A Malazan Book of the Fallen Collection 1

single-handed grip on the lad's other arm. 'Quick! Something's coming out!'
    Felisin climbed another step higher.
    The mud was transmogrifying, coalescing into the shapes of figures. Flint blades appeared, some grey, some the deep red of chalcedony. Bedraggled fur slowly sprouted, riding broad, bony shoulders. Bone helmets gleamed polished gold and brown – the skulls of beasts that Felisin could not imagine existing anywhere. Long ropes of filthy hair were now visible, mostly black or brown. The mud did not so much fall away as change. These creatures were one with the clay.
    'T'lan Imass!' Kulp shouted from where he stood clinging to the mizzen mast. Silanda was rocking with a wild energy. 'Logros T'lan!'
    They numbered six. All wore furs except one, who was smaller than the others and last to appear. It was bedecked in the oily, ragged feathers of colourful birds, and its long hair was iron grey streaked with red. Shell, antler and bone jewellery hung from its rotting hide shirt, but it appeared to carry no weapons.
    Their faces were withered, the bones underneath close to the surface and robust. The sockets of their eyes were black pits. The wiry remnants of beards remained, except on the silver-haired one, who now straightened and faced Kulp.
    'Stand aside, Servant of the Chained One, we have come for our kin, and for the Tiste Edur.' The voice was a woman's, the language Malazan.
    Another T'lan Imass turned to the silver-haired one. It was by far the biggest of the group. The fur humped over its shoulders came from some kind of bear, the hairs were silver-tipped. 'Mortal worshippers are a bane themselves,' it said in a bored tone. 'We should kill them as well.'
    'We shall,' the other one said. 'But our quarry comes first.'
    'There are no kin of yours here,' Kulp said shakily. 'And the Tiste Edur are dead. Go see for yourself. In the captain's cabin.'
    The female T'lan Imass cocked her head. Two of her companions strode towards the hatch. She then swung about and stared at Heboric, who stood by the forecastle railing. 'Call down the mage linked to you. He is a wound. And he spreads. This must be stopped. More, tell your god that such games place him in great peril. We shall not brook such damage to the warrens.'
    Felisin laughed, the sound tinged with hysteria.
    As one, the T'lan Imass looked at her.
    She flinched from those lifeless gazes, then drew a breath to steady herself. 'You may be immortal and powerful enough to threaten the boar god,' she said, 'but you haven't got one thing right yet.'
    'Explain,' the female said.
    'Ask someone who cares,' she said, meeting that depthless gaze, surprised that she neither flinched nor broke away.
    'I am no longer a priest of Fener,' Heboric said, raising both stumps. 'If the boar god is here, among us, then I am not aware of it, nor do I much care. The sorcerer riding this storm pursues us, seeking to destroy us. I know not why.'
    'He is the madness of Otataral,' the female said.
    The two Imass sent to the cabin now returned. Though no words were spoken aloud, the female nodded. 'They are dead, then. And our kin have departed. We must continue the hunt.' She swung her gaze back to Heboric. 'I would lay hands upon you.'
    Felisin barked another laugh. 'That'll make him complete.'
    'Shut up, girl,' Kulp growled, pushing past to descend to the main deck. 'We're not Servants of the Chained One,' he said. 'Hood's breath, what is the Chained One? Never mind, I don't even want to know. We're on this ship by accident, not design—'
    'We did not anticipate this warren would be flooded,' the female said.
    'It's said you can cross oceans,' the mage muttered, frowning. Felisin could see he was having trouble following the "Plan Imass's statements. So was she.
    'We can cross bodies of water,' the female acknowledged.
    'But we can only find our shapes on land.'
    'So, like us, you came to this ship to get your feet dry—'
    'And complete our task. We pursue renegade kin.'
    'If they were here, they've since left,' Kulp said. 'Before we arrived. You are a Bonecaster.'
    The female inclined her head. 'Hentos Ilm, of Logros T'lann
    Imass.'
    'And the Logros no longer serve the Malazan Empire. Glad to see you're staying busy.' 'Why?'
    'Never mind.' Kulp looked skyward. 'He's eased up some.' 'He senses us,' Hentos Ilm said. She faced Heboric again.
    'Your left hand is in balance, it is true. Otataral and a power unknown to me. If the mage in the storm continues to grow in power, the