‘You’re wondering when I’ll cut you loose so you can chase after and catch up with Paran and the Bridgeburners, and put some distance between you and Kallor. You’re also eager to get as far away from Silverfox as you can.’

Quick Ben started at this last observation, then he sighed. ‘Aye. I imagine I haven’t managed to hide my unease – at least not from you, it’s clear. The child’s grown five years or more since we arrived, Whiskeyjack – I looked in on the Mhybe this morning. Korlat’s doing what she can, as are the Rhivi shoulderwomen, but Silverfox has taken from that old woman almost her entire life-force – Hood knows what’s keeping her alive. The thought of converging T’lan Imass ain’t making me happy, either. And then there’s Anomander Rake – he wants to know all about me—’

‘Has he attempted any further probing?’

‘Not yet, but why tempt him?’

‘I need you for a while longer,’ Whiskeyjack said. ‘Ride with my entourage – we’ll keep our distance from the Son of Darkness, as best we can. Have those mercenaries in Capustan taken your bait yet?’

‘They’re playing with it.’

‘We’ll wait another week, then. If nothing, then off you go.’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘Now,’ Whiskeyjack drawled, ‘why don’t you tell me what else you’ve got going, Quick Ben?’

The mage blinked innocently. ‘Sir?’

‘You’ve visited every temple and every seer in Pale, mage. You’ve spent a small fortune on readers of the Deck. Hood, I’ve had a report of you sacrificing a goat at dawn atop a barrow – what in the Abyss were you up to with that, Quick?’

‘All right,’ the man muttered, ‘the goat thing stinks of desperation. I admit it. I got carried away.’

‘And what did the lost spirits in the barrow tell you?’

‘Nothing. There, uh, there weren’t any.’

Whiskeyjack’s eyes narrowed. ‘There weren’t any? It was a Rhivi barrow, was it not?’’

‘One of the few still remaining in the area, aye. It was, uh, cleaned out. Recently.’

‘Cleaned out?’

‘Someone or something gathered them up, sir. Never known that to happen before. It’s the strangest thing. Not a single soul remains within those barrows. I mean, where are they?’

‘You’re changing the subject, Quick Ben. Nice try.’

The mage scowled. ‘I’m doing some investigating. Nothing I can’t handle, and it won’t interfere with anything else. Besides, we’re now officially on the march, right? Not much I can do out in the middle of nowhere, is there? Besides, I have been sidetracked, sir. Those snatched spirits ... someone took them, and it’s got me curious.’

‘When you figure it out you’ll let me know, right?’

‘Of course, sir.’