‘Forgive me, milord, but I don’t understand any of this. Have the Shake declared war? Is this man here at Sheccanto’s behest? True, a god died, but the blame for that must surely belong to the Azathanai, T’riss.’ Kellaras eyed the prisoner. ‘Caplo Dreem, who sent you?’

‘No one.’

Kellaras mused on that reply, and found no falsity in it. ‘Where did Warlock Resh go, when he and that Warden vanished at the Terondai?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘Then neither had knowledge of your intentions?’

Caplo grinned, moving to sit up with his back against the wall. ‘I had a suspicion. They knew that much.’

‘A suspicion? Regarding what?’

‘Oddly enough, though I found the truth of it, I find myself subsequently reluctant to pronounce it. I have,’ he added, closing his eyes as he rested his head against the wall, ‘made revision.’

‘Please explain what that means,’ Kellaras said.

‘I was in error. Not every truth is a crime. Though,’ he blinked open his eyes and smiled up at Kellaras, ‘too many of them are. Still, not this time. Foolish me, but then, ignorance is a poor excuse for anything, and I’ll not hide behind it.’

‘Do you expect to live, Caplo Dreem?’

The man shrugged, and then winced at his wounds.

Silchas Ruin growled under his breath. ‘A slain Houseblade of House Purake. Confound the rest, but this crime stands unchallenged.’

‘With regret.’

The lord settled one white hand upon his grip of the sword at his side. Iron began sliding from the scabbard, then halted at a sound from the doorway behind them.

‘Belay that, lord,’ said Emral Lanear, stepping into the now crowded cell. Kellaras saw the priest, Endest Silann, edge in behind her, his hands devoid of cloth or bandage, the wounds dripping freely to paint his fingers. His face belonged to that of an aged man.

‘House Purake claims the right of punishment,’ Silchas Ruin said to the High Priestess.

‘No doubt,’ she replied, eyeing Caplo Dreem. ‘But I would question him first.’

‘You waste your time,’ Silchas replied. ‘He is all riddles.’

‘I have no interest in Mother Dark,’ said Caplo Dreem to Lanear. ‘I have never represented a threat to her.’

‘And yet, you trespass.’

‘My argument was with Lord Draconus. We had it out, and now we are done with each other.’

‘With at least one corpse in your wake,’ she pointed out.

‘Release him,’ said Endest Silann.

All turned to face the priest. The command seemed to have momentarily left Silchas Ruin speechless. Emral Lanear glanced back at her companion. ‘By your command, Endest?’

‘No,’ he replied.

‘She makes her wishes known to you? You had led me to believe that Mother Dark’s attendance upon you yielded nothing of her will. Has that changed?’

‘Draconus is wounded, and this angers her,’ Endest replied. ‘Nonetheless, Caplo Dreem is to be banished from Kharkanas. That is all.’