Toll the Hounds

‘And I greet you in return,’ she managed after a moment.



‘I am Tulas Shorn,’ it said. ‘I scarce recall when I last walked this realm, if I ever have. The very nature of my demise is lost to me, which, as you might imagine, is proving disconcerting.’



‘So it would, Tulas Shorn. I am Samar Dev-’



‘Yes, the one who negotiates with spirits, with the sleeping selves of stream and rock, crossroads and sacred paths. Priestess of Burn-’’That title is in error, Tulas Shorn-’



‘In it? You are a witch, are you not?’



‘Yes, but-’



‘You do not reach into warrens, and so force alien power into this world. Your congress is with the earth, the sky, water and stone. You are a priestess of Hum, chosen among those of whom she dreams, as are others, but you, Samar Dev, she dreams of often.’



‘How would you know that?’



Tulas Shorn hesitated, and then said, ‘There is death in dreaming.’



‘You are Tiste Edur,’ said Karsa Orlong, and, baring his teeth, he reached for his sword.



‘More than that,’ said Traveller, ‘one of Hood’s own.’



Samar Dev spun to her two companions. ‘Oh, really! Look at you two! Not killed anything in weeks-how can you bear it? Planning on chopping it into tiny pieces, are you? Well, why not fight for the privilege first?’



Traveller’s eyes widened slightly at her outburst.



Karsa’s humourless smile broadened. ‘Ask it what it wants, then, Witch.’



‘The day I start taking orders from you, Karsa Orlong, I will do just that.’



Tulas Shorn had taken a step back. ‘It seems I am not welcome here, and so I shall leave.’



But Samar Dev’s back was up, and she said, ‘I welcome you, Tulas Shorn, even if these ones do not. If they decide to attack you, I will stand in their way. I offer you all the rights of a guest-it’s my damned fire, after all, and if these two idiots don’t like it they can make their own, preferably a league or two away.’



‘You are right,’ Traveller said. ‘I apologize. Be welcome, then, Tulas Shorn.’



Karsa shrugged. ‘I suppose,’ he said, ‘I’ve killed enough Edur. Besides, this one’s already dead. I still want to know what it wants.’



Tulas Shorn edged in warily-a caution that seemed peculiarly out of place in a corpse, especially one that could veer into a dragon at any moment. ‘I have no urgent motivations, Tartheno Toblakai. I have known solitude for too long and would ease the burden of being my only company.’



‘Then join us,’ Karsa said, returning to crouch at the fire. ‘After all,’ he added, ‘perhaps one day I too will tire of my own company.’



‘Not any time soon, I would wager,’ said the Tiste Edur.



Traveller snorted a laugh, and then looked shocked with himself.



Samar Dev settled down once more, thinking of Shorn’s words. ‘There is death in dreaming.’ Well, she supposed, there would be at that. Then why did she feel so… rattled? What were you telling me, Tulas Shorn!



‘Hood has released you?’ Traveller asked. ‘Or was he careless?’



‘Careless?’ The Tiste Edur seemed to consider the word. ‘No, I do not think that. Rather, an opportunity presented itself to me. I chose not to waste it.’



‘So now,’ said Traveller, eyes fixed on the withered face enlivened only by reflected firelight, ‘you wing here and there, seeking what?’



‘Instinct can set one on a path,’ Tulas Shorn said, ‘with no destination in mind.’ It raised both hands and seemed to study them. ‘I have thought to see lifeonce more, awakened within me. I do not know if such a thing is even possible. Samar Dev, is such a thing possible? Can she dream me alive once more?’



‘Clan she-what? I don’t know. Call me a priestess if you like, but I don’t worship Burn, which doesn’t make me a very good priestess, does it? But if she dreams death, then she dreams life, too.’



‘From one to the other is generally in one direction only,’ Traveller observed. ‘Hood will come for you, Tulas Shorn; sooner or later, he will come to reclaim you.’



For the first time, she sensed evasiveness in the Tiste Edur as it said, ‘I have time yet, I believe. Samar Dev, there is sickness in the Sleeping Goddess.’



She flinched. ‘I know.’



‘It must be expunged, lest she die.’



‘I imagine so.’



‘Will you fight for her?’