He watched Murillio spin round once more, step past the wall’s edge and out of sight. The world spins about us unseen. The blind dance in circles. There’s no escaping what you are, and all your dreams glittered white at night, but grey in the light of day. And both are equally deadly. Who was that damned poet? The Vindictive. An orphan, he’d claimed. Wrote a thousand stories to terrify children. Was stoned by a mob in Darujhistan, which he survived. I think – that was years ago. His tales live in the streets, now. Singsong chants to accompany the games of the young.

Damned sinister, if you ask me.

He shook himself, seeking to clear his mind before stumbling into yet another pitfall of memory. Before she’d stolen his estate, before she’d destroyed him, Simtal had told him she carried his child. He wondered if that child had ever existed – Simtal fought with lies where others used knives. There’d been no announcement of any birth. Though of course the chance of his missing such an announcement was pretty much certain in those days that followed his fall. But his friends would have known. Would have told him, if not then, then now ...

Murillio stepped into view.

‘A moment there,’ Coll growled.

‘Now what? The beetle flipped on its back? The worm circling the hole?’

‘A question, Murillio.’

‘All right, if you insist.’

‘Did you ever hear tell of a child born to Simtal?’

He watched his friend’s face slowly close, the eyes narrowing. ‘That is a question not to be asked in this temple, Coll.’

‘I’m asking it none the less.’

‘I do not think you’re ready—’

‘Not for you to judge and you should know better, Murillio. Dammit, I’ve been sitting on the Council for months! And I’m still not ready? What absurdity is—’

‘All right all right! It’s just this: there’s only rumours.’

‘Don’t lie to me.’

‘I’m not. There was a span of more than a few months – just after your, uh, demise – when she made no public appearance. Explained away as mourning, of course, though everyone knew—’

‘Yes, I know what everyone knew. So she hid out for a time. Go on.’

‘Well, we believed she was consolidating her position. Behind the scenes. Rallick was keeping an eye on her. At least I think he was. He’d know more.’

‘And you two never discussed the details of what she was up to, what she looked like? Murillio—’

‘Well, what would Rallick know of mothering?’

‘When they’re with child, their bellies swell and their breasts get bigger. I’m sure our assassin friend has seen one or two so-afflicted women on Darujhistan’s streets – did he just think they were eating melons whole?’

‘No need to be sarcastic, Coll. All I’m saying is, he wasn’t sure.’