Dust of Dreams/Chapter 3

On this the last day the tyrant told the truth
His child who had walked from the dark world
Now rose as a banner before his father's walls
And flames mocked like celebrants from every window
A thousand thousand handfuls of ash upon the scene
It is said that blood holds neither memory nor loyalty
On this the last day the tyrant thus beheld a truth
The son was born in a dark room to womanly cries
And walked a dark keep along halls echoing pain
Only to flee on a moonless night beneath the cowl
Of his master's weighted fist and ravaging face
The beget proved to all that a shadow stretches far
Only to march back to its dire maker ever deepening
Its matching desire and this truth is plain as it is blind
Tyrants and saints alike must fall to the ground
In their last breaths taken in turn by the shadow
Of their final repose where truth holds them fast
On a bed of stone.

The Sun Walks Far
Restlo Faran

Letheras

In Letheras, the reading of the Deck is about to begin and those sensitive to magic, who know about it, make their preparations to avoid any fall-out.

Ruthan Gudd, who has been bedding Shurq Elalle, refuses to leave her place when she goes out. Shurq agrees that he can hide away there. When she leaves the house, she bumps into Ublala Pung who tells her about the bullying he gets from the palace guards. She advises him to tell the King about it.

Sinter, who is sensitive to magic, urges everyone to gallop at full stretch towards the city.

Fists Keneb and Blistig are holed up in an upmarket tavern in the city and remark on the fact that just about everyone has fled the barracks and has scattered across the city in anticipation of the reading.

The reading has attracted too much power which overflows into the city: dead animals are reanimated; two dragons burst out of an inn, destroying it; the two old gods protecting Trull Sengar's child catch fire and seem to melt.

When the reading begins, Fiddler instead of dealing the cards as he normally would, each card is dealt at those attending. As each hits its mark, Fiddler names them: Sinn becomes 'Virgin of Death', Quick Ben 'Magus of Dark', Brys Beddict 'King of Life' etc. However for Tavore Paran there is nothing. Then the Errant enters, expecting to become Master of the Deck, as he already is of the Tiles. However he is faced down by Brys and Fiddler, and leaves. He waits nearby and ambushes Brys, smothering him with sorcery, but is interrupted by Ublala Pung who knocks him unconscious.