‘ Do not so easily discard that woman, Dessembrae ,’ said a new voice, a woman’s, thin and crackling. ‘ She is sibling to the Master of the Deck – a Master who hides himself from us all. How can this be? How has he managed to blind us to his whereabouts? I tell you, he hovers over all of this, as unknowable as his sister. This wretched family from that wretched empire —’
A cane cracked against bones, splintering them, and Silchas turned to see that a new god had arrived. Indistinct, a smear of shadow. ‘ Dessembrae ,’ this one hissed, ‘ and dearest Jhess. Beru, Shedenul, Mowri. Beckra, Thilanda, see how you crowd this Tiste Andii? This brother of Anomander Rake? Do you imagine he cannot hear you? ’ The cane jabbed at Dessembrae. ‘ Look at us, so fey in reflection of our once-mortal selves. The Empire, yes! Our empire, Dessembrae, or have you forgotten? That wretched family? Our very own children! ’
‘ Oh, look around, Shadowthrone ,’ snarled Jhess, her face of skeined wool, cotton, hemp and silk twisting and knotting as she bared web-shrouded teeth. ‘ D’rek has come and gone from this place. She knows and makes for us a true path. Your damned children cannot hope to defeat us. Leave them to the Forkrul Assail! May they devour each other! ’
Shadowthrone giggled. ‘ Tell me, Jhess, do you see your cousin anywhere near? Where is the Queen of Dreams in this place of death? ’
‘ She hides —’
‘ She is not here, Jhess ,’ said Shadowthrone, ‘ because she is awake. Awake! Do you understand me? Not sleeping, not dreaming herself here, not plucking all your mad tails, Jhess, to confuse mortal minds. You are all blind fools! ’
‘ You mean to betray us! ’ shrieked Shedenul.
‘ I care nothing for any of you ,’ Shadowthrone replied, with a laconic gesture of one ethereal hand. ‘ Betray? Too much effort over too little of worth .’
‘ You come here only to mock us? ’
‘ I am here, Beru, because I am curious. Not about any of you. You’re nothing but gods, and if the Assail succeed you will all vanish like farts in the wind. No, my curiosity is with our unexpected guest, our Tiste Andii .’ The cane waved at Silchas Ruin. ‘ O brother of heroes, why do you bless Coltaine’s Eternal Fall with your presence? ’
‘I seek a weapon.’
‘ The two you carry are not enough? ’
‘For a companion. This battle you all seem so eager to join, I could warn you against it, but I admit that I see little use in that. You are all determined to join the fray, leaving me to wonder.’
‘ Wonder what? ’ demanded Beru.