'It is meant to be. It was the most savage punishment our savage forebears could dream up. Reserved for those who attempt harm to the royal person. Not carried out, I understand, for some eighty years.'

'Hence the crowd.'

Glokta shrugged. 'It's a curiosity, but you always get a good showing for an execution. People love to see death. It reminds them that however mean, however low, however horrible their lives become… at least they have one.'

Glokta felt a tap on his shoulder and looked round, with some pain, to see Severard's masked face hovering just behind him. 'I dealt with that thing. That thing about Vitari.'

'Huh. And?'

Severard's eyes slid suspiciously sideways to Ardee, then he leaned forward to whisper in Glokta's ear. 'I followed her to a house, down below Gait's Green, near the market there.'

'I know it. And?'

'I took a peek in through a window.'

Glokta raised an eyebrow. 'You're enjoying this, aren't you? What was in there?'

'Children.'

'Children?' muttered Glokta.

'Three little children. Two girls and a boy. And what colour do you suppose their hair was?'

You don't say. 'Not flaming red, by any chance?'

'Just like their mother.'

'She's got children?' Glokta licked thoughtfully at his gums. 'Who'd have thought it?'

'I know. I thought that bitch had a block of ice for a cunt.'

That explains why she was so keen to get back from the South. All that time, she had three little ones waiting. The mothering instinct. How terribly touching. He wiped some wet from beneath his stinging left eye. 'Well done, Severard, this could be useful. What about that other thing? The Prince's guard?'

Severard lifted his mask for a moment and scratched underneath it, eyes darting nervously around. 'That's a strange one. I tried but… it seems he's gone missing.'

'Missing?'

'I spoke to his family. They haven't seen him since the day before the Prince died.'

Glokta frowned. 'The day before?' But he was there… I saw him. 'Get Frost, and Vitari too. Get me a list of everyone who was in the palace that night. Every lord, every servant, every soldier. I am getting to the truth of this.' One way or another.

'Did Sult tell you to?'

Glokta looked round sharply. 'He didn't tell me not to. Just get it done.'