for their stupidity and considers doing nothing, letting Maral Eb do just that, and thus letting Tool have his revenge in the end.

Sekara the Vile walks at the head of the Gadra, her husband Stolmen walking behind her, confused, and she realizes his usefulness is near an end. She had thought a good candidate was Maral Eb, but hadn’t considered his brothers, whom she now realizes she’ll have to kill to ensure her power. As they march toward the Senan, they’ve heard reports of the battles lost, of Tool’s death, and she looks forward to her vengeance.

Stavi and Storii (Hetan’s twins via Kruppe) are with Tool’s son, who sits scribbling in the dirt, a pattern making his name, Absi Kire (Autumn Promise). The twins hear some noise from the camp—excited voices, but not in a good way. Hetan hears the news of Tool’s death brought to camp.

Cafal and Setoc run through the warren with the wolves, “a ghostly tide.” Cafal wonders why she leads the wolves to the Barghast, and would tell them to flee if he could. He knows he will not arrive in time.

Sathand Gril, who has been spying on the children for weeks, now, at the news of Tool’s death, prepares to kill them. He hears shrieks from the camp.

Hetan is bound, beaten, and hobbled by having her the front half of her feet cut off. She then has the wounds cauterized, is told her children have been killed, and is raped multiple times. She thinks she should have protected the children and so sees the rape as her just punishment.

Gril pursues the children.

Cafal, via his gods, sees what happens to his sister, sees Bakal come and witness it then flee in horror, sees Gril give chase. Setoc tries to get him to keep going, but he hits her to get her to leave him alone and accidentally knocks her out. The wolves close in and he runs.

The children flee, then realizing it is futile, make a stand. Gril tells them he is proud of them, but “this must be.” As he’s about to kill them, Toc kills him with a pair of arrows. The twins recognize the arrows as Tool’s, and when Toc says they were a gift, they name him Toc the Younger. They rush to hug him as they weep.

Setoc wakes to find herself with the wolves in a ring of stones of power. She wonders if Cafal has lost himself in the Beast Hold and thinks he would be happy at his own death.

Cafal reaches the Barghast camp and tries to figure out how to rescue his sister.

Maral Eb has Sekara’s female allies killed.

Bakal sits in his tent, thinking on his wife’s desire for another married man is leading her and her lover to kill the wife. He ponders doing nothing and is disgusted at how they are all killing each other even as an enemy marches toward them. He decides he will not let his wife and her lover commit their murder, and if he’s too late, he’ll kill them both.

Sekara tries to convince her husband, Stolmen, to go kill Maral Eb, saying he’s already killed several of her allies. Stolmen tells her Eb’s men will come for them next, and he will stand there to protect her and try and ensure they survive the night, after which things may change. When she tells him she doesn’t want to simply survive, he appears to see her in a new light. She convinces him to at least see if Eb is protected or not and he is killed immediately upon exiting the tent. Maral Eb’s brothers enter the tent. She says she can be useful, offering to lead them to kill Bakal for instance, and they say they’ll see, then exit, after telling her Bakal was one of many who were killed tonight.

Bakal is attacked. He kills one and then the other is killed by Cafal, arriving in the nick of time. Bakal says he’ll help rescue Hetan, but it can’t be tonight; they’ll have to wait until her flesh at least has healed. Cafal agrees to wait three days and before leaving Bakal to gather his allies, tells him that “our gods are howling in terror… Did they think they could get away with that? Did they forget what he was? Where he came from? He will take them in to his hands and he will crush them… And I will stand back and do nothing.”

Toc leads the children to Setoc and tells her to take them and stay camped inside the circle of stones until he returns, to wait “for his war to end,” adding they will leave when he (Toc) returns.

On the battlefield where the Akrynnai and Barghast were devastated, Tool reforms as a T’lan Imass again. He picks up a flint sword and heads out: “He had a people to kill.” Back to top

Chapter Sixteen

The first Mael points out that, even if Errastas is successful in killing their children, the younger gods, the fact is that even younger gods are springing up. He and Olar Ethil wonder what Hood is up to, and think about the changing nature of the lifeless side of Hood’s Gates. And there is outright mention of Whiskeyjack and the ascended Bridgeburners, who was the one to summon the fourteen dead Jaghut, not Hood. They piece together the fact that, right now, the Malazans are growing into positions of new power, including the Master of the Deck and his ally, Tavore.

Basically, Errastas is slapped down, and shown that each of these Elder Gods has knowledge and plans beyond what he intended. Sechul Lath then states he will tell Errastas of the path that has been prepared, and manages to get him to stop sulking and rejoin he and Kilmandaros.

Cuttle is drinking and melancholy, telling stories to young Bonehunters about the Malazans of the past, particularly the Bridgeburners. The youngsters are talking about the legends and acting awestruck, while Cuttle rains on their parade and generally brings everyone down about their future. Gesler interrupts and gives Cuttle a dressing down, so that he eventually leaves.

Gesler asks Widdershins to make sure that Cuttle is okay, and then starts drinking, finding himself feeling as depressed as Cuttle.

Bottle slips away from where he had listened to Cuttle and then Gesler. He stands at the side of the barge and contemplates the army, the fact that boredom and bickering is doing damage, that the veterans were doing almost as much damage to the spirit of the Bonehunters. He thinks about how much the army depends on Fiddler. He then tries to distract himself by sending his mind into the creatures beneath the water of the river, but gets caught up in more melancholy thoughts about religion and gods and what it means to exist.

Bottle’s rat watches as Deadsmell, Throatslitter and Ebron gamble together and argue about what level of cheating is acceptable.

Skulldeath watches the unconscious Hellian, while he is watched in turn by a nearby soldier, and Hellian is watched by Sergeant Urb, who clearly adores her.

Skanarow approaches Ruthan Gudd at the side of the barge and lets him know that she is aware he is more than what he seems, that she has done some research into his past and where he might have come from. He is quick to deny it all and puts out that his history is dull and uneventful. He walks off and then Skanarow follows.

Bottle thinks that it seems everyone on the barge is getting some action that night and feels a bit jealous. He hasn’t recently been visited in his dreams by the Eres’al and is wondering a little at her absence. As he looks out on the land that passes, he is joined by Sergeant Sinter. They have a rather odd conversation, where Sinter talks about how things are sexually with the Dal Honese, and she blithely insults Bottle unintentionally, to the point where he is ready to dive over the edge of the barge just to get away from the conversation. Eventually she realises she has been rather deflating and they agree to spend a little more time together.

Banaschar stands and looks at the maps of Kolanse and thinks about depressing things, including that Lostara Yil is not interested in him and the fact that there is nothing uglier than soldiers at rest. He thinks that he wanted more blank spaces in the map of his own history.

Lostara stands with a blade in her hand, and thinks about the Red Blades and how they have progressed without her. She recalls the evening meal she shared with Tavore, how she had tried to make conversation and draw out the Adjunct on a personal level, but how Tavore didn’t respond and, in fact, acted like a widow in mourning. She thinks about Banaschar and how he is being eaten from the inside out by his past.

Stormy sits on the deck and watches the five spears of jade in the sky, feeling as though they are coming from him in a personal vendetta. He tries to think what he might have done in his past to deserve such revenge, but is interrupted by the arrival of Quick Ben, who calls him Adjutant and asks him about the flames under his skin.

Sunrise thinks about how much he loves being a soldier, how much he adores Dead Hedge as his commander. He is approached by Corporal Rumjugs, who has spent the night whoring and then by Sweetlard, who has done the same. They talk about the special munitions that they are working on in secret at Hedge’s command. Rumjugs and Sweetlard tell Sunrise that they are receiving a whole ton of marriage proposals—when he wonders why, they say it’s because they’re all desperate for children because they’re all expecting to die.

Pores encounters Tarr, who has taken a whole wad of rylig and is getting the jitters. Pores gets him to spit it out.

The two D’ras who gave the rylig to Tarr are laughing about it when he approaches them and heaves them over the back of the barge, to be eaten by crocodiles. He then goes into a delirium.

Badan Gruk leaves Tarr in Nep Furrow’s gentle ministrations and spends some time thinking about the Bonehunters—what they are and what they aren’t, and the fact that it seems something within is resisting the shape that the army needs to be. He wonders whether that might be the betrayal of the Empress—the fact that the army did everything required of them, but the Empress still tried to rid herself of them, that this is preventing them from growing into what they need to be now.

Fiddler and Balm talk about soldiering, about the people in their squads and about little incidences from their past.

Brys is getting ready for bed when he is asked to see one of the new Atri-Ceda’s, called, Aranict. She tells him that she has been exploring the warrens—the Malazan way of sorcery. She shows him a patch of earth that seethes in her hand and he isn’t too impressed, but then she says that she is not the one doing it, that there are patches of ‘sympathetic linkage’ that extend all the way into the Wastelands. Brys says he is sending her to the Malazans, so that she can talk to their mages, and, when informed she will be dealing with Adaephon Ben Delat, she falls into a dead faint. Back to top

Chapter Seventeen

Badalle considers the plight of the Snake, the power and lack thereof of the gods, how “Children understood at a very young age that doing nothing was an expression of power… was in fact, godly,” and this was perhaps why gods do nothing, since “to act was to announce awful limitations, for it revealed that chance acted first—the accidents were just that—events beyond the will of the gods, and all they could do in answer was to attempt to remedy the consequences.” She herself had seen the gods as she flew, seen their “growing fear… and self-obsession,” and she knows “the gods were as broken as she was broken, inside and out.” Rutt tells her he can’t go on and she thinks she can’t let him be broken as well, for then the Quitters would get them all. She tell him that Held is nothing without him, that that she has seen a city at the end of the Glass Desert, one they will find tomorrow and one that the Quitters are afraid of. He begs of her not to go mad, and she agrees if he promises not to give up. She tells him they are marching “into fire. Beautiful, perfect fire.”

Several T’lan Imass rise again (Lera Epar—Bitterspring, Kalt Urmanal, Rystale Ev, Brolos Haran, Ilm Absinos, Ulag Togtil). Brolos says, “The Ritual is broken. Yet we are not released,” and he believes it is due to Olar Ethil, though the others say there is as yet no proof of that. Another risen Imass comes toward them, and says she was of another clan, one that had been down to near extinction by humans and also, she says, by “the lies we told each other, by the false comforts of our legends, our stories, our very beliefs.” Desperate, they had tried a different Ritual of Tellann. They thought they’d failed, but it appears not (they’d been buried under ice). When asked whom they’d been waging war against, she answers, “No one. We were done with fighting.” She tells them they have been summoned by the Onos T’oolan, the First Sword, under the “banner of vengeance and in the name of death… The T’lan Imass are going to war.”

Bitterspring walks toward the group of Imass, noting the appropriateness of their return to a land “lifeless as the world we have made.” She wonders if she is beyond betrayal, if she is still a slave to hope: “Life is done, but the lessons remain… the trap still holds me tight. This is the meaning of legacy. This is the meaning of justice.”

Toc leads Setoc and Tool’s children to a cairn to rest, after scaring off some Akrynnai warriors. He senses the newly risen Imass and wonders what Olar Ethil will do if Tool turns them all away. He converses with Setoc about what the Wolves want, and she responds that they want them to all go away, to leave the Wolves and their children alone. He warns her that will not happen, and that “no other thing is as good at waging war as we are.” He asks if the Wolves would kill every human if they could, saying he once knew a woman who could “flatten a city with the arch of a single perfect eyebrow” (Envy), adding she didn’t do it to all because, “she liked a decent bath now and then.” He goes off to hunt and while he’s gone, Tool’s child summons a dead Ay from the ground. The twins tell Setoc the boy “needs Toc. At his side… And they need you. But we have nothing.” They wonder what will happen when Setoc raises her eyebrows, leaving Setoc to wonder, “I can’t level cities. Can I?”

Toc is surrounded by the 14 Jaghut who had fought the K’Chain, led by Captain Varandas. When they tell him they’re looking for something to kill, he warns them the T’lan Imass have awakened, but they reply they had died long before the chance to face them. Toc, before leaving, tells them the Imass will find the Jaghut comforting thanks to nostalgia as they chop the Jaghut to bits.

The Jaghut have a laugh about the Imass until they realize there aren’t many Jaghut around anymore. They decide to head east.

Toc returns to find the Ay, which reminds him sadly of Baaljagg, just as Tool’s son reminds him of his friend (and of what he had been forced to do to Tool). He thinks what he couldn’t do for Tool he’ll do for his son, though he wonders how that will be possible due to his position. He sadly recalls his past self.

Sceptre Irkullas mourns the coming battle with the Barghast, for he feels “he was about to tear out the throat of the wrong enemy.”

Bakal and Strahl discuss the upcoming battle and how Bakal has survived two more murder attempts. Behind them, Estaral listens in and recalls how Bakal killed her husband and his own wife to stop them from killing her. After Strahl leaves, Bakal tells Estaral, who will be the only woman guarding Hetan tonight, that he wants her help in getting her to Cafal, who waits outside the camp. As they talk he asks why the women hobble other women, and she tells him it keeps the men away from them, the men who beat them regularly and laugh about it. She tells him had Tool not died he would have changed the Barghast. She agrees to help Hetan.

Maral Eb’s brothers pick the spot to make their stand and plan their defenses.

Cafal, who has been told of Bakal’s plans, hides from Akryn scouts as he waits. He thinks he has killed Setoc when he struck her, and has contempt for himself, his people, his people’s gods. He considers this coming battle their just desserts, and thinks the two groups worse than animals, whose pack leaders at least fight themselves, rather than having others fights for them.

Estaral gets Hetan to the perimeter. Bakal kills the three perimeter guards, but is killed in turn. Estaral discovers his body and sends Hetan past the perimeter, then is killed by a group of women led by Sekara who find her returning to camp. Cafal, waiting, is killed by an Akryn scout. Hetan walks on, then lies down on the ground.

Strahl hears of the deaths and knows he is now in charge of the Senan. He thinks of what Bakal had intended had he led, and he wonders what the clan chiefs will do when he tells them in the morning.

The armies await each other.

Hetan has frozen to death.

Badalle has had sight of the two armies and Hetan, telling Saddic, “I held her broken soul in my hands… As Rutt holds Held.” She adds she has “seen a door. Opening." Back to top

Chapter Eighteen

Yan Tovis enters Kharkanas, which is lifeless and overgrown but still surprisingly well preserved. As she walks, she thinks how she and her brother are so different—she seeing indecision as a “way of life” and her brother being exactly opposite—two people “meant to stand together… like counterweights… and in that tense balance they might find the wisdom to rule” their people. She realizes she needs him. Her vanguard follows behind, led by Pully and Skwish, Brevity and Pithy. She tells the latter to get the people settled but not spread out, then heads to the Citadel to find Yedan Derryg.

The Great Hall is in partial ruins and Yedan can feel old magic still in the place. He moves through and into the temple, the Terondai and recalls the legends of the place: that darkness was “absolute [and] only the true children of the Mother could survive in such a realm,” but that “Light seeped in with the wounding of the Mother—a wounding she chose to permit… and then the birthing that came of it.” As he dismisses the legends as “likely little more than nonsense,” he notes the lack of valuables in the area and finds it odd is people’s legends had made no mention of looting, since their ancestors had supposedly been there at the end, though he wonders what their role was: “Who in the name of the Shore were we? Their damned servants? Their slaves?” He wonders too about their titles and what it is they claimed to rule. His thoughts are interrupted by the arrival of Twilight, who tells him to get his horse out of the temple. She’s surprised at his suggestion they occupy the city, and he replies that it was once their home and it is their destiny to make it so again. But she says none of their legends said they ruled there, and so they will move on to the forest and past, to “where it started. Our true home. The First Shore.” When he replies they don’t even know what that means, she says they’ll at least finally find out.

Yedan and Twilight leave the chamber. Something weird happens there.

Brevity and Pithy find the two witches sleeping/dreaming.

Sandalath flashes back via a dream. At the edge of the temple, she looks down on Newly-Blind Gallan, who has just gouged out his own eyes so as to return to the world of darkness. She sends Orfantal (her son) off to find a priestess. She wakes to the line, “What’s broken cannot be mended. You broke us, but that is not all—see what you have done.” She wakes and Withal asks her what was broken, having heard her speak in her sleep. Upset, she wanders off, thinking some one of the ancient races should have seen the threat of humanity and nipped it in the bud. She wonders why the Nachts had attached themselves to Withal, what their connections to the Crippled God and to Mael are, and why they are currently digging a hole. Withal asks her about her past, and she tells him to read Forge of Darkness and its sequels. OK, actually, she tells him, “There were factions—a power struggle… for generations… everything changed… Alliances, betrayals, war pacts, treacheries… I was a hostage… Everything was breaking down.” And she thinks to herself, “We were supposed to be sacrosanct.” She says none of it matters, she can’t go back to it anyway. They continue on toward Kharkanas.

Sandalath flashes back to Orfantal asking why Gallan is eating his eyes. She thinks Gallan should have eaten his tongue, since “if we said everything we could say to each other, we’d have all killed each other long ago.”

“Taralack Veed” thinks how because he had felt bad about hurting someone, he has turned that bad feeling outward rather than inward. Recalling he has killed, he now thinks he will kill again. He enters the K’Chain Che’Malle city where Icarium is.

Sulkit the drone works on the city’s mechanisms as the ghost worries over Veed’s entry. The “others” argue over whether to continue or stop, and Taxilian says, “We must let this happen… in what the drone does we will find our salvation.”

“Veed” “kills” “Nappet,” tells the “ghost” that it was he who summoned “Veed,” and demands the “ghost” lead him to the “others” so he can “kill” “them” before we all drown in air quotes.

Torrent feels his hate growing, and Olar Ethil tells him she has been “feeding it” because it amuses her, but it has always been inside him. She feels a gate cracking open and says, “the road will welcome what comes through. And such a road!” They head for the Spires of the Awl’s legends.

Toc has been missing for days, and the group heads east as that was the direction Toc had been leading them.

Yedan and Yan Tovis head into the Blackwood Forest, each of them feeling intense pressure building into pain as they near its end, such pressure that they begin to bleed from their eyes and nose. Yedan tells her it isn’t what awaits them but what lies behind them—“Kharkanas is empty no longer.” She wonders of Mother Dark has returned as they continue on to arrive at the First Shore.

As clouds move in, the Akrynnai and Barghast battle begins. Strahl stands before the Senan and declares: “Bakal… Onos Toolan. Before him Humbral Taur. We came in search of an enemy. We came seeking a war… Not this enemy! Not this war!” He leads the Senan away from battle.

Maral Eb is bummed.

Sceptre Irkullas is not.

Sekara is angry. And pragmatic.

The clouds arrive. Everyone dies.

Veed kills Asane, Last, Sheb. Sulkit has finished his work and is now a J’an Sentinel. Veed kills Rautos and then “talks” to Feather Witch and Taxilian, telling her Icarium had tried to do what K’rul had, create warrens. Icarium had wanted to “trap him [self] in time.” Feather Witch and Taxilian disappear, and Veed tells Icarium the Sentinel sees only him, “The Nest is ready, the flavours altered to your tastes.” Icarium feels “reborn” and steps forward to take control of the Nest.

Yan Tovis and Yedan look on the First Shore. The beach glows and as they examine it they realize it is made of bone, not sand. The sea rises like a wall, but rather than water it is light. Yedan says, “Memories return. When they walked out from the Light, their purity blinded us. We thought that a blessing, when in truth it was an attack. When we shielded our eyes, we freed them to indulge their treacherous ways.” When Yan Tovis interrupts to say she knows the story, he responds that they know it differently as the Watch “serves the Shore in its own ways.… The Queen is Twilight [and] is the first defender against the legions of light that would destroy darkness. But we did not ask for this. Mother Dark yielded and so to mark that yielding, Twilight relives it.” She wonders how they could have been so superstitious back then, pointing to the sea and saying, “This is the true border of Thryllan… The First Shore is the shore between Darkness and Light. We thought we were born on this shore… but that cannot be true. The shore destroys.” He asks her why there are so few Liosan, why Light is so weak in all the other worlds. She answers that if it were not there’d be no life. He says he can’t say, but he believes that “Mother Dark and Father Light, in binding themselves to each other, in turn bound their fates. And when she turned away, so did he. He had no choice—they had become forces intertwined, perfect reflections. Father Light abandoned his children and they became a people lost—and lost they remain.” When Yan Tovis says the Andii escaped, he agrees, telling her they were the means: “In Twilight was born Shadow.” But she argues that makes no sense, because “Shadow was the bastard get of Dark and Light, commanded by neither.” He tells her though it is everywhere and it was shattered, that the bones on the beach belong to the Shake: “We were assailed from both sides… Shadow was first shattered by the legions of Andii and the legions of Liosan. Purity cannot abide imperfection. In the eyes of purity, it becomes and abomination.” When she responds that Shadow was the realm of the Edur and had nothing to do with the Shake, he calls the Edur, “our very own bastard get.” He continues to explain their background: Scar Bandaris, the last prince of the Edur. King, I suppose by then. He saw in us the sins not of the father, but of the mother. He left us and took all the Edur with him. He told us to hold, to ensure his escape… I wonder if the last of us left set out on his trail with vengeance in mind, or was it because we had nowhere else to go? By then, Shadow had become the battlefield of every Elder force, not just the Tiste—it was being torn apart… every territory… warrens. Every world was made an island, isolated in an ocean of chaos… The Watch… held until we were told to withdraw… The Road was open then.” She tells him it was opened by Gallan, the Seneschal of the Court of Mages, ordered to do so by Silchas Ruin, who saw how few Shake remained, saw the destruction, and dropped his broken Hust sword on the Shore. When Gallan arrived, his companion an Andii woman, he told the Twilight that Darkness had left for new worlds, and that Ruin (“Winged Grief”) had commanded him to make a road for the survivors and charge them to remember the day. Yedan asks what happened to the sword, and when she says Gallan’s companion threw it into the sea, he says it would have healed by now, and that the Light would have rejected it. He goes in search, telling her they can go back to the city once Mother Dark has fully returned.

Olar Ethil wonders what Errastas will do now. Torrent points out some odd carriage tracks that seem to appear from nowhere. She says they’ll worry about it later, then says “The First Temple’s a mess… We have to move on, find another.” They head onward.

Sandalath collapses at the bridge of Kharkanas and the Nachts disappear, blood running from her mouth as she repeats the same line about being broken. She recovers a bit and tells Withal Mother Dark is back. As Withal goes to get water, he complains aloud about the gods “fuck [ing] with a thousand million lives” and tells them to “get lost,” adding at the end, “As for my wife, hasn’t she suffered enough?” A voice in his head tells him yes.

The Barghast-Akrynnai battlefield buckles and heaves, weapons explode, the earth splits, the air itself opens. A figure steps out amidst chaos and lightning and a vortex of flesh and destruction. A sword, “bleeding darkness,” forms in his hand. He looks around at the scene, says, “Ah, my love. Forgive me,” and heads out.

Draconus is back. Back to top

Chapter Nineteen

At an ancient shrine, Kilmandaros, Sechul Lath, and Errastas recover from Draconus’ powerful arrival. Kilmandaros says the power of his return was meant to let them know he was back, but Sechul replies that it wasn’t just aimed at them, adding he believes Draconus wasn’t angry, since last time that happened, “nothing survived intact.” They realize this must mean Dragnipur is shattered and Rake is dead. After cycling through various reactions, they want to find out how it all happened. The Errant says it’s obvious; only Caladan Brood could have shattered the sword, though Kilmandaros says that still doesn’t answer the how, as Rake would never have given up the sword, even to Brood. When they wonder if Brood killed Rake, Kilmandaros says “Nothing could have so fractured that ancient alliance… It was friendship,” adding she herself would not have killed Rake had she the chance: “His existence had purpose. He was one you could rely upon, when justice needed a blade’s certain edge.” Sechul suggests the Errant trike now, while the Master of the Deck is probably himself still recovering from Draconus’ arrival, that he should make Paran think the trio had planned all this and had actually freed Draconus themselves. Sechul and Errastas prepare to head into one of the holds, while Kilmandaros stays behind, worried about losing control “so close to the Eleint.”

Errastas asks why Kilmandaros hates humans so much and she tells him, “Who among all the races is quickest to claim the right to judgment… Who holds that such right belongs to them and them alone… A woodcutter… is attacked and eaten by a striped cat… Before too long, there are no cats left in that forest. And humans consider that just. Righteous.” The Errant and Lath depart, seeking “one under a Jaghut stone.” Kilmandaros muses on the temple/shrine builders, the Tyrant who compelled thousands for his/her own glory, the inevitable backlash, nature’s indifference. She is joined there by Mael, who tells her Errastas is no longer Master of the Holds (they haven’t had one for millennia) and the two acknowledge that the Errant’s “summoning” had no true effect, that they are all deceiving him on that regard. He notes Sechul now walks behind the Errant and asks when he’ll stick the dagger in. When she tells him her son knows how to be subtle, Mael responds that the best kind of subtlety is when “no one ever even notices what you’ve ever done, ever… I know of only a few capable of such a thing. One is mortal and my closest friend, the other wasn’t mortal but is now dead. And then of course there is Draconus.” Kilmandaros scorns the idea of Draconus being subtle, until Mael points out that Draconus had needed to accomplish something and he did, “without lifting a hand. Without anyone even noticing his involvement. Only one man ever defeated him… Only one man could stand in the face of chaos and not blink… And Draconus walks free. Draconus has broken Kallor’s curse on him. He holds Darkness in a blade of annihilation. Not longer chained… no longer haunted by the terrible error in judgment that was Dragnipur.”

Kilmandaros refuses to believe it was all done via Draconus’ planning, but Mael replies that’s just his point about true subtlety—“Will we ever know?” He goes on to say they’re all vulnerable, that Draconus will either come after them or “pull loose all our secret ambitions.” He shocks her by revealing Rake was killed by Dessembrae wielding Vengeance, adding that “The hand that holds it must be pure in its desire.” He also warns her to leave Dessembrae alone, saying “he was as much a victim as anyone… Worse, he has been cheated, and used.” She also warns her off of Draconus, telling her he might be innocent of it all, and also if she goes against him she’ll die. He wonders if he is even sane anymore after all that time in the sword, and then asks “Would Rake have willingly freed a mad Draconus?’ She replies, “He had a purpose,” and Mael wryly remarks that somehow they still have faith in Rake even when he’s dead. He also adds that neither Darkness nor Light “faces away” any more. When Kilmandaros wonders what Rake has forced upon them, Mael says “A final accounting… An end to the stupid games… He now forces our hands—we are all stirred awake. Elders and Children both, moral and immortal… I think he wants us to deal with the Crippled God… That alien god’s power is anathema. We need to fix it.” Kilmandaros and he discuss the possibilities and then he asks her which hold the two others took and when he hears it was Death, he informs him that Rake killed Hood with Dragnipur first and that Shadowthrone and Cotillion were there. Kilmandaros does her best Seinfeld “Newman!” imitation then starts destroying rocks.

Mael watches Kilmandaros destroy a bunch of stones and muses on the concept of subtlety.

Brayderal thinks she is “not like the others… She alone possessed the legacy of the Inquisitors.” She has seen her relations trailing the Snake and she wonders why they haven’t just killed everyone so she can go back home, “before it’s too late.” She thinks of how every morning the children eat the corpses of the dead and recalls her father’s words that “Children are quickest to necessity… Be careful with these humans. To live, they will do anything.” The Snake also is using the dead to capture the Shard locusts to eat, and Brayderal wants to warn her kin they’d better hurry as the Snake’s survivors are getting stronger in some ways. She believes she has to kill Badalle, who suspects her, and thinks “I could unleash my Holy voice for the first time ever” to get her kin to move in, but she knows he needs to be patient, that they must have their reasons for not striking. She hates to look at the city they are nearing, “so powerful was her sense of wrongness.” She watches Rutt lead them toward it and knows she can’t do anything to stop their entry.

Badalle points out to Saddic how much Brayderal hates going into the city, saying, “The Quitter awakens.” She knows they can’t attack her though, as she would kill too many and call in her kin as well, who have the ability to “command… to drive a man to his knees.” She tells him “Held is the secret,” though she knows he doesn’t understand. She recalls the cruelty of the temples, before the Quitters came down and killed everyone, but says this temple is different: “It was built to warn us.” She tells him to keep an eye on Brayderal, warning him that danger is coming, that “The time of the Quitters has arrived.”

Inquisitor Sever leads a group of languishing Quitters (now confirmed to be Forkrul Assail if it wasn’t clear), only four of which are left alive from the original twelve—one (Brother Beleague) just died, others are wracked by wounds. Sever takes the blame for the mistaken judgment that would have assumed the Snake would have collapsed/surrendered/all died by now. As Sever thinks of her mate back home, it’s clear Brayderal is her daughter and that Beleague was her son. She’s a bit annoyed that these children have “refused their submission… did not accept that righteous truth.” They agree the City is impregnable to them and they can’t let the children enter it. Sever asks if Scorn, their last Adjudicator, will “lead them into peace” and they prepare for a “long day of slaughter.”

The Snake runs for the City, carrying Brayderal along in the rush. She worries because she can’t see where Badalle is, which frightens her, as Badalle “is transformed… is somehow quickened.”

Badalle wonders what her words can achieve. The Forkrul Assail appear and command the Snake to “Yield.” They all stop save Badalle, who lifts free and finds her voice: “Power in the word, but I can answer it.” She turns their own words against the Forkrul, killing several and driving the others into retreat. The Snake moves into the city.

A thousand T’lan Imass approach Tool and recognizing several of the Orshayn clan, he realizes the assumption they’d gone extinct had been in error. Ulag Togtil tells Tool they have indeed been summoned, but they believe not by Tool, and he thinks Tool can refuse them. He also introduces the others, informing Tool they were “descendants of those who sought to follow Kilava when she rejected the First Ritual,” though she did not desire followers. Nom Kala finds Tool to not match up to the legend. Tool tells the Imass he seeks not battle but “an accounting” with Olar Ethil. Nom Kala tells Tool they have no warleader, that they “fought” against the humans’ overwhelming numbers by “keeping alive our stories, our ways of living. And by hiding,” though they eventually ran out of places to hide. When they agree to go with Tool, he tells Ula “you bow to Olar Ethil’s desires.” To which Ulag replies, “that perception may lead to carelessness on her part.”

Rystalle Ev and wonders if Tool can relieve the Imass of “the burden of despair,” can give them Reasons to stand, reasons to stand against.” Kalt tells her he once saw Tool defeat a challenger with consummate skill, but then stand “as one defeated… weary of the necessity.” They agree this is a warrior they could follow.

Atri-Ceda Aranict listens as the mages recover from Draconus’ arrival. She recalls Quick Ben’s immediate understanding of what her moving earth had meant and how he’d had her reassigned to his cadre. She and Bottle go into Quick Ben’s tent. Quick ben tells them:

Bastards reaching out to me… Do I want a conversation? No, I do not… Burn trembles, the Gate of Starvald Demelain rages with fire, and cruel twisted warrens the like of which we’ve never seen now lie in wait—when will they awaken? What will they deliver?… Who brokered this whole damn mess?… Aye. Shadowthrone and Cotillion. Does the Adjunct really believe she chooses her own path… There’s T’lan Imass out there!… Who commands them?… She [Tavore] thinks she can cheat them… she was the pre-eminent scholar of the lives of Kellanved, Dancer, and Dassem… even Tayschrenn… Banaschar… is her potential emissary should Tayschrenn finally decide to do something… Draconus changes everything, and I’m the only one who can stand against him… But don’t think for a moment I’m doing it for Shadowthrone and Cotillion… or the Adjunct. All that time in Dragnipur—it’s changed him. He was never so subtle before—imagine, a gentle invitation to converse.

Aranict unknowingly opens a channel to Draconus, who doesn’t barrel through, which tells them something. Quick tells her she should check on Brys, with Bottle explaining that “The dad never quite come back all the way. Not while there was a god of death. It may be that Brys is now awakened. To everything he once was.”

Smiles and Cuttle discuss the Akryn fighting the Barghast and the upcoming trip across the Wastelands. Smiles says Cuttle is right, “None of it made sense. Never did, never will… We march around and cut up other people, and they do t he same to us—if they can… [Lether] got a decent King and people can breathe easy and go about their lives—but what’s in those lives? Scraping for the next bag of coins… It ain’t for nothing.” Tarr replies, “You want meaning? Make it up. You want truth? Invent it… You make worlds inside your head and worlds outside, but only the one inside counts for anything. It’s where you find peace.” He tells her they’re heading for a war because otherwise Tavore would have disbanded the army, but Smiles says maybe she’s just selfish.

Cuttle finds Fiddler in bad shape and talks about how the Adjunct has them on the fast march and also that Fiddler is making the squad nervous. Fiddler talks about fishing, says Quick Ben needs to show himself, says “Darkness got an edge”, the “biggest wolf of all has returned,” and the Adjunct “don’t stand a chance.” Koryk recalls (he thinks—he admits it could be a false memory) once being assigned a huge boulder to remove so as to dig a latrine trench, how folks had laughed at his attempts and how he’d sworn, “he would never again accept failure.” He’d stayed long past the others, until he’d finally dislodged it, revealing a hidden cache of coins—“a treasure… something precious, wonderful rare.” One that he’d long since “Squandered… Every last fucking coin. Gone, and what was left to show for it. Whores are warm to the touch, but they hide their souls inside a cold keep. It’s when you surrender to that world that you know you are truly lost, you are finally alone. It’s all cold to the touch these days… I spend the rest of my years blaming every damned coin. But nobody’s fooled. Except me.” He wants to rush into battle, “cut in two every face on every coin,” to show that life is not empty. Smiles had told him his fever had scarred him, but Koryk believes instead it merely showed him the “truth of solitude.” He doesn’t buy for a second any of Fiddler’s talk of “family,”—he feels betrayals are coming, and he looks forward to when it happens and he can tell them all: We are each of us alone. We always were… save yourselves. As I intend to do for myself.” He thinks Tavore asks too much when she demands “faith, loyalty… honesty.” Asks too much and gives nothing back. As he contemplates desertion, he recalls his spirit hoard: “Everything they gave me was a lie, a betrayal… Someone put them [the coins] there to lure me in, to trap me… Not my fault, how could it be?”

Ruthan Gudd is disturbed by how a passing light casts a “deathly hue” on the sleeping Skanarow. He wonders if Greymane, like him, had sensed Draconus’ return. He thinks back: “The world shook. Balls of fire descending, terrible light filling the sky. Fists hammering the world. Wish I’d seen it. He remembered the Azath’s deathcry… the soil he’d clawed through [to] impossible freedom. Jacuruku, you’ve changed.” He muses how loyalty can be discovered “under the strangest circumstances,” and looking at the sleeping woman beside him, thinks “Do not think of me with love… Do not force upon me a moment of confession, the truth of foolish vows uttered a lifetime ago,” and then recalls a conversation with Draconus.

“It’s better this way Draconus”

“This is Kallor’s empire, friend. Will you not reconsider?”

“The shore seems welcoming enough. If I mind my own business… “

He recalls how Draconus and he had both smiled at that statement. And later, how from within the Azath ground he’d felt Draconus return to Jacuruku to “see for himself the madness of Kallor.” He believes Draconus had been right, and thinks, “Can you hear me now? Draconus?… I have reconsidered. At long last. And so I give you this. Find me, and one of us will die.”

Balm, Widdershins, and Throatslitter talk about seeking a divination concerning what just happened (Draconus’ arrival).

Hellian is drunk, sees something large and winged fly overhead. Or not.

Gesler and Stormy discuss Stormy’s feelings that something is spying on them, a feeling that’s gotten worse since Draconus’ arrival knocked all the sensitives silly. Stormy tells Gesler he’s also having bad dreams of “stuff falling out of the sky.” Gesler brings Stormy to Hedge and sets him up with Hedge’s “two beauties.” Stormy heads off and Gesler and Hedge move to an ensorcelled ring to talk without worrying about Bottle spying. Gesler tells Hedge that the rumors are someone “stinking with power” came through a gate, but Hedge isn’t bothered by that—“So some nasty’s shown up—that means he’s here in the real world. Anyone here in the real world can die from a damned rotten tooth, or a knife, or whatever.” Later he tells Gesler not to worry about Draconus, as “that one ain’t got a thought that ain’t ten thousand years outta touch.” The important thing, he says, is that Hood was killed, though he doesn’t know how or by whom, and that the Fallen Bridgeburners and Whiskeyjack are holding the gate, something Gesler will be thankful for that when his time comes.

Brys and Aranict (the Atri-Ceda) walk through the camp, Aranict trying to hide your feelings for him. They discuss how Brys marches with his army rather than rides, and he tells her that he believes inside each soldier is a “stone of loyalty” on which he needs must carve his name deep, because at some point he might need to ask the impossible of them and so he must be seen as with them. He says they’ll need to especially reassure the soldiers tonight, as they are nervous about all the Malazan mages going down. When she brings up that Quick Ben had said Brys probably had come back from the dead different, he tells her that, “This evening… I felt as if I had awakened, stepped out from a dark, cold place… I’d thought was the real world, the honest world—the coldness, I’d thought, was simply what I had never noticed before… But I understand now that the cold and darkness were within me, death’s own touch upon my soul,” and now that feeling is gone.

Brys catches a glimpse of her unguarded feelings on her face and thinks he must truly have been half-dead to have not seen it before. He wonders what he should do, and decides to set it aside for later.

Sunrise had found that soldiering is getting easier for him. He thinks of all the legendary stuff the Bridgeburners have done and how “More adventures were coming. Glories and heroic defenses, monsters in the sky and flooded deserts… [he] couldn’t wait to get to the legendary stuff… now he was one of them… We’ll prove we’re worthy of the legend.”

Sinter and Kisswhere wait to meet Masan Gilani. Sinter thinks how being a soldier is getting new kin: company’s the tribe, army’s the people—the kingdom.” But she’s not sure she believes that at her core, though she’d wanted to for both her and her sister Kisswhere, who she is sure is going to stray as she always had, leaving Sinter to clean up her mess. Though she admits she sometimes grows tired of those roles. She doesn’t know really who she is, if she wants Badan Gruk to love her or not, she has no idea what the army is doing marching into “blackness”, no idea if they will sand and fight, can kill, and she wishes Tavore would at least give them some reason. She wishes she could be as content as Kisswhere.

Kisswhere is frantic for Sinter to find them a way out of this, thinking how she’d only joined to escape Sinter always interfering in her life, only joined believing she could get out if need, could have “slept her way into some soft posting,” could have simply deserted if necessary. But then her sister and then Badan Gruk followed her and now she is trying to convince herself she is not responsible for their decisions, that if she wants to desert she can. She wonders why Sinter has dragged her out, if she’s planning on running (which she hopes is the reason). Masan shows up, but Kisswhere worries, as “It’s us women who start most of the wars… We’ve been in charge of a long time, us women of Dal Hon, and we’re nothing but trouble.” Kisswhere and Masan don’t exactly hit it off, mostly thanks to Kisswhere. But Masan wins her over with some Andiian brew (Bluerose) and by offering her an out for her behavior. Sinter says she’ll tell Masan what she knows (she has a bit of a “talent” of things about to happen or that could happen) in exchange for something. Masan agrees and Sinter tells her “We’re about to be abandoned… the Bonehunters. All of us, the Adjunct included.” Masan asks by whom—the Burned Tears, the Perish, the Letherii, but Sinter doesn’t know—could be one, could be all. What she wants from Masan is a reason, she needs to know “it’s all worth it.” Masan thinks Sinter isn’t asking just for herself, but is also trying to convince Kisswhere, but Sinter tells her that’s none of her business.

Masan agrees and tells them this is what they think: “He [the Crippled God] didn’t ask for hit. But he’s been making trouble ever since… He’s poison and he knows it and he can’t help it because he doesn’t belong here… the biggest [piece of him] is sitting in this place called Kolanse—and it’s being used.” Sinter assumes they’re going to kill the Crippled God, but Masan tells her they don’t think so, “it’s those chains we’re after. Well, the Adjunct, what she’s after… We’re going to set the bastard free.” Kisswhere can’t believe it and says no wonder the Bonehunters will be abandoned, “even the Adjunt’s not that stupid. Every god and Ascendant in the world will be coming against us.” But Sinter thinks for a moment, then tells her sister, “It will do… I think nothing else would have… It is just, sister. Just.” She says they will have to convince the others not to turn on the Bonehunters, and it will begin by Kisswhere and Masan deserting tonight in different directions (Kisswhere south to convince the Perish and Khundryl and Masan north but to what end Sinter says “that’s not so easy to say.” Kisswhere argues they’ll be hanged for deserting if they return, but Sinter says that won’t happen:

The Adjunct is cold iron—the coldest there ever was. She’ll work it out, fast as lighting… [but] she’s locked in a prison of her own making… absolutely alone… It’s her burden and she won’t dump it on anyone else… not even her High Mage, though he’s probably worked it out by now. She’s put herself between us and the truth—but it’s killing her.

Masan realizes Sinter plans on showing Tavore that she isn’t actually alone, that people are ready for the truth, “We not only worked it out, we’re with her. There to help, whether she asks for it or not.” She says people wont’ be surprised by Kisswhere deserting, but they will be by Masan, but Sinter replies that Tavore will probably come up with some cover story to keep Masan’s reputation up. Kisswhere doesn’t want to be seen as a coward, but Masan says people will see it that way. When Kisswhere says she isn’t a coward, she just doesn’t buy into the whole “family” thing”—“it’s the lie commanders and kings need so they always got us ready to do shit for them.” But Masan tells her, “That whole ‘family’ thing, it’s about fighting to survive. You stand fast for kin, not strangers.”

Kindly. Pores. A heartwarming story of childhood dreams.

Lostara wonders what Quick Ben and Bottle tell Tavore that led to Tavore sending Lostara out so late and kicking out Banaschar. Banaschar tells Lostara it’s “All those choices… surrounding you. Closing in. Creeping. Girl’s gotta run.” He leaves her alone and she thinks how she regrets letting Ruthan go: “It was him. But you let him go. Maybe you thought he’d come back, or you’d just find him again. You thought you had the time. But the world’s always armed and all it takes is a misstep, a wrong decision. And suddenly you’re… bleeding right out… The world’s armed, Adjunct, so be careful… start throwing on that armour.” She passes a Dal Honese woman and wonders where she’s going so late.

Ublala Pung, having traveled for some time, feels abandoned and alone. He meets Draconus (he doesn’t know who he is) who identifies himself as “more or less” a god. Ublala says he’s supposed to save the world, to which Draconus replies, “And here I was contemplating killing it,” but “You are reminding me that some things in this world remain worthwhile.” He adds that he thinks he recognizes Ublala’s armor and weapon, and agrees to travel with him toward the east, which makes Ublala happy as that was the last thing Old Hunch’s ghost had said. They introduce themselves by name, and Draconus offers to help him with his armor. When they discuss the problem of knots, Ublala says they’re “not as bad as chains,” to which Draconus says, “True enough friend.” They head off. Back to top

Chapter Twenty

Ruin tells Ryadd Eleis that generally there are two sorts of people: attackers and defenders, though he points out either can be aggressive, as “Aggression takes many forms. Active, passive, direct, indirect… “ He says attackers attack out of insecurity, as a form of defense, for they are “a fragile person.” Ruin then broadens the discussion to cultures rather than individuals, arguing that “The culture of attackers seeks submission and demands evidence of that submission as proof of superiority over the subdued. The culture of defenders seeks compliance through conformity, punishing dissenters, and so fainting the smug superiority of enforcing silence and from silence, complicity.” Ryadd thinks the Imass must be defenders, thinking of Onrack being punished for defying conformity. He has a harder time coming up with an example of an attacking culture. When he asks Ruin if there is a third way, Ruin answers that he has seen many variations, sometimes within the same person, and says the “the key… is to hold true to your own aesthetics, that which you value, and yield to no one the power to become the arbiter of your tastes.” He goes to give advice of how to deal with the two kinds. They discuss Ruin’s travels with the group and when Ryadd asks if she (Kettle) had to die, Ruin replies she was never really alive, though perhaps now she is more alive (and more vulnerable) than she had been before Ruin ensured her “potential” was realized, adding that it is not the seed that carries hope, but those who create/plant the seeds. Ryadd concludes that Udinaas does not “hope” that Ruin will save the Azath via his resolve, but he has “trust” he will do so, though he silently wonders if Ruin trust his—Ryadd’s—resolve. Ruin interrupts by saying “they” draw nearer—this mysterious thing he’s been keeping an eye on—and warns Ryadd that “she” is most formidable (Olar Ethil).

Olar Ethil and Torrent have been journeying the Wastelands, passing by several dragon towers of the K’Chain Che’Malle, this last one surrounded by the detritus of violence, a violence that “remained, intrusive as bitter smoke.” When Torrent says the “Wastelands” is an apt name, Olar Ethil tells him long ago, the place was filled with the “spirits of the earth and wind,” but gives a cryptic answer (“when it is easy to feed, one grows fat”) when Torrent asks what happened to them. They’re conversation is interrupted by the appearance of Ruin and Ryadd in dragon form, though upon landing they veer into human shape. Olar Ethil tells Ruin he isn’t welcome and says that Ryadd “mocks my own people.” She asks if Ruin has bargained open the gate to Starvald Demelain, and after identifying Ryadd as Menandore’s son, asks her if she thinks he’s prepared to pay the price for such a bargain. She answers she has no idea what he’s prepared to do. When Ruin tells her Ryadd is under his protection, she mocks his inflated view of himself, then says she thinks he is keeping Ryadd close to control him, adding her opinion that he’ll fail, since Ryadd is Menandore’s son. She warns him Eleint always betray each other, then warns Ryadd that Ryadd has starts to outstrip him, Ruin will strike first. But Ryadd replies he knows Ruin will do no such thing, as he [Ryadd] has already surpassed him, a proclamation that makes Ruin step aside and motion toward his swords.

He continues, knowing he knows of her from his life with the Imass and from Kilava and Onrack. Olar Ethil calls Kilava a bitch, but adds that Ryadd can tell her that Olar Ethil forgives her, and he can as well tell Onrack that Olar will not seek to “reclaim” him, that his life is his own. When Ryadd says that’s good, as he’d sworn to protect them, she tells him she has “chosen” and she is not his enemy, for which he is lucky since she’d have to kill him otherwise. He dismisses her threat, saying she could not stand against both Ryadd and Kilava, telling her that all other Bonecasters, including Olar Ethil, stagnated once they accepted the Ritual—they are only what they had been at that time, but Kilava has continued to grow, has “surpassed” them all. Olar Ethil calls Ruin a fool for keeping Ryadd close, and warns him he better beg her for an alliance and fast. Ruin, however, says her insight into why he kept Ryadd near was only one of the reasons, and not the most important either, and that he’ll happily cede leadership to Ryadd if he has indeed outstripped him (oh, and he’d rather have sex with an enkar’al than ally with her).

Torrent introduces himself as the last of the Awl, and when Ruin says he grieves for the extinction of his people but hopes Torrent will not let their cherished memory destroy him, Torrent says it’s too late—“I now cherish destruction.” He adds he hopes to “slay my slayers… end the lives of those who have ended mine,” and says perhaps it is this that binds him to Olar Ethil. Ryadd points out their surroundings, saying this is what comes of such thinking, but to his dismay, Torrent says he’s fine with that. Olar Ethil asks Ruin if he’s done, and Ruin says as a sign that he is not her enemy, he’s letting her know two undead dragons are looking for her and thought they’ll seem obedient, they are “vile.” She says it’s odd he knows them while she does not, considering their shared past. He tells her they are from “when the Eleint were unleashed… seeking to claim realms to rule amidst the shattered remains of Kurald Emurlahn… They are the true spawn of Tiam… I believe they are twins… of a single egg. Among all the Eleint during the Wars of Shadow, they came closest to victory.” He trails off as he recalls that day, “the last time I stood beside my brother… we were happy.”

Torrent feels sympathy for the obvious grief in Ruin’s voice, wondering if regrets are all we have left of our lives, but Olar Ethil just mocks Ruin: “Happy delivering death. O, you were all such righteous fools… and now… only you remain.” She asks him what his “great cause” is now, and wonders how many must die to achieve it, though she says he’s welcome to all the mayhem he causes. She informs him that Errastas has summoned the elders, naming Sechul Lath, Kilmandaros, Mael, Draconus; that Rake is dead, and both Draconus and Mother Dark returned. When she continues on about Mother Dark’s preference for Rake over Ruin, greatly paining Ruin badly, Torrent backhands her, calling her out on her “spite” and telling her to shut up. He then stops Ryadd from doing worse, telling him to take care of Ruin; he’ll take Olar Ethil away. He mentions her “attacks,” and reminded of his earlier conversation with Ruin, Ryadd nods and says, “I see,” then turns to the stricken Ruin. The difference between them—Ryadd young and strong and Ruin old and seemingly broken—makes Torrent think that Ryadd has indeed surpassed Ruin. He heads out on the trail of the carriage they’d been following before the meeting, wondering if Olar Ethil will ever admit he had just saved her life.

The undead plains wolf, Baaljagg, reminds Setoc of an old, senile or brain-injured, Barghast man who used to wear a wolf hide and crawl around and bark amongst the dogs, “until he had subdued ever bewildered, cowering animal.” Baaljagg’s “pitted eyeholes” seems to tell her: “I am death. I am your fate and the fate of all living things. I am what is left behind. Departed from the world, I leave you only this.” She wonders what had happened to the old man’s mind that had made him want to be a wolf, had made it impossible for him to find his old true self. She thinks, “The mind held too many secrets. The brain was a sack of truths and their power… was absolute. Twist one truth into a lie, and a man became a wolf. His flesh and bones could only follow.” But that’s only the most obvious sort of lie, she believes; “The self could become lost in more subtle ways… Today I am this person. Tomorrow I am another… bound to no single self, but unleashed into a multitude of selves. Does this make me ill? Broken?” She feels she let Cafal down and wonders what has happened to him. She worries her “addiction to dissatisfaction” may be incurable. The group comes across tracks—ruts and horses hooves—and decides to follow. After a long march, they find a single horse and on the ground behind it, Cartographer. At first she just sees a corpse and wonders if it’s Toc, but he says, “No, Saw him though, once. Funny eyes.” Setoc wonders “Does nothing dead ever go away around here?” They continue on with him, though he’s a little worried about Baaljagg, saying he’s dreamt that a big dog will bury him. They come across the wrecked carriage, torn apart horses, and several corpses (non animate ones), and Cartographer tells Setoc something struck them from the sky, adding he knows it wasn’t a dragon. Setoc finds tracks leading away and as they follow, Cartographer says he wishes he’d seen “Trake’s Mortal Sword truly awakened. To see the Trell’s rage rise.” They eventually find the survivor’s camp: Mappo, Gruntle (who names Setoc Destriant of Fanderay and Togg), Amby and Jula Bole (the latter badly injured), Precious Thimble, and Faint.

Cartographer says it was the Bole brothers who drove the demon away, saying they are especially effective against demons and the like, adding Mater Quell had wondered if they were themselves spawns of sorcery, maybe Jaghut creations. He tells her that it was Toc who led them from Dragnipur. She asks what a Destriant is and he tells her it is the person who is the “god’s own.” She notes that Toc has a wolf’s eye, and he says that’s because he is the Herald of War, but he also has a human eye because “humans are the true heralds of war.” She’s not sure of that, but drops it and the two discuss that Toc must have been leading her east because she was needed as Destriant there, as Destriant to gods of war. She decides to talk to Gruntle, also a god of war, as Cartographer had mentioned that Gruntle had little respect for his god. She looks at Gruntle playing with Tool’s boy, his tattoos faded, and she wonders what Tool would have thought of all this, if Tool had been bringing them to meet this group. She thinks she does not want to wear the skin of war, no matter what the Wolves want.

Mappo looks over at Gruntle and Setoc conversing and thinks it makes sense they’d be talking, with war clearly on the horizon. He wonders about Icarium, thinking, “Old friend, you must have no place in what is coming. If thousands needlessly die by your hand, what dire balance would that tip?… I must find you. Take you away. Already, too many have died on your trail.” He tells Faint she will live, though Quell is dead, and she replies that means they are stranded. He thinks how close they are—he can feel Icarium not too far off—but knows that delivering him was only half the job; the Trygalle shareholders now have no way home. Faint, however, says Precious Thimble might be able to manage something. Mappo thinks back on the fight and wonders what the K’Chain Che’Malle had been out there doing, what other tasks it has, and then fears it might be hunting Icarium. He discusses the Ay, the twin girls with Daru blood, the more-than-half Imass/part Barghast boy, Setoc’s mysterious ancestry, tells Faint she’d spoken in at least 16 different tongues when she was out, and then talks about theories of language and the brain. He realizes that perhaps he can communicate with the newcomers in Barghast. Turns out he’s right. He heads over to learn more about them.

Shield Anvil Tanakalian and Mortal Sword Krughava discuss their lack of a Destriant, with Tanakalian telling her just pick someone and Krughava arguing she won’t be so careless about it, as she is already regretting the last time she did so. Tanakalian takes that as an insult. She tells him he sees the titles as something to “grow into,” but in actuality they are conferred on someone already responsible enough to merit them. Tanakalian she sees as a “young man convinced of his own rightness… leading [him] into rash impulses.” They are interrupted by the arrival of Queen Abrastal, who tells them they are to be resupplied, and that they have spotted the Malazans, escorted by Brys and the Letherii. Abrastal asks if they are going into Kolanse to try and form an empire, adding she is uneasy with aiding a mission of conquest. Krughava angers her by implying money should take care of any ethical concerns, adding Abrastal should be happy they aren’t invading her country. When Abrastal asks what the hell they want with Kolanse, Krughava tells her that the three groups (Perish, Burned Tears, Bonehunters) serve only themselves—not a country—and so are free to perform their mission, even if it is, as Abrastal fears, to “deliver misery and suffering upon a broken people.” Abrastal thinks Krughava isn’t telling the truth about only serving themselves, that it is in fact “the very opposite,” and Tanakalian thinks she finally sees that they do what they do “not in service to ourselves, but to all of you.” He wonders:

Can anything be more glorious? And if we must fall, if we must fail, as I believe we will, is no end sweeter than that? The grandest failure this world has ever seen… We seek to save the world, and the world will do all it can to stop us. Watch us lose. Watch us squeeze the blood from your stony heart. But no. There shall be none to witness… We shall rest in emptiness, no forgotten—for forgetting follows remembrance, and there shall be no remembrance. . The perfect hero is one whose heroism none sees… Do you understand that, Mortal Sword? No, you do not.

Abrastal leaves and Tanakalian tells Krughava he believes the Bolkando will leave. Krughava tells him he’s wrong; the Queen will wait and ask Tavore, who will tell her nothing. Tanakalian argues Tavore is selfish if she doesn’t allow the Bolkando to “share in this glory” and when Krughava says perhaps it is mercy, not selfishness, he tells her he is well away of what will be the likely outcome of their march. He meant that he feels “privileged” that Tavore lets the Perish “share her fate.” Krughava, realizing Tanakalian sees the Perish as an army of walking dead, asks if he will “embrace the soul of every brother and sister? Free of judgment?… And what of our enemies? Will you accept that suffering defies boundaries… ? He refuses to answer, though the answer is clear, asking instead if she thinks he is “crowd[ing] her throne.” She dismisses him, saying he has given her much to think about. He leaves, thinking she is dangerous and also delusional in her belief that they might win.

Spax meets with the very perturbed Queen Abrastal, and she asks him about the Perish and the Malazans. He tells her he’s not sure what Tavore’s title means, saying now that they are a renegade army, he doesn’t know why she keeps it. Maybe because it’s what her soldiers are used to. He says the Adjunct was the “weapon-baring hand of the Empress. Her murderer, if you like,” adding she has an otataral weapon. Hearing there was only ever one Adjunct at a time, Abrastal says that was a heck of a betrayal and wonders how anyone can trust Tavore now. When she asks if Spax thinks the “real” Malazan army is their eventual enemy, Spax says he doesn’t know, though the Perish won’t care (any war is good for them), nor will the Burned Tears (who are personal sworn to Tavore). She informs him she has sent a daughter east. Kolanse “has fallen silent… empty ports, abandoned villages… and yet, something is there, perhaps deep inland. A power, and it’s growing.” Seeing her true fear for her daughter, Spax says she should recall her, but Abrastal says it is too late. He asks if she plans on marching to war with the foreigners, and she says no, but she will wait to meet Tavore.

Hanavat, Gall’s pregnant wife, wanders the camp at night as usual, driven by her discomfort. She is asked to join a young pair—Rafala and Shelemasa—for tea. They discuss how “civilized” people “invent useless things, or make up needs that don’t exist,” though Hanavat wonders if rather than the objects themselves, what is important is that they imply “wealth and abundance, leisure.” She goes on to talk about pregnancy, being a parent, the issues with families—“there is love, yes, but there is also war. There is sympathy and there is the poison of envy.” She ends up in a rant and the others laugh.

Men watching the three women smile but also wonder what secrets they discuss. Women smile as well, thinking of children to be. Inside a tent, Gall and Spax have been getting drunk while Krughava pumped Gall for info about the Malazans, making Spax wonder why this sudden uncertainty from someone who had sworn to Tavore. As he listens, he wonders if the Mortal Sword will notice Gall’s lust for her, even as she goes on about “a failure of confidence—a sudden threat from with the ranks of the Grey Helms… balance all awry. A young man of frightening ambitions.” Back to top

Chapter Twenty-One

Sandalath and withal discuss the return of Mother Dark, a return with “sorrow knotted into grief… like a widow trying to hold on to all she had lost… in mourning.” She tells him they arrived too late to warn the Shake, saying Blind Gallan had cursed them with just enough memory to make them return, but Withal responds that people “need to know where they came from… What do you think make them restless.” She answers that everyone is restless then, since “none of us know where we came from. Or are going.” She asks bitterly if Mother Dark will give them Kharkanas, and Withal says maybe that’s her role, to convince Mother Dark. She scoffs at the idea and when he asks about hostages, she thinks of how the hostages were like coin in the realm, though “Gold does not feel… You can hide us away… bury us… but you can’t eat us, and you can’t fuck us. No, you can’t do that.” Withal interrupts her thoughts by asking if hostages were ever killed, and she replies not until near the end, when the rules went out the window and people show “our true selves.” Near collapse, she says she will beg Mother Dark to leave again. As he comforts her, the Shake find them.

As Pithy and Brevity head toward Sand and Withal, Pithy notes that Sandalath is an Andii and wonders if her more full claim on the city might be an issue. They introduce each other and head toward the city. Pithy and Brevity discuss how there is a painting of Sandalath amidst a group wearing shackles in an altar side chamber. They decide to get the witches once they enter the city.

As they cross over the bridge, Sandalath feels Mother Dark’s presence, at first indifferent but then perhaps sympathetic. Sandalath tells Pithy and Brevity she wants to go to the temple and also needs to speak to Yan Tovis. They tell her Twilight and Yedan went to the First Shore, then admit to being nervous because of the painting of Sandalath, which was done a looooong time ago. Sandalath says that Mother Dark has returned, as have the Shake, and now she wants to find out why her own people, the Andii, have not. When Withal asks if Sandalath think she’ll get an answer, Sandalath realizes Mother Dark has spoken to him, and is hurt that she has not yet done so with Sandalath.

Pully and Skwish have claimed an old estate. Pully recalls angrily how Mother Dark had “gathered up their souls… exploring every nuance… Then the cast. Dismissive, all interest lost. Damned insulting.” Skwish tells Pully the estate belonged to Draconus (well, she calls him Draconus and clearly doesn’t know who he is). Brevity arrives to tell them about Sandalath and Withal.

Yedan Derryg has found the Hust Sword. Twilight asks how it can have healed, and he tells her of how the Hust weapons were immortal, “quenched in dragon’s blood,” and how this particular one belonged to a Hustas, a Master of the House. He wonders how a five-blade (cut through five blades as a test) Hust sword had been broken. Yedan says he’ll handle the logistics of settling their people and suggests she re-sanctify the temple with royal blood. He adds that they don’t have much time; they must find why they were brought here by the goddess. Yan Tovis looks at the shore—“the tumultuous wall of light—and the innumerable vague figures behind the veil” and is horrified at the idea: “No, please. Not again.”

Sechul Lath, Kilmandaros, and Errastas walk an unnamed warren. He considers how Kilmandaros viewed creation as “her personal anathema, and the destruction in her hands was its answer. She saw no value in order, at least the kind that was imposed by a sentient will… she bore a thousand names… each and ever one a source of mortal dread. Destroyer, annihilator, devourer… Among the believers, she personified the loosing of rage… the rejection of control.” He wonders what lessons she might have for him. He believes his own was “the purest worship of them all… Lord of Chance and Mischance, Caster of Knuckles… Who lives, who dies? The decision was his… the arbiter of all they [mortals] sought… The gods never even heard the supplications from their followers The need, the desire snared each prayer, spun them swirling into Sechul’s domain.” He thinks how he gave it all up to the Twins he’d spawned, having grown tired of it all: “Save my child? Another must die. Balance! All must balance! Can existence be any crueler than that? Can justice be any emptier? To bless you with chance, I must curse another with mischance. To this, even the gods must bow… I am done with it!” He considers it all pointless, something the K’Chain Che’Malle realized as well—that it’s all a cycle ever spiraling downward: rise and fall, rise and fall, but each time the rise a little lower, the fall a little deeper. Errastas’ idea of a resurrection, Lath thinks, is impossible; it will only “precipitate your final fall, and good riddance… But lead on, old friend. To the place where I will do what must be done. Where I will end everything.” They reach the spot above where the Otataral Dragon is chained. Sechul Lath says it might be good to know why she [the dragon] was imprisoned in the first place, it might give them a bargaining chip, but Errastas says obviously it was because she was uncontrollable, “the poison in their midst.” Lath thinks to himself, “She was the balance, the counter-weight to them all,” and wonders if this is a good idea. He muses out loud that her real poison was to K’rul’s new warrens and so K’rul needed her “chained, negated.” He finds it interesting that the Crippled God is now the one poisoning the warrens, but Errastas dismisses the idea, saying the two are unrelated. When Lath persists in questioning the wisdom of freeing her, Errastas says worst comes to worst, Kilmandaros can just kill her. Lath asks how Errastas can be confident the dragon will keep any agreements once they free her, and Errastas says just to trust him. Kilmandaros starts beating up the ground.

Torrent is shocked to find out that the carriage tracks he’d been following lately were apparently an illusion, one which Olar Ethil has now grown tired of: “I stole into your mind, made you see things that weren’t there. You were going the wrong way… I turned you from that trail.” Instead, they are now heading toward a K’Chain Che’Malle city, which turn his thoughts to the purpose and symbolism of cities: “Maybe there were all about the claiming the right to live somewhere… to take from the surrounding land all they needed to stay alive. Like a giant tick.” Telorast and Curdle arrive in skeleton bird shape and pledge servitude, “a temporary truth. Allegiance of convenience so long as it’s convenient.” Olar Ethil says they aren’t fooling her; she knows their history: “You two almost won the Throne of Shadow. You killed a dozen of your kin [Eleint] to get there.” She asks what they want and when they reply power and survival—“terrible times. Things will die. Lots of things.”—she wonders if they guard her back as they pledge, who will guard her from them.

As she looks at them closely, Olar speculates they are not Soletaken as she’d first thought, but D’ivers: “Born as Tiste Andii, one woman but two dragons… But how? The blood of the Eleint resists the fever of D’ivers.” She agrees to take them into service/protection if they reveal their secret. In discussing it, they seem to reveal that they “were never meant to be Soletaken. It just happened… But we were true Eleint.” Olar Ethil says that makes no sense—“Two who become one? Soletaken? A Tiste Andii Soletaken?” and then decides they must be lying. They swear to tell the truth. They tell her that after being defeated, they were given a choice by Edgewalker—Kilmandaros chaining them to a piece of Emurlahn or Rake’s sword Dragnipur. They chose the chaining and spent centuries thus, but were found by Dessimbelackis, who held “chaos in his hands. He told us its secret… desperate. His people—humans—were making a mess of things. They stood as separate from all the animals… their tyranny so cruel. Slaughtering the animals, making the lands barren deserts.” Olar Ethil says he created the D’ivers and Soletaken ritual out of chaos “to bind humans to the beast, to force upon them their animal natures… to teach them a lesson. About themselves.” Telorast and Curdle agree, saying that he forced the ritual (a much older one than him or even this world) upon his people, and that by the time the T’lan Imass arrived to kill them all, Dessimbelackis had fled in his D’ivers form (the Deragoth). Needing allies, he’d tried to free Telorast and Curdle, but couldn’t break the chains so instead he took their souls and brought them to a Tiste Andii corpse, a females. There they vowed to serve him.

When Olar Ethil said they betrayed him, they replied that it wasn’t so much that, but that “each time we sought to semble into our true selves, the chains returned,” and they found themselves back in Emurlahn, making them of no use to Dessimbelackis. Now, if they hold to their Eleint selves, the chains drag them back, so they can only take this skeletal form or take abode in a body. They tell her if they could just reach the throne, they’d escape their chains, or they say, Olar Ethil could just break them herself. She says she could, but she has no reason to risk angering Edgewalker or Kilmandaros, who had their reasons to imprison them after all. When they ask her who deserves eternal punishment, she scoffs, saying, she’s been with the T’lan Imass, don’t tell her about eternal punishment. Torrent is horrified and angered by that comment, telling her, “ You did that to them and now you call it a punishment? What had they done to you to punish them for all eternity… You were cursing them.” She yells back at him, saying to look at her, “Do I not choose to wear that curse? My own body, my own flesh? What more can I do?” He asks what it was, and when Telorast says “Why don’t you let it go… Let them all go,” Olar Ethil tells them “I have no choice in this—none! You mortals are such fools—you just don’t see it… I am trying to save your pathetic lives! All of you!.” But Torrent tells her if this is the cost—“holding prisoner the souls of the T’lan Imass” it’s too much; she should let them go, saying it is neither their fight nor hers, and she should find another means of redemption. When he says she treats the Imass like slaves, she replies she needs them. But he stings her by answering they don’t need her. She declares without her they would be dust and nothing else, and when he says perhaps that’s their preference, she tells him, “Not yet!” He turns to Telorast and Curdle and says he’ll try to free their souls if they guard her back, especially against Olar Ethil, and they agree. They move toward the tower with Olar Ethil trailing, and Torrent thinks she seems, “Unbreakable, and yet, broken. You sour old woman. Let it go.”

Kebralle Korish was clan leader of the B’ehn Aralack Orshayn T’lan Imass, now only seven left. She recalls the battles with the Order of the Red Spires as she walks with the others behind Tool, her comrades scarred by the battle sorcery of the Three (the Order). Looking at them reminds her of her attack on one of the Three itself—the Bearded One—his shock at being struck by her, the shock on his two companions at how she had withstood their ensuing sorcerous attack. She still has not forgiven Inistral Ovan for calling the withdrawal then, at the moment “the war turned,” and her vow to make him pay for that is “enough reason to persist.” More so than Tool’s issues with Olar Ethil; whom she is willing to follow so long as it leads to possible vengeance on Inistral Ovan.

Kalt Urmanal is obsessed with the idea that the K’Chain Che’Malle, the killers of his family, are on this land—he can smell/sense them close. Though hatred allegedly died with the Ritual, he can feel it in him, and it makes him think how Tool has made a mistake in not binding his kin, for Kalt knows all have “wars rag[ing] within.” He considers how this is sign that Tool does not, beyond his swordsmanship, have the necessary tools of leadership: “the strength to impose his will… the arrogance of command and the expectation that such commands would be followed unquestioningly.” He recalls the Jaghut, the way they “played games with us. Painted themselves in the guises of gods. It amused them. Our indignation… became a rage… But it was misplaced… The wars were not necessary. Our pursuit acquired the mien of true madness and in assuming it was lost ourselves for all time.” He believes the war should have been against the K’Chain Che’Malle rather than the Jaghut, for the KC were the ones who hunted the Imass for food and fun. He thinks Tool, who tells them nothing, doesn’t even acknowledge their presence, is worse even than the Jaghut, and as for Olar Ethil, who had cursed the Imass, he finds her as blindly stupid as all the others and if Tool will fight her, he will do so on his own.

Nom Kala walks beside bonecaster Ulag Togtil, whom she thinks must have some Trell blood based on his size and tusks, though she wonders if her “memories” of the Trell are simply bleed-over from the Orshayn, whose flood of tortured feelings and desires threatens to swamp the others. From Tool, however, comes nothing; he is a total mystery to her. Ulag interrupts her thoughts, calling it a “measure of mercy,” explaining, “We believe we are the creators of our thoughts, our feelings, but I think otherwise… We roll in his wake. All this violence, this fury. It devours us… And so we believe each of us stands alone in our intent. How soon before we turn on each other.” She says it must not be mercy then, but he says they will see his purpose if they wait. Nom Kala says if Tool waits too long to try and draw the others to his purpose, the less chance he will have of succeeding. Ulag agrees, but has “faith,” and wonders if perhaps Tool seeks to awaken that particular feeling in the Imass, to make them “more than T’lan Imass. Thus he does not compel us. Instead, he shows us the freedom of mortality… How do the living command their kin? How can a mortal army function given the chaos within each soldier, these disparate desires?” She wonders what the point is of showing them that, since they are not in fact mortal, but Ulag says Tool will show them.

Draconus and Ublala meet up with Ralata and Sekara (the Vile), the last of the Barghast Ralata says, as all are dead. Sekara’s mind is gone, her fingers gangrenous, and Draconus, with Ralata’s permission, kills her out of mercy. He tells Ralata there are other White Face; he saw them some days ago, about five or six thousand of them heading east. She says she is hunting a winged demon that killed several of her friends, though she has not seen it for two days, since she found Sekara. She agrees to head east, as that was the direction she was tracking.

Strahl leads the Senan east, bearing the burden of the Senan’s guilt for fleeing the battle against the Akrynnai. The army is down to the last of its supplies, its shouldermen and witches at the limits of their abilities to produce water, and the nearing jade spears seem an omen of the death of the White Faces. He thinks they march to their deaths, which is all they have ever done.

Shurq Elalle and Felash (Abrastal’s 14th daughter) talk of the mystery of Kolanse and then move on to discuss Tehol. Shurq tells Felash that Tehol (and his Queen) despises “virtually every trait that empire possesses. The inequity, the cruel expression of privilege and the oppression of the dispossessed. The sheer idiocy of a value system that raises useless metals and meaningless writs above that of humanity and plain decency… they would dismantle all of it if they could. But how? Imagine the resistance… Imagine if they delivered upon you and your people a diplomatic onslaught of emancipation. The end of the nobility and inherited rank and privilege… The end of money and its false strictures.” Felash calls the idea “madness” and is shocked that the two rulers “revile their own claim to power,” arguing “someone needs to rule” and pointing to Shurq’s role on her ship as proof. Shurq points out the coincidence that most of the rules the rulers make somehow ensure their continuance in power, and their descendants’ continuance as well, though she says it’s all beyond her and Felash should debate it with Tehol and Janath. Felash leaves to go with her handmaid, who is below, seasick.

The not-very-seasick handmaid tells Felash “it is as we feared. A vast emptiness awaits us. Desolation beyond measure. Upon landing, we shall have to travel north, far north. She reports they haven’t heard yet from the Queen’s cedas, but it’s clear Abrastal has decided to remain with the Perish and must have a reason. Felash sees no point, reminding her handmaid that Kolanse never gave Bolkando anything important and has given nothing at all the past five years. She asks about the T’lan Imass, and her handmaid says there are thousands, and their leader has a blinding power. She says she senses others as well: One of darkness and cold. One of golden fire high in the sky. Another at his side, a winged knot of grief harder and crueler than the sharpest cut diamond. Still others hiding in the howl of wolves [the Perish yes but also now she tells Felash]… and yet another, fiercer and wilder than all the others. It hides inside stone. It swims in a sea thick with the pungent flavors of serpents. It waits for the moment, and grows in its power, and facing it… Highness, whatever it faces is more dreadful than I can bear.” She says this fight will happen on the Wastelands and Queen Abrastal is unaware of it and thus in trouble. They agree they must find a way to warn her, and think of using blood to bargain with Mael. Felash says to summon him.

Shurq sees a bad storm heading their way. Back to top

Chapter Twenty-Two

Badalle recalls a long time ago watching an old woman dying, something that comes to mind as she watches one of the Snake expire outside the Crystal City. At night she dreams of flying, of children marching “in their tens of thousands. They had cattle, mules, and oxen. Many rode horses. They glittered blindingly in the hard sunlight as if they bore the treasures of the world on their backs. Children, but not her children.” Then she swooped down, “fixed upon the two burning spots she sought… to steal fire.” In the city, the Snake has found water and food (though they still eat the dead). Badalle has taken to carrying a makeshift knife and looking for Brayderal, who entered the city with them and remains a threat.

Saddic, exploring the city, discovers most of it lies underground. He discovers as well the “true secret… the buildings, the domes and spire and tilted towers … each marked the perfect placement of a single, enormous machine… This city had defeated mortality and… time itself. Far above, the sun’s light fed the city’s memories—all the life it had once held… the walls around him flowed with scenes, murky and ghostly—not of Rutt and the children now dwelling above, but of the inhabitant of long, long ago.” Those inhabitants were green-skinned, tall and tusked. Seeing no weapons or armor, it appears to Saddic to be a “city of peace.” A peace that apparently held even when other creatures, large bipedal reptiles, entered the Brayderal bemoans not killing Badalle when she’d first suspected she had power. She feels the city itself warring on her—“inimical to the Forkrul Assail.” She sees Badalle, carrying her crystal sword, walk by her hiding spot and is frightened.

Badalle sees Brayderal in the window and decides against compelling her via her Voice, wanting “this death to be a silent one.” Thinking about it though, she decides killing Brayderal wouldn’t help the Snake so instead she uses her power to banish her, thinking it poetic justice. Heading back to Rutt and Saddic, she noticed her sword flaring bright and realizes there was “something else there. Something of power, a terrible power… She would name [it] Fire.”

Fiddler examines Stormy and Gesler’s tent: torn to pieces and the two men missing. As he waits for Bottle to examine the tent, Fiddler thinks of his slow recovery after the impact of Draconus’ arrival, and thinks as well on the repercussions of Dragnipur shattered, Rake’s death, Draconus’ arrival. He wonders what could have taken the two men, “annealed in the Forge of Thyrllan. Ascendants both.” Bottle tells him he found non-human blood, something akin to rhizan. Fiddler realizes something snatched the two from the sky, though neither he nor Bottle can figure out how it happened silently. Fiddler sends for more people, then Bottle finds oil all over everything that “smells like a lizard’s armpit.” Fiddler and Bottle eliminate enkar’al (too small), Wyval (too small, but also too loud as they travel in “clouds”), and dragon) too big). Fiddler says he’d guess K’Chain Che’Malle save for the winged part. Quick Ben arrives, and figures out it was a winged K’Chain Che’Malle using its oil to knock everyone out. He tries to lie about knowing more, Fiddler calls him on it, and he admits he knows they’re alive, are far away, and were taken by a Shi’gal Assassin sent by a Matron because “someone needed them.” Tired of it all, Fiddler knocks Quick out, thinking the Adjunct can question him. Looking at the mage, Fiddler thinks, “Never liked him. Need him, count on him, pray for him, love him, aye. But like him? Not a chance… Probably Soletaken or D’ivers if I’m any judge of things.”

Keneb rides out to look over the Wastelands from a rise. He worries about Fist Blistig, who had “done his best to evade the responsibilities of command.” He worries as well he himself is over his head. He is called back in by the Adjunct.

Bottle returns to Stormy’s tent and panics when he sees the unconscious Quick Ben, worried he tried magic in this place. He tells Fiddler the Wastelands “might as well be dusted in otataral,” though there are also “Ascendants, stinking with power… out there, just walking around,” naming the T’lan Imass as one example. When Fiddler jokingly wonders where the Jaghut are, Quick Ben and Bottle both say they’re still days away, and that they number fourteen. Fiddler asks if Tavore has been told and Quick says he’s given up trying to tell her things; “It’s as if she already knows.” Bottle adds he’s also sensed dragons, and Quick admits one at least is Ruin. The Adjunct approaches, and Fiddler tells Bottle he should have stayed away when he’d been ordered to, now it’s too late.

Blistig joins Keneb as he rides through camp and tells him Stormy and Gesler deserted, a rumor Keneb deems “ridiculous.” Blistig says Tavore has lost the army and will have to disband it, adding he thinks he might retire to Letheras. Keneb tells Blistig to get back to his people, the two argue, and Blistig says he’s going on; he needs to talk to Tavore about “my business.” Blistig tries to harangue Tavore about the rum ration, but she cuts him off and sends him back to his legion. When he speaks of Stormy and Gesler deserting, Tavore humiliates him by delaying her return salute. Keneb is the first to wonder if the Assassin might come back for more, and they make plans to deal with the possibility. Tavore sends Lostara to report to Brys and Aranict. Keneb tells Tavore he’s concerned about Blistig’s impact, and she agrees, saying she’ll deal with it soon. She asks Quick Ben to do what he can to protect the army and to also find Stormy and Gesler. Fiddler tells Keneb he thinks the Assassin took the two due to their connection with fire, and that they’ll not see it or them again.

Henar Vygulf, from Bluerose, is the tallest soldier in the Letherii escort. He is brought to Brys’ tent by Corporal Odenid. Brys has been spending time interviewing soldiers about any sort of rumor or legend about the Wastelands and recording the results of those interviews.

Henar joins Brys, Aranict, and Lostara Yil, the last of which he falls hard for immediately upon seeing her. Brys asks Henar, who had been attached to the Drene Garrison, about the K’Chain Che’Malle that had traveled with Redmask. Henar reports, exits, and Brys apologizes to Lostara for how his man had behaved. Lostara says it was fine, and that Henar’s story seems to confirm Quick Ben’s theory about what had taken Stormy and Gesler. Brys recalls a god who had lived and died in the Wastelands, “Its life stolen from it by a force, a power coming from the K’Chain Che’Malle… Its name was Ahkrast Korvalain. What it did was steal the life force of the land itself. In fact, it may have created the Wastelands, and in so doing killed the spirits and gods dwelling there, and with them, their worshipers.” Brys decides to ride out to Tavore later and share information. She exits, and Brys attaches Henar to his staff, promotes him, and orders that he go with him to meet Tavore later. When Corporal Ginast quotes the regulations about Bluerose-born soldiers being limited to how high they could rise in rank, Brys informs him from now on all advancement will be based on merit and accomplishment. He leaves, and Aranict mentions she’s surprised Brys is playing matchmaker. He explains it had been the first “hint of life I’ve seen in Captain Yil’s face since I first met her.” Awkward sexual silence reigns for a moment or two.

Tarr, Koryk, Cuttle, Smiles, Corabb spar and snarl, kvetch and complain in general and also in particular about Pores as middleman/hoarder of supplies.

Corabb annoys Throatslitter and vice versa. Corabb thinks how Tavore is a better leader than Leoman because she cares, “maybe even too much,” and so Leoman’s followers would all die while Tavore’s might not. He worries about the dissatisfaction spreading in the army. He considers Cuttle especially sour, though he likes him: “He’s bitter iron. Me too.”

Skanarom tells Kindly she thinks Ruathan isn’t who he says he is, that he’s hiding something; he’s getting nervous, talking in his sleep in odd languages. She asks if Kindly has ever heard of Ahkrast Korvalain, and he says it sounds like a Tiste or Warren name, and she should check with Quick Ben.

Pores come to consciousness (he’d been knocked out) to find that his wagon had been ransacked. Hedge and four of his Bridgeburners show up. Hedge remarks how all the writs for supplies have to somehow go through Pores before the Quartermaster accepts them. He tells Pores he’ll let him know who ransacked his wagon for an all-purpose writ. Pores gives him one, and Hedge says it was Neffarias Bredd.

Skulldeath, Ruffle, Primly, Nep Furrow, Sinter, etc. pass time. Helian collapsed in the midst of their group and was taken care of tenderly by Skulldeath. Sinter wonders where her sister is and recalls the meeting with Tavore, who hadn’t objected at all to the idea, but had registered hurt at the idea of betrayal, making Sinter wonder what childhood trauma had scarred Tavore, what “rejection, betrayal that stabbed to the deepest core of you, of the innocent child you once were.” She bemoans a civilization “that could thrive only by systematically destroying” the parent-child relationship. She thinks how “We kills their world before they [children] even inherit it. We kill it before they grow old enough to know what it is.” She wishes Tavore would know she is not as alone as she thinks.

Gesler wakes far off to see Stormy still asleep by a fire, Kalyth next to him. Kalyth introduces herself as Destriant to the K’Chain Che’Malle. She claims Stormy is Shield Anvil and Gesler Mortal Sword. Gesler is about to object, but then recalls someone calling Stormy Shield Anvil, or possibly Mortal Sword. Kalyth tells him there will be war and the two of them will lead the K’Chain Che’Malle. They are fire and so were taken by Gu’rull. Gesler wakes Stormy and fill him in. Kalyth interrupts their talk to say, “They come… K’Chain Che’Malle. Army. Soon… War.” Then, “Gesler and Stormy feel the ground shake and they turn to the north. Fener’s holy crotch.” Back to top

Chapter Twenty-Three

Queen Abrastal recalls the death of an uncle and how the random events that led to it had taught her that “the world and all life in it was nothing but a blind concatenation of random occurrences. Cause and effect did nothing but map out the absurdity of things, before which even the gods were helpless.” Felash’s message had used that story of Abrastal’s uncle to warn her something big and dangerous was coming toward them. The Queen stumbles out of her ten and calls for Spax.

Spax, seeing the fear on the messenger’s face, goes to the Queen immediately.

The Queen and Spax ride to the Perish camp. Spax had discussed the idea of convergence, of power drawing power, but the Queen thinks, “what is drawing close before us, Spax, is something crueler. Random, unpredictable. Stupid in fact. The curse of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.” He tells her if she thinks to turn the Perish away she will fail. The two meet with Krughava, Tanakalian and Gall. Abrastal warns them of convergence, and Krughava’s eyes light up while Tan kalian says it isn’t the right time, they must be wrong. Krughava says the Perish will aim for the Bonehunters immediately, and Gall says the Khundryl will be in the van. Abrastal shocks Spax by informing them she and her soldiers will join them. Krughava advises against it, but Abrastal says they will anyway. Tanakalian continues to argue that the whole thing is wrong, but Krughava cuts him off and tells him he should have stayed home if he wanted to continue playing political games.

Kisswhere sees a dust cloud ahead and thinks on her message: “The Adjunct says, O Mortal Sword, that betrayal does not suit the Perish. Nor the Khundryl. Come to her she asks… there is a betrayer among you, and by that betrayer’s words, you doom the Bonehunters.” Recognizing the riders as Khundryl, she realizes they are already on their way.

Rafala leads the Khundryl scouts who come across Kisswhere, her own mission being to find the Adjunct and warn her to wait or better yet, ride south so the armies can stand together. She scoffs at the idea that anything out here can be a threat and hopes she’d at least get a chance to fight. Kisswhere eschews formality and says she needs to be taken to Gall and Krughava immediately, that the Malazans are two or three days out. They escort her south.

As she nears the army, Kisswhere worries there are too many commanders, “too many women holding skillets here.” She tells Krughava that at this pace, her army should meet the Bonehunters today sometime. She adds that seers among the Malazans believe “the threat of betrayal was judged to be very real” and that she was sent to “confirm the alliance.” Krughava goes “deathly pale,” the Queen looks at Tanakalian, and Kisswhere thinks this group already had a sense of betrayal. Gall says the Khundryl will ride on as fast as possible, and Krughava says the Perish will not betray the Malazans and are already marching as fast as they can toward them. They wonder what enemy the Bonehunters have found, but Kisswhere says she was only sent due to the fear of betrayal. Unable to evade it, Kisswhere agrees to lead the Khundryl to her army. Once away, Gall tells her he senses she was looking to desert, but if Krughava had that same sense she would have executed her. She lies and says she has no uniform so as not to give anything away, and also that her sister’s presence with the Bonehunters necessitates her return.

Masan is riding hard, looking for “ghosts” and carrying some of Aranict’s live dirt in a pouch at her side. Five T’lan Imass appear before her and say they are the ones she is looking for. She mentions there should be more, but they repeat they are the ones, those “who remain,” and pointing to her pouch, add that one of them is “incomplete.” She gives them the “dirt” and they introduce themselves as the Unbound—Urugal the Woven, Kahlb the Silent Hunter, Halad the Giant, and Thenik the Shattered. (These were the Teblor Gods in Karsa’s area and servants of the Crippled God). They say soon they will be seven again, adding that fallen kin “refuse the enemy. Some will not follow the one who leads nowhere.” When she asks if they can keep up, their reply is, “You are the banner before us, mortal,” and she thinks she’s heard something similar before. They head back.

Four leagues away, Tool stops, sensing a brief brush of stranger T’lan Imass. More distantly, he feels as well a summons from Malazans, the old claim between Kellanved and the Logros clan. Despite knowing the Malazans are in danger, he refuses the summons though, thinking, “Duty was dead. Honour was a lie—see what the Senan had done to his wife, his children.” He will not be turned aside from his goal by either the Malazans or Olar Ethil. He recalls how his body had been desecrated, how his love had been so powerful he had “witnessed the hobbling of his wife and the rapes that follow. That unable to find his children, he had at last set out for the underworld—to find his beloved Hetan, his family… And you turned me away. Toc. My friend. You turned me back, to this.” He moves on, thinking the Malazan summons would soon cease, “for evermore.”

Brys wonders at the audacity of taking an army across the Wastelands and then a desert. He still does not know the motivations for such a crossing: “No known atrocities demanding retribution, nor a declaration of hostilities from an advance empire to be answer.” He worries about what happens when soldiers believe themselves to be in the wrong: “Something breaks inside. Something howls. Something dreams of suicide… It is one thing to lead soldiers into a war. And it is one thing to send them into a war. But it is… wholly another to lead and send them into a war that is itself a crime. Are we to be so indifferent to the suffering we will inflict on our own people and upon innocent victims in unknown lands?” He focuses on the gods in his heart, those that had broken their worshipers’ souls and those who had been broken by “the mortal madness of senseless wars,” and he thinks how “the former suffered a torment of breathtaking proportions. There was, in the very end—there must be—judgment. Not upon the fallen, not upon the victims, but upon those who had orchestrated their fates.” Though he wonders if this is true or if it is his own anguish and sense of righteousness and not the gods’. He is interrupted by Aranict urgently telling him there are in the wrong place and must flee. Thunder rolls.

Keneb spots a dust cloud ahead and thinks it might be their allies. He sees Blistig coming toward him.

Banaschar notes the wind and realizes it is a warren. He is overtaken by convulsions.

Sunrise and Sweetlard rush to help Banaschar but are shaken by the thunder, and then enclosed in a wall of dust. Blood spatters Sunrise’s hands and they think someone stabbed the priest. They turn him and realize Banaschar is sweating blood all over.

Ruthan Gudd sensed something and felt a moment of terror. He rides ahead, steam rising from his sword as “the skeins of sorcery that had disguised the weapon—in layers thick and tangled with centuries of magic—had been torn away.” The sword, he realizes, is “answer [ing]” something, but he doesn’t know what. Then, as rides further out, he and his horse riming with frost, he smells something that scares him.

Fiddler is getting his soldiers lined up. When Faradan Sort asks why, saying it’s just some foreign army and they’ve already sent emissaries, Fiddler tells her get the army ready, those emissaries are already dead. She sees his eyes and snaps to it.

Bottle stands atop a wagon watching the emissaries near the other army. He sees something big up in the sky and recognizes the same smell from Stormy and Gesler’s tent. The emissaries are cut down by a blinding beam of some sort.

Sinter races to the officers. On her way she notes the other army has five or six thousand and they are inhuman and huge, while behind them the sky swarmed with flying creatures. She tells Tavore they have to retreat, “This is wrong,” but Tavore says it’s too late. Sinter says the K’Chain don’t want a fight; the Malazans are just in their way. Tavore again says it appears to be too late; the K’Chain Nah-ruk are going to engage the Malazans.

Quick Ben thinks how this whole thing is “Ill luck. Stupid, pathetic, miserable mischance. It was absurd. It was sickening beyond belief. Which gods had clutched together to spin this madness?” He’d told Tavore all he knew, that they had seen the sky keeps in the warren and knew the Nah-ruk were gathering. But who expected them here? He thinks even the gods couldn’t have set this up. He tells himself he will do what he can for as long as he could, and then he would fall, and so many will die. He tosses a bunch of acorns to the ground and looks down at the legions coming.

Ruthan Gudd, riding slightly ahead of the Malazan front line, comes within 200 paces of the Nah-ruk (40, 000 in total by his guess) and sees them as half again as tall as a man, armored, some in the front bearing club wrapped in wires and one out of every dozen or so carrying a strange ceramic pack, while those behind carry halberds or falchions. Ruthan is completely covered in ice and frost now. He hopes the Nah-ruk will see him and send their “fury” his way.

Lostara and Tavore watch Ruthan Gudd ride out. Lostara hopes Brys, and Henar Vygulf, would flee. Keneb rides toward Gudd, ignoring the horn that is meant to recall him.

Quick Ben realizes Gudd wants to draw the Nah-ruk fire so the Bonehunters will realize what they are facing. He tells Gudd to “go well.”

Keneb rides to pull Ruthan Gudd back in, thinking if he is indeed some sort of Ascendant the army needs him.

Skanarow is shocked to see that Gudd appears to be a Stormrider.

Ruthan Gudd thinks, “this Stormrider crap had better work, but gods below, it does hurt to wear.” He rides forward after sensing Keneb coming up from behind.

Fiddler and the marines watch Ruthan charge.

Ebron watches in horror as Crump sets up a bunch of shapers in his trench, telling him to spread them down the line. Crump refuses, saying they’re all he has left.

The wired clubs seems to ignite, one bolt of lighting arcing into the ceramic packs and the others striking Ruthan Gudd, engulfing him and creating a big crater. Then more lightning strikes the Malazan trenches.

Bottle sees the devastating impact. Tarr pulls him in. Keneb is ripped to pieces, and then Ebron.

After the first attack, while the Nah-ruk weapons recharge, Quick Ben whispers, “Little acorns, listen. Go for the drones—the ones with the packs. Forget the rest, for now.” Then he walks toward the Nah-ruk lines.

Ruthan Gudd and his horse climb out of the crater, Gudd thinking, “That wasn’t so bad now.” He heads for the Nah-ruk.

Fiddler tells his crossbows to aim for the nodes. Corabb yells out that Gudd is still alive and fighting amidst the Nah-ruk. Fiddler gets ranges and then they get ready to fire.

Hedge tells his group, “I don’t care what Quick thinks, he’s always had backup, he never went it alone. Ever. So that’s us, soldiers.” He tells them this is nothing and when they ask if they’re going to win, he answers, “Count on it.” A concussion comes from the Nah-ruk ranks and Fiddler tells them “That, soldiers, was Quick Ben.”

The Nah-ruk strike at Quick Ben who is all too happy to draw their fire as he shunts their bolts aside: “I ain’t Tayschrenn and this ain’t Pale. Got no one behind me, so keep throwing ‘em my way, y’damned geckos. Use it all up!” He sets the air on fire around as many as possible.

A stray bolt comes for Hedge and Sunrise steps in to take it, sacrificing himself. Fiddler tells the rest to hit the ground and wait it out, thinking, “Fuck you Quick—this ain’t Pale you know! And you ain’t Tayschrenn!”

Ruthan Gudd’s progress has slowed, and he begins to get taken down by the sheer numbers and weight of those around him. He is struck hard and all goes dark.

Fiddler’s group shoots shapers and burners, killing many. Then the Nah-ruk hit the trench.

Corabb fights a Nah-ruk.

Primly is impaled. Neller hits the Nah-ruk with a sharper, killing himself and Mulvan.

Tavore’s position is struck, killing a bunch of officers and nearly killing Lostara and Tavore. Lostara looks over to where Quick Ben had killed an entire phalanx and sees him take on another. Suddenly, from the sky a huge lighting bolt strike Quick, killing the Nah-ruk thirty paces away. The shock wave knocks Lostara to the ground. She thinks of Pearl.

Skanarow sends a messenger to Kindly telling him they need to retreat and he’s in command since Keneb is dead and she doesn’t know what Blistig is doing.

Brys takes a volunteer to get Tavore to safety. Henar offers. Brys says he will close with the Nah-ruk.

Gall sends Kisswhere to tell the Perish the Malazans are under attack, then leads the Khundryl to their aid, thinking of his wife as he does so.

Fiddler and the others are trying to perform a fighting retreat to the heavies trench. He sees Koryk killed. Cuttle tells Fiddler the retreat has been sounded and that Quick Ben was killed. Fiddler tells him to help get the squad to the heavies so they can regroup.

Bottle, lying in a trench as the Nah-ruk pass by where he’s buried under corpses, sees the wyval overhead. He thinks of his grandmother telling him not to reach too far; he sends his soul up.

Corabb makes it to the heavies trench. He’s told someone saw Tarr go down. The first trench explodes, killing a slew of Nah-ruk. Cuttle says they must have stepped on a cusser (Crumps?). They heavies head in.