Glokta looked up at Cosca. 'May I retort?' The Styrian gave a small smile, a stiff bow. 'Most kind. I hate to disappoint you, but the gates are in the hands of Haddish Kahdia, and several of his most committed priests. He said that he would open them to the Gurkish—what was his phrase—"when God himself commanded it." Do you have a divine visitation planned?' It was plain from Eider's face that she had not. 'As for the Citadel, it has been seized by the Inquisition, for the safety of his Majesty's loyal subjects, of course. Those are my Practicals that you can hear outside. As for Master Cosca's mercenaries—'

'At their posts on the walls, Superior, as ordered!' The Styrian snapped his heels together and gave an impeccable salute. 'They stand ready to repel any assault by the Gurkish.' He grinned down at Eider. 'I do apologise that I must leave your service at such a crucial time, Magister, but you understand that I had a better offer.'

There was a stunned pause. Vissbruck could hardly have looked more flabbergasted if he had been struck by lightning. Vurms stared around, wild-eyed. He took one more step back and Frost took a stride towards him. Magister Eider's face had drained of colour. And so the chase ends, and the foxes are at bay.

'You should hardly be surprised.' Glokta settled back comfortably in his chair. 'Nicomo Cosca's disloyalty is a legend throughout the Circle of the World. There's hardly a land under the sun in which he hasn't betrayed an employer.' The Styrian smiled and bowed once more.

'It is your wealth,' muttered Eider, 'not his disloyalty, that surprises me. Where did you get it?'

Glokta grinned. 'The world is full of surprises.'

'You fucking stupid bitch!' screamed Vurms. His steel was only halfway out before Frost's white fist crunched into his jaw and flung him senseless against the wall. Almost at the same moment the doors crashed open and Vitari burst into the room, half a dozen Practicals behind her, weapons at the ready.

'Everything alright?' she asked.

'Actually, we're just finishing up. Take out the rubbish would you, Frost?'

The albino's fingers closed around Vurms' ankle and hauled him bodily across the floor and out of the audience chamber. Eider watched his slack face slide across the tiles, then looked up at Glokta. 'What now?'

'Now the cells.'

'Then?'

'Then we'll see.' He snapped his fingers at the Practicals, jerked his thumb towards the door. Two of them tramped round the table, seized the Queen of merchants by her elbows and bundled her impassively out of the room.

'So,' asked Glokta, looking over at Vissbruck. 'Does anyone else wish to accept the ambassador's offer of surrender?'