‘We don’t know.’
‘You keep speaking of the Malazans. Are they here? Are they one of the armies marching to this war?’
Aranict seemed about to say one thing, then changed her mind and said, ‘Yes.’
Precious sat back on her haunches. ‘I am from One-Eye Cat, a city of Genabackis. We were conquered by the Malazans. Winning is all that matters to them, Atri-Ceda. They will lie. They will backstab. Whatever you see on the surface, don’t believe it. Don’t. With them, nothing is as it seems, not ever.’
‘They are a complicated people—’
Precious snorted. ‘Their first emperor was where it all started. The sleight of hand, the deadly misdirection – everything the Malazan Empire became infamous for started with him . And though he’s now dead and gone, nothing has changed. Tell your commander, Aranict. Tell him. The Malazans – they’ll betray you. They’ll betray you .’
Brys glanced up as she entered the tent. ‘You were able to speak to her?’
‘I was, after some curious work – it’s as I said, the power of the Holds ever grows. I was never before able to manipulate the Empty Hold the way I did this night. In fact –’ she settled down on the bed mat, started pulling off her boots – ‘I don’t feel very good about what I had to do. By the time I was done not even her innermost thoughts were hidden from me. I feel … sullied.’
He moved closer, slipped an arm round her. ‘Was there no other way?’
‘I don’t know. Maybe. But this was the quickest. She had some interesting opinions on the Malazans.’
‘Oh?’
‘Doesn’t trust them. Her people didn’t fare well during the Malazan conquest of Genabackis. Yet for all that resentment, a part of her recognizes that some good came of it in the end. The enforcement of laws and justice, and so on. Hasn’t dulled her hatred, though.’
‘Trust,’ Brys mused. ‘Always a difficult issue.’
‘Well,’ Aranict said, ‘Tavore is hiding something.’
‘I believe what she is hiding is her awareness of just how wretched her chances are, Aranict.’
‘But that’s just it,’ Aranict said. ‘From what I gleaned from Precious Thimble, the Malazans never do something at which they’re likely to fail. So if Tavore’s chances look as bad as we all seem to think, what are we missing?’
‘Now that is an interesting question,’ Brys admitted.
‘Anyway,’ Aranict said, ‘they’ll be coming with us to Kolanse.’