Dust of Dreams

Dramatis Personae

The Malazans
    Adjunct Tavore
    High Mage Quick Ben
    Fist Keneb
    Fist Blistig
    Captain Lostara Yil
    Banaschar
    Captain Kindly
    Captain Skanarow
    Captain Faradan Sort
    Captain Ruthan Gudd
    Captain Fast
    Captain Untilly Rum
    Lieutenant Pores
    Lieutenant Raband
    Sinn
    Grub
The Squads
    Sergeant Fiddler
    Corporal Tarr
    Koryk
    Smiles
    Bottle
    Corabb Bhilan Thenu’alas
    Cuttle
    Sergeant Gesler
    Corporal Stormy
    Shortnose
    Flashwit
    Mayfly
    Sergeant Cord
    Corporal Shard
    Limp
    Ebron
    Crump (Jamber Bole)
    Sergeant Hellian
    Corporal Touchy
    Corporal Brethless
    Balgrid
    Maybe
    Sergeant Balm
    Corporal Deadsmell
    Throatslitter
    Galt
    Lobe
    Widdershins
    Sergeant Thom Tissy
    Tulip
    Gullstream
    Sergeant Urb
    Corporal Reem
    Masan Gilani
    Saltlick
    Scant
    Sergeant Sinter
    Corporal Pravalak Rim
    Honey
    Strap Mull
    Shoaly
    Lookback
    Sergeant Badan Gruk
    Corporal Ruffle
    Skim
    Nep Furrow
    Reliko
    Vastly Blank
    Sergeant Primly
    Corporal Kisswhere
    Hunt
    Mulvan Dreader
    Neller
    Skulldeath
    Drawfirst
     
    Dead Hedge
    Alchemist Bavedict
    Sergeant Sunrise
    Sergeant Nose Stream
    Corporal Sweetlard
    Corporal Rumjugs
The Khundryl
    Warleader Gall
    Hanavat (Gall’s wife)
    Jarabb
    Shelemasa
    Vedith
The Perish Grey
Helms
    Mortal Sword Krughava
    Shield Anvil Tanakalian
    Destriant Run’Thurvian
The Letherii
    King Tehol
    Queen Janath
    Chancellor Bugg
    Ceda Bugg
    Treasurer Bugg
    Yan Tovis (Twilight)
    Yedan Derryg (the Watch)
    Brys Beddict
    Atri-Ceda Aranict
    Shurq Elalle
    Skorgen Kaban
    Ublala Pung
    Witch Pully
    Witch Skwish
    Brevity
    Pithy
    Rucket
    Ursto Hoobutt
    Pinosel
The Barghast
    Warleader Onos Toolan
    Hetan
    Stavi
    Storii
    Warchief Stolmen
    Warlock Cafal
    Strahl
    Bakal
    Warchief Maral Eb
    Skincut Ralata
    Awl Torrent
    Setoc of the Wolves
The Snake
    Rutt
    Held
    Badalle
    Saddic
    Brayderal
Imass
    Onrack
    Kilava
    Ulshun Pral
T’lan Imass
    Lera Epar
    Kalt Urmanal
    Rystalle Ev
    Brolos Haran
    Ilm Absinos
    Ulag Togtil
    Nom Kala
    Inistral Ovan
K’Chain Che’malle
    Matron Gunth’an Acyl
    J’an Sentinel Bre’nigan
    K’ell Hunter Sag’Churok
    One Daughter Gunth Mach
    K’ell Hunter Kor Thuran
    K’ell Hunter Rythok
    Shi’Gal Assassin Gu’Rull
    Sulkit
    Destriant Kalyth (Elan)
Others
    Silchas Ruin
    Rud Elalle
    Telorast
    Curdle
    The Errant (Errastas)
    Knuckles (Sechul Lath)
    Kilmandaros
    Mael
    Olar Ethil
    Udinaas
     
    Sheb
    Taxilian
    Veed
    Asane
    Breath
    Last
    Nappet
    Rautos
     
    Sandalath Drukorlat
    Withal
    Mape
    Rind
    Pule
    Bent
    Roach

Dust
of Dreams

Prologue
     
    Elan Plain, west of Kolanse
     
    T
here was light, and then there was heat.
    He knelt, carefully taking each brittle fold in his hands, ensuring that every crease was perfect, that nothing of the baby was exposed to the sun. He drew the hood in until little more than a fist-sized hole was left for her face, her features grey smudges in the darkness, and then he gently picked her up and settled her into the fold of his left arm. There was no hardship in this.
    They’d camped near the only tree in any direction, but not under it. The tree was a gamleh tree and the gamlehs were angry with people. In the dusk of the night before, its branches had been thick with fluttering masses of grey leaves, at least until they drew closer. This morning the branches were bare.
    Facing west, Rutt stood holding the baby he had named Held. The grasses were colourless. In places they had been scoured away by the dry wind, wind that had then carved the dust out round their roots to expose the pale bulbs so the plants withered and died. After the dust and bulbs had gone, sometimes gravel was left. Other times it was just bedrock, black and gnarled. Elan Plain was losing its hair, but that was something Badalle might say, her green eyes fixed on the words in her head. There was no question she had a gift, but some gifts, Rutt knew, were curses in disguise.
    Badalle walked up to him now, her sun-charred arms thin as stork necks, the hands hanging at her sides coated in dust and looking oversized beside her skinny thighs. She blew to scatter the flies crusting her mouth and intoned:

‘Rutt he holds Held
Wraps her good
In the morning
And then up he stands—’

    ‘Badalle,’ he said, knowing she was not finished with her poem but knowing, as well, that she would not be rushed, ‘we still live.’
    She nodded.
    These few words of his had become a ritual between them, although the ritual never lost its taint of surprise, its faint disbelief. The ribbers had been especially hard on them