Through Draak ’ s manoeuvre all is held in suspension. The insects are held in abeyance while we hold their king and might harm him. And we are held strong by the threat of the Insect King ’ s release were we to fail in courage. There are still huge insects to the east that grow to resemble our children crucified, specifically to draw us close enough to snare and digest. They are creatures who know so little about their own motivations we have to fill it all in ourselves — but how does that help anything, if none of the thought processes we used to work it out, are happening in their minds when they do it? If it derives from incoherence? ’
As a lizard maiden offered purple sugar on a hand like a lilypad, Fain expressed surprise that a race of giant lizards had any trouble defeating insects. ‘ We used to eat them en masse, ’ said the King, ‘ but gorged so much we couldn ’ t stand those crunchy bastards any more. Our tongues, which were once whiplike and prehensile, have atrophied, look. ’ And he let his tongue dangle out like a rope.
‘ Still, ’ said Fain, ‘ you could squash them with those paddle-hands of yours — like that ! ’
And by way of demonstration he slapped his hand down on the throne ’ s arm-rest, forgetting that the golden Hex crouched there. The lizard saved himself by springing away and landed on the ground, becoming instantly grey. Before he knew what was happening, Fain felt the magic-binding ring clamp around his neck again.
Five minutes later Fain was walking up some wooden steps to a platform in the city square. The executioner had an axe but didn ’ t seem unhappy to see him. ‘ You ’ d better start killing me, headsman, ’ Fain squeaked, ‘ or I ’ ll be asnore on the block. Credit the next neck? ’
The green axeman ignored his bluff, roping Hex to the back of Fain ’ s neck. He pushed Fain ’ s face sideways against the rough, gravelly block so that Fain could see the lizard crowd and the King on a bier nearby.
‘ Imposter, even if we do not execute you, ’ the King called, ‘ uniformity and procedures will kill you, in a way. ’
Hearing the axe-head zing as the executioner picked it up, Fain released the most cowardly scream to have been heard in centuries. The glass obelisk shattered, releasing the form trapped inside. Unblurred and unsupported, the insectile body collapsed and was something else. Its bug-eyed head was a washbasin, a couple of sieves and some bulrushes. Its many legs were branches. Its abdomen was a barrel tipped with a spike helmet and its wings were large fans stolen from the imperial palace. A sibilant cry of cheated rage thrilled from the insect lookout on the city wall.
A thundering vibrated through the hard-caked earth and, within moments, thousands of massive brown insects poured into the city like a river of swords.
Three minutes later Fain escaped into the desert, riding on the Lizard King.
56
CHAPTER 17
In which Fain enters a city of artificial creatures
Five days later they entered a city which seemed like a gigantic machine. Buildings of hammered bronze breathed like kettles and smelt of bonfires, and whale-like boats floated through the sky. A giant living arrowhead lumbered toward Fain on carved lion ’ s feet. It was festooned with gold quincunxes and quatrefoils like a decorated general. Looking closer at this embroidered heavy ordnance, Fain was startled to see, behind a smoked glass panel in its belly, a spinning dice.
Nearby an old man dressed in an acid green harlequin uniform was busy with playing a trumpet, folding balloons and other street-emptying exploits. He was observing his own actions with apparent bafflement through smashed spectacles. His body bent like a bow, he feebly juggled silver rings and slapped them together without interest, interlinking them. Several metal people were watching his display. ‘ A vagabond in a crush hat eh? ’ said one of them.
‘ Do creatures like you
As a lizard maiden offered purple sugar on a hand like a lilypad, Fain expressed surprise that a race of giant lizards had any trouble defeating insects. ‘ We used to eat them en masse, ’ said the King, ‘ but gorged so much we couldn ’ t stand those crunchy bastards any more. Our tongues, which were once whiplike and prehensile, have atrophied, look. ’ And he let his tongue dangle out like a rope.
‘ Still, ’ said Fain, ‘ you could squash them with those paddle-hands of yours — like that ! ’
And by way of demonstration he slapped his hand down on the throne ’ s arm-rest, forgetting that the golden Hex crouched there. The lizard saved himself by springing away and landed on the ground, becoming instantly grey. Before he knew what was happening, Fain felt the magic-binding ring clamp around his neck again.
Five minutes later Fain was walking up some wooden steps to a platform in the city square. The executioner had an axe but didn ’ t seem unhappy to see him. ‘ You ’ d better start killing me, headsman, ’ Fain squeaked, ‘ or I ’ ll be asnore on the block. Credit the next neck? ’
The green axeman ignored his bluff, roping Hex to the back of Fain ’ s neck. He pushed Fain ’ s face sideways against the rough, gravelly block so that Fain could see the lizard crowd and the King on a bier nearby.
‘ Imposter, even if we do not execute you, ’ the King called, ‘ uniformity and procedures will kill you, in a way. ’
Hearing the axe-head zing as the executioner picked it up, Fain released the most cowardly scream to have been heard in centuries. The glass obelisk shattered, releasing the form trapped inside. Unblurred and unsupported, the insectile body collapsed and was something else. Its bug-eyed head was a washbasin, a couple of sieves and some bulrushes. Its many legs were branches. Its abdomen was a barrel tipped with a spike helmet and its wings were large fans stolen from the imperial palace. A sibilant cry of cheated rage thrilled from the insect lookout on the city wall.
A thundering vibrated through the hard-caked earth and, within moments, thousands of massive brown insects poured into the city like a river of swords.
Three minutes later Fain escaped into the desert, riding on the Lizard King.
56
CHAPTER 17
In which Fain enters a city of artificial creatures
Five days later they entered a city which seemed like a gigantic machine. Buildings of hammered bronze breathed like kettles and smelt of bonfires, and whale-like boats floated through the sky. A giant living arrowhead lumbered toward Fain on carved lion ’ s feet. It was festooned with gold quincunxes and quatrefoils like a decorated general. Looking closer at this embroidered heavy ordnance, Fain was startled to see, behind a smoked glass panel in its belly, a spinning dice.
Nearby an old man dressed in an acid green harlequin uniform was busy with playing a trumpet, folding balloons and other street-emptying exploits. He was observing his own actions with apparent bafflement through smashed spectacles. His body bent like a bow, he feebly juggled silver rings and slapped them together without interest, interlinking them. Several metal people were watching his display. ‘ A vagabond in a crush hat eh? ’ said one of them.
‘ Do creatures like you
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