Dust of Dreams

How it opens

In Letheras, now ruled by King Tehol, Malazan marines run down their own Sergeant Fiddler, because the Adjunct Tavore wants him to do a reading of the Deck of Dragons that night. Bugg, the King's Chancellor, fears that the Elder God called the Errant may strike at the reading, and as the players gather near midnight the Errant waits in an alley outside. In the Refugium, Udinaas lets his son Rud Elalle leave with Silchas Ruin, and on a Perish ship the Destriant Run'Thurvian dies warning of a betrayal. Among the Shake, Yedan Derryg kills nearly all of the coven of witches and warlocks, and his sister, Queen Yan Tovis, banishes him.

Who you meet early

• FiddlerFiddler is a sergeant with the Malazans quartered in Letheras. Ordered to do a reading of the Deck of Dragons for the Adjunct, he runs, and a pack of marines has to hunt him down. With Brys Beddict added to the gathering and Banaschar still on his way, Fiddler counts thirteen, the number he dreaded most for a reading.
• GrubGrub, the boy who calls Keneb his uncle, sneaks into the dead Azath House in Letheras with Sinn. Beside a strange dried corpse he names as Forkrul Assail, he tells her he thinks the House did not die but walked away. Captain Kindly then marches the pair off to the Adjunct's reading.
• SinnSinn, a young mage among the Malazans in Letheras, refuses to speak to anyone but Grub. In the dead Azath House she wakes a fire of green and blue flames that trails them from room to room, and she tells Grub she would break the world just to see what she can do.
• BuggBugg, once Tehol Beddict's manservant, is now Chancellor of the Realm under King Tehol, and he is an Elder God. Fearing what the Errant may do at the Malazan reading, he goes to Seren Pedac's home to guard her unborn child and calls in two ancient gods of wine and beer.
• BanascharBanaschar, a defrocked priest of the Worm of Autumn, strikes a pact with the skeletal lizards Telorast and Curdle for a promised reward of power. He also strikes a deal with the Errant, who was to stop the Malazan reading before it began, but when the god hangs back, Banaschar goes in alone, warning him to spill no innocent blood.
• Seren PedacSeren Pedac, who has retired as an Acquitor, lives in Letheras and is in her sixth month with the child of Trull Sengar, who was murdered. On the night of the Malazan reading Bugg comes to her door to protect the unborn son from the Errant.
• UdinaasUdinaas, who was once a slave of the Hiroth, lives in the Refugium among the Imass and has raised his son, Rud Elalle. Silchas Ruin comes to ask him to give his son over, and Udinaas lets Rud go with the White Crow while he himself stays behind.
• Yedan DerrygYedan Derryg is the Watch of the Shake and half-brother to their queen, Yan Tovis, called Twilight. In one night he kills all but two of the coven of witches and warlocks, who he says wanted a king to control her, and she banishes him north into the old Edur lands.