‘You were never such a careless host before,’ the Great Raven observed, hop¬ping over to the plate and spearing a sliver of meat. ‘You are troubled, High Al¬chemist.’
‘By many things, yes. The Rhivi claim that the White Face Barghast have disappeared. Utterly.’
‘Indeed,’ Crone replied. ‘Almost immediately after the fall of Coral and the Tiste Andii investiture.’
‘Crone, you are a Great Raven. Your children ride the winds and see all.’
‘Perhaps.’
‘Why then will you not tell me where they went?’
‘Well, the Grey Swords as you know marched south, down to Elingarth,’ Crone said, circling the plate in short hops. ‘And there they purchased ships.’ A pause and cock of the head. ‘Could they see the wake before them? Did they know to follow? Or is there perhaps a great hole in the world’s ocean, drawing every ship into its deadly maw?’
‘The White Face took to the seas? Extraordinary. And the Grey Swords followed them.’
‘None of this is relevant, High Alchemist.’
‘Relevant to what?’
‘Your unease, of course. You fling queries at your poor bedraggled guest in order to distract yourself.’
It had been months since Crone’s previous visit, and Baruk had come to believe, with some regret, that his cordial relations with the Son of Darkness were drawing to a close, not out of any dispute, simply the chronic ennui of the Tiste Andii. It was said the permanent gloom that was Black Coral well suited the city’s denizens, both Andii and human.
‘Crone, please extend to your master my sincerest thanks for this gift. It was most unexpected and generous. But I would ask him, if it is not too forward of me, if he is reconsidering the Council’s official request to open diplomatic relations between our two cities. Delegates but await your master’s invitation, and a suitable site has been set aside for the construction of an embassy-not far from here, in fact.’
‘The estate crushed by a Soletaken demon’s inglorious descent,’ Crone said, pausing to laugh before spearing another chunk of food, ‘Aagh, this is vegetable! Disgusting!’
‘Indeed, Crone, the very same estate. As I said, not far from here.’
‘Master is considering said request, and will continue considering it, I suspect’
‘For how much longer?’
‘I have no idea.’
‘Does he have concerns?’