It was an overcast morning, and the air was damp with a cold, wet wind
that blew in forlornly. The ocean's steady swoosh added to the scene,
making it as depressing as the night before was joyous, and in the
bluish half light all was colorless and hopeless. At length the King
spoke, saying, "My dear Jehu, I am very disappointed in you. Not only
did you flee from us irresponsibly, but you destroyed the Temple of Time
and the altar to Temis. Without the White Eagle, the prophecy says that
there is no hope for humanity."

Wagner added, "And now the only way left to bring about the completion
of the world once more is to sacrifice you using the old methods." This
he said with evident pleasure, no longer feigning to be my friend.

Here Bernibus entered the dialog, throwing away his timidness with one
quick motion and saying to Wagner, "You scoundrel! You said that we came
to retrieve Jehu, not to sacrifice him. How is it that you lied to me in
such a manner?"

"You fool," Wagner said, "If I had had my way, you would have been dead
long ago. You have no authority here, so begone."

Bernibus grew angrier, a terrifying state for a Canitaur to be in, and
he was a strong and powerful one at that, though his meek nature had
hidden it before. "You would never dare to kill me in the open, you
coward, the council would banish you," he said.

Here the King joined in once more, laughing, "He wouldn't, no, but I
would. Do you really think that we found your outpost on our own, oh
Bernibus the 'deputy kibitzer'? You know that we have no tracking
ability, and least of all in your own territory."