of sweetwood burners； and livened by the jaunty singing from the cantoria。
I left Medea and Ungish in the arched doorway beside a tomb on which lay the graven image of a Space Marine of the Raven Guard
Chapter； his hands arranged so as to indicate which holy crusade he had perished in。
I found the provost of the cathedral； and explained to him what I wanted。 He looked at me blankly； fidgeting with his yellow robes； but
I soon made him understand by depositing six large coins into his alms chest； and another two into his hand。
He ushered me into a baptism chancel； and I beckoned my colleagues to follow。 Once all of us were inside； he drew shut the curtains
and opened his breviary。 As he began the rite； Medea unwrapped the devices and laid them on the edge of the benitier。 The provost
mumbled on and； keeping his eyes fixed on the open book so he wouldn't lose his place； raised and unscrewed a flask of chrism with
which he anointed both the staff and the sword。
'In blessing and consecrating these items； I worship the Emperor who is my god； and charge those who bring these items forth that
they do so without taint of concupiscence。 'Do you make that pledge？'
I realised he was looking at me。 I raised my head from the kneeling bow I had adopted。 Concupiscence。 A desire for the forbidden。
Did I dare make that vow； knowing what I knew？
'Well？'
'I am without taint； puritus；' I replied。
He nodded and continued with the consecration。
THE FIRST PART of my business was done。 We went out into the courtyard in front of the cathedral。
'Take these back to the launch and stow them safely；' I told Medea； indicating the swaddled weapons on the cart。
'What's concupiscence？' she asked。
'Don't worry about it；' I said。
'Did you just lie； Gregor？'
'Shut up and go on with you。'
Medea wheeled the cart away through the pilgrim crowds。
'She's a sharp girl； heretic；' Ungish whispered。
'Actually； you can shut up too；' I said。
'I damn well won't；' she snapped。 'This is it。'
'What？ 〃It〃？'
'In my dreams； I saw you foreswear in front of an Imperial altar。 I saw it happen； and my death followed。'
I watched the sapfinches spiralling in the air above the yard。
'Deja vu。'
'I know deja vu from a dream；' said Ungish sourly。 'I know deja vu from my backside。'
'The God…Emperor watches over us；' I reassured her。
'Yes； I know he does；' she said。 'I just think he doesn't like what he sees。'
WE WAITED UNTIL evening in the yard； buying hot loaves； wraps of diced salad and treacly black caffeine from street vendors。 Ungish
didn't eat much。 Long shadows fell across the yard in the late afternoon light。 I voxed Medea。 She was safely back aboard the launch；
waiting for us。
I was waiting to complete the second of my tasks。 This was the appointed day； and the appointed hour was fast approaching。 This
would be the first test of the twenty communiques I had sent out。 One had been to Inquisitor Gladus； a man I admired； and had worked
with effectively thirty years before during the P'glao Conspiracy。 Orbul Infanta was within his canon。 I had written to him； laying out
my case and asking for his support。 Asking him to meet me here； at this place； at this hour。
It was； like all the messages； a matter of trust。 I had only written to men or women I felt were beyond reproach； and who； no matter
what they thought of me； might do me the grace of meeting with me to discuss the matter of Quixos。 If they rejected me or my intent；
that was fine。 I didn't expect any of them to turn me in or attempt to capture me。
We waited。 I was impatient； edgy… edgy still with the dark mysteries Pontius Glaw had planted in my head。 I hadn't slept well in four
months。 My temper was short。
I expected Gladus to come； or at least send some kind of message。 He might be detained or delayed； or caught up in his own noble
business。 But I didn't think he'd ignore me。 I searched the evening crowds for some trace of his long…haired； bearded form； his grey
robes； his barb…capped staff。
'HE'S NOT COMING；' said Ungish。
'Oh； give it a rest。'
'Please； inquisitor； I want to go。 My dream…'
'Why don't you trust me； Ungish？ I will protect you；' I said。 I opened my black linen coat so'she could see the laspistol holstered under
my left arm。
'Why？' she fretted。 'Because you're playing with fire。 You've crossed the line。'
I balked。 'Why did you say that？' I asked； hearing Pontius's words loud in my head。
'Because you have； damn you！ Heretic！ Bloody heretic！'
'Stop it！'
She got to her feet from the courtyard bench unsteadily。 Pilgrims were turning to look at the sound of her outburst。
'Heretic！'
'Stop it； Tasaera！ Sit down！ No one's going to hurt you！'
'Says you； heretic！ You've damned us all with your ways！ And I'm the one who's going to pay！ I saw it in my dream… this place； this
hour… your lie at the altar； the circling birds…'
'I didn't lie；' I said； tugging her back down onto the bench。
'He's coming；' she whispered。
'Who？ Gladus？'
She shook her head。 'Not Gladus。 He's never coming。 None of them are coming。 They've all read your pretty； begging letters and
erased them。 You're a heretic and they won't begin to deal with you。'
'I know the people I've written to； Ungish。 None of them would dismiss me so。'
She looked round into my face； her head…cage hissing as it adjusted。 Her eyes were full of tears。
'I'm so afraid； Eisenhorn。 He's coming。'
'Who is？'
'The hunter。 That's all my dream showed。 A hunter； blank and invisible。'
'You worry too much。 Come with me。'
WE WENT BACK into the Cathedral of Saint Ezra Outlooking； and took seats in the front of the ranks of carrels。 Evening sunlight raked
sidelong through the windows。 The statue of the saint； raised behind the rood screen； looked majestic。
'Better now？' I asked。
'Yes；' she snivelled。
I kept glancing around； hoping that Gladus would appear。 Straggles of pilgrims were arriving for the evening devotion。
Maybe he wasn't coming。 Maybe Ungish was right。 Maybe I was more of a pariah than I imagined； even to old friends and colleagues。
Maybe Gladus had read my humble communique and discarded it with a curse。 Maybe he had sent it to the arbites… or the
Ecclesiarchy… or the Inquisition's Officio of Internal Prosecution。
'Two more minutes；' I assured her。 'Then we'll go。' It was long past the hour I had asked Gladus to meet me。
I looked about again。 Pilgrims were by now flooding into the cathedral through the main doors。
There was a gap in the flow； a space where a man should have been。 It was quite noticeable； with the pilgrims jostling around it but
never entering it。
My eyes widened。 In the gap was a glint of energy； like a side…flash from a mirror shield。
'Ungish；' I hissed； reaching for my weapon。
Bolt rounds came screaming down the nave towards me from the gap。 Pilgrims shrieked in panic and fled in all directions。
'The hunter！' Ungish wailed。 'Blank and invisible！'
He was that。 With his mirror shield activated； he was just a heat…haze blur； marked only by the bright flare of his weapon。
Mass panic had seized the cathedral。 Pilgrims were trampling other pilgrims in their race to flee。
The backs of the carrels exploded with wicked punctures as the bolt rounds blew through them。
I fired back； down the aisle； with tidy bursts of las…fire。
'Thorn wishes Aegis； craven hounds at the hindmost！'
That was all I was able to send before a bolt round glanced sidelong into my neck and threw me backwards； destroying my vox
headset in the process。
I rolled on the marble floor； bleeding all over the place。
'Eisenhorn！ Eisenhorn！' Ungish bawled and then screamed in agony。
I saw her thrown back through the panelled wood of the box pews； demolishing them。 A bolt round had hit her square in the stomach。
Bleeding out； she writhed on the floor amid the wood splinters； wailing and crying。
I tried to crawl across to her as further； heedless bolt…fire fractured the rest of the front pews。
I looked up。 Witchfinder Arnaut Tantalid disengaged his mirror shield and gazed down at me。
'You are an accursed heretic； Eisenhorn； and that fact is now proven beyond doubt by the carta issued for you。 In the name of the
Ministorum of Mankind； I claim your life。'
TWENTTY…ONE
DEATH AT ST EZRA'S。
THE LONG HUNT。
THE CELL OF FIVE。
PRECISELY HOW HE had found me was a mystery； but I believe he had been on my tail for a long time； since before Cinchare。 The fact
that he had come to Saint Ezra Outlooking at that hour and that day convinced me that he had intercepted my communique to Gladus。
And he might have triumphed over me； right there； right then； if he'd but pressed the advantage and finished the job with his boltgun。
Instead； Tantalid holstered his bolt pistol and drew his ancient chainsword； Theophantus； intent on delivering formal execution with
the holy weapon。
I fired my laspistol； powering shot after shot at him； driving him backwards。 His gold…chased battle suit； which gave his shrivelled
frame the bulk and proportions of a Space Marine； absorbed or deflected the impacts； but the sheer force knocked him back several
paces。
I jumped up； firing again； and retreating down the epistle side of the cathedral； towards the feretory。 Bystanders and church servants
were still fleeing。 Its iron teeth singing； Theophantus swung at me。 Tantalid was barking out the Accusal of Heresy； verse after verse。
Be quiet！ I yelled； enforcing my will。
The psychic sting shocked him into silence； but he was generally protected by psi…dampers and ignored my next will…driven order to
''desist'' completely。
The chainsword revved around and I threw myself aside as it cleft a bench pew in two。 The backswing nearly caught me； but I dodged
behind a pier column that took the force of the blow in a splintering shower of sparks and stone chippings。
Ungish was still crying out in pain。 The sound chilled and infuriated me。 I fired my laspistol again； but the last few shots fizzed and
spluttered； underpowered。 The power cell was exhausted。 I dived again； feinting past his slow…moving bulk； and grappled with him
from behind。 It was a desperate ploy。 Unarmoured as I was； I stood little chance of overwhelming his brute force or hurting him。 He
got a steel…gloved paw round behind himself； grabbed me by the coat and tore me off him。
My coat rip