If Bauchelain had triggered unease in the captain, then this man – his broad, round face, his eyes buried in puffed flesh and wide full-lipped mouth set slightly downturned at the corners, a face both childlike and ineffably monstrous – sent ripples of fear through Gruntle. Once again, the sensation was wholly instinctive, as if Bauchelain and his partner exuded an aura somehow tainted.

‘No wonder the cat had palpitations,’ the captain muttered under his breath. He pulled his gaze from Korbal Broach and studied the crater.

Bauchelain moved to stand beside him. ‘Do you understand what you are seeing, Captain?’

‘Aye, I’m no fool. It’s a hole in the ground.’

‘Amusing. A barrow once stood here. Within it was chained a Jaghut Tyrant.’

‘Was.’

‘Indeed. A distant empire meddled, or so I gather. And, in league with a T’lan Imass, they succeeded in freeing the creature.’

‘You give credence to the tales, then,’ Gruntle said. ‘If such an event occurred, then what in Hood’s name happened to it?’

‘We wondered the same, Captain. We are strangers to this continent. Until recently, we’d never heard of the Malazan Empire, nor the wondrous city called Darujhistan. During our all too brief stay there, however, we heard stories of events just past. Demons, dragons, assassins. And the Azath house named Finnest, which cannot be entered yet, seems to be occupied none the less – we paid that a visit, of course. More, we’d heard tales of a floating fortress, called Moon’s Spawn, that once hovered over the city—’

‘Aye, I’d seen that with my own eyes. It left a day before I did.’

Bauchelain sighed. ‘Alas, it appears we have come too late to witness for ourselves these dire wonders. A Tiste Andii lord rules Moon’s Spawn, I gather.’

Gruntle shrugged. ‘If you say so. Personally, I dislike gossip.’

Finally, the man’s eyes hardened.

The captain smiled inwardly.

‘Gossip. Indeed.’

‘This is what you wanted to show me, then? This ... hole?’

Bauchelain raised an eyebrow. ‘Not precisely. This hole is but the entrance. We intend to visit the Jaghut tomb that lies below it.’

‘Oponn’s blessing to you, then,’ Gruntle said, turning away.

‘I imagine,’ the man said behind him, ‘that your master would urge you to accompany us.’

‘He can urge all he likes,’ the captain replied. ‘I wasn’t contracted to sink in a pool of mud.’

‘We’ve no intention of getting covered in mud.’

Gruntle glanced back at him, crooked a wry grin. ‘A figure of speech, Bauchelain. Apologies if you misunderstood.’ He swung round again and made his way towards the trail. Then he stopped. ‘You wanted to see Moon’s Spawn, sirs?’ He pointed.

Like a towering black cloud, the basalt fortress stood just above the south horizon.

Boots crunched on the ragged gravel, and Gruntle found himself standing between the two men, both of whom studied the distant floating mountain.

‘Scale,’ Bauchelain muttered, ‘is difficult to determine. How far away is it?’

‘I’d guess a league, maybe more. Trust me, sirs, it’s close enough for my tastes. I’ve walked its shadow in Darujhistan – hard not to for a while there – and believe me, it’s not a comforting feeling.’