‘Is it time to weave again?’ asked Sark. He put his hand to his forehead and kneaded his brow. ‘I don’t think I’m strong enough. I feel like everything is slipping away. Everything is dark at the edges, Goran. Closing in on me. When I weave, I walk out into the darkness, Goran. Into dark places. It’s very lonely. I don’t want to go back out there any more.’

‘You always say that…’ Gobleka said soothingly.

Sark looked at him sharply through the bars. Anger spiked in him.

‘Because it’s true!’ he cried. ‘How many years have I spent in the dark now? Eh? It feels like centuries. These brief moments of light and wakefulness are too rare. I have sacrificed my life for the King, Gobleka. My life.’

‘Then you won’t want that sacrifice to be in vain, will you?’ asked Gobleka.

‘What do you mean by that?’ asked Sark.

‘I haven’t roused you to weave, magos,’ said Gobleka. ‘There’s more weaving to be done, but not today. The hall is under threat.’

‘Threat?’

‘The Inquisition has found us,’ said Gobleka.

‘How the hell could they have done?’ asked Sark, horrified. ‘Keshtre is extimate. It is hidden from all, unless I invite them in. I have taken great pains–’

‘And now you must take greater ones,’ said Gobleka. ‘Gregor Eisenhorn is here. In this tower. He will undo all you have done. Your life’s work. You must start the Loom. You must find him and speak out the means to nullify him.’

‘Eisenhorn,’ said Sark quietly. ‘Really here?’

‘Yes.’

‘I never thought he’d have the guile to get this close,’ said Sark. He glanced at Gobleka. ‘You’re right, of course, Goran. He must be purged. Are there materials to hand?’

‘Some,’ said Gobleka. ‘A few bodies in storage. Failed test subjects, ones we haven’t disposed of yet. Some other corpses too. You’ll find them once you start.’

‘Go open up storage, Goran,’ Sark said. He knelt down and looked at Gobleka through the bars.

‘Do you want him dead, Goran?’ he asked. ‘Or do you want him to suffer first?’

‘Oh, I want him to suffer, magos,’ said Gobleka, ‘but I don’t want him dead. I want him helpless. Deprived of his abilities.’

‘He’s too dangerous to toy with, Goran.’

‘Think how we can use him,’ said Gobleka.

‘Use him?’

‘You want the dreams to end, don’t you?’ Gobleka asked. ‘You want to be free of that cage? This is how.’

A sad smile crossed the magos’ face.

‘Goran,’ he said. ‘You should have led with that. This will be a pleasure.’

He closed his eyes and raised his hands. Quietly at first, the words started to issue from his mouth. Half-words, un-words, formless words. He began to speak them faster and more loudly.