With a light laugh Divvis said, "I heard, my lord, of the birds they sent you this morning."

"No laughing matter, my lord Divvis. These were dread monsters of a most frightful sort that struck down people in the streets and fed upon their bodies before they were cold. I saw that done to a child, myself, from the window of my own bedroom. But I think we have slain them all, or nearly. And in due course we will slay their makers, too."

"It surprises me to hear you so vengeful, my lord."

"Am I vengeful?" Hissune said. "Why, then, if you say it, I suppose it must be so. Living here for weeks in this shattered city makes one vengeful, perhaps. Seeing monstrous vermin turned loose upon innocent citizens by our enemies makes one vengeful. Piurifayne is like some loathsome boil, from which all manner of putrescence comes spilling out into the civilized lands. I intend to lance that boil and cauterize it entirely.

And I tell you this, Divvis: with your help I will impose a terrible vengeance upon those who have made this war on us."

"You sound very little like Lord Valentine, my lord, when you speak of vengeance that way. I think I never knew him to use the word."

"And is there any reason why I should sound like Lord Valentine, Divvis? I am Hissune."

"You are his chosen successor."

"Yes, and Valentine is no longer Coronal, by that very choice. It may be that my way of dealing with our enemies will not be much like Lord Valentine's way."

"Then you must tell me what your way is."

"I think you already know it. I mean to march down into Piurifayne by way of the Steiche, while you go around from the western side, and we will squeeze the rebels between us, and take this Faraataa and bring a halt to his loosing of monsters and plagues against us. And afterward the Pontifex can summon the surviving rebels, and in his more loving way negotiate some resolution of the Shapeshifters' valid grievances against us. But first we must show force, I think. And if we must shed the blood of those who would shed ours, why, then we must shed their blood. What do you say to that, Divvis?"

"I say that I have not heard greater sense from the lips of a Coronal since my father held the throne. But the Pontifex, I think, would answer otherwise, if he had heard you speaking so belligerently. Is he aware of your plans?"

"We have not yet discussed them in great detail."

"And will you, then?"

"The Pontifex is currently in Khyntor, or west of there," said Hissune. "His work will occupy him there some time; and then it will take him a very long while to come this far east again, and I will be deep into Piurifayne, I think, by that time, and we will have little opportunity for consultation."

A certain slyness entered Divvis's eyes. "Ah, I see how you deal with your problem, my lord."