"Is that good news?"

"It'll sure slow down construction work on Overlook. Longshadow won't like it but he's going to have to take time out to help his subjects. Otherwise he'll run out of people to do his work for him."

Our parade continued slowly through busy hallways. This part of the Palace had been given over to the war effort completely. Now people were packing. Soon we would be heading south, bound toward a major and possibly final collision with the armies of the Shadowmasters. Most of our forces were in transit already, a slow and difficult process. It takes ages to move large numbers a great distance.

The men in these offices had been laying the groundwork for years.

Croaker asked, "Are you saying we don't need to get in any big hurry?"

"There's no need now. The quake crippled him."

"There wasn't any pressing need before the quake. We could've gotten there before he finished his oversized sand castle."

True. We were starting the campaign now mostly because the Captain and his woman were so thirsty for revenge.

Add the name Murgen to that list. My taste for vengeance was newer and bloodier. My wife was a more recent victim.

Longshadow and Narayan Singh would pay for Sarie's death. Especially Narayan Singh.

You living saint of the Stranglers, your nightwalking companion now hunts you, too.

"Something that hurts him doesn't really change anything at our end."

I agreed. "True. Though it does give us more flexibility."

"Yet it makes sense to jump them while they're stunned. How widespread was the damage? Was it just Kiaulune?"