‘What is this?’ Kallor demanded. ‘That warren bore no sign of poison.’

‘Indeed,’ K’rul smiled. ‘It seems the illness has been pushed back from this location. Temporary, yet sufficient. Perhaps this is another lesson in the powers of faith ... which I shall endeavour to heed ...’

Itkovian’s eyes narrowed. He speaks with two meanings. One, for us. A deeper second meaning, for that man standing over there.

A moment later the large, heavy-set woman standing beside Captain Paran approached the table.

Seeing her, Kallor backed off a step.

‘Careless,’ she drawled to the warlord, who spun at her words, ‘dropping your hammer like that.’

‘Silverfox. We’d wondered if we would see you again.’

‘Yet you sent Korlat out to track me, Warlord.’

‘Only to ascertain your whereabouts and direction of travel. It appears she got lost, for she has yet to return.’

‘A temporary misdirection. My T’lan Ay now surround her and are guiding her back here. Unharmed.’

‘I am relieved to hear that. By your words, I assume that the Second Gathering has taken place.’

‘It has.’

Whiskeyjack had seen Captain Paran and was approaching him for a private word. The tall, dark-skinned man moved to join them.

‘Tell us, then,’ the warlord continued, ‘has another army joined in the proceedings?’

‘My T’lan Imass have tasks before them that will require a journey to the Pannion Domin. To your advantage, should there be more K’Chain Che’Malle K’ell Hunters, for we will deal with them.’

‘Presumably, you’ve no intention of elaborating on these tasks that you mentioned.’

‘Warlord, they are private matters, and have no bearing on you or your war.’

‘Don’t believe her,’ Kallor growled. ‘They want the Seer, for they know what he is – a Jaghut Tyrant.’

Silverfox faced Kallor. ‘And should you capture the Pannion Seer, what would you do with him? He is insane, his mind twisted by the taint of the Warren of Chaos and the Crippled God’s manipulations. Execution is the only option. Leave that to us, for we exist to kill Jaghut—’

‘Not always,’ Dujek interjected.

‘What do you mean?’

‘Did not one of your T’lan Imass accompany the Adjunct Lorn when she freed the Jaghut Tyrant south of Darujhistan?’

Silverfox looked troubled. ‘The Clanless One. Yes. An event I do not as yet understand. None the less, that Tyrant was awakened from a cursed sleep, only to die in truth—’

A new voice spoke. ‘Actually, while a little worse for wear, Raest was admirably animate the last time I saw him.’

Silverfox spun. ‘Ganoes, what do you mean? The Tyrant was slain.’

The small, round man now standing beside Captain Paran drew a handkerchief from a sleeve and mopped his brow. ‘Well, as to that ... not quite, Kruppe reluctantly advises. Matters were somewhat confused, alas—’