Midnight Tides & The Bonehunters - By Steven Erikson Page 0,339

dead plain. Sensed the Crippled God's sudden awareness, sudden probings into his mind. But oh no, he laughed silently, it couldn't work it out. Couldn't fathom the endless refrain filling his skull.

Build a nest! Kick it down!

He reached the hut, not where the doorway made its slash in the wall, but from a blind side. And, with all his weight, the swordsmith flung himself into that flimsy structure.

It collapsed inward, Withal on top, landing upon a squawking figure beneath. Spitting, hissing with rage and indignation.

Withal grasped handfuls of rotten canvas, heaved himself back upright, and dragged the tent away. Pegs snapping, ties breaking. Dragged it away from that horrid little bastard god.

It shrieked, the brazier tumbling, coals spilling out, sparks lodging in the god's ratty robes, where they smouldered—

'You will die for this, mortal!'

Withal stumbled back, laughing.

And, from behind, the wind suddenly arrived.

Almost knocking him down.

He turned into it, facing the beach once more, and saw the stormclouds billowing, rushing in, growing ever higher, towering, spreading their shadow upon the island.

Leaning into the gale, Withal ran back to the beach.

Thrashing, foaming waves on all sides, but there, before him, a stretch of calm. A stretch opposite Sandalath and the capering, dancing Nachts.

Along which the boat slid gracefully through the reef, its lone sail luffing lightly as it glided to shore, grating to a halt five paces from the waterline.

Withal reached the sand in time to see a squat, nondescript man clamber down from the side and wade ashore.

'This,' he said to Withal in the Letherii trader's tongue, 'is for you. Take your friends and make sail.'

'Who are you?' Sandalath demanded.

'Oh, be quiet!' Withal snarled. 'Climb in, woman!'

The Nachts had already done so, and were scrambling about the rigging.

Scowling, the Tiste Andii woman hurried towards the boat.

Withal stared at the man.

Who grimaced, then said, 'Aye, Withal of Meckros, you pray hard enough ...'

'I knew it.'

'Now, get going. You'll find a way of calm through.'

'And you, Mael?'

'I'll drop in later. I've things for you to do, Withal. But for now,' he faced inland, 'I am going to beat a god senseless.'

This ends the fifth tale of the

Malazan Book of the Fallen

GLOSSARY

Letherii Titles

Acquitor: a sanctioned position as guide/factor when dealing with non-Letherii peoples

Atri-Preda: military commander who governs a city or town

Ceda: title of King's own mage

Finadd: equivalent of captain in the military

Preda: equivalent of commander or general in the military

Sentinel: the King's Voice in establishing first contact with non-Letherii peoples

The King's Leave: a title relieving the holder of all criminal convictions

Lether Place Names

Burl Square: a square in Letheras

Cedance: the dominant set of Tiles (see the Holds)

Cul Street: a street in Letheras

Down Markets: a district in Letheras

Errant's Heel: an alley in Letheras

Eternal Domicile: the new palace under construction in Letheras

Huldo's: a restaurant in Letheras

Katter Bight: a stretch of water outside Old Katter

Kraig's Landing: upriver from the city of Trate

Lether: the kingdom and its protectorates

Letheras: the capital city of Lether

Merchants' Tolls: equivalent of a stock market in Lether

Purser's District: a district in Letheras

Quillas Canal: one of the main canals in Letheras

Rat Catchers' Guild: a mysterious guild active throughout Lether

Red Lane: a lane in Letheras

Rild's: a restaurant in Letheras

Scale House: headquarters of the Rat Catcher's Guild, Letheras

Sherp's Last Lane: a lane in Letheras

Soulan Bridge: a bridge in Letheras

Stinking House: abode of Selush the Dresser of the Dead

Tarancede Tower: a watchtower overlooking Trate Harbour

Temple School: an educational institution in Letheras

The Temple: a high-end brothel in Letheras

Urum's Lenders: an establishment in Letheras

Windlow's Meatgrinders: an abattoir in Letheras

Letherii Cities, Villages and Forts

Awl

Brans Keep

Bridle

Cargo

Desden

Dissent

Dresh

Fent Reach

First Maiden Fort

First Reach

Five Points

Fort Shake

Gedry

Harness

High Fort

Letheras

The Manse

Miner Sluice

Old Gedure

Old Katter

Second Maiden Fort

Thetil

Third Maiden Fort

Trails

Trate

Truce

Leherii Protectorates

Bluerose

Karn Korshenn

Pilott

Pockface Islands

Neighbouring Ringdoms

Kolanse

Letherii Military

Artisan Battalion

Bluerose Battalion

Cold Clay Battalion

Crimson Rampant Brigade

Fent Garrison

Grass Jackets Brigade

Harridict Brigade

Katter Legion

Maiden Garrison

Merchants' Battalion

Shake Legion

Trate Legion

Wave Wake Brigade

Whitefinder Battalion

Letherii Phrases

Blue Style Steel: an earlier method of ironmongery

Docks: commonest denomination of Lether money

Dresh Ballista: a multi-quarrel war weapon

Letheran Steel: a secret method of ironmongery

Letherii: that of Lether, also the name of the language and of the people

Levels: the coin of the wealthy of Lether

Lupe Fish: a large carnivorous fish resident in Lether River and the canals of Letheras

Ootooloo: a primitive but singular sea-creature from Bluerose

Peaks: the coin of the filthy rich in Lether

(The) Seventh Closure: prophesied renaissance

(The) Shrouded Sisters of the Empty Throne: Educators

Stripling: lowest denomination of Lether money

Truce Fever: a common, curable fever

Tusked Milk: an alcoholic beverage

Tiste Edur Places and Names

Arapay: subjugated and easternmost tribe of Tiste Edur

Beneda: subjugated tribe of Tiste Edur

Calach Breeding Beds: coastline where Tusked Seals breed

Den-Ratha: subjugated, northernmost tribe of Tiste Edur

Hasana Inlet: