Lady Anuja was sat opposite the doorway, artfully positioned. Her stiffness and discomfort dressed as regal posture, with the cushions carefully constructed around her to support her injured body. All signs of fatigue were gone from her face. ‘Lord Vasin. Ruby-friend. Sit, relax, be welcome.’

‘Thank you,’ he replied with a bow, noting the raised eyebrows and pointed look that passed between the other two inhabitants.

‘This,’ continued Anuja, gesturing to her right, ‘is Lord Lakshin of House Opal.

He saw a slight, delicate man, his body most likely coming to the end of its prime years. There was a studied poise about him, that struck Vasin as too rigid to be comfortable. The Opal tended to keep to themselves, and he knew nothing of Lakshin beyond a name. This in itself was odd. Most Deathless were known for something, even if it was embarrassing. No legend was visible either, which would be fine if Lakshin was in his first lifecycle, but he wasn’t, suggesting mediocrity. And as everyone knew, there was no such thing as a mediocre Deathless, at least never for very long.

Anuja pointed to her left. ‘And this is Lord Quasim of House Peridot.’

Quasim was in a young body, well muscled, but already showing signs of a fast life. The legend of a previous lifecycle had turned both of his ears gold, along with the knuckles on his right hand. Vasin wondered what the tales behind them were. He’d heard the Story-singers praise Quasim’s courage and humour but he also recalled his mother making a barbed comment about the man going through three lifecycles in the time most Deathless enjoyed one.

He gave a bow of respect to them both. ‘A pleasure to meet you.’

In the red light, their faces seemed like statues, their eyes hidden in bloody shadows. Neither of them bowed nor saluted, though their heads tilted in the barest form of acknowledgement. It stabbed at his pride, making his fists clench within his long slevees, but he couldn’t blame them for being angry. After all, House Sapphire had all but slammed its doors on everyone else.

He went and took a seat, pondering the best approach as the servant poured him a glass of wine.

This has to go well. If I can win them over, I gain two more voices that will support my challenge when it comes.

‘I’m afraid I bring bad news.’ And he told them of his encounter with Quiverhive.

Anuja looked grave as he spoke, Quasim puzzled, as if still waiting for the punchline to a joke, and Lakshin shook his head in disbelief. ‘A demon on the Godroad? Unharmed?’ He shook his head a second time. ‘Impossible. Perhaps you mistook its closeness for contact, as you say, you were high above it.’

‘I know what I saw.’

‘Did your hunters see it also?’

‘No.’

‘Your entourage then?’

Vasin’s heart sank. ‘No … I travelled here alone.’