trull stumbled forward, around the motionless form of his brother, until he reached hannan mosag. snapped a hand down and dragged the warlock king up, until he held him close. 'the throne?' trull asked in a rasp. 'you just lost it, bastard.' he flung hannan mosag back down onto the floor. 'i need to find fear. tell him,' trull said as he walked to the entranceway, 'tell him, mosag, that i went to find fear. i am sending in the others-'

rhulad spasmed behind him, then shrieked.

so be it.

the wyval clawed its way free from the barrow, dripping red-streaked mud, flanks heaving. a moment later the wraith appeared, dragging the unconscious form of a letherii man.

shurq elalle rose from where she had crouched beside ublala, stroking his brow and wondering at the stupid smile plastered on his features, and, placing her hands on her hips, surveyed the scene. five sprawled bodies, toppled trees, the stench of rotting earth. two of her employees near the facing wall of the azath tower, the mage tending to the avowed's wounds. avowed. what kind of title is that, anyway?

closer to the gate, kettle and the tall, white-skinned warrior with the two letherii swords.

impressively naked, she noted, walking over. 'if i am not mistaken,' she said to him, 'you are of the same blood as the tiste edur.'

a slight frown as he looked down upon her. 'no. i am tiste andii.'

'if you say so. now that you have finished off those... things, i take it your allegiance to the azath tower is at an end.'

he glanced over at it with his strange, red eyes. 'we were never... friends,' he said, then faintly smiled. 'but it is dead. i am not bound to anyone's service but my own.' studied her once again. 'and there are things i must do... for myself.'

kettle spoke. 'can i come with you?'

'that would please me, child,' the warrior said.

shurq elalle narrowed her eyes. 'you made a promise, didn't you?' she asked him. 'to the tower, and though it is dead the promise remains to be honoured.'

'she will be safe, so long as she chooses to remain with me,' the warrior said, nodding.

shurq looked round once more, then said, 'this city is now ruled by the tiste edur. will they take undue note of you?'

'accompanied by a wyval, a wraith and the unconscious slave he insists on keeping with him, i would imagine so.'

'best, then,' she said, 'you left letheras without being seen.'

'agreed. do you have a suggestion?'

'not yet-'

'i have...'

they turned to see the avowed and his mage, the latter lending the former his shoulder as they slowly approached. it had been iron bars who had spoken.

'you,' shurq elalle said, 'work for me, now. no volunteering allowed.'

he grinned. 'aye, but all i'm saying is they need an escort. someone who knows all the secret ways out of this city. it's the least i can do, since this tiste andii saved my life.'

'thinking of things before i do does not bode well for a good working relationship,' shurq elalle said.

'apologies, ma'am. i won't do it again, i promise.'

'you think i'm being petty, don't you?'

'of course not. after all, the undead are never petty.'

she crossed her arms. 'no? see that pit over there? there's an undead man named harlest hiding in it, waiting to scare someone with his talons and fangs.'

they all turned to study the pit in the yard of the azath tower. from which they could now hear faint singing.

'hood's balls,' iron bars muttered. 'when do we sail?'

shurq elalle shrugged. 'as soon as they let us. and who is hood?'

the white-skinned warrior replied distractedly, 'the lord of death, and yes, he has balls.'

everyone turned to stare at the warrior, who shrugged.

shurq grunted, then said. 'don't make me laugh.'

kettle pointed up. 'i like that. in your forehead, mother. i like that.'

'and let's keep it there, shall we?' fortunately, no-one seemed to grasp the significance of her comment.

the warrior said to iron bars. 'your suggestion?'

the avowed nodded.

tehol beddict, lying atop the sarcophagus, was sleeping. bugg had been staring down at him, thoughtful, when he heard the sound of footsteps almost directly behind him. he slowly swung about as the guardian emerged from the wall of water that marked the tunnel mouth.