The flavor of her fear shifts, and she looks at him the way one might look upon a beloved relative who’s gone mad. “What are you talking about, Kamali?” “It’s difficult to explain, but there’s a dangerous artifact he’s trying to activate to gain more power. It’ll destroy us all.” He’s not getting through to her. He can feel her slipping away. He takes a step forward, but she retreats. “Taji, I need you to trust me. The emperor is no good.”
