“Does he?” P’rihnn wonders. “Or does he just say that because he’s expected to? Because he needs to pretend to be something, if he can’t act human. I’m standing by the ‘soulless’ assessment until proven wrong.”

He stares at the sizzling fish for a moment, wondering whether this would better serve as lunch rather than food for their trip.

“We’ll take a boat out later, then. Want to tell the Exarch where we’re going, in case he has something to say?”