House of Chains/Chapter 6

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==Itko Kan==
In Itko Kan, Apsalar and Crokus have returned to the fishing village Apsalar once called home. Her father Rellock has passed away in his sleep during the previous night and there are signs that Hood or one of his minions came to collect his soul personally. As she mourns, Crokus reflects on how he has come to know her less and feels what is at her core is not fully human. He wonders if Cotillion's possession of her has put her on the path towards ascendancy, and if so if she wants him to join her on that path. He recalls recent events where Shadowthrone sent them to an alley in the city of Kan instead of direct to the village. In the city, in order to obtain a boat from a local bookmaker, they killed two murderers who had been extorting him. This resulted in Crokus acquiring a new name, Cutter, for his skill with twin knives. At first he rejects his new name, but comes to accept it as he is no longer the naive cutpurse he was in Darujhistan. He decides to walk the path of ascendency with Apsalar as Dancer had done with Kellanved.
==The Warren of Shadow==
Kalam rides through the warren of Shadow, wondering what has happened to Quick Ben and Fiddler, as he has heard from neither of them recently, other than that Fiddler has reenlisted. At least they are doing something. The Bridgeburner assassin is stuck with thirteen hundred children, whom he, Minala, and Apt are training as an army for Shadowthrone. They are teaching them a host of skills including stealth, tracking and laying of ambushes and traps, and it chills Kalam how zealously the children are taking to it. He reins in near an enormous stone gate swarming with shadows and is approached by Cotillion and the two hounds, Rood and Blind. Kalam asks Cotillion what he wishes of him. Cotillion hints that the control of Shadow is being contested and wants Kalam to find out by whom. Kalam, in the midst of a marital dispute with Minala, is eager to begin.
==Itko Kan==
Cotillion and Blind arrive on the shoreline where Apsalar and Cutter are living, looking for Apsalar. Finding Cutter, the god asks, "Am I your patron now?" Cutter affirms and Cotillion asks if he is willing to do him a service. In exchange for his service, Cutter wants to know why Cotillion and Shadowthrone schemed to destroy Laseen and the empire, so he can understand why they did what they did to Apsalar. Cotillion answers enigmatically, only saying that games are played and what may appear as precipitous may only be a feint...or maybe Darujhistan served their purposes better if it remained free and independent. He finishes his answer by saying there are layers to every plan and he will not elaborate further. Cutter makes one last request, asking that he be able to summon the Hound, Blind, should he need her. Cotillion agrees and leaves. When Apsalar returns, she knows that Cotillion has been there. Cutter says that the two are to explore an island that is getting farther by the minute. Apsalar responds, "Ah. Of course," as the two push their craft into the water.
==The Nascent==
Onrack T'emlava walks along the wall that runs through the Nascent, separated from his T'lan Imass kin by the sudden appearance of the waters that now flood much of this warren. Lost in thought, he comes upon Trull Sengar chained to the wall. At first, Onrack intends to walk right past the Tiste Edur, but Trull tries to make a bargain with him in exchange for his freedom. Trull promises to tell Onrack of his enemies. Onrack replies that he does not have any. Trull responds to this saying he knows Onrack has enemies because he was once among them but is no longer, and that is why he was chained to the wall. Onrack's curiosity piqued, he shatters Trull's chains and drags him by one ankle as the T'lan Imass continues his journey along the wall. Onrack kills some giant catfish which have grown limbs and clambered onto the wall. He cooks one for Trull to eat. The two talk a while about the Tiste Edur and Tiste Andii before Onrack descends the side of the wall where the waters are still held back and heads toward some hills in the distance. Trull, too weak to walk, has to be carried on Onrack's back. They come to the "hills", which turn out to be seven large statues of dog-like beasts, twenty or more man-lengths high. Trull can sense nothing from them, but says he knows what they represent. It seems the inhabitants of the realm made them into their gods. Trull tells Onrack there will be a gate nearby that will allow them to leave this world. But Onrack hesitates. The T'lan Imass says two of the statues are alive.
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