There was a rising babble of noise at the revelation; usually the only Pechaqueh taken by the gods were those who’d been cast onto the streets for their crimes, and among whom the Choosers walked like lords of the Underworld when selecting the new moon offerings.

‘This is Yaloh magic, and yet you bring them to the Singing City?’ a councillor squeaked. ‘Who knows what havoc they will wreak in our sacred waters here? You should have offered them all to the holy Setatmeh in their own land.’

‘The Yaloh slaves do not belong to the High Feather,’ Councillor Yana said mildly, though his voice carried over the murmuring. ‘It was not his place to decide what should be done with them.’

Pilos breathed a silent sigh of relief. Yana was as honest and unbending as his back, despite his years. He had been an eagle warrior and Feather and still trained daily with the spear, and Pilos knew he had a warrior’s integrity, a warrior’s commitment to duty and to Empire. He also showed little ambition to supplant the other councillors or any of the Singer’s favourites, which sat well with the others.

‘The holy Setatmeh are righteously angry,’ a woman cut in. ‘Perhaps this is their response to your cowardly retreat from the fight! Why is the Melody here if there is work still to be done? We must do all we can to honour the gods.’

‘You are correct, Councillor Chel,’ Yana said smoothly and with a smile as cold as a snake’s, ‘we must all play our part. A gift of jade or slaves from each councillor will help speed the construction of new pyramids. The Melody is made up of warriors, when what they need are engineers and builders, and the slaves to both carry out the work and present to the holy Setatmeh to prevent … unnecessary offerings from among Pechaqueh. Do not forget the Melody are also there to protect the holy Setatmeh and the workers from Yaloh and Tokob. They cannot do everything.’

‘Then the rest of the Melody should go back and finish what it started,’ Chel snapped. ‘Not come here in triumph and demand reward when the conquest remains unfinished.’

‘Or, as I said, we can assist them in their work. High Feather, I will buy a hundred slaves and send them to Yalotlan to work and be offered as necessary. And I will purchase enough stone for one full pyramid.’