But bring up the fact that normal, supposedly sane folk might be interested in the worship of the dark ones and a door was slammed in your face.

The playwright Detlef Sierck had been right when he wrote: “Ours is a land chained by silence; ours is a time when the truth goes unspoken.” People just didn’t want to know.

Why? Felix did not understand. Did they honestly think that pretending a problem did not exist would make it go away? The watch captain today had looked at the body and could not deny its existence, even though he had obviously wanted to. He was forced to report the matter to a higher authority.

A sudden chill ran through Felix when he recalled who had come to collect the corpse for examination. They were men from the office of Chief Magistrate von Halstadt. Felix wondered if the body of the dead skaven would ever be seen again.

“Tell me more about von Halstadt,” Felix asked. “Where does he live?”

Otto seemed glad to change the subject. “His father was a minor noble, killed in one of the peasant uprisings in the early seventies. He studied for the Sigmarite priesthood, but was never ordained. There were hints of a scandal, something to do with spying on the nunnery. He is efficient. He’s said to keep files on everyone. And his enemies disappear mysteriously.”

Felix fell silent. A pattern had emerged. He believed he understood what had happened. It would take a little checking though. He would make a start early tomorrow. “You say he lives nearby.”

“Two streets away. Near the palace, on Emmanuelleplatz.”

“Well, well.” Felix leant back in his chair and yawned expansively. “Well, brother, it’s late and I really must go. I have work tomorrow.”

“Very well.” Otto rang the small bell that sat beside his plate. “I’ll have Franz bring your cloak.”


“I told your predecessor never to come here,” von Halstadt said, staring at the skaven with barely concealed distaste. He hated it when anyone else but him entered his filing chamber. “The servants might see you.”

The rat-man met his gaze levelly. There was something about this one that made von Halstadt nervous. Perhaps it was the greyish fur or perhaps it was the strange, blind-seeming eyes, but there was something different about this one. Something scary, almost.

“This one is not as the other, man-thing. Grey seer this one is. Magelord in the service of the Thirteen. Contracted to the clan but not of it. Important I see you.