“Whatis this?”he asked.“How are you—youare the parasite?You’ve been here,all this time?Before me?Why didn’t you tell—”
“Silence!”Berith shouted.
Isaacflinched.In an instant, he had resumed the standard posture—his head bowed,his shoulders hunched, his hands open and limp.It came easily.
It waslike he had never left.
Berithwalked to the edge of the platform.Around him, dozens of thralls returned fromtheir patrols, marching into rigid columns, their sigilsbright and alarmed.Amidst the black robes, their hands churned with thepreparation of elemental spells.
“Isaac,”Berith said, slowly, his voice thick and heavy.“How did you—” He breathed out,staring down at his nephew.“How did you get here?”
Isaacdared to make eye contact.“What—what do you mean?You taught me—”
“Isaac!”
Berith’sroar echoed down the extraction chamber, over the metal tanks, through theglass coffins, bouncing up and across the wings of colossal bone.The acousticswere just like the tower.
Isaacthought he was about to faint.
“Answerme!”his uncle shouted.“How did you get here?”
“I—I—”He swallowed.“I’m sorry.You said—I just followed—th-themap, the seal on the letter, the—the—”
“Didyou not follow my instructions?Did you disobey me again?”
“No!No, no, sorry, no!I don’t—” He knew stammering would only make it worse.Hegathered himself, his chest light and fluttery.“I don’t understand.Why areyou asking?I did what you specified, I followed all the instructions, I wasvery diligent.I made it through the Charnel, th-throughthe eastern cliffs, the dunes.Wasn’t that the purpose?Didn’t you want mehere?”
Berithbreathed, his nostrils flaring.
Apresence came to his shoulder.Zaria stood with her poleaxe held out towardsthe thralls, glaring up at Berith with a curled lip.
“Zaria,”he said, quietly.“Please don’t—”
“Shutup.”
“Z.”
Shebegan to bare her teeth.
Hisuncle turned his attention to the hyena, as if only noticing her now.“Who areyou?”
“Thecunt who figured you out.”
Berithgrimaced, twisting the necrotic scars.“Who is this, Isaac?”
“Oi,cockwipe,” Zaria said.“You’ll talk to me, instead.”
“Z!”Isaac hissed.
“Where’syour guts, squire?Ain’t this what you wanted?”
Berithmade a noise in his throat.“A pirate, then.I should’ve expectedas much, from one of the savage races.You people pollute these sandsmore than the Diet.I suppose, as well, this explains why a crew of them wereblowing up the necropolis.”He turned to his nephew.“Have you made an alliancewith this brigand, this—this—” He waved a robed arm.“This wastrel?This commonthug?Is this what you do without my supervision?”
Isaac’sgaze stumbled around the room, roaming from his uncle to the thralls to thesquamous grates of the floor.“I—I had to.She saved my life, in the Charnel.I’m sorry if she lacks in manners, but I assure you she was—I mean, she hasbeen very ...understanding to me, of my faults.She’s very nice.Perhaps I was too acquiescent—”
“Isaac,”Zaria said.“Don’t say you’re sorry.You’re not fuckin’ sorry.”
“I haveto explain—”
