36 South

Tunuva inspects the corpse of a horned, iron-sheathed creature in a hidden storeroom. Izi Tamuten has sawn a horn, identified iron-sheathed bone, and recovered an oily black-red heart like Dreadmount rock. Tunuva recalls how Hidat’s flaming arrows and Esbar’s decapitation finally ended the creature, whose body reeks of the mountain’s taint.

Upstairs, Esbar drafts reports to Apaya for Queen Daraniya. Tunuva estimates dozens of similar rocks in Yaud, Efsi, and Agārin, implying a wider threat. They debate whether such creatures serve the Nameless One and test their own power: at Esbar’s urging, Tunuva summons the red flame without the mountain’s fumes, finding it harder to sustain; Esbar admits it drained her, too. The kinship between their magic and the Dreadmount unsettles Esbar, and Tunuva urges faith as Saghul weakens.

Hidat arrives and reports, “It’s done”: she has poisoned Anyso of Carmentum, claiming a direct order from the Prioress within the last hour. Esbar protests she was with Saghul all day until dusk, with only Denag relieving her, making the order’s origin uncertain. Despite their doubts, Esbar orders Anyso’s body iced and secured, and she and Tunuva decide to keep the death secret to spare Siyu, planning to claim Anyso fled.

Tunuva tends the dying Saghul overnight, seeking confirmation of the order, but Saghul is too frail to answer. At dawn, Tunuva visits Anyso’s body, notes the peaceful appearance despite poisoned lips, and silently begs forgiveness, burdened by the lie they will now sustain.