'Has been destroyed,' said Aurum in a monotone. The trauma of the amputations…' He waved his hand dismissively.

Carnelian felt a numbing spreading from his stomach. 'By whose command was this done?'

'By command of the Law-that-must-be-obeyed and in the manner prescribed,' said Aurum.

'You gave Crail over to him, Father?'

'He sinned against the Law. I did try to tell you earlier…'

'But… but you said…' His head was trapped in ice. 'If he had to die it should have been with us, in our House, where he served us all the days of his life. We brought him with us to keep him safe.' His father's impassive mask exasperated him. 'Gods' blood, Father, he was your brother!'

'You stray into impertinence, my Lord.'

'All this fuss over what?' said Aurum. 'A worthless old drudge. The creature sinned against the Law, against me. You must never forget, my Lord, that the Law must be obeyed.'

Carnelian regarded the Master's cowled head with a strange detachment. 'But not, it seems, when it comes to our travelling arrangements.'

Aurum's mask drew back. He raised his hand in a vague, unreadable but angry sign.

'You will be silent,' said Suth in a dangerous tone.

'I will, my Lord,' said Carnelian, 'for now.' His voice vibrated out from the frozen spindle upon which he was impaled. He let his body walk itself down the stairway. His mind was as clear as blue winter sky. What had happened there that day he determined never to forgive nor to forget.

Remotely, Carnelian felt the tugging on his cloak. It was a while before he reacted. He turned his head as if it were on a hinge. Tain's face was there, anxious-eyed, desperate for some answer. Carnelian stared, not understanding what his brother wanted. Then he understood. Tain could not have comprehended the exchange in Quya. Carnelian moved his head once from side to side. As he watched the tears well up in his brother's eyes he wondered why he himself had none.

'Masters.' The legionary knelt before them, head bowed. Behind him in formal prostration were ranged a number of black-skinned men.

Aurum gave the legionary leave to rise.

The man was tall for a marumaga, almost reaching

Aurum's sternum even though the Master was wearing the ranga. His oily black cuirass had the blue wave cypher of his legion embossed on its chest. Typically, he was honey-skinned. 'I would beg to know which of you, my Masters, will take possession of these auxiliaries?'

Aurum threw back his cowl to reveal his mask.

The legionary bowed and pushed his arms out, wrists together. As he straightened, he swept his arm round to indicate the prostrate men. 'I come to give you these, Master.'

Twenty Marula?'

'Not so many, Master.'

Their collars have been removed?'

'Yes, Master.'

Vennel pushed towards Aurum. 'Marula? And why have their collars been removed, my Lord?'

'We shall discuss this matter at some more appropriate time, Vermel.'

'How shall they be controlled without their collars? The creatures are notoriously feral.'

Aurum made a gesture of annoyance. The matter is well in hand. If my Lord will indulge us with a little patience, I think he will find that the water will soon run clear.' He turned back to the legionary who was looking uncertainly from one Master to the other. 'Have the creatures been given the treatment specified?'

They have, Master.' The legionary snapped his fingers. One of the shadow men rose up, black as wood, gleaming, finely made. He stepped forward with grace and overtopped the legionary by more than a head. Indigo designs marbled his skin. His forearms were turned white by bracelets apparendy of bone. His slitted yellow eyes seemed to be searching for a direction in which he might find escape. Carnelian breathed in his animal odour.

Vennel drew back as if he feared contamination.

The legionary barked a command. The black man gave him an insolent look but slowly lifted his arms above his head. The bracelets clinked as they slid down to his elbows. Carnelian saw the puffy patch just under his ribs. The legionary stabbed this with his finger. The black man threw back his head, grimacing, red mouth rimmed with sharpened teeth. His fists were slow to unclench. Looking at the wound, Carnelian was impressed the man made no sound.

They've all been bitten in the same place. Even now the poison works in their flesh. Without the proper medicine they will die. They all know this and are by this knowledge bound into my Master's service more surely than if they still wore their service collars.'

'How long before the venom kills, them?' asked Aurum.

The legionary shrugged. That depends on each creature's strength, Master. Some will weaken in thirty days and be dead in forty. Others might survive longer.'

Distaste came up through Carnelian's numbness. He pitied them.

Aurum walked past the legionary to stand before that gathering of shadows and said, in Vulgate, 'Get up, slaves, so that you all may know those who are your Masters.'

The Marula rose, unfolding their knotted limbs. Some dared to show their teeth. Carnelian was struck by their beauty. They were almost as tall as the Masters and had something of their poise and pride. They could have been Chosen reflected in a mirror of obsidian.

'Filthy brutes,' muttered Vennel with his woman's voice.

Vennel argued with the other Masters the rest of the way down the stairway. Carnelian was remembering Crail and hardly listened. The gist of it seemed to be that Vennel felt that changes had been made in their plans without his approval. He could see no reason why they needed Marula or why their collars had been removed, however elaborate the measures taken for their control.

The stairway brought them eventually to a wide landing. From this, one last flight went down into a cave, cobbled like a courtyard, rib-vaulted, lit by lanterns hanging from chains. The ribs stood like tree trunks all around the walls. Between them, grilles flickered with the fires that burned behind and gates gave into dim rooms and corridors beyond. Carnelian saw all of this with a single glance, before his eyes were drawn to the creatures that were fidgeting over to one side: graceful two-legged saurians, far taller than the grooms who held them.

The Marula swarmed down the steps. Carnelian remained behind with the Masters, Tain and the new boy.

'Where are the palanquins?' Vennel asked, an edge to his voice.

Carnelian knew the saurians must be aquar. He watched them, enthralled by their liquid movements.

There are to be no palanquins, my Lord,' Aurum said to Vennel.

Carnelian turned to look for Tain and found that his brother and the other boy had crept to his side. Their eyes were following the graceful creatures.

Then how are we to travel?' asked Vennel.

'Is it not obvious that we are to ride, my Lord?' said Jaspar.

'Ride?' said Vennel. 'What of the decision that was made in the Legate's hall?'

Carnelian watched the saurians' dancer's walk and their heads floating high above their grooms.

Vennel looked around for an answer. 'And since when do the Chosen ride?’

'Would my Lord prefer to walk to Osrakum?' said Jaspar.

'First the collarless barbarians and now this. I must insist that these changes be ratified in formal conclave.'

'Do you have any doubt, Vennel, that such a ratification would take place?' The tone of contempt in Jaspar's voice caused Vennel to look round at him.

'At the very least I must have time to contact my household to make-'