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Their heads were lowered; none would esture fro paces from Karsa’s position, the Sunyd turned and slid down the slope of their trench Three more lowlanders had appeared, and followed them down to apply the fixed shackles to the Teblor’s other ankles There was no resistance from the Sunyd

Moments later, the lowlanders were back on the ay, then heading up the steps The trapdoor squealed on its hinges, closing with a reverberating thuloom

‘It is true, then An Uryd’ The voice was a whisper

Karsa sneered ‘Was that the voice of a Teblor? No, it could not have been Teblor do not become slaves Teblor would rather die than kneel before a lowlander’

‘An Uryd… in chainsLike the rest of us-’

‘Like the Sunyd? Who let these foul children cos? No I a The Sunyd must be reminded what it is to be a Teblor’

A new voice spoke fro the Sunyd, a woround before the hunters’ caons, filled with dead Malazans Townsfolk ailing Yet, it is said there were but three of you-’

‘Two, not three Our companion, Delum Thord, ounded in the head, his s Had his mind been whole, his bloodsword in his hands-’

There was suddenfrom the Sunyd, the word bloodsword spoken in tones of awe

Karsa scowled ‘What is this madness? Have the Sunyd lost all the old ways of the Teblor?’

The wo away in the night to wander south into the lowlands, eager for the cursed lowlander coins-the bits of metal around which life itself seems to revolve Sorely used, were our children-some even returned to our valleys, as scouts for the hunters The secret groves of bloodere burned down, our horses slain To be betrayed by our own children, Uryd, this is what broke the Sunyd’

‘Your children should have been hunted down,’ Karsa said ‘The hearts of your warriors were too soft Blood-kin is cut when betrayal is done Those children ceased being Sunyd I will kill the them, Uryd They are scattered, many fallen, many now sold into servitude to repay their debts And soreat cities of Nathilog and Genabaris Our tribe is no more’

The first Sunyd who had spoken added, ‘Besides, Uryd, you are in chains Now the property of Master Silgar, fro no-one, ever again And like us, you will be made to kneel Your words are erasped hold of the chains this ti them about his wrists as many times as he could