Ublala scratched his jaw. ‘I was told not to join in on things I know nothing about.’
‘Oh? And who told you that?’
A fat woman named Rucket, when she got me to swear fealty to the Rat Catchers’ Guild.’
‘The Rat Catchers’ Guild?’
Ublala Pung shrugged. ‘I guess they catch rats, but I’m not sure really.’
‘Out of the circle, lad.’
Three strides by the challenger onto the sands of the arena and the earthquake had struck. Marble benches cracked, people cried out, many falling, tumbling, and the sand itself shimmered then seemed to transform, as conglomerated, gritty lumps of dried blood rose into view like garnets in a prospector’s tin pan.
Samar Dev, shivering despite the sun’s slanting light, held tight to one edge of a bouncing bench, eyes fixed on Karsa Orlong who stood, legs wide to keep his balance but otherwise looking unperturbed-and there, at the other end of the arena, a swaying, hulking figure emerged from a tunnel mouth. Sword sweeping a furrow in the sand.
White fire suddenly illuminated the sky, arcing-across the blue-grey sky of sunrise. Flashing, pulsing, then vanishing, as trembles rippled in from the city, then faded away. Plumes of dust spiralled skyward from close by-in the direction of the Old Palace.
On the imperial stand the Chancellor-his face pale and eyes wide with alarm-was sending runners scurrying.
Samar Dev saw Finadd Varat Taun standing near Triban Gnol. Their gazes locked-and she understood. Icarium.
Oh, Taxilian, did you guess aright? Did you see what you longed to see? ‘What is happening?’
The roar brought her round, to where stood the Emperor. Rhulad Sengar was staring up at the Chancellor. ‘Tell me! What has happened?’
Triban Gnol shook his head, then raised his hands. ‘An earthquake, Emperor. Pray to the Errant that it has passed.’
‘Have we driven the invaders from our streets?’
‘We do so even now,’ the Chancellor replied.
‘I will kill their commander. With my own hands I will kill their commander.’..
Karsa Orlong drew his flint sword.
The act captured the Emperor’s attention, and Samar Dev saw Rhulad Sengar bare his teeth in an ugly smile. ‘Another giant,’ he said. ‘How many times shall you kill me? You, with the blood of my kin already on your hands. Twice? Three times? It will not matter. It will not matter!’
Karsa Orlong, bold with his claims, brazen in his arrogance, uttered but five words in reply: ‘I will kill you… once.’ And then he turned to look at Samar Dev-a moment’s glance, and it was all that Rhulad Sengar gave him.
With a shriek, the Emperor of a Thousand Deaths rushed forward, his sword a whirling blur over his head.
Ten strides between them.
Five.
Three.
The gleaming arc of that cursed weapon slashed out, a decapitating swing-that rang deafeningly from Karsa’s stone sword. Sprang back, chopped down, was blocked yet again.
Rhulad Sengar staggered back, still smiling his terrible smile. ‘Kill me, then,’ he said in a ragged rasp.
Karsa Orlong made no move.
With a scream the Emperor attacked again, seeking to drive the Toblakai back.
The ringing concussions seemed to leap from those weapons, as each savage attack was blocked, shunted aside. Rhulad pivoted, angled to one side, slashed down at Karsa’s right thigh. Parried. A back-bladed swing up towards the Toblakai’s shoulder. Batted away. Stumbling off balance from that block, the Emperor was suddenly vulnerable. A hack downward would take him, a thrust would pierce him-a damned fool could have cut Rhulad down at that moment.
Yet Karsa did nothing. Nor had he moved, beyond turning in place to keep the Emperor in front of him.
Rhulad stumbled clear, then spun round, righting his sword. Chest heaving beneath the patchwork of embedded coins, eyes wild as a boar’s. ‘Kill me then!’
Karsa remained where he was. Not taunting, not even smiling.
Samar Dev stared down on the scene, transfixed. I do not know him. I have never known him.
Gods, we should have had sex-then I’d know!
Another whirling attack, again the shrieking reverberation of iron and flint, a flurry of sparks cascading down. And Rhulad staggered back once more.
The Emperor was now streaming with sweat.
Karsa Orlong did not even seem out of breath.
Inviting a fatal response, Rhulad Sengar dropped down onto one knee to regain his wind.
Invitation not accepted.
After a time, in which the score or fewer onlookers stared on, silent and confused; in which Chancellor Triban Gnol stood, hands clasped, like a crow nailed to a branch; the Emperor straightened, lifted his sword once more, and resumed his fruitless flailing-oh, there was skill, yes, extraordinary skill, yet Karsa Orlong stood his ground, and not once did that blade touch him.
