figures like ants from a stirred-up nest. A few jumped from upper floors, though they did not get up again.
The cracked remnants of the parade ground gave a last, self-satisfied shudder and all was still once more. In the distance, someone was shouting orders but the fleeing people took no notice.
‘Look out,’ said Nish, brushing dust from his nose. His eyebrows were thick with it. ‘They’re coming our way.’
‘Just act terrified and aimless,’ said Irisis, blinking dust out of her long eyelashes.
A battered group of people stumbled by, not giving them a second glance, and disappeared. Others followed.
‘Do we have to go in?’ said Nish. ‘Surely this means the end of the Council.’
‘I should have listened, Malien,’ Flydd sounded as if he had a throat full of gravel. ‘It’s woken. What’s the amplimet going to do now?’
Malien, lying on the ground with her eyes closed, did not reply.
Irisis reached out and caught hold of Nish’s fingers. ‘I’m scared,’ she said quietly. ‘I don’t want to go in there.’
Coming from the bravest person he knew, that was chilling. He slid his cold hand into hers. ‘Neither do I.’
Klarm waddled across to Flydd. ‘I don’t see what we can do, Xervish. It’ll be like a maze inside.’
‘One where every path leads to a blank wall,’ said Flydd. He thought for a moment. ‘We must go in. We’ve got to make sure of the Council – you can bet they’ve survived – and attempt to secure the amplimet. And find Tiaan.’
‘If she’s alive!’ growled Klarm.
‘You’d better hope she is,’ whispered Malien. ‘She may be the only one who can restrain the amplimet now.’
‘We’ll never find it in that chaos,’ said Klarm. ‘Or her.’
‘I will lead you,’ said a vaguely familiar voice from the crumbled rock along the edge of the cloven parade ground.
Klarm whirled, groping for his short blade.
‘Hold!’ cried Flydd. ‘Hold, damn it.’
Klarm slowly lowered his arm.
‘Come forth,’ said Flydd. ‘Slowly.’
A man emerged, empty hands out in front of him. His back was to the moon and Nish could make out no more than an outline. He was of middle height and slim.
‘Surr,’ said the man.
Suddenly Nish knew him. ‘Eiryn Muss!’
‘Or someone taking his shape,’ said Irisis.
‘No, it’s Muss all right,’ said Flydd. ‘Where the hell have you been all this time, Prober Muss? I sent you to do a job months ago and you didn’t report back.’
‘You sent me to find news of the flying construct, surr,’ said Muss. ‘And I followed the webs of lies and rumour to Lybing where, unfortunately, I came to the notice of Scrutator Fusshte. He knew I served you, of course. And my worth.’
Flydd grunted, which could have meant anything.
‘Fusshte offered me a choice,’ Muss went on. ‘To serve him, or die the death prescribed for the trusted servant of a traitor. What could I do, surr? Dead I would be no use to you. I chose to serve Fusshte, for that was the only way to discharge my oath and duty to you. And, after all, much of the scrutators’ intelligence flows through him.’
‘He’s a master of lies and deceit,’ said Klarm. ‘As are you, Prober Muss. Any man sworn to Fusshte is no good to us.’
‘Surr,’ said Muss. ‘I –’
‘Eiryn Muss served me faithfully for a very long time,’ said Flydd, though in a neutral voice.
Klarm just looked at him. Flydd met his stare. Finally Klarm said, very dubiously, ‘And in all that time he gave you no cause to doubt him?’
‘Not in the least degree,’ said Flydd.
What was Flydd playing at? In Nish’s travels with him after fleeing Snizort, Flydd had more than once wondered at Muss’s personal agenda.
‘Explain yourself, Muss, if you can,’ said Flydd. ‘And be quick about it. Time presses upon us.’
‘I’ll save you more time than you’ll lose by questioning me, surr. Fusshte brought me here to assist him and, in time, made me his Master of the Watch. I learned much about flying constructs, surr, and other matters of interest to you.’
‘You conveyed not a jot of it to me,’ snapped Flydd.
‘Fusshte did not allow me access to the message skeets,’ said Muss.
‘How could he stop a man of your talents?’
‘He put a specific ward around their pens, proof against whatever guise I might put on. I did everything I could to find a way –’
‘Fine words,’ said Klarm, ‘but they mean nothing.’
‘Neither could I leave Nennifer by air-floater or mountain camel caravan,’ said Muss. ‘All escapes were warded against me, and I’m not hardy enough to