‘I must speak with Konrad,’ Sanguinius said.

The Lion snorted with surprise. ‘You think he will convince me?’

‘No,’ said Sanguinius. ‘Nevertheless, I would speak with him.’

The Lion shrugged. ‘My decision is made.’ As Sanguinius reached the strategium’s door, the Lion said, ‘I will take action. Without delay.’

‘You will be wrong to do so,’ Sanguinius said, and left.

He saw the future again. The barrier to his vision fell when the brain-piercing whine had ceased. There was certainty again. The charnel house of the universe unfolded before him, every step known in the moment before it arrived. There was no comfort in this. There was no comfort in anything. Comfort was the delusion of the weak. There was, though, satisfaction. Curze could look upon the morbid farce of time and once again share in the humour.

For a long period, humour was all he had. The moments succeeded each other without change. The ship travelled. It entered the warp. It translated back into the materium. Curze sensed the changes, but they meant nothing. His cell might as well have been a stasis field. Anonymous guards changed shifts. The Lion did not return to speak with him. Time stagnated. There were no actions for Curze to take, no decisions in the physical limbo.

At last, limbo ended. He looked up, cracked lips peeling back over the stumps of his teeth. Before the boot-steps sounded, the Night Haunter was smiling. This was much better than a second conversation with the Lion. Much better.

The cell door ground open and Sanguinius entered. He stood before Curze, saying nothing.

Don’t you know how to begin, brother? Curze thought. Then let me help you. ‘So,’ he said, ‘you have come to free me.’

‘Have I?’

‘Do you doubt my insight?’

‘I doubt your honesty.’

‘You know better than that. I have never lied to you, Sanguinius. The truth is a great weapon.’ He twitched his fingers, numb from the pressure of the manacles. He wanted his claws. They were the truth given form. They cut as it did. They were as deaf to entreaty. Still, the truth of darkness was always there. It was always his. And in the end, it would do the cutting, the severing and the slaughter, whether he was able to pronounce it or not.

‘Do you know where we are?’ Sanguinius asked.

‘The Lion did not consult me about the itinerary,’ Curze said. And then he heard Sanguinius’ next words in his mind before the Angel spoke them.

‘We are in orbit over Davin.’

‘Ah. I’m fascinated to see why that is the reason you’re going to free me.’

Sanguinius ignored him. ‘What is down there?’ he asked.

‘Haven’t you taken the trouble to scan? Roboute must have. I would check with him.’

‘The scans show nothing. What is waiting for us there, Konrad?’