Words whispered flattened Hotep's ears, and for all he had been through, he summoned new horror at Sapair's godlessness. Teeth bared in open-mouthed gape at the uninvited touch, but sesh swallowed back any snarl.

Determine the cause of Yuèshí's death! As if Hotep had not witnessed it! Abetted in it! To be so summarily disregarded stung like the rot in his lungs. What good was being burdened with omens and prophecy, if none would hear them? In the grim warning of the Jodai's impatience, the man sounded very like Akhenaten.

So, the next courtly lesson was demanded — to not waste speech on hardened hearts.

Surely Khaemwaset would take seriously the warning. There were subtle ways of relaying it! Pharaoh need not spread terror, but he could hardly defend Satriya against what he did not know. And Phoenix — she would understand. Hotep could take solace in the ethics of the hemet, who spoke with Osiris.

Sapair's opinion need not matter past the morning.

You are a man of war, Jodai. If you believe expecting Apep to wait 'till dawn sound strategy, then no doubt, the Serpent of Chaos will oblige you. Hotep replied, bowing his head with practiced respect in the dismissal.