Memories of Ice/Chapter 4

Mark these three, they are all that give shape,
all that lie beneath the surface of the world,
these three, they are the bones of history.
Sister of Cold Nights! Betrayal greets your dawn!
You chose to trust the knife, even as it found your heart.
Draconus, Blood of Tiam! Darkness was made
to embrace your soul, and these chains that now
hold you, they are of your own fashioning.
K’rul, yours was the path the Sleeping Goddess chose,
a thousand and more years ago, and she sleeps still,
even as you awaken — the time has come, Ancient One,
to once more walk among the mortals,
and make of your grief, the sweetest gift.

Anomandaris
Fisher Kel Tath

East of Darujhistan

Gruntle, Harllo, and Stonny Menackis bring Keruli's wagon over a dilapidated ford, Harllo and Stonny having had to push after betting with Gruntle that Bauchelain's massive wagon would sink while crossing. The two go to clean themselves up, and Gruntle sees a friend of his, Buke, getting hired by Bauchelain. He remembers when Buke lost his family to a tenement fire and has since taken to guarding poor merchants' caravans in an attempt to die nobly. Gruntle laments that joining with Bauchelain will only make Buke a witness to violence and death, not the victim. Gruntle invites Buke over for tea.

Buke speaks about a series of grisly murders in Darujhistan that attracted the attention of the T'orrud Cabal, who, in their inexplicable fear, hired the Assassins' Guild. Shortly after Bauchelain and Korbal Broach left the city, the murders stopped. Buke is convinced that Korbal Broach is the murderer. Gruntle realizes that Buke intends to try killing Korbal Broach, or die in the attempt. He tries to convince him to send word to the assassin's guild, but doesn't have much luck. Stonny and Harllo return, and Stonny confronts Buke, who leaves when she mocks his eagerness to step into dangerous scenarios. Gruntle thinks Stonny only says these things because she cares for him.

Pale

In Pale, Quick Ben arrives at the home of the Witch of Tennes who will answer questions in exchange for coin. After being forced to ask some minor questions, Quick Ben asks her why Burn sleeps to which she replies, "She sleeps to dream." Quick Ben says that since she's been poisoned, her dreams have become fevered. He tells her that her fever won't be enough to cure the sickness, and that he'll need help. The Witch offers her aid, and Quick Ben gives her one of his seeking stones along with her payment in gold. Quick Ben exits and meets Ganoes Paran. Quick Ben says that Paran is to join him, Mallet, and Spindle as they meet Dujek Onearm on the outskirts of town.

Caladan Brood's camp

Paran, still feeling sick, rides out of town with Spindle in the lead, whose warren causes all the animals in town to behave erratically. They meet Dujek who tells Paran that his parents have both died, his sister Tavore is Empress Laseen's new adjunct, and that his youngest sister, Felisin, was sent to the Otataral mines. Dujek believes that Tavore did this to keep Felisin from being killed during the most recent culling of the nobility, and that she most likely intends to retrieve her once things calm down. Paran isn't convinced.

Whiskeyjack tells Paran that they've got a meeting arranged with several members from Caladan Brood's army, among them a girl named Silverfox who, he explains, is Tattersail and Nightchill reborn. Paran already knows about the rebirth but has avoided thinking about it and is unsure of whether he wants to meet her or not, given their past relationship and her current physical age. Whiskeyjack implores him, saying she possesses great power that will be crucial in the upcoming conflicts, and that contact with him will bring Tattersail's soul to the surface. Whiskeyjack says she's in danger from Kallor and that the Malaz 2nd Army needs to make a decision whether or not to protect her. He also mentions that Silverfox has given Paran a name: the wanderer within the sword, referring to his journey into Dragnipur. Given that this is something no human or ascendant has ever done, this might put Paran in danger when Anomander Rake returns, whenever that might be. Paran finally accedes, and the two make their way to the gathering.

Hedge, Trotts, Detoran, Spindle, Picker, and Blend sneak into Brood's command tent during the night to steal back the table. Hedge claims it was a crucial part to the card game he and Fiddler use to play with the Deck of Dragons. The table, he says, has another Deck between the two layers of the surface and that Fiddler, being an adept, would know what each players hand would be. They carry the table to an empty tent, and start a card game with Spindle as the dealer, hoping to run the same con. It backfires, with each member losing all their money. Spindle looks beneath the table and finds that a new card has been painted on the underside, a large unaspected card featuring a character with a dog face emblazoned on his chest. Spindle wants to get supplies to duplicate the card.

Paran has been with Silverfox for several hours, emotionally exhausted and unable to reconcile himself to her current condition, despite having fond memories of who she was in a past life. He also notes the presence of Nightchill's bitterness towards being betrayed at Pale. Silverfox explains that she is the first flesh and blood Bonecaster to exist in hundreds of thousands of years. The T'lan Imass await a benediction from her, but she needs to know more about the Pannion Domin before she gives it. They discuss the Deck of Dragons, and Silverfox posits that the Azath Houses must be linked somehow with the houses in the Deck. She explains that Kellanved and Dancer used the Azath House to take the empty throne of High House Shadow. Paran makes the guess that the wagon being dragged inside Dragnipur must be the entrance to High House Dark. Silverfox says that a new card has arrived, one to aid in the upcoming war that will affect all the warrens, and that Paran is this card, the Master of the Deck. Silverfox finally reveals she knows about the screaming child in Paran's visions. She tells him he must run toward the child, and that he is now a part of an unseen war brewing within the reaches of power. Paran is certain he is a poor choice.

Paran ruefully thinks that, despite the anguish he now feels, he successfully brought Tattersail's soul to the lead. However, he thinks he will fail everyone in the end.