‘Indeed. Finally, my last set of borrowed memories – the most confusing of all. An assassin’s. Once mortal, then Ascendant. Assassins bow to the altar of efficiency, Icarium, and efficiency is brutal. It sacrifices mortal lives without a second thought, all for whatever is perceived as the greater need. At least it was so in the case of Dancer, who did not kill for coin, but for a cause that was less self-aggrandizing than you might think. In his mind, he was a man who fixed things. He viewed himself as honourable. A man of integrity, was Dancer. But efficiency is a cold-blooded master. And there’s a final irony. A part of him, in defiance of his need to seek vengeance upon Laseen, actually . .. sympathizes. After all, she bowed to what she perceived as a greater need – one of Empire – and chose to sacrifice two men she called friends to answer that need.’

‘Within you, then, is chaos.’

‘Aye, Icarium. Such are memories in full flood. We are not simple creatures. You dream that with memories will come knowledge, and from knowledge, understanding. But for every answer you find, a thousand new questions arise. All that we were has led us to where we are, but tells us little of where we’re going. Memories are a weight you can never shrug off.’

A stubborn tone was evident as Icarium muttered, ‘A burden I would accept nonetheless.’

‘Let me offer some advice. Do not say that to Mappo, unless you wish to further break his heart.’

The Trell’s blood was a thunder coursing through him, his chest aching with a breath held overlong.

‘I do not understand,’ Icarium said quietly after a time, ‘but I would never do that, lass.’

Mappo let the air loose, slowly, struggling to control himself. He felt tears run crooked tracks from the corners of his eyes.

‘I do not understand.’ This time, the words were a whisper.

‘Yet you wish to.’

There was no reply to that. A minute passed, then there came to Mappo sounds of movement. ‘Here, Icarium,’ Apsalar said, ‘dry those eyes. Jhag never weep.’

Sleep eluded Mappo and, he suspected, there were others among the group for whom rest offered no surcease from tortured thoughts. Only Iskaral Pust seemed at ease, if his groaning snores were any indication.

Before long, Mappo heard the sounds of movement once again, and Icarium spoke in a calm, measured voice. ‘It is time.’

They broke camp swiftly. Mappo was still drawing the ties of his sack when Fiddler set out, a soldier approaching a battlefield, cautious yet determined. The High Priest of Shadow bounded after him. As Icarium prepared to follow, Mappo reached out and gripped the Jhag’s arm.

‘My friend, Azath Houses seek to imprison all who possess power – do you fathom what you risk?’

Icarium smiled. ‘Not just me, Mappo. You ever underestimate yourself, what you have become after all these centuries. We must trust in the Azath understanding that we mean no harm, if we intend to continue onward.’