As Blistig’s words trailed away, Gamet simply sighed and approached the cart to look down on the drunken old man lying on its bed. The soldiers backed away a step – as if the Fist carried a contagion.

‘So,’ Gamet drawled, ‘this is Squint. The man who killed Coltaine—’

‘Was a mercy,’ one of the guards snapped.

‘Clearly, Squint does not think so.’

There was no reply to that. Blistig arrived at the Fist’s side. ‘All right,’ he said to his squad, ‘take him and get him cleaned up – and under lock and key.’

‘Aye, sir.’

Moments later the cart was being pulled away.

Gamet faced Blistig once more. ‘Your rather unsubtle plan of getting yourself stripped of rank, shackled in irons, and sent back to Unta on the first ship, will not succeed, Commander. Neither the Adjunct, nor I, care one whit for your fragile state. We are preparing to fight a war, and for that you will be needed. You and every one of your crumple-faced soldiers.’

‘Better we’d died with the rest—’

‘But you did not. We have three legions of recruits, Commander. Wide-eyed and young but ready to shed Seven Cities blood. The question is, what do you and your soldiers intend to show them?’

Blistig glared. ‘The Adjunct makes the captain of her House Guard into a Fist, and I’m supposed to—’

‘Fourth Army,’ Gamet snapped. ‘In the 1st Company at its inception. The Wickan Wars. Twenty-three years’ service, Commander. I knew Coltaine when you were still bouncing on your mother’s knee. I took a lance through the chest but proved too stubborn to die. My commander was kind enough to retire me to what he figured was a safe position back in Unta. Aye, captain of the guard in the House of Paran. But I’d damn well earned it!’

After a long moment, a wry grin twisted Blistig’s mouth. ‘So you’re as happy to be here as I am.’

Gamet grimaced, made no reply.

The two Malazans returned to their horses.

Swinging himself onto the saddle, Gamet said, ‘We’re expecting the last transport of troops from Malaz Island some time today. The Adjunct wants all the commanders assembled in her council chambers at the eighth bell.’

‘To what end?’ Blistig asked.

If I had my way, to see you drawn and quartered. ‘Just be there, Commander.’

The vast mouth of the Menykh River was a brown, turgid swirl that reached half a league out into Aren Bay. Leaning on the transport’s starboard railing just behind the forecastle, Strings studied the roiling water below, then lifted his gaze to the city on the river’s north shore.

He rubbed at the bristles on his long jaw. The rusty hue of his beard in youth had given way now to grey ... which was a good thing as far as he was concerned.