‘I don’t know and I don’t care! Details? Squat and shit on ’em! Hood’s dead! Gone!’
‘But then, who’s taking the Throne?’
‘Nobody and everybody!’
Gesler’s right hand twitched. Gods, how he wanted to punch this grinning fool! But that nose had seen a few dozen breaks already-he doubted Hedge would even notice. ‘What,’ he said carefully, ‘do you mean, Hedge?’
‘I mean, there’s a whole crew of ’em. Holding the gate. Nothing’s shaken out yet. It’s all hazy. But one thing I can tell you-and you can ask Fid if you want-he won’t say any different unless he lies to you. One thing, Ges. I can feel them. I can feel him. ’
Gesler stared at the man’s glittering eyes. ‘Who?’
‘The Fallen Bridgeburners, Ges. And aye, Whiskeyjack. It’s him-I’d know that sour look anywhere, no matter how dark it is around him. He’s astride a horse. He’s in the Gate, Gesler.’
‘Wait. That’s who stepped through?’
‘Naw, never mind that one. That one ain’t got a thought that ain’t ten thousand years outa touch. Different gate, anyway. I’m talking about Whiskeyjack. Go and die, Ges, and who’d you rather meet at the Gate? Hood or Whiskeyjack?’
‘So why ain’t you cut your own throat, if you’re so excited about it all?’
Hedge frowned. ‘No reason t’get all edgy. I was a sapper, remember. Sappers understand the importance of patience.’
Gesler choked back a laugh. From the tents someone squealed. He couldn’t tell who.
‘Laugh all you want. You’ll be thankful enough when it’s your head rolling up to that gate.’
‘I thought you hated worshipping anyone, Hedge.’
‘This is different.’
‘If you say so. Now, anything else you wanted to tell me about?’
‘Nothing you’d care about either way. You can hand over the coins now, though. Triple the going rate, right? Dig it out, Ges, it’s getting late.’
Commander Brys threw on his cloak and fastened the breast clasp. ‘I walk through camp before settling in, Atri-Ceda. Join me, if you please.’
‘Honoured, my Prince.’
He stepped out of the command tent and she followed. They set out for the nearest row of legionaries’ tents. ‘That title just won’t sit comfortably, Atri-Ceda,’ he said after a moment. ‘ “Commander” or “sir” will do. In fact, when it’s just the two of us, “Brys” ’.
She wondered if he caught her faint gasp, or noted the momentary wobble in her knees as she moved up alongside him.
‘Assuming,’ he continued, ‘you will permit me to call you Aranict.’
‘Of course, sir.’ She hesitated, could feel him waiting, and then said, ‘Brys.’ A wave of lightheadedness followed, as if she’d quaffed a tumbler of brandy. Her mind spun wildly for a moment and she drew a deep breath to calm herself.
This was ridiculous. Embarrassing. Infuriating. She itched to light a smoker, but that would likely breach protocol.
‘At ease, Aranict.’
‘Sir?’
‘Relax. Please-you’re starting to make me jumpy. I don’t bite.’
Try the right nipple. Oh gods, shut up, woman. ‘Sorry.’
‘I was hoping your stay with the Malazan High Mage might have calmed you some.’
‘Oh, it has, sir. I mean, I’m better.’
‘No more fainting?’
‘No. Well, almost once.’
‘What happened?’
‘At day’s end, I made the mistake of being in his tent when he pulled off his boots.’
‘Ah.’ And then he shot her a startled look, his face lighting in a sudden smile. ‘Remind me to send you out before I do the same.’
‘Oh, sir, I’m sure you don’t-uh, that is, it’s not the same-’
But he was laughing. She saw soldiers round campfires turn, looking over at the two of them. She saw a few mutter jests and there were grins and nods. Her face burned hot as coals.
‘Aranict, I assure you, after a day’s fast march as we’ve been experiencing since the landing, my socks could stun a horse. None of us are any different in such matters.’
‘Because you choose to march alongside your soldiers, Brys. When you could ride or even sit in one of the grand carriages, and no one would think ill of you-’
‘You would be wrong in that, Aranict. Oh, they might not seem any different, outwardly, saluting as smartly as ever and all the rest. Certain to follow every order I give, yes. But somewhere deep inside every one of them, there’s a stone of loyalty-when it comes to most of those giving them orders, that stone stays smooth and nothing sticks, it all washes off. And so it would be with me as well, were I to take any other path than the one they happen to be on. But, you see, there may come a time when I must demand of my soldiers something… impossible. If the stone was still smooth-if it did not have my name carved deep into it-I could lose them.’