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He recognized the other woman as well, from fearfully carved statues left half buried in loae Piebald skin, grey and black,her hard face resemble a war-mask A cuirass of dulled, patchy iron Chain and leather va out behind her Dapple, the fickle sister Sukul Ankhadu

And he knew, then, the woed between thehter, the Protectress of the Tiste Edur

The to the liritty bedrock as if dead Two sets of wide, epicanthic Tiste eyes seemed to fix on Udinaas

Menandore was the first to speak ‘I didn’t expect to find you here’

As Udinaas struggled to find a response to that, a man’s voice at his side said, ‘What have you done to her?’

The slave turned to see another Tiste, standing within an arm’s reach fro hi white enaed and scarred by sword-cuts A broken helht hip His skin hite as ivory Dried blood marked the left side of his face with a pattern like branched lightning Fire had burned most of his hair away, and the skin of his pate was cracked, red and oozing

Twin scabbarded longswords were slung on his back, the grips and po up behind his broad shoulders

‘Nothing she didn’t deserve,’ Menandore replied in answer to the Tiste man’s question

The other woman bared her teeth ‘Our dear uncle had ambitions for this precious cousin of ours Yet did he come when she screamed her need?’

The battle-scarred man stepped past the slave’s position, his attention on the body of Sheltatha Lore ‘This is a dread mess I would wash my hands of it – all of it’

‘But you can’t,’ Menandore said with strange glee ‘We’re all poisoned by theto her sister with the words, ‘Her daughters have fared worse than poison! There is nothing balanced to this shattering of selves Look at us! Spiteful bitches – Tiaeneration after generation!’ She stabbed a finger at the Tiste hts fros spread oh so wide and inviting, and were you not first in line? Pure Osserc, First Son of Dark and Light, so precious! Yet there you were, weaving your blood with that whore – tell us, did you proclaim her your sister before or after you fucked her?’