"Your consort was travelling with a rogue agent from a different sect. They had information that would have compromised many lives, if they had given it to a terrorist cell. We had asked her, pleaded with her, begged her and threatened her. There were no other options."

Kebechet looks away, out to the smoke on the horizon, growing darker and thicker in the breeze. "Your Khal died defending her, a traitorous snake who wished to unleash horror upon innocents."