A Malazan Book of the Fallen Collection 2

question, Cutter. Rather, why was she with Traveller? What is the Talon up to? And Traveller ... gods, did he know who she was? Of course he did – oh, she's aged and not well, but even so ...'
    'You could just ask him,' Cutter murmured, grunting as he shifted Apsalar's weight in his arms. 'He's in the courtyard behind us, after all.'
    Cotillion reached down to the woman's neck and lifted
into view something strung on a thong. A yellow-stained talon of some sort. He pulled it loose, studied it for a moment, then twisted round and flung it towards Cutter.
    It struck his chest, then fell to lie in Apsalar's lap.
    The Daru stared down at it for a moment, then looked up and met the god's eyes.
    'Go to the Edur ship, Cutter. I am sending you two to another ... agent of ours.'
    'To do what?'
    'To wait. In case you are needed.'
    'For what?'
    'To assist others in taking down the Master of the Talon.'
    'Do you know where he or she is?'
    He lifted Hawl into his arms and straightened. 'I have a suspicion. Now, finally, a suspicion about all of this.' He turned, the frail figure held lightly in his arms, and studied Cutter for a moment. A momentary, wan smile. 'Look at the two of us,' he said, then he swung away and began walking towards the forest trail.
    Cutter stared after him.
    Then shouted: 'It's not the same! It's not! We're not —'
    The forest shadows swallowed the god.
    Cutter hissed a curse, then he turned to the trail that led down to the shoreline.
     
    The god Cotillion walked on until he reached a small glade off to one side of the path. He carried his burden into its centre, and gently set her down.
    A host of shadows spun into being opposite, until the vague, insubstantial form of Shadowthrone slowly resolved itself. For a change, the god said nothing for a long time.
    Cotillion knelt beside Hawl's body. 'Traveller is here, Ammanas. In the Edur ruins.'
    Ammanas grunted softly, then shrugged. 'He'll have no interest in answering our questions. He never did. Stubborn as any Dal Honese.'
    'You're Dal Honese,' Cotillion observed.
    'Precisely.' Ammanas slipped noiselessly forward until he was on the other side of the corpse. 'It's her, isn't it.'
    'It is.'
    'How many times do our followers have to die, Cotillion?' the god asked, then sighed. 'Then again, she clearly ceased being a follower some time ago.'
    'She thought we were gone, Ammanas. The Emperor and Dancer. Gone. Dead.'
    'And in a way, she was right.'
    'In a way, aye. But not in the most important way.'
    'Which is?'
    Cotillion glanced up, then grimaced. 'She was a friend.'
    'Ah, that most important way.' Ammanas was silent for a moment, then he asked, 'Will you pursue this?'
    'I see little choice. The Talon is up to something. We need to stop them—'
    'No, friend. We need to ensure that they fail. Have you found a ... trail?'
    'More than that. I've realized who is masterminding the whole thing.'
    Shadowthrone's hooded head cocked slightly. 'And that is where Cutter and Apsalar are going now?'
    'Yes.'
    'Are they sufficient?'
    Cotillion shook his head. 'I have other agents available. But I would Apsalar be relatively close, in case something goes wrong.'
    Ammanas nodded. 'So, where?'
    'Raraku.'
    Though he could not see it, Cotillion knew that his companion's face was splitting into a broad grin. 'Ah, dear Rope, time's come, I think, that I should tell you more of my own endeavours ...'
    'The diamonds I gave Kalam? I'd wondered about those.'
    Ammanas gestured at Hawl's corpse. 'Let us take her home – our home, that is. And then we must speak ... at length.'
    Cotillion nodded.
    'Besides,' Shadowthrone added as he straightened, 'Traveller being so close by makes me nervous.'
    A moment later, the glade was empty, barring a few sourceless shadows that swiftly dwindled into nothing.
     
    Cutter reached the sandstone shoreline. Four runners had been pulled up on the flat, grainy shelf of rock. Anchored in the bay beyond were two large dromons, both badly damaged.
    Around the runners gear lay scattered, and two huge trees had been felled and dragged close – probably intended to replace the snapped masts. Barrels containing salted fish had been broached, while other casks stood in a row nearby, refilled with fresh water.
    Cutter set Apsalar down, then approached one of the runners. They were about fifteen paces from bow to stern, broad of beam with an unstepped mast and side-mounted steering oar. There were two oarlocks to a side. The gunnels were crowded with