They nodded, Tarfel whey-faced, Whisper calm but focused.

‘Let’s go.’

Chel took a deep breath, steeled himself against the shiver of the night air, and stepped out from behind the wagon to find himself face to face with Nadej.

***

The leaf-chewing Bakani captain of Gold Peak Company wasn’t looking at him. She was looking straight at Tarfel, one pace behind, who seemed to glow waxen in the torchlight.

‘Fuck me, the runt prince. Jaul, it’s the fucking runt prince. He just … walked right into us.’

The enormous man behind her grunted in appropriate astonishment.

‘Nadej,’ Chel said, then realized he had nothing to add. Rennic’s words upstairs had acquired deeper meaning. They are coming for you. Everyone. That’s what Grassi had told him. Had all the mercenaries made their choice?

Nadej twitched a look at him, her head snapping around like a bird’s. ‘That’s Captain Nadej to you, commander of the 11th Legion of the Merciful Shepherd. Or at least I will be, when I hand them this quivering quim. Who the fuck are you?’ Her eyes moved fast in the darkness, never still, taking in Chel and Whisper, now standing protectively in front of the prince. ‘You were at the Gracechurch. Both of you. The runt’s minders. Hand him over and you walk away with all your parts still attached.’

‘It was you. Tipped off the confessors about the extraordinary council.’

She scoffed. ‘Fuck, no. That was Fest, the sleazy prick. Always one to hedge his bets, old Fest. Not that you can blame him.’

Chel balled his fists. ‘What are you doing here? Why are you hunting him? The tide is about to turn, in another few weeks the confessors will be on the run. You should be fighting beside us!’

‘Horseshit,’ Nadej snarled. ‘There’s one game left in town, and it wears red robes. Those tome-fuckers made it abundantly clear that we go their way or go the way of the Keys.’

‘And which way was that?’

‘Immo-fucking-lation. Hard to keep a company together after an offer like that. Most of my people deserted straight to them, took up the confessor’s cloth in a heartbeat. The others fled. Those of us left, we take what’s offered, and we keep our eyes open. I’ll tell you one thing, there’s a damned sight better chance of ascension if we come bearing gifts than when they reel in our chain. And they will.’

‘What are you doing with all that witchfire? Ascending?’

‘It’s called black powder, you ape. And we’re doing what we’re told, something you might care to try.’

‘You don’t understand, Nadej. The south is about to erupt. Reavers, tribes, free city rebellions – the church army will be torn apart.’

Nadej raised her hands, exasperated. ‘You fucking people. Who cares? Reavers pillaging the south-west, tribes the south-east, good fucking luck to them. They’ll all be ash come summer.’