Toll the Hounds

‘Not my choice! Do not blame me, woman! Do you hear? Do not!’



Then his eyes widened and he dragged her down on to the cobbles, covered her with his own body.



As two behemoths collided not three paces distant.



A white Hound.



And a bear, a god, a beast forgotten in the passing of the world.



It had arrived a moment after the Hound, and its massive forearms wrapped round in a crushing embrace, lifting the Hound into the air-and clear of Samar Dev and Dassem-before both creatures slammed into and through the building’s front wall.



Rubble crashed down, tumbling chunks of masonry striking Dassem’s broad hack as he pulled himself and Samar away from the collapsing facade. Somewhere within that building, bear and Hound fought in a frenzy.



Leaving, now, two Hounds of Light, unopposed, and they reached the corpse of Anomander Rake. Jaws closed about a thigh and his body was dragged upward. The second beast circled, as if contemplating its own bite-but the sword still lodged in the Tiste Andii’s skull was pitching about as the first animal sought to carry away its prize, and wise caution kept it back.



The Seguleh threw his lance from fifteen paces away. The weapon sank into the side of the circling Hound, knocking it down-to be up again in an instant, snarling and snapping at the jutting shaft.



Karsa, whose longer strides had sent him ahead of the Second, voiced a Teblor battle cry-an ancient one, heard only when the elders spun their tales of ancient heroes-and the Hound gripping Rake’s corpse flinched at the sound.



Releasing its hold on that torn, gashed leg, it lunged towards the attacking Toblakai.



Two javelins struck the animal from its left. Neither lodged, but it was enough to sting its attention, and the Hound’s head pitched round to confront the new at-tackers.



Two young Teblor women stood on the other side of the avenue, each calmly readying another javelin in her atlatl. Between them stood a large, mangy dog, tensed, fangs bared, its growl so low it might as well have been coming up from the earth below.



The Hound hesitated.



Karsa charged towards it, blade whistling through the air-



The beast broke and ran-and the Toblakai’s sword sliced off its stubby tail and nothing else.



The Hound howled.



Shifting round, Karsa advanced on the other animal-it had dragged the lance loose and now it too was fleeing, leaving a trail of blood.



The Seguleh reclaimed his gore-smeared weapon.



Karsa hesitated, and then he moved to stand over the body of Anomander Rake. ‘They are beaten,’ he said.



The masked face swung round. Dead eyes in rimmed slits regarded him. ‘It has been a long time since I last heard that war cry, Toblakai. Pray,’ the warrior added, ‘I never hear it again!’



Karsa’s attention, however, was drawn to the Teblor women, and the dog that now advanced, its own stubbed tail wagging.



Staring at the animal, watching its limping approach, Karsa Orlong struggled against a sob. He had sent this dog home. Half dead, fevered and weak from blood loss, it had set out-so long ago now, so long ago. He looked up at the Teblor women, neither of whom spoke. It was difficult to see through the tears-did he know these two? No, they looked too young.



They looked…



Down the side street, the five Hounds of Shadow had been driven back, unable to hold their ground against the combined sorceries of Spite and Envy. The magic slashed their hides. Blood sprayed from their snouts. And on all sides, forces sought to crush them down, destroy them utterly.



Writhing, battered, they fell back, step by step.



And the Daughters of Draconus drew ever closer to their prize.



Their father’s sword.



A birthright long denied them. Of course, both Envy and Spite understood the value of patience. Patience, yes, in the fruition of their desires, their needs.



The Hounds could not match them, not in power, nor in savage will.



The long wait was almost over.



The sisters barely registered the quiet arrival of a carriage well behind the Hounds. Alas, the same could not be said for the one who stepped out from it and swung strangely bestial eyes towards them.



That steady, deadly regard reached through indeed.



They halted their advance. Sorceries died away. The Hounds, shedding blood that steamed in the dawn’s light, limped back in the direction of the fallen wielder of Dragnipur.



Envy and Spite hesitated. Desires were stuffed screaming back into their tiny lockboxes. Plans hastily, bitterly readjusted. Patience… ah, patience, yes, awak ened once more.



Oh well, maybe next time.



The vicious battle within the shell of the mostly demolished building had ended. Heart fluttering with fear, Samar Dev cautiously approached. She worked her way over the rubble and splintered crossbeams, edged past an inner wall that had remained mostly intact, and looked then upon the two motionless leviathans.