Vengeful Spirit, Wolf-God Council Chamber.
Horus Lupercal leaned back against The Throne and looked up at the holographic display.
He frowned slightly. He had never seen a warship like this in any report from the War Council.
Regulus's artificial eye rotated. "This is a warship the Fabricator-General built for you. It was named the Abyss-class."
"A warship forged for me—" Horus lowered his gaze onto Regulus.
"I gave them to Lorgar. How did they come to be used by my enemies?"
Regulus's artificial eye flickered. "Lord Lorgar sent Zadkiel to take delivery. He ignored the guards' attempts to stop him and forcibly took away the completed warship, though the rites had not yet been held."
"We speculate that the Word Bearers received some revelation and took the warship away ahead of time."
"But now the terrible truth has been revealed. Zadkiel betrayed his father and you."
Horus suddenly had a bad feeling. He pressed, "And the other two?"
Regulus knew there was no way to hide the incompetence of his colleagues on Jupiter. "The rebels under Lucius and Nathaniel Garro seized them."
Crack!
The armrest of The Throne was crushed.
Zadkiel had appeared in the Colonid Sector in the galactic north.
Lucius, who had seized his homeworld, had publicly declared that he followed Nimrod's orders.
He stepped down from The Throne, his massive body eclipsing Regulus.
"Can you tell me how the warships forged for me fell into their hands?"
"Why have they instead become Nimrod's void spearblades?"
Regulus avoided that piercing gaze. "My apologies, Lord Warmaster. I do not know."
"I believe he used supernatural power."
Blue ripples stirred in Horus's vision. "Believe in me with all your heart, and you will receive the favor of fate."
"You will receive warships mightier than the Abyss-class."
"You will obtain psychic