In a hidden room, a man and a woman lay entwined, breathing heavily.
The man had sharply defined features but was blind in one eye. He was Ince Zangwill. Just as he was about to reach his peak, he caught sight of the quill on the table slipping free of its "seal" and writing by itself in an open journal.
Ince's heart lurched. He lost all interest in pleasure, pushed his companion away, and sprang to the table to seize the quill.
The striking woman on the bed gave a displeased hum. With a hint of languor about her, she dressed, took her time getting up, and came over to him. "I didn't even go to watch over that Desire Apostle so I could be with you. And this is how you treat me?"
You didn't go because Pride is with him. You think I don't know that?
Though that was what he thought, Ince Zangwill did not argue. His expression was grave. "Something unexpected has happened!"
"What?" The woman—Despair Nightingale Panatiya—looked at the journal in confusion and saw several fresh lines of writing:
"...Talim suddenly woke from his sleep. He seemed to have seen something and looked quite surprised.
"Something has bewitched Talim. Drawn by it, he left his home in Cherwood Borough and headed for Riverside South Street by the Tussock River.
"Talim entered the vacant house at number 23..."
The quill had written no further before Ince caught it. He crossed out the last sentence and wrote another passage beneath it:
"The target decided to kill Talim immediately with a curse. She had considered doing so when she collected his blood, so this development is reasonable."
"Talim? That subordinate of Prince Edessak's? He shouldn't know anything..." Panatiya said after a moment's thought.
"He doesn't. But someone with