‘Were you there when it happened?’

‘No, we always leave one behind in case the worst happens.’ There was a bitterness in her words, and Vasin remembered that the last time the Ruby High Lord had gone travelling, Anuja had been left behind, the High Lord taking her older sister.

‘I’ve never seen the Toothsack with my own eyes,’ she continued, ‘but I hear it was a great battle. Our Story-singers are already preparing a work to honour it.’

‘I hear the Toothsack was wounded but not killed.’

A little of her normal spark returned. ‘Much like your own encounter with the Corpseman, yes?’

‘Yes.’

‘Like us, the things of the Wild have a way of coming back.’

‘Speaking of that, may I ask how quickly your mother and sister will begin their next lifecycles?’

She made a short gesture and the servants left the room. ‘Actually, I was hoping to talk to you about this very thing.’

‘Me?’

‘Yes. I wanted to ask your advice.’

‘Lady Anuja, I am not known for my wisdom. But,’ he added hastily, ‘it’s yours if you want it.’

‘My mother has prepared a vessel for her next lifecycle but the next auspicious alignment is over a year away. Normally, I’d wait, but with things as they are …’

‘What’s the alternative? Even we need the favour of the suns.’

‘There’s a partial alignment coming in two weeks.’

Vasin frowned. A partial alignment would place the rebirth at risk. To even consider it Anuja must be desperate. He asked, ‘Can we talk as we did before, as friends?’

‘Please. I’d like that. Acting as the High Lord’s hand is … tiring.’

‘I believe it and I want to help. How bad are things here, really?’

She sipped at her wine, prompting Vasin to do the same. ‘The Toothsack didn’t just take my mother, any more than the Wild took my sister; it decimated our hunters. The ones we’re fielding now are barely more than apprentices. Normally, a successful hunt silences the Wild, but the Toothsack’s attack seems unrelated to the other troubles.’

‘Have you had any trouble from Quiverhive?’

‘No. We’ve had Murkers, and at least one Weeper. And all kinds of rumours. My people are afraid, Vasin. They’re jumping at shadows, seeing all kinds of things that aren’t there. That hopefully aren’t there, I mean. We don’t expect the Toothsack to return any time soon, but just in case I’m making sure that no Deathless hunts with mortals alone. That’s possible at the moment with support from the other houses, but they won’t stay here forever.’

‘House Tanzanite sent three Deathless, didn’t they?’ Anuja nodded and he continued, ‘Was Lady Pari among them?’

‘Last I heard, she was between lives.’

‘Still?’

‘I believe she’ll be undergoing a rebirth any day now. Do you need her?’

‘Not exactly.’