Paran’s head snapped around, found the warlord. And the hammer held so lightly in his massive arms. I know you now, Warlord. Not that I’ll reveal your dark secret – what would be the point in that? The choice is yours and yours alone. Kill us ail, or the goddess you serve. Brood, I do not envy the curse of your privilege to choose. Oh, I do not, you poor bastard. Still, what is the price of a broken vow?

The Son of Darkness continued. ‘My apologies to one and all. As this man,’ Rake gestured towards Quick Ben, ‘has wisely noted, to act now – knowing so little of the nature of the powers revealed here – would indeed be precipitous.’

‘It may already be too late,’ Kallor said, his flat, ancient eyes fixed on Silverfox. ‘The child’s sorcery was Tellann, and it has been a long time since it has been so thoroughly awakened. We are now all of us in peril. A combined effort, begun immediately, might succeed in cutting down this creature – we may never again possess such an opportunity.’

‘And should we fail, Kallor?’ Anomander Rake asked. ‘What enemy will we have made for ourselves? At the moment this child has acted to defend herself, nothing more. Not an inimical stance, is it? You risk too much in a single cast, High King.’

‘Finally,’ boomed Caladan Brood, returning the dreaded, all-breaking hammer to its harness, ‘the notion of strategy arrives.’ The anger remained in his voice, as if he was furious at having to state what to him had been obvious all along. ‘Neutrality remains the soundest course open to us, until the nature of Silverfox’s power reveals itself. We’ve enough enemies on our plate as it is. Now, enough of the drama, if you please. Welcome back, Rake. No doubt you’ve information to impart regarding the status of Moon’s Spawn, among other details of note.’ He faced Paran with sudden exasperation. ‘Captain, can you not do something about that damned floating table!’

Flinching at the attention, Paran stared up at it. ‘Well,’ he managed, ‘nothing immediately comes to mind, Warlord. Uh, I’m no mage—’

Brood grunted, swung away. ‘Never mind, then. We’ll consider it a crass ornament.’

Quick Ben cleared his throat. ‘I might be able to manage something, Warlord, in time ...’

Caladan glanced at Dujek, who grinned and nodded his permission to Quick Ben.

‘Not simply a soldier, I see,’ Anomander Rake said.

The Seven Cities mage shrugged. ‘I appreciate challenges, Lord. No guarantee that I’ll have any success, mind you – no, do not quest towards me, Son of Darkness. I value my privacy.’

‘As you wish,’ Rake said, turning away.

‘Is anyone else hungry?’

All eyes turned to Kruppe.