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Mehlsanz's skeletal jaw just hung slightly open.

Hector hadn't expected this conversation to turn into such a deluge of compliments. He very much wanted to keep things focused on what was most important, but he wasn't quite sure how to do that. Technically, they weren't really off topic.

'Do you have any useful intel on Bloodeye?' asked Garovel. 'Anything you remember?'

Mehlsanz took a moment to think. 'Um... well, he was similarly infamous, though for slightly different reasons. Where Crowe was renowned for being something of a hero killer, Bloodeye was more renowned for his utter brutality. He doesn't take prisoners. Rumor was, he enjoys killing so much that he even sometimes goes against the orders of his superiors in order to do so.'

'Ah. One of those types.'

'Indeed.'

'What about his powers? Did you hear anything about them? He used some sort of transformational ability. I've never seen the like before. He pulled a freaking missile out of his mouth.'

Mehlsanz just looked bewildered.

The reapers kept talking, but it soon became clear that Mehlsanz couldn't tell them much else about the enemy.

At length, Hector thought up another topic that he wanted to ask the Queen about.

"Your Highness, are you seriously considering Intar's offer of annexation?"

'Oh yeah,' said Garovel. 'I thought you would've made up your mind by now, but the way you were talking about it to Abbas, it sounded like that wasn't the case at all.'

"Ah. Yes, well, that had more to do with my interest in Lord Abbas' perspective than with the offer itself. I felt that telling him about it would be a good way of hearing his earnest thoughts about the nation. Politicians often guard such feelings carefully."

Garovel still wanted clarification, though. 'So you're not really considering the offer, then?'