A Malazan Book of the Fallen Collection 4

oh, how he laughs.
Binadas, are you close? Close to me now? Do you yearn for
freedom? Well, if I cannot have it, why should you? No, there
is no hurry now, is there? You wanted this throne, and now
you learn how it feels – just a hint, yes, of all that haunts me.'
    'Highness,' the Chancellor murmured, 'are you not eager
to avenge Binadas? Tomad—'
    'Tomad!' Rhulad jolted on the throne, glared at Triban
Gnol – who visibly rocked back. 'He saw the demon slay
Binadas, and now he thinks it will do the same to me! That is
the desire for vengeance at work here, you fish-skinned fool!
Tomad wants me to die because I killed Binadas! And Trull!
I have killed his children! But whose blood burns in my
veins? Whose? Where is Hanradi? Oh, I know why he will not
be found in the outer room – he goes to Hannan Mosag! They
plunge into Darkness and whisper of betrayal – I am past my
patience with them!'
    Triban Gnol spread his hands. 'Highness, I had intended
to speak to you of this, but at another time—'
    'Of what? Out with it!'
    'A humble inquiry from Invigilator Karos Invictad,
Highness. With all respect, I assure you, he asks your will in
regard to matters of treason – not among the Letherii, of
course, for he has that well in hand – but among the Tiste
Edur themselves . . .'
    Nisall's gasp echoed in the suddenly silent room. She
looked across to where Edur guards were stationed, and saw
them motionless as statues.
    Rhulad looked ready to weep. 'Treason among the Edur?
My Edur? No, this cannot be – has he proof?'
    A faint shrug. 'Highness, I doubt he would have
ventured this inquiry had he not inadvertently stumbled on
some . . . sensitive information.'
    'Go away. Get out. Get out!'
    Triban Gnol bowed, then backed from the chamber.
Perhaps he'd gone too far, yet the seed had been planted. In
most fertile soil.
    As soon as the outer doors closed, Nisall stepped from
the alcove. Rhulad waved her closer.
    'My love,' he whispered in a child's voice, 'what am I to
do? The demon – they brought it here.'
    'You cannot be defeated, Emperor.'
    'And to destroy it, how many times must I die? No, I'm
not ready. Binadas was a powerful sorcerer, rival to the
Warlock King himself. My brother . . .'
    'It may be,' Nisall ventured, 'that the Chancellor erred in
the details of that. It may indeed be that Tomad's dream
was a deceitful sending – there are many gods and spirits
out there who see the Crippled God as an enemy.'
    'No more. I am cursed into confusion; I don't understand
any of this. What is happening, Nisall?'
    'Palace ambitions, beloved. The return of the fleets has
stirred things up.'
    'My own Edur . . . plotting treason . . .'
    She reached out and set a hand on his left shoulder. The
lightest of touches, momentary, then withdrawn once
more. Dare I? 'Karos Invictad is perhaps the most ambitious
of them all. He revels in his reign of terror among the
Letherii, and would expand it to include the Tiste Edur.
Highness, I am Letherii – I know men like the Invigilator,
I know what drives them, what feeds their malign souls. He
hungers for control, for his heart quails in fear at all that is
outside his control – at chaos itself. In his world, he
is assailed on all sides. Highness, Karos Invictad's ideal
world is one surrounded by a sea of corpses, every unknown
and unknowable obliterated. And even then, he will find
no peace.'
    'Perhaps he should face me in the arena,' Rhulad said,
with a sudden vicious smile. 'Face to face with a child of
chaos, yes? But no, I need him to hunt down his Letherii.
The traitors.'
    'And shall this Letherii be granted domination over
Tiste Edur as well?'
    'Treason is colourless,' Rhulad said, shifting uneasily on
the throne once more. 'It flows unseen no matter the hue
of blood. I have not decided on that. I need to think, to
understand. Perhaps I should summon the Chancellor once
again.'
    'Highness, you once appointed an Edur to oversee the
Patriotists. Do you recall?'
    'Of course I do. Do you think me an idiot, woman?'
    'Perhaps Bruthen Trana—'
    'Yes, that's him. Not once has he reported to me. Has he
done as I commanded? How do I even know?'
    'Summon him, then, Highness.'
    'Why does he hide from me? Unless he conspires with
the other traitors.'
    'Highness, I know for a truth that he seeks an audience
with you almost daily.'
    'You?' Rhulad glanced over at her, eyes narrowing. 'How?'
    'Bruthen Trana sought me out, beseeching me to speak
to you on his behalf. The Chancellor denies him