Akka cannot sleep. He decides to tell Xinemus about what happened with Skeaos. He previously told him a lie about "finding the ciphers to an ensorcelled map" - shades of the map to Ishual?
He tries to speak to Xinemus
Kellhus seemed distracted. Even still, Achamian couldn't shake the sense of being observed.
The conversation is 'interrupted' by Kellhus telling the group a Scylvendi proverb about a bull. The outcome of this is that Akka 'decides' (or is conditioned to decide?) that Xin would not believe him. Also, Akka desires Serwe.
Akka ends up telling Kellhus about the Harbinger and the return of the Consult. The Old Science - the Tekne - is introduced. Akka admits he hasn't told the Mandate about Kellhus.
Cnaiur hears all this, but dismisses it as 'nonsense'. He has noted how the Inrithi are already deferring to Kellhus
...the way men yield to those who posses something they need. Somehow Kellhus had convinced them he stood outside the circle of the commonplace, outside even the extraordinary...
Concessions. Always exacting confessions. Accumulating them.
All men see from where they stand, and somehow Kellhus saw farther any other man. He stood upon a different ground, greater, as though he occupied the heights of every soul. And though none of the Inrithi noblemen dared speak this intimation, they felt it - all of them. Cnaiur could see it in the cast of their eyes, hear it in the timbre of their voices: the first shadows of awe.
The wonder that made men small.
Kellhus is on the way to prophethood.
Cnaiur observes
...him cut and carve, whittle and hew, as though the man had somehow shattered the glass of language and fashioned knives from the pieces. This word to anger so that word might open. This look to embarrass so that smile might reassure. This insight to remind so that truth might injure, heal, or astonish.
He thinks how easy it must have for Moenghus to manipulate him and his mother. He has been stabbing the ground with his knife.
He is angry that he has remorse and concern for the outlanders - especially Proyas.
Not sure why Proyas in particular.
What mattered was whether the man made a fool of him; this was the sharp edge upon which every thought should bleed. Did the Dunyain speak true? Was he truly his father's assassin?
I walk with the whirlwind!
He could never forget. He had only his hatred to preserve him.
And Serwe?
Whirlwind implies the No-God, as set out in the previous chapter. This bit of internal dialogue seems to foreshadow the end of TUC.
Both Akka and Cnaiur seem to live part in the present and part in the past. Akka because of Seswatha's Dreams, and Cnaiur because of his obsessive hatred of Moenghus. Ultimately, both of them are able to resist Kellhus' machinations, although neither are capable of stopping him dominating others.
Kellhus arrives. He knows Cnaiur has heard all. Cnaiur has a chorae. He can kill sorcerors.
I assume at this point, Kellhus has not decided whether he can manipulate Achamian so that his loyalties lie with Kellhus and not the Mandate. Akka could be killed to prevent him telling the Mandate about Kellhus, or the other Mandati could be killed if they come for Kellhus. The former seems more achievable.
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The freaky first family of Nansur. Xerius did not tell his mother about Skeaos. She tries to convince him to abandon the alliance with the Fanim, on the assumption that Skeaos was a Cishaurim plant. They mock each other. Whilst Xerius has sex with the girl Istriya has brought, Istriya asks how Skeaos was
discovered.
Another pointer towards Istriya being involved with the Consult. Also the use of sex to obtain information has parallels with the various Consult 'things' (Consultees?, Consultants?) having sex with Esmenet in TDTCB.