House of Chains/Chapter 20

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==Drift Avalii==
On the dromon just off Drift Avalii, Cutter surveys the carnage Cotillion has wrought among the Tiste Edur. Deciding he needs a variety of weapons, he takes a bow, arrows and spare strings from a dead archer, and with difficulty re-strings the bow.
Apsalar arrives, covered in someone's dried blood. She says that the sorcery on the ship seems tainted; Cutter wonders if all warrens humans can access are "denigrations" of Elder warrens. As they climb down into the runner, he sights Traveller, Malazan soldiers and Tiste Andii on the shore. Apsalar says that the group intends to take the dromon now that the Throne of Shadow is protected by demons Cotillion has sent.
She explains that Cotillion cannot move the throne because Anomander Rake wrought sorcery around it. Cutter suggests that Shadowthrone could come here to claim the throne. Apsalar replies that as Kellanved he had done just that with the First Throne of the T'lan Imass, but then had not taken advantage of his control over them. Cutter says that Shadowthrone could likewise take the Throne of Shadow and not use it, thus denying it to others while not attracting unwanted attention. They wonder if Shadowthrone's scheme is to take every throne then do nothing with their power, so as to curtail all the gods' games.
As the runner moves forward, towing the dromon, Apsalar says that for two years Kellanved and Dancer vanished from this realm, following a trail through all the warrens, connected with the Azath Houses. Cutter surmises that Kellanved and Dancer could not risk controlling both the Malazan Empire and the Shadow Warren, because Ascendants would have pounded them; instead they orchestrated their own deaths, keeping their rule of Shadow secret. Apsalar points out that the outcome on Drift Avalii has been advantageous for Cotillion, with Darist and the Edur dead and the sword Vengeance in Traveller's hands. Cutter notes that Cotillion had to intervene because the Hound Blind baulked at a word from an Edur mage: the Hounds remember who were their masters.
Suddenly the skies darken and with a crash Cutter and Apsalar are swallowed in shadow.
==Jhag Odhan==
Onrack and Trull Sengar are walking through the Jhag Odhan, for a time alongside a giant tortoise. They speak of mating, for tortoises then for their own kinds. Trull admits he is very young. Onrack notices the tracks of the six renegades, and suspects that one is a bonecaster. He thinks of bonecasters among the Logros T'lan Imass. Of these, Olar Ethil, Kilava Onass, Monok Ochem, Hentos Ilm, Tem Benasto and Ulpan Nodost are accounted for. Assuming that the six are of the Logros clan, Absin Tholai, Tenag Ilbaie and Ay Estos remain as possibilities.
Onrack tells Trull that Logros had removed the First Throne from this land because the Nameless Ones were close to finding it, realising that a mortal seated in it could command the T'lan Imass. He says that the Nameless Ones serve the Azath Houses, and the command would have been that the Imass accept eternal imprisonment. Then, on a continent south of Seven Cities, a mortal did find the throne: Kellanved. But his exploitation was constrained; he was assassinated, and Empress Laseen does not command the Imass. Onrack does not know how Kellanved found the throne, nor why though associated with the Nameless Ones he did not order imprisonment. But Onrack suspects the renegades are heading towards the throne. He decides to wait for Monok and Ibra Gholan to inform them of this. Trull warns him that Monok will be angered by the way Onrack regained an arm, and reminding Onrack of his vow to serve Trull asks him not to put himself at risk. But Onrack says the renegades serve the same master as Trull's kin, and Trull acquiesces. Onrack mentions that only a mortal can take the First Throne, and that a new bonecaster in a distant land will be asked to free the Imass from existence.
Monok and Ibra arrive in columns of dust. They are furious. Trull tells them Onrack has information. Onrack says that the renegades, travelling through chaos, are leading their new master to the First Throne, in order to place on it a mortal Tiste Edur, who would command the new bonecaster. Onrack offers to work with Monok and Ibra. Monok immediately replies that Logros hears and accepts. They talk of how the throne has no guardians, Logros's army remains on Seven Cities having only sent representatives in answer to the new bonecaster's summons, and how few they are to confront the renegades. Trull desires his weapon of choice, a spear. Monok says the renegade bonecaster is Tenag Ilbaie under a new name: he had been a loyal bonecaster, at one time called Haran 'Alle, until he failed against the Forkrul Assail in the L'aederon Wars. Onrack says choosing to see such failure as disloyalty has been a mistake: the renegades are of the T'lan Imass' own making.
As they prepare to follow the renegades using the Warren of Tellann, Monok asks Onrack what became of the rest of the body with which he repaired himself. Onrack says it had been taken away and he does not know who had destroyed it, but it was done with a single blow.
==North of Raraku==
thumb|202px|Lostara by [http://luktarig.deviantart.com/art/Lostara-Yil-161679127 Corporal Nobbs aka Luktarig] 
Lostara Yil and Pearl visit the site where Lostara assassinated Sha'ik Elder. The skeleton is unburied. Lostara reflects that if the Toblakai bodyguard together with Leoman had not prevented her taking the head as a display trophy, the rebellion would not have happened. Pearl deduces and Lostara eventually accepts that it is Felisin Paran who has become Sha'ik Reborn. In order to bring this news to Tavore in time, they will have to pass surreptitiously southwards through the Whirlwind. Because Lostara is Pardu, the Goddess will not notice her. Pearl says it will be more difficult for him, as he is a quarter Tiste Andii: his mother was from Drift Avalii. He is still confident of finding the Talon leader.
In poor shape after the Thyrllan Warren , they bicker and flirt as they draw near. Pearl's plan is to follow in Lostara's shadow. Six steps without resistance and they are through the Whirlwind, into Raraku. They grab onto each other and begin to kiss.
==Raraku==
At nightfall not far south west, Kalam Mekhar wakes from dreams of the song he has been hearing. By travelling at night, he hopes to reach Sha'ik's camp unseen. He jogs across a former seabed, then sees ghost soldiers on a causeway. Ascending, he is surrounded by water with sinking ships. Two of the soldiers, Kullsan and Erethal, speak of their battles against Dessimbelackis the First Emperor, their defeat of five of the Seven Protectors, and how the Nameless Ones say the "black beast" has been driven from the realm. The soldiers begin singing a song like one Kalam has heard before. Kalam now speaks with a gaunt ghost he calls Tanno Spiritwalker, who says he was the last Seneschal of Yaraghatan, banished by the First Emperor for alliance with the Nameless Ones. It was he who had given the song.
The ghostly figures and sea depart. Beyond the causeway is a ruined city. Walking through it, Kalam hears horses, and hides. Five Pardu riders and their shaman dismount; Kalam decides they are too furtive to belong to Sha'ik's army. The shaman begins a a ritual. Its unintended conclusion is the arrival of two massive hounds, who kill and feed on the Pardu. Kalam sees that these are not Hounds of Shadow. Suddenly one of them stares at his hiding place, then attacks. He throws the last of his own shadow diamonds into its path, then blows his bone whistle as loudly as he can. Five Azalan demons rise from the ground and confront the hounds. Kalam escapes from the ensuing battle, hoping at least one demon will survive to inform Shadowthrone of the hounds.
Meanwhile in G'danisban, Ehrlitan and near Keeper's Tower, further azalan arise from diamonds disseminated from those Kalam had used to pay for his knives. They have tasks requiring the silencing of witnesses. The five in Raraku however have a fierce and unsatisfactory fight with the hounds, eventually retreating to lick their wounds. In his realm, Shadowthrone at first is shocked, then his mind races.
==Tesem==
Cutter and Apsalar's runner splinters as it lands on a stone floor in a dark and dusty chamber. Cutter lights a lantern from his pack. There is a doorway surrounded by bhok'arala: they are back in Seven Cities. Making their way upwards, they reach a circular room where Iskaral Pust is waiting to welcome them. He directs them towards stairs to find his wife, and vanishes.
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