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The Lady’s expression was troubled Her frown deepened as she studied the ehut together Is there precedence for such an alliance?’

’There is not,’ Tool said

Sleet swept down on the s i’s hide as the ani oncewind

Before thereen-veined white

Toc blinked He was in the tower, crouched before the meat-laden table The Seer’s back was to hihut sorcery -- the creature within the old man’s carcass was now entirely visible, thin, tall, hairless, tinted green But no, there’s s, chaotic power, plunging down through the stone floor, twisting with sohut draws on another sorcery, so older, far more deadly than Omtose Phellack

The Seer turned ’I aer Did you think you could reach out to your wolf kin withoutit? So, the one within you readies for its rebirth’

The one within me?

’Alas,’ the Seer went on, ’the Beast Throne is vacant -- neither you nor that beast god can ht well have succeeded in assassinating me You lied! ’

This last accusation came as a shriek, and Toc saw, not an oldbefore him

’Liar! Liar! And for that you shall suffer!’ The Seer gestured wildly

Pain clenched Toc the Younger, wrapped iron bands around his body, his limbs, lifted him into the air Bones snapped The Malazan screamed

’Break! Yes, break into pieces! But I won’t kill you, no, not yet, not for a long, long time! Oh, look at you writhe, but what do you know of true pain, er I will teach you-’ He gestured again