Toll the Hounds (The Malazan Book of the Fallen 8)

‘Most confounding indeed,’ Kruppe replied with his most beatific smile. ‘It seems we are in discord, in that you seek to proceed in a direction that will in-evitably collide with none other than Kruppe, the Eel of Darujhistan. Poor priest, it is late. Does your god know where you are?’

‘Eel? Kruppe? Collide? Fat and an idiot besides, what a dastardly combination, and on this of all nights! Listen, take another street. If I run into this Crappy Eel I’ll be sure to let him know you’re looking for him. It’s the least I can do.’

‘Hardly, but no matter. I am Kruppe the Crappy Eel, alas.’

‘So fine, we’ve ran into each other. Glad that’s over with. Now let me pass!’

‘Kruppe regrets that any and every path you may seek shall he impeded by none other than Kruppe himself. Unless, of course, you conclude that what you seek is not worth the effort, nor the grief certain to follow, and so wisely return to thy shadowy temple’

‘You don’t know what I want so it’s none of your damned business what I want!’

‘Misapprehensions abound, but wait, does this slavering fool even understand?’

‘What? I wasn’t supposed to hear that? But I did! I did, you fat idiot!’

‘He only thought he heard. Kind priest, Kruppe assures you, you did not hear but mishear. Kind priest? Why, Kruppe is too generous, too forgiving by far, and hear hear! Or is it here here? No matter, it’s not as if this grinning toad will understand. Why, his mule’s got a sharper look in its eye than he has. Now, kindly priest, it’s late and you should be in bed, yes? Abjectly alone, no doubt. Hmm?’

Iskaral Pust stared. He gaped. His eyes darted, alighting on the bhokaral squat-ting on the cobbles beside him as it made staring, gaping, darting expressions. ‘My worshippers! Of course! You! Yes, you! Gather your kin and attack the fat fool! Attack! Your god commands you! Attack!’

‘Mlawhlaoblossblayowblagmilebbingoblaiblblafblablallblayarblablabnablah-bUUblah!’

‘What?’

‘Bla?’

‘Bla?’

‘Yarb?’

‘Hah! You’re stupid and useless and ugly!’

‘Blabluablablablahllalalabala, too!’

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‘Most confounding indeed,’ Kruppe replied with his most beatific smile. ‘It seems we are in discord, in that you seek to proceed in a direction that will in-evitably collide with none other than Kruppe, the Eel of Darujhistan. Poor priest, it is late. Does your god know where you are?’

‘Eel? Kruppe? Collide? Fat and an idiot besides, what a dastardly combination, and on this of all nights! Listen, take another street. If I run into this Crappy Eel I’ll be sure to let him know you’re looking for him. It’s the least I can do.’

‘Hardly, but no matter. I am Kruppe the Crappy Eel, alas.’

‘So fine, we’ve ran into each other. Glad that’s over with. Now let me pass!’

‘Kruppe regrets that any and every path you may seek shall he impeded by none other than Kruppe himself. Unless, of course, you conclude that what you seek is not worth the effort, nor the grief certain to follow, and so wisely return to thy shadowy temple’

‘You don’t know what I want so it’s none of your damned business what I want!’

‘Misapprehensions abound, but wait, does this slavering fool even understand?’

‘What? I wasn’t supposed to hear that? But I did! I did, you fat idiot!’

‘He only thought he heard. Kind priest, Kruppe assures you, you did not hear but mishear. Kind priest? Why, Kruppe is too generous, too forgiving by far, and hear hear! Or is it here here? No matter, it’s not as if this grinning toad will understand. Why, his mule’s got a sharper look in its eye than he has. Now, kindly priest, it’s late and you should be in bed, yes? Abjectly alone, no doubt. Hmm?’

Iskaral Pust stared. He gaped. His eyes darted, alighting on the bhokaral squat-ting on the cobbles beside him as it made staring, gaping, darting expressions. ‘My worshippers! Of course! You! Yes, you! Gather your kin and attack the fat fool! Attack! Your god commands you! Attack!’

‘Mlawhlaoblossblayowblagmilebbingoblaiblblafblablallblayarblablabnablah-bUUblah!’

‘What?’

‘Bla?’

‘Bla?’

‘Yarb?’

‘Hah! You’re stupid and useless and ugly!’

‘Blabluablablablahllalalabala, too!’

Iskaral Pust scowled at it.

The bhokaral scowled back.

‘Rat poison!’ Pust hissed. And then smiled.

The Bhokaral offered him a dung sausage. And then smiled.

Oh, so much for reasoned negotiation.

Iskaral Pust’s warbling battle cry was somewhat strangled as he leaned forward, perched high in the stirrups, hands reaching like a raptor’s talons, and the mule reluctantly stumped forward.

Kruppe watched this agonizingly slow charge. He sighed. ‘Really now. It comes to this? So be it.’ And he kicked his war-mule into motion.

The beasts closed, step by step. By step.

Iskaral Pust clawed the air, weaving and pitching, head bobbing. Overhead, the bhokarala screamed and flew in-frenzied circles. The High Priest’s mule flicked its tail.

Kruppe’s war-mule edged to the right. Pust’s beast angled to its right. Their heads came alongside, and then their shoulders. Whereupon they halted.

Snarling and spitting, Iskaral Pust launched himself at Kruppe, who grunted a surprised oof! Fists flew, thumbs jabbed, jaws snapped-the High Priest’s crazed attack-and the Eel threw up his forearms to fend it off, only to inadvertently punch Pust in the nose with one pudgy hand. Head rocked back, a stunned gasp. Attack renewed.

They grappled. They toppled, thumping on to the cobbles in a flurry of limbs.

The bhokarala joined in, diving from above with screeches and snarls, swarming the two combatants before beginning to fight with each other. Fists flying, thumbs jabbing, jaws snapping. Spiders swept in from all sides, tiny fangs nipping everything in sight.

The entire mass writhed and seethed.

The two mules walked a short distance away, then turned in unison to watch the proceedings.

Best leave this egregious scene for now.

Honest.

When the two women appeared some distance down a side avenue, dressed in di-aphanous robes, and approached side by side with elegant grace-like noble-bom sisters out for a late night stroll-the Great Ravens scattered, shrieking, and the Hounds of Shadow drew up, hackles rising and lips stretching back to reveal glis-tening fangs.

. Even at this distance, Samar Dev could feel the power emanating from them. She stepped back, her chest tightening. ‘Who in Hood’s name are they?’

When Karsa did not reply she glanced over to see that he was watching a lone horseman coming up from the lakefront. This rider held a lance and the moment her eyes alit upon that weapon she drew a sharp, ragged breath. Gods, now what!