Malaz took so many.
After a time Laseen nodded to herself as if ending an internal conversation. She cleared her throat. ‘I want you to personally look into a number of recent things that have been troubling me. Domestic disturbances. Reports of strengthened regional voices.’
‘And the disappearances in the Imperial Warren … ?’ He'd heard much talk of this from the Claw ranks.
‘No. I'm sending no more into that Abyss.’
‘I believe it's haunted. We know almost nothing of it, truth be told.’
‘It's always been unreliable. It's these rumours from the provinces that trouble me. Is anyone behind all the troubles? Who? Put as many on it as it takes. I must know who it is.’
Possum gave a slight bow of the head. So, internal dissent. Rising graft and perhaps even feuding within the administrative ranks. An emboldened nationalist voice here. A large border raid there. Old tribal animosities rekindled. And the Imperial Warren becoming increasingly dangerous. Connected? By whom? She is worried. She is wondering. Could it be them ? After so long? Was it now because she is alone?
Or, Possum considered with an internal sneer, could it simply be plain old boredom on their part?
He stopped because Laseen had slowed and halted. She glanced to him. ‘We once were friends you know,’ she said, almost reflective. ‘That is, I thought we understood each other …’ She looked away, the crow's feet at the corners of her eyes tight.
So why did she do it? Why did she betray you? Is that what you're wondering? Or, what did they know that you do not?
Laseen's jaw line hardened. ‘So. You brought her down. Very good. I didn't think—’
‘That I could?’
Laseen blinked. Her lips drew tight and thin. ‘That she would go so quietly.’
Possum shrugged. ‘I surprised her.’
Her gaze snapped to him, sidelong. Possum refused to acknowledge the attention. Let her imagine what she may. Had she not been his right hand? Was he now not hers ? Let her wonder, and consider.
Without a word the Empress moved on. Possum followed.
Atop a wall of Reacher's Square a spiked skull laughed but no one heard.
* * *
Ereko and Traveller had left behind the mountains and descended south into the vast leagues of evergreen forest when they met the first brigands. Ereko was not surprised when these men treated with Traveller, for though they were robbers and cutthroats he knew they were still men all the same and so craved company and news of the outside world here in their isolated mountain retreats.
They wore rotting pelts, the remains of smoke-cured leather leggings and shirts, and a mishmash of looted armour fittings and weapons. Pickings, so they appeared to Ereko, were painfully thin here along this desolate pass. To his sensitive nose they stank worse than animals. Traveller crouched at their fire to exchange news.
Ereko kept to the rear, erect, arms crossed. Traveller had told him he loomed much more imposing in this manner. He watched the men eye him up and down impressed, he hoped, by his height – at least twice their squat malnourished measure. But he had walked long enough among humans to know their thoughts; in their shared sly looks he could see them considering that anyone, no matter what their astonishing size or kind, falls down if you put enough holes in them.
‘Late in the season to be coming down from Juorilan,’ said their chief. Grime and grease painted his face nearly black. His beard shone with oil and was shot through with grey. His long black hair was drawn up and tied with a leather thong at the top of his head. ‘Does the Council still claim Jasston, and deny passage to Damos Bay to all?’
‘That is so,’ allowed Traveller.
‘And this one here with you,’ the chieftain pointed the honed knife he played with in Ereko's direction. ‘I have met Thelomen. Even Toblakai. He is not of those. He is far too tall. What is he?’
Traveller glanced back over his shoulder. Ereko saw no humour in the man's dark-blue
After a time Laseen nodded to herself as if ending an internal conversation. She cleared her throat. ‘I want you to personally look into a number of recent things that have been troubling me. Domestic disturbances. Reports of strengthened regional voices.’
‘And the disappearances in the Imperial Warren … ?’ He'd heard much talk of this from the Claw ranks.
‘No. I'm sending no more into that Abyss.’
‘I believe it's haunted. We know almost nothing of it, truth be told.’
‘It's always been unreliable. It's these rumours from the provinces that trouble me. Is anyone behind all the troubles? Who? Put as many on it as it takes. I must know who it is.’
Possum gave a slight bow of the head. So, internal dissent. Rising graft and perhaps even feuding within the administrative ranks. An emboldened nationalist voice here. A large border raid there. Old tribal animosities rekindled. And the Imperial Warren becoming increasingly dangerous. Connected? By whom? She is worried. She is wondering. Could it be them ? After so long? Was it now because she is alone?
Or, Possum considered with an internal sneer, could it simply be plain old boredom on their part?
He stopped because Laseen had slowed and halted. She glanced to him. ‘We once were friends you know,’ she said, almost reflective. ‘That is, I thought we understood each other …’ She looked away, the crow's feet at the corners of her eyes tight.
So why did she do it? Why did she betray you? Is that what you're wondering? Or, what did they know that you do not?
Laseen's jaw line hardened. ‘So. You brought her down. Very good. I didn't think—’
‘That I could?’
Laseen blinked. Her lips drew tight and thin. ‘That she would go so quietly.’
Possum shrugged. ‘I surprised her.’
Her gaze snapped to him, sidelong. Possum refused to acknowledge the attention. Let her imagine what she may. Had she not been his right hand? Was he now not hers ? Let her wonder, and consider.
Without a word the Empress moved on. Possum followed.
Atop a wall of Reacher's Square a spiked skull laughed but no one heard.
* * *
Ereko and Traveller had left behind the mountains and descended south into the vast leagues of evergreen forest when they met the first brigands. Ereko was not surprised when these men treated with Traveller, for though they were robbers and cutthroats he knew they were still men all the same and so craved company and news of the outside world here in their isolated mountain retreats.
They wore rotting pelts, the remains of smoke-cured leather leggings and shirts, and a mishmash of looted armour fittings and weapons. Pickings, so they appeared to Ereko, were painfully thin here along this desolate pass. To his sensitive nose they stank worse than animals. Traveller crouched at their fire to exchange news.
Ereko kept to the rear, erect, arms crossed. Traveller had told him he loomed much more imposing in this manner. He watched the men eye him up and down impressed, he hoped, by his height – at least twice their squat malnourished measure. But he had walked long enough among humans to know their thoughts; in their shared sly looks he could see them considering that anyone, no matter what their astonishing size or kind, falls down if you put enough holes in them.
‘Late in the season to be coming down from Juorilan,’ said their chief. Grime and grease painted his face nearly black. His beard shone with oil and was shot through with grey. His long black hair was drawn up and tied with a leather thong at the top of his head. ‘Does the Council still claim Jasston, and deny passage to Damos Bay to all?’
‘That is so,’ allowed Traveller.
‘And this one here with you,’ the chieftain pointed the honed knife he played with in Ereko's direction. ‘I have met Thelomen. Even Toblakai. He is not of those. He is far too tall. What is he?’
Traveller glanced back over his shoulder. Ereko saw no humour in the man's dark-blue
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