‘I do not know who you are.’

The man smiled. ‘Ah, yes, I am well ahead of myself…’ His gaze fell to the shadows spread long before him, though his back was to an unlit, closed door, and his smile broadened as if he was reconsidering those words. ‘I am Cotillion, Lostara Yil. Back then, I was Dancer, and yes, you can well guess the significance of that name, given what you were being trained to do. Of course, in Seven Cities, certain truths of the cult had been lost, in particular the true nature of Shadow Dancing. It was never meant for performance, Lostara. It was, in fact, an art most martial. Assassination.’

‘I am no follower of Shadow-Rashan or your version-’

‘That is not the loyalty I would call upon with you,’ Cotillion replied.

She was silent, struggling to fit sense to her thoughts, to his words. Cotillion… was Dancer. Shadowthrone… must have been Kellanved, the Emperor! She scowled. ‘My loyalty is to the Malazan Empire. The Empire-’

‘Very good,’ he replied. ‘I am pleased.’

‘And now you’re going to try to convince me that the Empress Laseen should not be the empire’s true ruler-’

‘Not at all. She is welcome to it. But, alas, she is in some trouble right now, isn’t she? She could do with some… help.’

‘She supposedly assassinated you!’ Lostara hissed. ‘You and Kellanved both!’ She betrayed you.

Cotillion simply shrugged again. ‘Everyone had their… appointed tasks. Lostara, the game being played here is far larger than any mortal empire. But the empire in question-your empire-well, its success is crucial to what we seek. And, were you to know the fullest extent of recent, distant events, you would need no convincing that the Empress sits on a tottering throne right now.’

‘Yet even you betrayed the Emper-Shadowthrone. Did you not just tell me-’

‘Sometimes, I see further than my dear companion. Indeed, he remains obsessed with desires to see Laseen suffer-I have other ideas, and while he may see them as party to his own, there is yet no pressing need to disabuse him of that notion. But I will not seek to deceive you into believing I am all-knowing. I admit to having made grave errors, indeed, to knowing the poison of suspicion. Quick Ben. Kalam. Whiskeyjack. Where did their loyalty truly reside? Well, I eventually got my answer, but I am not yet decided whether it pleases me or troubles me. There is one danger that plagues ascendants in particular, and that is the tendency to wait too long. Before acting, before stepping-if you will-from the shadows.’ He smiled again. ‘I would make amends for past, at times fatal, hesitation. And so here I stand before you, Lostara, to ask for your help.’

Her scowl deepened. ‘Why should I not tell Pearl all about this… meeting?’

‘No reason, but I’d rather you didn’t. I am not yet ready for Pearl. For you, remaining silent will not constitute treason, for, if you do as I ask, you two will walk step in step. You will face no conflict, no matter what may occur, or what you may discover in your travels.’

‘Where is this… Delat?’

His brows rose, as if he was caught off guard momentarily by the question, then he sighed and nodded. ‘I have no hold over him these days, alas. Why? He is too powerful. Too mysterious. Too conniving. Too Hood-damned smart. Indeed, even Shadowthrone has turned his attentions elsewhere. I would love to arrange a reunion, but I am afraid I have not that power.’ He hesitated, then added, ‘Sometimes, one must simply trust in fate, Lostara. The future can ever promise but one thing and one thing only: surprises. But know this, we would all save the Malazan Empire, in our own ways. Will you help me?’

‘If I did, would that make me a Talon?’

Cotillion’s smile broadened. ‘But, my dear, the Talons no longer exist.’

‘Oh, really, Cotillion, would you ask my help and then play me for a fool?’

The smile slowly faded. ‘But I am telling you, the Talons no longer exist. Surly annihilated them. Is there knowledge you possess that would suggest otherwise?’

She was silent a moment, then turned away. ‘No. I simply… assumed.’

‘Indeed. Will you help me then?’

‘Pearl is on his way,’ Lostara said, facing the god once again.

‘I am capable of brevity when need be.’

‘What is it you want me to do?’

Half a bell later there was a light rap upon the door and Pearl entered.

And immediately halted. ‘I smell sorcery.’

Seated on the bed, Lostara shrugged then rose to collect her kit bag. ‘There are sequences in the Shadow Dance,’ she said casually, ‘that occasionally evoke Rashan.’

‘Rashan! Yes.’ He stepped close, his gaze searching. ‘The Shadow Dance. You?’

‘Once. Long ago. I hold to no gods, Pearl. Never have. But the Dance, I’ve found, serves me in my fighting. Keeps me flexible, and I need that the most when I am nervous or unhappy.’ She slung the bag over a shoulder and waited.

Pearl’s eyebrows rose. ‘Nervous or unhappy?’

She answered him with a sour look, then walked to the doorway. ‘You said you’ve stumbled on a lead…’

He joined her. ‘I have at that. But a word of warning first. Those sequences that evoke Rashan-it would be best for us both if you avoided them in the future. That kind of activity risks drawing… attention.’

‘Very well. Now, lead on.’

A lone guard slouched outside the estate’s gate, beside a bound bundle of straw. Pale green eyes tracked Lostara and Pearl as they approached from across the street. The man’s uniform and armour were dull with dust. A small human finger bone hung on a brass loop from one ear. His expression was sickly, and he drew a deep breath before saying, ‘You the advance? Go back and tell her we’re not ready.’

Lostara blinked and glanced over at Pearl.

Her companion was smiling. ‘Do we look like messengers, soldier?’

The guard’s eyes thinned. ‘Didn’t I see you dancing on a table down at Pugroot’s Bar?’

Pearl’s smile broadened. ‘And have you a name, soldier?’

‘Maybe.’

‘Well, what is it?’

‘I just told you. Maybe. Do you need me to spell it or something?’

‘Can you?’

‘No. I was just wondering if you was stupid, that’s all. So, if you’re not the Adjunct’s advance, come to warn us about that surprise inspection, then what do you want?’

‘A moment,’ Pearl said, frowning. ‘How can an inspection be a surprise if there’s advance warning?’

‘Hood’s leathery feet, you are stupid after all. That’s how it’s done-’

‘A warning, then.’ He glanced at Lostara and winked as he added, ‘Seems I’m offering those all day. Listen, Maybe, the Adjunct won’t be warning you about her inspections-and don’t expect your officers to do so either. She has her own rules, and you’d better get used to it.’

‘You still ain’t told me what you want.’

‘I need to speak to a certain soldier of the 5th squad of the 9th Company, and I understand he is stationed in the temporary barracks here.’

‘Well, I’m in the 6th, not the 5th.’

‘Yes… so?’

‘Well, it’s obvious then, isn’t it? You don’t want to speak to me at all. Go on in, you’re wasting my time. And hurry up, I’m not feeling too well.’

The guard opened the gate and watched them stride inside, his eyes falling to Lostara’s swaying hips for a long moment before he slammed the reinforced gate shut.

Beside him, the bale of straw shimmered suddenly then reformed as an overweight young man seated cross-legged on the cobbles.

Maybe’s head turned and he sighed. ‘Don’t do that again-not near me, Balgrid. Magic makes me want to puke.’

‘I had no choice but to maintain the illusion,’ Balgrid replied, drawing a sleeve across his sweat-beaded brow. ‘That bastard was a Claw!’

‘Really? I could have sworn I saw him wearing a woman’s clothes and dancing at Pug-’

‘Will you shut up with that! Pity the poor bastard he’s looking for in the 5th!’