‘We must agree this evening, sisters and brothers, we must reach common understanding. Tonight, we are gathered to select a new watcher, a new strategist, a new spymaster. A new leader. I know that we all have our preferred candidates, but again I stress what matters most is the survival and regrowth of our movement, that we can bring others to our cause, unite the lands, and throw off once and for all the yoke of subjugation!’

This got cheers, although they seemed guarded. Chel wondered if everyone was thinking of their preferred candidates. He glanced at Tarfel to see how he was taking the talk of subjugation, but the prince remained hidden beneath his hood.

‘First, a moment’s silence for our fallen comrades.’

The pit fell silent, its congregation bowing heads and making the sign of the crook.

‘Fuck ’em!’

The voice came from above, somewhere on the upper gantry, and shattered the silence like a hammer.

‘They were twats, they fucked up, and they died.’ The voice was descending, coming down the stairs into the firelight. ‘We shouldn’t be celebrating them, we should be spitting on their fucking names.’

A gobbet of something green arced from the stairs into a nearby brazier, hissing in the coals.

‘They could have taken care of that fuck-stick prince, carved through those royal bastards and their lapdog clergy, emptied that fucking citadel in rivers of blood. They failed. And we all suffered as a result. If they’d done what they should’ve, there would have been no purge. Nobody would have died. Nobody who didn’t fucking deserve it!’

The figure neared the bottom of the stairs, others following behind. Armed men and women. Murmurs of agreement sounded again, the growl returning.

‘I should know. I saw it. I was there. And I won’t make the same mistake.’

Spider stepped into the light.

Rennic was halfway to his feet when Chel’s arm hauled him back. The big man rounded on him, eyes boiling with rage. ‘What the f—’

‘The prince!’ Chel snarled, his voice a hoarse whisper against the hubbub. ‘Who knows what Spider will do if he sees him?’

Rennic matched his whisper. Chel had never been more conscious of the vivid blood vessels at the fringes of the man’s eyeballs. ‘That fucker left us to die.’

‘I remember! Just keep a lid on yourself until he’s said his piece and buggered off, then you can take it up with him at your leisure. For both of us.’

Behind Spider, his followers had moved into the light, slack-faced and pale, from leaf or poppy Chel couldn’t tell. They carried axes.

‘What the fuck is going on?’ Loveless hissed across the table. ‘He told us you got separated inside the citadel, that he couldn’t fight his way back to you!’

‘And that,’ Rennic murmured, eyes still fixed on Spider, ‘would be bollocks.’