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‘How long until the coed?’ the blue-eyed man asked

‘A bell at least, so you will have plenty-’

Sudden alararrison

The Gral seemed to vanish before Karsa’s eyes, so quickly did they scatter ‘Torvald Nom, for all you have done for me, I thank you-’

The Daru scurried over to a pile of rubbish in the alley He swept it aside, then lifted into view Karsa’s bloodsword ‘Here, friend’ He tossed the sword into the Teblor’s hands ‘Come to Darujhistan in a few years’ tione

The blue-eyed uards-now gestured ‘Stay close There are ways out of Ehrlitan the Malazans know nothing of Follow, and quietly’ He set off Karsa slipped into his wake

Their route twisted through the lower city, down countless alleys, some so narrow that the Teblor was forced to sidle sideways along their crooked lengths Karsa had thought that his guide would lead the onto the wasteland to the south Instead, they clilethrough the rubble of countless collapsed buildings

They arrived at the battered base of a tower, the native not hesitating as he ducked in through the gaping, dark doorway Following, Karsa found histones A second portal was barely visible opposite the entrance, and at its threshold the man paused ‘Mebra!’ he hissed

There was movement, then: ‘Is it you? Dryjhna bless us, I had heard that you had been captured-ah, the alarh of that Do the provisions remain in the tunnels?’

‘Of course! Always Including your own cache-’

‘Good, now move aside I’ve soh series of stone steps, descending into even deeper darkness Karsa sensed the ed past, heard his sharp intake of breath

The blue-eyed man below the Teblor halted suddenly ‘Oh, and Mebra, tell no-one you have seen us-not even your fellow servants to the cause Understand?’