Midnight Tides & The Bonehunters - By Steven Erikson Page 0,267

last few leagues, as Moroch outdistanced the leading edges. He'd seen deserters among them, and had struggled against an urge to deliver summary justice upon the cowards, but there would be time for that later. The gates ahead were open, a squad of soldiers from the Merchants' Battalion standing guard.

Moroch reined in before them. 'This road will be packed by dusk,' he said. 'You will need at least four more squads to manage the flow.'

A sergeant scowled up at him. 'And who in the Errant's name are you?'

'Another deserter,' muttered a soldier.

Moroch's uniform was covered in dust and patches of old blood. He was bearded, his hair filthy and unbound. Even so, he stared at the sergeant, shocked that he had not been recognized. Then he bared his teeth, 'There will be deserters, yes. They are to be pulled aside, and all those refugees of acceptable age and fitness are to be recruited. Sergeant, I am Finadd Moroch Nevath. I led the survivors from High Fort down to Brans Keep, where we were attached to the Artisan Battalion. I go now to report to the Preda.'

He was pleased at the sudden deference shown once he identified himself.

The sergeant saluted, then asked, 'Is it true, then, sir? The prince and the queen are prisoners of the Edur?'

'A miracle that they survived at all, sergeant.'

A strange expression flitted across the sergeant's features, quickly disguised, yet Moroch had understood it. Why didn't you fall defending them, Finadd? You ran, like all the others ...

'We will get them back, sir,' the sergeant said after a moment.

'Send for your reinforcements,' Moroch said, kicking his horse into motion once more. You're right, I should have died. But you were not there, were you?

He rode into the city.

Champion Ormly and Chief Investigator Rucket were sitting on the steps of the Rat Catchers' Guild, sharing a bottle of wine. Both scowled when they saw Bugg, who approached to stand before them.

'We know all about you now,' Rucket said. She sneered, but added nothing more.

'Well,' said Bugg, 'that's a relief. What more have you heard from your agents in the occupied cities?'

'Oh,' Ormly said, 'and we're to reveal all our intelligence to you, simply because you ask for it?'

'I don't see why not.'

'He has a point, the bastard,' Rucket said to the Champion.

Who looked at her in disbelief. 'No he doesn't! You're smitten, aren't you? Tehol and his manservant – both of them!'

'Don't be absurd. It's in the contract, Ormly. We share information—'

'Fine, but what's this man shared? Nothing. The Waiting Man. What's he waiting for? That's what I want to know.'

'You're drunk.'

Bugg said, 'You haven't heard anything.'

'Of course we have!' Ormly snapped. 'Peace reigns. The shops are open once more. Coins roll, the sea lanes are unobstructed.'

'Garrisons?'

'Disarmed. Including local constabulary. All protection and enforcement is being done by the Edur. Empty estates have been occupied by Edur families – some kind of nobility exists with them, with those tribes. Not so different after all.'

'Curious,' Bugg said. 'No resistance?'

'Their damned shades are everywhere. Even the rats don't dare cause trouble.'

'And how close to Letheras are the Edur armies?'

'That we don't know. Days away, maybe. The situation is pretty chaotic in the countryside north of here. I'm not answering any more questions and that's that.' Ormly took the bottle from Rucket and drank deep.

Bugg looked round. The street was quiet. 'Something in the air ...'

'We know,' Rucket said.

The silence lengthened, then Bugg rubbed at the back of his neck. Without another word, he walked away.

A short time later, he approached the Azath tower. As he began crossing the street towards the front gate, a figure emerged from a nearby alley. Bugg halted.

'Surprised to see you here,' the man said as he drew nearer to the manservant. 'But a momentary surprise. Thinking on it, where else would you be?'

Bugg grunted, then said, 'I wondered when you'd finally stir yourself awake. If.'

'Better late than never.'

'Here to give things a nudge, are you?'

'In a manner of speaking. And what about you?'

'Well,' Bugg considered, 'that depends.'

'On?'

'You, I suppose.'

'Oh, I'm just passing through,' the man said.

Bugg studied him for a long moment, then cocked his head and asked, 'So, how much of you was at the heart of this mess, I wonder? Feeding the queen's greed, the prince's estrangement from his father. Did the notion of the Seventh Closure simply amuse you?'

'I but watched,' the man replied, shrugging. 'Human nature is responsible, as ever. That is not a burden I am willing to accept, especially