Detritus appeared behind him. 'Sah!'
'Crossbow bolt through the head, if you please!'
Tf you say so, sir...'
'Its head, Sergeant! Mine is fine! Carrot, get down off the thing!'
'Can't get its head off, sir!'
'We'll try six feet of cold steel in the ear just as soon as you let the damn thing go!'
Carrot steadied himself on the king's shoulders, tried to judge his moment as the thing staggered around, and leapt.
He landed awkwardly on a sliding heap of candles. His leg buckled under him and he tumbled over until he was stopped by the inert shell that had been Dorfl.
'Hey, look dis way, mister,' said Detritus.
The king turned.
Vimes didn't catch everything that happened next, because it all happened so quickly. He was merely aware of the rush of air and thegloink of the rebounding bolt mingling with the wooden juddering noise as it buried itself in the doorframe behind him.
And the golem was crouching down by Carrot, who was trying to squirm out of the way.
It raised a fist, and brought it down...
Vimes didn't even see Dorfl's arm move but there it was there, suddenly gripping the king's wrist.
Tiny stars of light went nova in Dorfl's eyes.
'Tssssss!'
As the king jerked back in surprise, Dorfl held on and levered himself up on what remained of his legs. As he came up so did his fist.
Time slowed. Nothing moved in the whole universe but Dorfl's fist.
It swung like a planet, without any apparent speed but with a drifting unstoppability.
And then the king's expression changed. Just before the fist landed, it smiled.
The golem's head exploded, Vimes recalled it in slow motion, one long second of floating pottery. And words. Scraps of paper flew out, dozens, scores of them, tumbling gently to the floor.
Slowly, peacefully, the king hit the floor. The red light died, the cracks opened, and then there were just... pieces. ;Look, all you have to do is change the words in its head,' said Carrot.
'It won't let me! Don't you think I've tried?'
'It can't not let you,' said Carrot. 'Golems have to let - '
'I said it won't let me!'
'What about the poisoned candles?' said Carrot.
'That wasn't my idea!'
'Whose idea was it?'
Carry's crossbow swung back and forth. He licked his lips. 'This has all gone far too far,' he said. 'I'm getting out.'
'Whose idea, Mr Carry?'