‘The only thing hungry and thirsty here is you, Envy.’

‘I told you. I’m older than I look.’ The serpents sank back beneath the skin of her arms and she beckoned. ‘Forget Jinia. I’m much better, Wreneck. With my help, we can banish those old spirits. Back into the black earth. Give yourself to me and I’ll keep you for ever, and as for those soldiers who hurt you and raped Jinia, well, with me at your side, Wreneck, we’ll show them such agony as to shatter their souls.’

‘I’d rather use my spear.’

‘You won’t get close to them.’

‘Lord Anomander will help me.’

‘That pompous fool? He’s frightened of sorcery. I once thought he might be worthy of me, but he isn’t. Sorcery, Wreneck. A new world is coming, and there will be beings in it with such power as to topple mountains—’

‘Why?’

She frowned. ‘Why what?’

‘Why topple mountains?’

‘Because we can! To show our power!’

‘Why do you have to do something just because you can? Why do you have to show your power if you already have it anyway? Aren’t you even more powerful when you don’t bother toppling mountains, when you don’t bother showing off?’

Envy scowled at him. ‘Those old gods are feeding on you,’ she said. ‘Give yourself to me, Wreneck, and together we’ll turn on them. We’ll feed on them instead. We’ll devour them and take their power. With sorcery you can get to those soldiers, no matter where they’re hiding. More to the point, Wreneck, they won’t be able to hide at all.’ She rose and moved down a step. ‘We could go straight to them. We could leave tonight with none to stop us.’

‘I need my spear—’

‘I’ll make you a new one.’

‘I don’t want a new one.’

Her small hands curled into fists. ‘Are you going to mess up everything I’m promising you on account of a damned spear?’

‘Anyway,’ said Wreneck, ‘Ivis said Lord Anomander was going to talk to the Azathanai about catching you and your sister.’

Envy’s eyes narrowed. ‘I’ve told you too much.’

The serpents of flame reappeared. Writhing, they shot out from her hands, the snake-jaws stretching wide.

Something roiled up in front of Wreneck, luminous and billowing. The twin snakes sank their fangs into it, and Wreneck was rocked back as a scream arced through his skull. He felt the death of the old god like a fist to his chest. All breath knocked from his lungs, he fell against the blackwood door.

Something upon the other side of that door hammered into it, rattling the frame and spilling wet grit from the ceiling. The impact jolted Wreneck and he sagged, stunned and helpless.

Envy struck again, the snakes lashing out.

Another god intervened, took the wounds, and died in agony.

Laughing, Envy stepped down on to the landing. ‘I’ll kill them all, Wreneck! Unless you surrender to me!’