'Most assuredly,' Samar replied. 'One who is of course ignorant of our customs. That gate guard acted in what this spirit perceived as a hostile manner. Does he still live?'
The captain nodded. 'Knocked senseless, that is all.' The man then pointed towards the severed heads. 'What are those?'
'Trophies,' she answered. 'Demons. They had escaped their own realm and were approaching Ugarat. Had not this spirit killed them, they would have descended upon us with great slaughter. And with not a single worthy mage left in Ugarat, we would have fared poorly indeed.'
Captain Inashan narrowed his gaze on Karsa. 'Can you understand my words?'
'They have been simple enough thus far,' the warrior replied.
The captain scowled. 'Does she speak the truth?'
'More than she realizes, yet even so, there are untruths in her tale.
I am not a spirit. I am Toblakai, once bodyguard to Sha'ik. Yet this woman bargained with me as she would a spirit. More, she knew nothing of where I came from or who I was, and so she might well have imagined I was a spirit of the wild-lands.'
Voices rose among both guards and citizens at the name Sha'ik, and Samar saw a dawning recognition in the captain's expression. '
Toblakai, companion to Leoman of the Flails. Tales of you have reached us.' He pointed with his scimitar at the fur riding Karsa's shoulders.
'Slayer of a Soletaken, a white bear. Executioner of Sha'ik's betrayers in Raraku. It is said you slew demons the night before Sha' ik was killed,' he added, eyes on the rotted, flailed heads. 'And, when she had been slain by the Adjunct, you rode out to face the Malazan army – and they would not fight you.'
'There is some truth in what you have spoken,' Karsa said, 'barring the words I exchanged with the Malazans-'
'One of Sha'ik's own,' Samar quickly said, sensing the warrior was about to say something unwise, 'how could we of Ugarat not welcome you? The Malazan garrison has been driven from this city and is even now starving in Moraval Keep on the other side of the river, besieged with no hope of succour.'
'You are wrong in that,' Karsa said.
She wanted to kick him. Then again, look how that had turned out the last time? All right, you ox, go and hang yourself.
'What do you mean?' Captain Inashan asked.
'The rebellion is broken, the Malazans have retaken cities by the score. They will come here, too, eventually. I suggest you make peace with the garrison.'
'Would that not put you at risk?' Samar asked.