'A span of many years,' said Kruppe, 'weakens every bridge, until they crumble at a touch, or if not a touch, then a frenzied sledgehammer.'

'Will you speak to him for me, Kruppe?'

'Of course, yet, alas, Rallick has done something terrible and horrible and disgusting and evil to poor Kruppe, for which forgiveness is not possible.'

'What? What did he do?'

'Kruppe will think of something. Sufficient to wedge firmly the crowbar of persuasion, until he cannot but tilt helpless and desperate for succour in your direction. You need only open wide your arms, dear friend, when said moment arrives.'

'Thanks, Kruppe, you're a true friend.' And Torvald drank deep.

'No truer, no lie, 'tis true. Kruppe blesses you, alas, with none of the formal panoply accorded you by the Blue Moranth oh, had Kruppe been there to witness such extraordinary, indeed singular, honorificals! Sulty, sweet la.s.s, is it not time for supper? Kruppe withers with need! Oh, and perhaps another carafe of vintage-'

'Hold it,' Torvald Nom cut in, his eyes sharpening. 'What in Hood's name do you know about that that, Kruppe? And how? Who told you no one could've told you, because it was secret in the first place!'

'Calmly, please, calmly, Kruppe's dearest friend.' Another wave of the handkerchief, concluded by a swift mop as sweat had inexplicably sprung to brow. 'Why, rumours-'

'Not a chance.'

'Then, er, a dying confession-'

'We're about to hear one of those, yes.'

Kruppe hastily mopped some more. 'Source escapes me at the moment, Kruppe swears! Why, are not the Moranth in a flux-'

'They're always always in a d.a.m.ned flux, Kruppe!' in a d.a.m.ned flux, Kruppe!'

'Indeed. Then, yes, perturbations among the Black, upon gleaning hints of said catechism, or was it invest.i.ture? Something religious, in any case-'

'It was a blessing, Kruppe.'

'Precisely, and who among all humans more deserved such a thing from the Moranth? Why, none, of course, which is what made it singular in the first place, thus arching the exoskeletal eyebrows of the Black, and no doubt the Red and Gold and Silver and Green and Pink are there Pink Moranth? Kruppe is unsure. So many colours, so few empty slots in Kruppe's brain! Oh, spin the wheel and let's see explosive mauve flash into brilliant expostulation and why not? Yes, 'twas the Mauve Moranth so verbose and carelessly so, although not so carelessly as to reveal anything to anyone but Kruppe and Kruppe alone, Kruppe a.s.sures you. In fact, so precise their purple penchant for verbosity that even Kruppe's recollection of the specific moment is lost to them and to Kruppe himself. Violate a Violet if you dare, but they're not telling. Nor is Kruppe!' And he squeezed out a stream of sweat from his handkerchief, off to one side, of course, which unfortunately coincided with Sulty's arrival with a plate of supper.

Thus did Kruppe discover the virtue of perspiratory reintegration, although his subsequent observation that the supper was a tad salty was not well received, not well received at all.

Astoundingly, Torvald quickly lost all appet.i.te for his ale, deciding to leave (rudely so) in the midst of Kruppe's meal.

Proof that manners were not as they once were. But then, they never were, were they?

Hasty departure to echo Torvald Nom's flight back into the arms of his wife, out into the dusk when all paths are un.o.bstructed, when nothing of reality intrudes with insurmountable obstacles and possibly deadly repercussions.

In a merchant house annexe down at the docks, in the second floor loft above a dusty storeroom with sawdust on the floor, a wellborn young woman straddles a once-thief on the lone narrow cot with its thin, straggly mattress, and in her eyes darkness unfolds, is revealed to the man savage and naked raw enough to startle in him a moment of fear.

Indeed. Fear. Fear. At the moment, Cutter could not reach past that ephemeral chill, could not find anything specific what Challice's eyes revealed was all-consuming, frighteningly desperate, perhaps depthless and insatiable in its need. At the moment, Cutter could not reach past that ephemeral chill, could not find anything specific what Challice's eyes revealed was all-consuming, frighteningly desperate, perhaps depthless and insatiable in its need.

She was unmindful of him he could see that. In this instant he had become a weapon on which she impaled herself, ecstatic with the forbidden, alive with betrayal. She stabbed herself again and again, transformed into something private, for ever beyond his reach, and, yes, without doubt these were self-inflicted wounds, hinting of an inwardly directed contempt, perhaps even disgust.

He did not know what to think, but there was something alluring in being faceless, in being that weapon and this truth shivered through him as dark as all that he saw in her eyes.

Apsalar, is this what you feared? If it is, then I understand. I understand why you fled. You did it for both of us.

With this thought he arched, groaning, and spilled into Challice Vidikas. She gasped, lowered herself on to him. Sweat on sweat, waves of heat embracing them.

Neither spoke.

From outside, gulls cried to the dying sun. Shouts and laughter muted by walls, the faint slap of waves on the broken crockery-cluttered sh.o.r.e, the creak of pulleys as ships were loaded and off-loaded. From outside, the world as it always was.

Cutter was now thinking of Scillara, of how this was a kind of betrayal no different from Challice's own. True, Scillara had said often enough that theirs was a love of convenience, unbound by expectations. She'd insisted on that distance, and if there had been moments of uncontrolled pa.s.sion in their lovemaking, it was the selfish kind, quickly plucked apart once they were both spent. He also suspected that he had hurt her with their landing in his city, some part of him had sought to sever what they had had aboard the ship, as if by closing one chapter every thread was cut and the tale began anew.

But that wasn't possible. All breaks in the narrative of living had more to do with the limits of what could be sustained at any one time, the reach of temporary exhaustion. Memory did not let go; it remained the net dragged in one's wake, with all sorts of strange things snarled in the knotted strands.

He had behaved unfairly, and that had hurt her and, indeed, hurt their friendship. And now it seemed he had gone too far, too far to ever get back what he now realized was precious, was truer truer than everything he was feeling now, here beneath this woman. than everything he was feeling now, here beneath this woman.

It's said joy's quick crash was weighted in truth. All at once Challice, sprawled p.r.o.ne atop him, felt heavier.

In her own silence, Challice of House Vidikas was thinking back to that morning, to one of those rare breakfasts in the company of her husband. There had been sly amus.e.m.e.nt in his expression, or at least the tease of that emotion, making his every considerate gesture slightly mocking, as if in sitting facing one another at the table they were but acting out cliched roles of propriety. And finding, it seemed, a kind of comfort in the ease of their mutual falsehoods.

She suspected that some of Gorlas's satisfaction involved a bleed-over into her private activities, as if it pleased him to take some credit for her fast-receding descent into depravity; that his unperturbed comfort was in fact supportive, something to be relied upon, a solid island she could flail back to when the storm grew too wild, when her swimming in the depths took on the characteristics of drowning.

Making her so-called private activities little more than extensions of his possession. In owning her he was free to see her used and used up elsewhere. In fact, she had sensed a s.e.xual tension between them that had not been there since . . . that had never never been there before. She was, she realized, making herself more desirable to him. been there before. She was, she realized, making herself more desirable to him.

It seemed a very narrow bridge that he chose to walk. Some part of her, after all, was her own belonging to no one else no matter what they might believe and so she would, ultimately, be guided by her own decisions, the choices she made that would serve her and none other. Yes, her husband played a most dangerous game here, as he might well discover.

He had spoken, in casual pa.s.sing, of the falling out between Shardan Lim and Hanut Orr, something trivial and soon to mend, of course. But moments were strained of late, and neither ally seemed eager to speak to Gorlas about any of it. Hanut Orr had, however, said some strange things, offhand, to Gorlas in the few private conversations they'd had curious, suggestive things, but no matter. It was clear that something had wounded Hanut Orr's vaunted ego, and that was ever the danger with possessing such an ego its constant need to be fed, lest it deflate to the prods of sharp reality.

Sharden Lim's mood, too, had taken a sudden downward turn. One day veritably exalted, the next dour and short-tempered.

Worse than adolescents, those two. You'd think there was a woman involved . . .

Challice had affected little interest, finding, to her own surprise, that she was rather good at dissembling, at maintaining the necessary pretensions. The Mistress of the House, the pearlescent prize of the Master, ever smooth to the touch, as delicate as a porcelain statue. Indifferent to the outside world and all its decrepit, smudged details. This was the privilege of relative wealth, after all, encouraging the natural inclination to manufacture a comforting coc.o.o.n. Keeping out the common indelicacies, the mundane miseries, all those raw necessities, needs, wants, all those crude stresses that so strained the lives of normal folk.

Only to discover, in gradual increments of growing horror, that the world within was little different; that all those grotesque foibles of humanity could not be evaded they just reared up shinier to the eye, like polished baubles, but no less cheap, no less sordid.

In her silence, Challice thought of the gifts of privilege, and oh wasn't she privileged indeed? A rich husband getting richer, one lover among his closest allies (and that was a snare she might use again, if the need arose), and now another one Gorlas knew virtually nothing about. At least, she didn't think he did.

Sudden rapid flutter of her heart. What if he has someone following me? What if he has someone following me? The possibility was very real, but what could she do about it? And what might her husband do when he discovered that her most recent lover was not a player in his game? That he was, in fact, a stranger, someone clearly beyond his reach, his sense of control. Would he then realize that she too was now beyond his control? The possibility was very real, but what could she do about it? And what might her husband do when he discovered that her most recent lover was not a player in his game? That he was, in fact, a stranger, someone clearly beyond his reach, his sense of control. Would he then realize that she too was now beyond his control?

Gorlas might panic. He might, in truth, become murderous.

'Be careful now, Cro- Cutter. What we have begun is very dangerous.'

He said nothing in reply, and after a moment she pushed herself off him, and rose to stand beside the narrow bed. 'He would kill you,' she continued, looking down on him, seeing once again how the years had hardened his body, sculpted muscles bearing the scars of past battles. His eyes, fixed on her own, regarded her with thoughts and feelings veiled, unknowable.

'He's a duellist, isn't he?'

She nodded. 'One of the best in the city.'

'Duels,' he said, 'don't frighten me.'

'That would be a mistake, Cutter. In any case, given your . . . station, it's doubtful he'd bother with anything so formal. More like a half-dozen thugs hired to get rid of you. Or even an a.s.sa.s.sin.'

'So,' he asked, 'what should I do about it?'

She hesitated, and then turned away to find her clothes. 'I don't know. I was but warning you, my love.'

'I would imagine you'd be even more at risk.'

She shrugged. 'I don't think so. Although,' she added, 'a jealous man is an unpredictable man.' Turning, she studied him once more. 'Are you jealous, Cutter?'

'Of Gorlas Vidikas?' The question seemed to surprise him and she could see him thinking about it. 't.i.tle and wealth, yes, that would be nice. Being born into something doesn't mean it's deserved, of course, so maybe he hasn't earned all his privileges, but then, maybe he has you'd know more of that than I would.'

'That's not what I meant. When he takes me, when he makes love to me.'

'Oh. Does he?'

'Occasionally.'

'Make love? Or just make use of you?'

'That is a rather rude question.'

Years ago, he would have leapt to his feet, apologies tumbling from him in a rush. Now, he remained on the bed, observing her with those calm eyes. Challice felt a shiver of something in her, and thought it might be fear. She had a.s.sumed a certain . . . control. Over all of this. Over him. And now she wondered. 'What,' he now asked, 'do you want from me, Challice? Years and years of this? Meeting in dusty, abandoned bedrooms. Something you can own that Gorlas does not? It's not as if you'll ever leave him, is it?'

'You once invited me to run away with you.'

'If I did,' he said, 'you clearly said no. What has changed?'

'I have.'

His gaze sharpened on her. 'So now . . . you would? Leave it all behind? The estate, the wealth?' He waved languidly at the room around them. 'For a life of this? Challice, understand: the world of most people is a small world. It has more limitations than you might think-'

'And you think it's that different among the n.o.bleborn?'

He laughed.

Fury hissed through her, and to keep from lashing out she quickly began dressing. 'It's typical,' she said, pleased at her calm tone. 'I shouldn't have been surprised. The lowborn always think we have it so easy, that we can do anything, go anywhere. That our every whim is answered. They don't think-' she spun to face him, and watched his eyes widen as he comprehended her anger, '-you don't think that people like me can suffer.' don't think that people like me can suffer.'

'I never said that-'

'You laughed.' laughed.'

'Where are you going now, Challice? You're going back to your home. Your estate, where your handmaids will rush to attend to you. Where another change of clothes and jewellery awaits. After a languid bath, of course.' He sat up, abruptly. 'The ship's carpenter who stayed in this room here, well, he did so because he had nowhere else to go. This was his his estate. Temporary, dependent on the estate. Temporary, dependent on the whim whim of House Vidikas, and when his reason for being here was done out he went, to find somewhere else to live if he was lucky.' He reached for his shirt. 'And where will I go now? Oh, out on to the streets. Wearing the same clothes I arrived in, and that won't change any time soon. And tonight? Maybe I can wheedle another night in a room at the Phoenix Inn. And if I help in the kitchen I'll earn a meal and if Meese is in a good mood then maybe even a bath. Tomorrow, the same challenges of living, the same questions of "what next?"' He faced her and she saw amused irony in his expression, which slowly faded. 'Challice, I'm not saying you're somehow immune to suffering. If you were, you wouldn't be here, would you? I spoke of limited worlds. They exist everywhere, but that doesn't mean they're all identical. Some are a d.a.m.ned sight more limited than others.' of House Vidikas, and when his reason for being here was done out he went, to find somewhere else to live if he was lucky.' He reached for his shirt. 'And where will I go now? Oh, out on to the streets. Wearing the same clothes I arrived in, and that won't change any time soon. And tonight? Maybe I can wheedle another night in a room at the Phoenix Inn. And if I help in the kitchen I'll earn a meal and if Meese is in a good mood then maybe even a bath. Tomorrow, the same challenges of living, the same questions of "what next?"' He faced her and she saw amused irony in his expression, which slowly faded. 'Challice, I'm not saying you're somehow immune to suffering. If you were, you wouldn't be here, would you? I spoke of limited worlds. They exist everywhere, but that doesn't mean they're all identical. Some are a d.a.m.ned sight more limited than others.'

'You had choices, Cutter,' she said. 'More choices than I ever had.'

'You could have told Gorlas no when he sought your hand in marriage.'

'Really? Now that reveals one thing in you that's not changed your naivete.'

He shrugged. 'If you say so. What next, Challice?'

His sudden, seemingly effortless dismissal of the argument took her breath away. It doesn't matter to him. None of it. Not how I feel, not how I see him. It doesn't matter to him. None of it. Not how I feel, not how I see him. 'I need to think,' she said, inwardly flailing. 'I need to think,' she said, inwardly flailing.

He nodded as if unsurprised.

'Tomorrow evening,' she said, 'we should meet again.'

A half-grin as he asked, 'To talk?'

'Among other things.'

'All right, Challice.'

Some thoughts, possessing a frightening kind of self-awareness, knew to hide deep beneath others, riding unseen the same currents, where they could grow unchallenged, unexposed by any horrified recognition. One could always sense them, of course, but that was not the same as slashing through all the obfuscation, revealing them bared to the harsh light and so seeing them wither into dust. The mind ran its own sh.e.l.l-game, ever amused at its own sleight of hand misdirection in truth, this was how one tended to live, from moment to moment, with the endless exchange of denials and deference and quick winks in the mirror, even as inner proclamations and avowals thundered with false willpower and posturing conviction.

Does this lead one into unease?

Challice Vidikas hurried home, nevertheless taking a circuitous route as now and then whispers of paranoia rose in faint swells to the surface of her thoughts.

She was thinking of Cutter, this man who had once been Crokus. She was thinking of the significance in the new name, the new man she had found. She was thinking, also (there, beneath the surface), of what to do with him.

Gorlas would find out, sooner or later. He might confront her, he might not. She might discover that he knew only by arriving one afternoon at the loft in the annexe, and finding Cutter's hacked, lifeless corpse awaiting her on the bed.

She knew she was trapped in ways a free man like Cutter could never comprehend. She knew, as well, that the ways out were limited, each one chained to sacrifices, losses, abandonments, and some . . . despicable. Yes, that was the only word for them.

Despicable. She tasted the word anew, there in her mind. Contemplated whether she was in fact capable of living with such a penance. She tasted the word anew, there in her mind. Contemplated whether she was in fact capable of living with such a penance. But why would I? What would I need to see done, to make me see myself in that way? But why would I? What would I need to see done, to make me see myself in that way?

How many lives am I willing to destroy, in order to be free?

The question itself was despicable, the stem to freedom's blessed flower to grasp hold was to feel the stab of countless thorns.

Yet she held tight now, riding the pain, feeling the slick blood welling up, running down. She held tight, to feel, to taste, to know what was coming . . . if . . . if I decide to accept this. if I decide to accept this.

She could wait for Gorlas to act. Or she could strike first.

A corpse lying on the bed. A mangled rose lying on the floor.

Cutter was not Crokus she could see that, yes, very clearly. Cutter was . . . dangerous. dangerous. She recalled the scars, the old knife wounds, sword wounds even, perhaps. Others that might have been left by the punch of arrows or crossbolts. He had fought, he had taken lives she was certain of it. She recalled the scars, the old knife wounds, sword wounds even, perhaps. Others that might have been left by the punch of arrows or crossbolts. He had fought, he had taken lives she was certain of it.

Not the boy he'd once been. But this man he now is . . . can he be used? Would he even blink if I so asked? But this man he now is . . . can he be used? Would he even blink if I so asked?

Should I ask? Soon? Tomorrow?

Thus exposed, one must recoil indeed, but these were deep-run thoughts, nowhere near the surface. They were free to flow, free to swirl round unseen, as if detached from all reality. But they weren't, were they? Detached from all reality.

Oh, no, they were not.

Does this lead one into unease?