Standing beside Tool, the ay named Baaljagg was staring at the body, tail wagging.
Lady Envy regarded the other Seguleh with eyes of ice. 'Given that my commands have proved insufficient, I now leave future encounters in the T'lan Imass's obviously capable hands.' She swung to Tool. 'Is Senu dead?'
'No. I used the flat of my blade, Lady, having no desire to slay one of your servants.'
'Considerate of you, given the circumstances.'
Toc closed one shaky hand on the jug's handle. 'Shall I pour one for you as well, Lady Envy?'
She glanced at him, raised one eyebrow, then smiled. 'A splendid idea, Toc the Younger. Clearly, it falls to you and me to establish civility.'
'What have you learned,' Tool said, addressing her, 'of the Rent?'
Cup in hand, she faced him. 'Ah, you cut to the quick in all matters, I see. It has been bridged. By a mortal soul. As I am sure you are aware. The focus of my studies, however, has been on the identity of the warren itself. It is unlike any other. The portal seems almost … mechanical.'
Rent? That would be the red welt in the air. Uh.
'You have examined the K'Chain Che'Malle tombs, Lady?'
She wrinkled her nose. 'Briefly. They are all empty, and have been for some time. Decades.'
Tool's head tilted with a soft creak. 'Only decades?'
'Unpleasant detail, indeed. I believe the Matron experienced considerable difficulty in extricating herself, then spent still further time in recovering from her ordeal, before releasing her children. She and her brood made further efforts in the buried city to the northwest, though incomplete, as if the results proved unsatisfactory. They then appear to have departed the area entirely.' She paused, then added, 'It may be relevant that the Matron was the original soul sealing the Rent. Another hapless creature resides there now, we must presume.'
The T'lan Imass nodded.
During the exchange Toc had been busy eating, and was on his second cup of the crisp, cold wine. Trying to make sense of the conversation thus far was giving him a headache — he'd mull on it later. 'I need to head north,' he said round a mouthful of grainy bread. 'Is there any chance, Lady, that you can furnish me with suitable supplies? I would be in your debt…' His words trailed away at seeing the avid flash in her eyes.
'Careful what you offer, young man-'
'No offence, but why do you call me "young man"? You look not a day over twenty-five.'
'How flattering. Thus, despite Tool's success in identifying me — and I admit that I find the depth of his knowledge most disconcerting — the names the T'lan Imass revealed meant little to you.'
Toc shrugged. 'Anomander Rake I've heard, of course. I didn't know he took a sword from someone else — nor when that event occurred. It strikes me, however, that you may well be justified in feeling some animosity towards him, since he killed your father — what was his name? Draconus. The Malazan Empire shares that dislike. So, in sharing enemies-'
'We are perforce allies. A reasonable surmise. Unfortunately wrong. Regardless, I would be pleased to provide what food and drink you are able to carry, though I have nothing in the way of weapons, I'm afraid. In return, I may some day ask of you a favour — nothing grand, of course. Something small and relatively painless. Is this acceptable?'
Toc felt his appetite draining away. He glanced at Tool, got no help from the undead warrior's expressionless face. The Malazan scowled. 'You have me at a disadvantage, Lady Envy.'
She smiled.
And here I was hoping we'd get past the polite civility to something more. intimate. Here you go again, Toc, thinking with the wrong brain-
Her smile broadened.
Flushing, he reached for his cup. 'Very well, I agree to your proposal.'
'Your equanimity is a delight, Toc the Younger.'
He almost choked on his wine. If I wasn't a sword-kissed one-eyed bastard, I'd be tempted to call that a flirt.
Tool spoke. 'Lady Envy, if you seek further knowledge of this Rent, you will not find it here.'
Toc was pleased to see the mild shock on her face as she swung to the T'lan Imass. 'Indeed? It appears I am not alone in enjoying a certain coyness. Can you explain?'
Anticipating the response to that, Toc the Younger grunted, then ducked as she flashed him a dark look.
'Perhaps,' Tool predictably replied.
Hah, I knew it.
An edge came into her tone. 'Please do so, then.'
'I follow an ancient trail, Lady Envy. Morn was but one stop on that trail. It now leads northward. You would find your answers among those I seek.'
'You wish me to accompany you.'
'I care not either way,' Tool said in his uninflected rasp. 'Should you choose to stay here, however, I must warn you. Meddling with the Rent has its risks — even for one such as you.'
She crossed her arms. 'You think I lack suitable caution?'
'Even now you have reached an impasse, and your frustration mounts. I add one more incentive, Lady Envy. Your old travelling companions are converging on the very same destination — the Pannion Domin. Both Anomander Rake and Caladan Brood prepare to wage war against the Domin. A grave decision — does that not make you curious?'
'You are no simple T'lan Imass,' she accused.
Tool made no reply to that.
'He has you at a disadvantage, it seems,' Toc said, barely restraining his amusement.
'I find impertinence disgustingly unattractive,' she snapped. 'Whatever happened to your affable equanimity, Toc the Younger?'
He wondered at his sudden impulse to fling himself down at her feet, begging forgiveness. Shrugging the absurd notion off, he said, 'Badly stung, I think.'
Her expression softened to something doe-like.
The irrational desire returned. Toc scratched his scar, looked away.
'I did not intend to sting you-'
Right, and the Queen of Dreams has chicken feet.
'-and I sincerely apologize.' She faced Tool again. 'Very well, we shall all of us undertake a journey. How exciting!' She gestured to her Seguleh servants. 'Begin preparations at once!'
Tool said to Toc, 'I shall collect materials for your bow and arrows now. We can complete them on the way.'
The scout nodded, then added, 'I wouldn't mind watching you make them, Tool. Could be useful knowledge …'
The T'lan Imass seemed to consider, then tilted his head. 'We found it so.'
They all turned at a loud grunt from where Senu lay against the wall. He had regained consciousness, to find the ay standing over him, the beast licking with obvious pleasure the painted patterns on his mask.
'The medium,' Tool explained in his usual deadpan tone, 'appears to be a mixture of charcoal, saliva and human blood.'
'Now that,' Toc muttered, 'is what I call a rude awakening.'
Lady Envy brushed close to him as she moved towards the doorway, and cast him a glance as she passed. 'Oh, I am looking forward to this outing!'
The anything but casual contact slipped a nest of serpents into Toc's gut. Despite his thudding heart, the Malazan was not sure if he should be pleased, or terrified.
CHAPTER TWO
Onearm's Host bled from countless wounds. An endless campaign, successive defeats followed by even costlier victories. But of all the wounds borne by the army of Dujek Onearm, those to its soul were the gravest.
Silverfox
Outrider Hurlochel
Nestled amidst the rocks and tumbled boulders of the hillside, Corporal Picker watched the old man make his laborious way up the trail. His shadow slipped over Blend's position, yet the man who cast it knew nothing of the soldier's proximity. Blend rose in silence behind him, dust sloughing down, and made a series of hand gestures intended for Picker.