A Malazan Book of the Fallen Collection 3

then
a cough. 'Up, soldier,' T'amber said, seemingly unmindful
of the glare the Adjunct had fixed upon her.
    No you fool, Keneb, hardly unmindful.
    'You have your orders, Fist,' Tavore said.
    'Aye, Adjunct. Do you wish me to drag this marine here
out with me?'
    'No. I must speak with Bottle in private. Go now, Keneb.
And thank you for attending this night.'
    I'm fairly certain I had no choice. At the doorway he
looked back once more at the cards. Lord of Wolves,
Spinner of Death, Queens of Dark and Life, and the King
in Chains. Lord of Wolves ... that has to be the Perish.
    Gods below, I think it's begun.
     
    On the harbour-facing wall of Mock's Hold, Pearl stood at
the parapet, watching the dark shapes of the imperial fleet
slowly swing round into the calm waters of the bay. Huge
transports, like oversized bhederin, and the dromon escorts
on the flanks lean as wolves. The Claw's eyes narrowed as
he attempted to make out the foreign ships in the midst of
the others. Enormous, twin-hulled ... formidable. There
seemed to be a lot of them.
    How had they come here so quickly? And how did the
Empress know that they would? The only possibility in
answer to the first question was: by warren. Yet, who among
the Adjunct's retinue could fashion a gate of such power
and breadth? Quick Ben? Pearl did not think that likely.
That bastard liked his secrets, and he liked playing both a
weakling and something considerably deadlier, but neither
conceit impressed Pearl. No, Tavore's High Mage didn't
have what was necessary to open such a massive rift.
    Leaving those damned foreigners. And that was very
troubling indeed. Perhaps it might prove a propitious
moment for some kind of pre-emptive, covert action.
Which would, now that the Empress had arrived, be
possible after all. And expedient – for we have no idea who
has now come among us, right to the heart of the empire. A
foreign navy, arriving virtually unopposed ... within striking
distance of the Empress herself.
    It was going to be a busy night.
    'Pearl.'
    The voice was low, yet he did not need to turn round to
know who had spoken. He knew, as well, that Empress
Laseen would frown disapprovingly should he turn to face
her. Odd habits, that way. No, just paranoia. 'Good evening,
Empress.'
    'Does this view please you?'
    Pearl grimaced. 'She has arrived. In all, well timed for
everyone concerned.'
    'Do you look forward to seeing her again?'
    'I travelled in her company for some time, Empress.'
    'And?'
    'And, to answer your question, I am ... indifferent.'
    'My Adjunct does not inspire loyalty?'
    'Not with me, Empress. Nor, I think, with the soldiers of
the Fourteenth Army.'
    'And yet, Pearl, has she failed them? Even once?'
    'Y'Ghatan—'
    The seemingly disembodied voice interrupted him. 'Do
not be a fool. This is you and I, Pearl, speaking here. In
absolute private. What occurred at Y'Ghatan could not have
been anticipated, by anyone. Given that, Adjunct Tavore's
actions were proper and, indeed, laudable.'
    'Very well,' Pearl said, remembering that night of
flames ... the distant screams he could hear from inside his
tent – when in my anger and hurt, I hid, like some child. 'Facts
aside, Empress, the matter hinges upon how one is
perceived.'
    'Assuredly so.'
    'Adjunct Tavore rarely emerges from an event – no
matter how benign or fortuitous – untarnished. And no, I
do not understand why this should be so.'
    'The legacy of Coltaine.'
    Pearl nodded in the darkness. Then, he frowned. Ah, Empress, now I see ... 'And so, the dead hero is ...
unmanned. His name becomes a curse. His deeds, a lie.' No, damn you, I was close enough to know otherwise. No. 'Empress, it will not work.'
    'Will it not?'
    'No. Instead, we all are tainted. Faith and loyalty vanish.
All that gifts us with pride becomes stained. The Malazan
Empire ceases to have heroes, and without heroes, Empress,
we will self-destruct.'
    'You lack faith, Pearl.'
    'In what, precisely?'
    'The resilience of a civilization.'
    'The faith you suggest seems more a wilful denial,
Empress. Refusing to acknowledge the symptoms because
it's easier that way. Complacency serves nothing but
dissolution.'
    'I may be many things,' Laseen said, 'but complacent is
not one of them.'
    'Forgive me, Empress, I did not mean to suggest that.'
    'That fleet of catamarans,' she said after a moment,
'looks rather ominous. Can you sense the power emanating
from it?'
    'Somewhat.'
    'Does it not follow, given their appearance, Pearl, that in
allying