‘Beloved?’
‘A moment.’ He walked over to Tavore and Lostara.
If they were in a conversation, it wasn’t one using words. The Adjunct heard him approaching and turned to regard him. ‘Captain. The ice armour you conjured—’
‘Not here, Adjunct. Nothing works here.’
Her eyes flattened. ‘But you will … persevere.’
Lostara Yil coughed, and then said, ‘Ruthan, the T’lan Imass bow to you. They title you Elder .’
‘I am not a god, Elder or otherwise, Lostara. I’m sorry. Wouldn’t it be nice to be one, though? For each and every one of us. Just to be … outside all this. The T’lan Imass will manage, when—’
‘So will you,’ the Adjunct cut in. ‘Yet you are not a god.’
‘We do not choose to whom we are born.’
‘Indeed not. Who, then, are your parents?’
He scratched his beard vigorously. ‘Adjunct, does it matter? It may be that this desert doesn’t kill me. It’s equally likely that it will.’
‘You will reach the city with the wells.’
‘Will I?’ Ruthan shook his head. ‘Let me be honest with you – I cannot fathom how those children got as far as they did. What did Badalle say? Ten days away? But Icarias is two, even three weeks’ march from here.’
‘How do you know this?’
He grimaced. ‘I was once a guest of the Jaghut who dwelt in Icarias along with a refugee enclave of K’Chain Che’Malle. The simple fact remains, the only way those children could have come as far as they have, Adjunct, is by warren .’
Tavore turned to Lostara. ‘Get the girl. Bring her to me.’
‘Aye, Adjunct.’
When she’d departed, Tavore fixed Ruthan with a hard stare. ‘A warren.’
‘Which is impossible. I know.’ He saw a glitter of hope in her eyes and shook his head. ‘Do not, Adjunct. The desert is sucked dry, and if you’re not careful things are likely to get much worse.’
‘Worse? Explain to me how this could get worse, Captain.’
He looked away, back to where Skanarow slept, and sighed. ‘Draw your sword, Adjunct.’
‘What?’
‘Unsheathe your Otataral blade.’
She had the sword half out of the scabbard before Ruthan reached out and grasped her wrist. And then, retching, he fell to his knees, turning his head away.
Tavore slammed the weapon back down and staggered back a step. ‘ Gods! ’ she gasped.
Ruthan spat, and then used the back of his wrist to wipe at his beard. ‘It’s what none of you ever understood,’ he said, staring down at his trembling hands, studying the smears of blood in what he’d coughed up. ‘It’s not just some damned metal that just happens to devour magic. Otataral is aspected .’ He pushed himself back on to his feet. ‘The next time you draw that weapon, Adjunct, the act will summon . She is loose upon the world now, the dragon that is the source of all Otataral – the living heart of that which takes life. She has been freed.’
Tavore took another step back, shaking her head. ‘What has been done?’ she demanded, her voice breaking.
He saw panic rising within her – vast cracks in her armour – and held out a hand. ‘Wait – listen to me. Tavore Paran, listen! It will be answered – everything is answered. Everything!’
And now, all at once, it was as if a child was standing before him. Lost, frightened. The sight tore at his heart. ‘They’re not interested in the Crippled God. Do you understand me? The ones who did this – they don’t care what happens to him. They’re reaching for something bigger – and they think they will sweep all this aside. You, the Fallen One, the Forkrul Assail – all of it, swept away!
‘But they’re fools. Do you understand me? Anomander Rake is gone, but Draconus now walks the world. Do you see? Everything is answered .’ And that is the true madness of this – the Otataral Dragon cannot remain unchained. Draconus will have to kill it – him or the Eleint – and by killing it they will end all magic. They will cast us all out into a world devoid of sorcery .
She had turned away from him, was now staring into the east. ‘This is what he meant,’ she murmured.
‘Adjunct?’
‘He said my sword would not be enough – we argued that, again and again. He said … he said—’ She faced him, eyes suddenly shining, and Ruthan was struck by a sudden beauty in her face, a thing that seemed to rise as if from nowhere. ‘He said … “ it will be answered .” His words, the same as yours.’