It was Korsten dan Vurms who lost patience first. 'Superior Glokta,' he snapped. 'We appreciate your thoroughness in presenting yourself here, but I am sure you have urgent business to attend to. We certainly do.'

'Of course.' Glokta hobbled back to the table with exaggerated slowness as if he were leaving the room. Then he slid out a chair and lowered himself into it, wincing at the pain in his leg. 'I will try to keep my comments to a minimum, at least to begin with.'

'What?' said Vissbruck.

'Who is this fellow?' demanded the Lord Governor, craning forwards and squinting with his weak eyes. 'What is going on here?'

His son was more direct. 'What the hell do you think you're doing?' he demanded. 'Are you mad?' Haddish Kahdia began to chuckle softly to himself. At Glokta, or at the rage of the others, it was impossible to say.

'Please, gentlemen, please.' Magister Eider spoke softly, patiently. 'The Superior has only just arrived, and is perhaps ignorant of how we conduct business in Dagoska. You must understand that your predecessor did not attend these meetings. We have been governing this city successfully for several years, and—'

'The Closed Council disagrees.' Glokta held up the King's writ between two fingers. He let everyone look at it for a moment, making sure they could see the heavy seal of red and gold, then he flicked it across the table.

The others stared over suspiciously as Carlot dan Eider picked up the document, unfolded it and started to read. She frowned, then raised one well-plucked eyebrow. 'It seems that we are the ignorant ones.'

'Let me see that!' Korsten dan Vurms snatched the paper out of her hands and started to read it. 'It can't be,' he muttered. 'It can't be!'

'I'm afraid that it is.' Glokta treated the assembly to his toothless leer. 'Arch Lector Sult is most concerned. He has asked me to look into the disappearance of Superior Davoust, and also to examine the city's defences. To examine them carefully, and to ensure that the Gurkish stay on the other side of them. He has instructed me to use whatever measures I deem necessary.' He gave a significant pause. 'Whatever… measures.'

'What is that?' grumbled the Lord Governor. 'I demand to know what is going on!'

Vissbruck had the paper now. 'The King's writ,' he breathed, mopping his sweaty forehead on the back of his sleeve, 'signed by all twelve chairs on the Closed Council. It grants full powers!' He laid it down gently on the inlaid table-top, as though worried it might suddenly burst into flames. 'This is—'