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A a people where solitude was as close to a crime as possible Where to separate was to weaken Where the very breaking of vision into its coit beyond the eye’s reach, onto walls of stone-deed, potentially deadly propensity

A poor bonecaster Onrack, you were never what you were meant to be And when you broke the unwritten covenant and painted a truthful ie of a mortal Imass, when you trapped that lovely, dark woman in time, there in the cavern no-one was ros himself, and the First Sword

But he re face of Onos T’oolan, when he had first looked upon the painting of his sister Wonder and awe, and a resurgence of an abiding love-Onrack was certain that he had seen such in the First Sword’s face, was certain that others had, as well, though of course none spoke of it The law had been broken, and would be answered with severity

He never knew if Kilava had herself gone to see the painting; had never known if she had been angered, or had seen sufficient to understand the blood of his own heart that had gone into that ie

But that is the last ar h ht before the Ritual,’ Onrack replied ‘Not far from this place wherestand I was to have been banished from my tribe I had committed a crime to which there was no other answer Instead, events eclipsed the clans Four Jaghut tyrants had risen and had forht to destroy this land-as indeed they have’

The Tiste Edur said nothing, perhaps wondering what, precisely, had been destroyed Along the river there were irrigation ditches, and strips of rich green crops awaiting the season’s turn Roads and farmsteads, the occasional te that horizon, did the broken ridge of treeless bluffs mar the scene

‘I was in the cavern-in the place of my crime,’ Onrack continued after a ht, ah in truth I was already alone, driven from the camp to this final place of solitude And then someone came A touch A body, war the first to shun me, for what I had done, for the betrayal it had meant No, a woman unknown to me in the darkness…’

Was it her? I will never know She was gone in the one froathered She defied the call-no, more horrible yet, she had killed her own kin, all but Onos hied to drive her off-the truest measure of his extraordinary martial prowess

Was it her? Was there blood unseen on her hands? That dried, cruht had come from the overturned bowl of paint Fled from Onos… to me, in my shae beyond? In the , did someone come upon us and see what I myself could not?

‘You need say no more, Onrack,’ Trull said softly

True And were I mortal flesh, you would see rief is not lost to your eyes, Trull Sengar And yet still you ask why I proclaiades is… fresh,’ Onrack said after a ’

‘Artistry finds new for silenced’ The T’lan Ies have coer free to pursue this hunt… unless you wish the sarimaced, scanned the lands to the southwest ‘Well, it’s not as inviting a prospect as it once was, I’ll grant you But, Onrack, these renegades are agents in the betrayal of my people, and I mean to discover as much as I can of their role Thus, we must find them’

‘And speak with them’

‘Speak with them first, aye, and then you can kill theer believe I aed Even so, Monok Oche us They will suffice’

The Tiste Edur’s head had turned at this ‘Just the two of them? You are certain?’

‘My powers are diminished, but yes, I believe so’

‘How close?’

‘It does not ainst ht lead the’