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throat. ‘What – what happened?’
Stoop shrugged, drew a clay pipe from a pouch at his belt. ‘Cowl knifed the magus, or Ascendant, or whatever by the Cult of Tragedy he was. Lightning like the very end of creation like some religions keep jabbering on about came blasting down right then and there and when it stopped only the Veils were left standing. Not a single sign left of the bugger. Burst into ashes. You're damned lucky to be alive. Left your hand crisp as a flame-cooked partridge though.’
Kyle peered at the dressings. Gone? Killed? ‘How could that be?’
With his thumb, Stoop tamped rustleaf into the pipe bowl. ‘Oh, you don't know Cowl like I do. Ain't nothing alive he can't kill.’ ’ Stoop, leaned close. ‘I told ‘em you was rushing in to do him in yourself. You know – make your name for yourself an’ all that. Something like “The Damned Fool with the Flaming Hand”. Something like that. If you understand me.’
Kyle snorted a laugh then held his throbbing head and groaned. ‘Yeah. I understand. So, now what?’
Stoop clamped the pipe between his teeth. ‘So now we wait. The wind's dying. Soon it will be safe enough to take the basket down. Our contract's finished now.’
‘Did you succeed?’
Stoop's grey bushy brows drew together. ‘Succeed? What're you gettin’ at?’
‘Stealing your thunder.’
The old saboteur sighed, took his pipe from his mouth and shoved it back into his pouch. ‘Now, lad, don't get yourself all in a—’
‘You knew some thing or some one was up here, didn't you? All along?’ He pushed himself up to one elbow, tried to get up on a knee. Stoop took him under the arm and pulled him upright. He leaned against the cool reviving wall. He pressed his left hand to his forehead to stop its spinning. ‘That's why you came here in the first place, isn't it? Why you took this contract – even though it was a strange one for the Guard?’
Stoop hovered at Kyle's side, ready should he faint. ‘Now, no need to get all lathered up. Sure we suspected there was something worth our time up here. Otherwise we would've kept right on going. I'm sorry that you ‘n’ him were both pledged to Wind.’
Kyle laughed. Pledged!
That's just unfortunate. That's all. Why, us soldiers, we're used to that. Half the men I've killed were sworn to Togg, same as myself. Doesn't mean nothing, lad.’
Kyle shook his head. ‘You don't understand.’ How could anyone not of his people see that that being must have been a Wind Spirit itself. And they killed it. Yet how could Cowl, a mere mortal, kill a spirit? Surely that was impossible.
‘Well, maybe we don't understand. We're just passing through Bael lands after all.’ Struth. But I know there is one thing we understand and you don't.’ Stoop pointed to the west. ‘The Guard is locked in a duel to the death with a great power, lad. A force that would lay waste to these entire lands to get to us.’
‘The Malazans.’
‘You've the right of it. Good to see that you've been paying attention. Now, power is power. We knew this warlock, Shen, was no way potent enough to whip up this sort of storm. Why, the entire weather of this subcontinent is affected. Your own plains are dry because of all the rains that are drawn here to run off to the eastern coast. We'd hoped it was something we could use in our war against the damned Malazans. But, as you saw, it was some blasted dreaming magus.’
‘Dreaming?’
‘Yes. Cowl says that all this – the storm – was summoned up and sustained just by his dreaming. Imagine that, hey?’
Kyle almost threw himself upon Stoop. You fools! You've slain a God of my people! But blinding pain hammered within his skull and he rubbed furiously with his one good hand at his forehead.
‘You OK, lad?’
Kyle jerked a nod. ‘Could use some fresh air.’
Stoop took his arm to help him up the corridor. Outside, beyond the colonnaded walk, Guardsmen were lounging on the benches and planters, talking, resting and oiling