She asked, “You expect to be able to rescue his remains after centuries of neglect?”

“Not his mortal remains,” Quill said. “But his regalia included an arcanite staff, every bit as adamant as the blade Ultor that you captured. Unless it fell into the Gloom, it will have survived. Furthermore, the ultimate purpose of this expedition is to start a colony, and l’impératrice agrees with me that it would be best if the colonists’ spiritual needs are attended by a sect that builds from a foundation of observation and experiment rather than authority and obedience to doctrine.”

Isabelle would rather the new colony eschewed religion entirely. Once one had a foundation of inquiry and a willingness to accept evidence, the very idea of doctrine and dogma became counterproductive. Alas, excluding the faithful from the colony was not a fight she was going to win, and while she trusted Quill no further than the width of a hair, the Observationalists were amongst the least offensive of the Temple’s many sects.

More to the point, the chance of weakening the Omnifex and redrawing the political map of the College of Artifexes was not one Sireen would pass up.

“We sail on the first good wind when the weather clears,” Isabelle said. “You’ll be bunking with our other passenger. I imagine you will find his theology a fascinating study.”

Sireen dismissed Quill, and Isabelle watched him all the way out.

Sireen made a small throat-clearing noise, and Isabelle whipped round to pay attention.

“Did you know your sparks flare up when you’re angry? It’s like pumping a bellows across hot coals, puff and flash and fall away as ash.”

“I hardly notice them,” Isabelle said. She had learned to ignore the cold sparks swirling around her in the same way she ignored her own heartbeat and the sound of her breath.

“You should be happy about Quill.” Sireen’s voice always had a musical quality. “His quest represents an opportunity to split the Temple and bleed away their power.”

“Yes, Madame,” Isabelle said.

Sireen snorted. “Do you know you never say ‘Yes, Madame’ to me except when you don’t mean it? When you actually agree with me, you always have something more interesting to contribute. So tell me, what have I overlooked with Sagax Quill?”