The Bonehunters/Epilogue

__NOTOC__ 
==Seeker's Deep==
Cutter and Scillara watch the horizon of Seeker's Deep from the rail of Spite's ship. Iskaral Pust and Mogora are arguing below deck while Barathol Mekhar sits in the stern with Chaur nearly at his feet. Mappo is curled up at the bow weeping. Pust's mule has been missing for days.
Scillara asks Cutter if he is thinking of her, and he recalls a memory of dancing with Apsalar during a fête at Coll's estate. She danced so beautifully he could not draw breath. Scillara tells him to hold onto those memories and Cutter says he envies her happiness. Then he tells her he needs to lie in her arms right now. She agrees knowing it is for all the wrong reasons. They need to take whatever happiness they can find in this world.
==Third Edur Imperial Fleet==
Samar Dev approaches Karsa Orlong aboard one of the ships of the Third Edur Imperial Fleet speeding back to Letheras. News has come of a battle involving hundreds of Edur warriors and Letherii auxiliaries. And another champion. Only the champion, his servant, and one Letherii survived. From what she has learned of this champion, she is terrified and advises that they escape from the ship the next time they see land.
When Karsa asks who this terrifying champion is, she tells him it is Icarium, the Slayer. The Teblor recalls the time he fought the Jhag before Mappo Runt interrupted them. While Samar Dev is frightened by the awful legends surrounding Icarium, Karsa smiles and looks forward to facing him again.
On another ship in the same fleet, Taralack Veed is curled up and shivering with nerves. Icarium has noticed that the Letherii who once held him in contempt now look upon him with worshipful adoration since the battle at the First Throne. He sees hope in their eyes. When he awoke this morning after the battle he felt more refreshed and hopeful than he had ever been. The Gral assumes Icarium has forgotten everything of their recent history and prepares to tell him his story again. But the Jhag interrupts saying there is no longer any need.
==Mock's Hold==
Tayschrenn looks down over Malaz City from the highest tower in Mock's Hold as Adjunct Tavore Paran's ships leave the harbour. After a time, he is joined by Shadowthrone, who scolds him for allowing himself to be caged again. The High Mage comments on the god's busy night, proving he is not as caged as he seems, and claims to take the long view on such matters. Shadowthrone scolds him for conspiring with Quick Ben and Kalam Mekhar and achieving nothing. The Empress is on shifting sands, a Jhistal priest waddles unfettered in the corridors of power, the Claw are decimated, and the former emperor's loyal Wickans are assailed. The god is frustrated.
Shadowthrone asks the former Demidrek whether he could have predicted D'rek's answer to the betrayal of her priesthood. Tayschrenn reveals that a year ago his old friend Banaschar unknowingly hired Tayschrenn's own ship to visit the Grand Temple in Kartool City and admits he never left the cult. The god startles the High Mage by asking why he agreed to be Quick Ben's Shaved Knuckle in the Hole, then asks why Quick Ben never called on him when Shadowthrone sent him against Icarium. Tayschrenn says he would have been disappointed if Quick Ben had called on him too soon.
Finally, Shadowthrone asks why D'rek had not killed him if he was still in the cult. Tayschrenn replies that she tried, but he talked her out of it. Shadowthrone seethes with hatred for the mage, muttering about his poor Wickans. Tayschrenn assures him the Wickans are not as vulnerable as they seem with Nil, Nether, and Temul returning to them. And one day, an aging Temul will teach a young warrior named Coltaine everything he knows. Tayschrenn asks Shadowthrone to convey his greetings to Cotillion and inquires after Kalam's health. The god says, "He's in the Deadhouse—isn't that answer enough?" before vanishing.
==Kartool City==
A smartly dressed Master Investigator enters the office of Charl, Commander of the City Guard in Kartool City. He is prepared to offer the conclusions of his yearlong investigation into the mysterious deaths of the entire priesthood at the temple of D'rek. The surly commander tells him to cut to the chase, and the investigator says all evidence points to the priests and acolytes perishing in a thorough orgy of suicide in the span of a single night.
Charl says Sergeant Hellian, the original investigator, reached the same conclusion. And he had the drunk shipped to the 14th Army as a result. He tells the flummoxed investigator to write up his conclusions and close the case. As the investigator leaves the Imperial Domicile, he can not help but look at the city's web covered towers and see how beautiful they are.
299