Toll the Hounds

Honey-soaked figs? ’Thank you, Irilta. Let Cro-er, Cutter know that I’d like to see him now.’



‘He went out.’



‘He did? When?’



She shrugged. ‘Not so long ago, according to Murillio.’ She paused for a hack-ing cough that reddened her broad face.



‘Find yourself a healer,’ Rallick said when she was done.



‘Listen,’ she said, opening the door behind her, ‘I ain’t got no regrets, Rallick. I



ain’t expecting any god’s kiss on the other aide, and ain’t nobody gonna s ay of Irilta she didn’t have no fun when she was alive, no sir,’



She added something else hut since she was in the corridor and closing the door Rallick didn’t quite catch it. Might have been something like ‘try chewin on that lesson some…’, but then, she’d never been the edgy one, had she?



He looked down at the tray, frowned, then picked it up and rose.



Out into the corridor, balancing it one-handed while he lifted the latch of the next door along and walked into Murillio’s room.



‘This is yours,’ Rallick said. ‘Honey-soaked figs, your favourite.’



A grunt from Murillio on the bed. ‘Explains these strips of spiced jerky-you are what you eat, right?’



‘You’re not nearly as sweet as you think, then,’ Rallick said, setting the tray down. ‘Poor Irilta.’



‘Poor Irilta nothing-that woman’s crowded more into her years than all the rest of us combined, and so now she’s dying but won’t bother with any healer be-cause, I think, she’s ready to leave.’ He shook his head as he reached for the first glazed fig. ‘If she knew you were pitying her, she’d probably kill you for real, Ral-lick.’



‘Missed me, did you?’



A pause, a searching glance, then Murillio bit into the fig.



Rallick went and sat down in one of the two chairs crowding the room along with the bed. ‘You spoke to Cutter?’



‘Somewhat.’



‘I thought he’d come to see me.’



‘Did you now?’



‘The fact that he didn’t shouldn’t make me think he got scared, should it?’



Murillio slowly shook his head.



Rallick sighed. Then he said, ‘Saw Coll last night-so our plan worked. He got his estate back, got his name back, his self-respect. You know, Murillio, I didn’t think anything could work out so well. So… perfectly. How in Hood’s name did we ever manage such a thing?’



‘That was a night for miracles all right.’



‘I feel… lost.’



‘Not surprising,’ Murillio replied, reaching for another fig. ‘Eat some of that jerky-the reek is making me nauseated.’



‘Better on my breath?’



‘Well, I don’t see us kissing any time soon.’



‘I’m not hungry,’ Rallick said. ‘I was when I first woke up, I think, but that faded.’



‘Woke up-you slept all that time in the Finnest House? All tucked up in bed?’



‘On stone, just inside the door. With Vorcan lying right beside me, apparently. She wasn’t there when I came round. Just an undead Jaghut.’



Murillio seemed to think about that for a while, then said, ‘So, what now, Rallick Norn?’



‘Wish I knew.’



Baruk might need things done, like before.’



‘You mean like guarding Cutter’s back? Keeping an eye on Coll? And how long before the Guild learns I’m back? How lung before they take me down?’



‘Ah, the Guild. Well, I’d figured you’d just head straight in, toss a few dozen lifeless bodies around and resume your rightful place. With Vorcan back… well, It seems obvious to me what needs doing.’



“That was never my style, Murillio.’



‘I know, but circumstances change.’



‘Don’t they just.’



‘He’ll be back,’ Murillio said. ‘When he’s ready to talk to you. Keep in mind, he’s gone and collected some new scars, deep ones. Some of them still bleeding, I think.’ He paused, then said, ‘If Mammot hadn’t died, well, who knows what might have happened. Instead, he went off with the Malazans, to return Apsalar to her home-oh, I see you have no idea what I’m talking about. All right, let me tell you the story of how that night ended-after you left. Just eat that damned jerky, please!’



‘You drive a damned hard bargain, friend.’



And for the first time that morning, he saw Murillio smile.