“I think we should kill him,” Rue said. “I don’t like him. Look at his eyebrows. They’re odd. He’s got odd eyebrows, and I think they might be magical. He’s trying to hypnotise me with his odd, magical eyebrows.”

“Nobody is trying to hypnotise you,” Shudder said.

“We should shave them from his face and experiment on them.”

“I think the stress has finally got to our dear friend Saracen Rue,” said Ravel sadly. “He was a good man while he lasted. Annoying at times, perhaps, but a good man nonetheless.”

“I will be missed,” Rue nodded.

Noche frowned up at them. “You’re all insane.”

“You should have the measure of insanity,” said Vex, “what with all the palling around you’ve been doing with Nefarian Serpine. Why are you associating with the likes of him anyway? The Necromancers have been staying out of the war. Are you really going to join the losing side right before it ends?”

“My brothers and sisters remain neutral.”

“So it’s just you, then,” said Pleasant. “A rogue Necromancer teaming up with the last of Mevolent’s Three Generals. Why? To aid him in his escape? He’s been running from us for months, and we’re closer to him now than ever. It’s only a matter of time before we have him.”

Noche smiled, the smile adopting a certain smug quality. “But time isn’t on your side, is it? You’re absolutely right – Mevolent’s dead, Vengeous is in shackles, and the war is coming to an end. Last I heard, your Sanctuaries were talking of an amnesty. So long as the war is ended soon, and not allowed to drag out, they’ll be offering forgiveness to all of Mevolent’s followers who aren’t yet imprisoned. That’s why you’re so eager to get to Serpine – because you know that time is ticking away. If you don’t get him before the amnesties are granted, you’ll lose your chance to have your revenge. Won’t you, skeleton?”

Pleasant tilted his head in that way of his. “You’re working with him. I really don’t care why. Maybe he has something on you. Maybe you owe him. Maybe you’re just a glutton for punishment. I don’t care about you or your motives. All I want is a question answered.”

“You’ll not get any information out of me,” Noche sneered.

“We just want to know one little bit of information,” said Rue. “It’s barely worth mentioning, really. Barely worth the breath that would carry the words from my lips.”

“Just one tiny bit of information,” said Vex, “and then we’ll let you go. You can run off and we won’t tell anyone you helped us.”

“We’ll swear to it,” said Bespoke.

“Our word is our bond,” said Rue.

“Serpine,” Ravel said. “Where is he headed?”

Noche glared. “I’ll never tell.”