The guard's throat worked as he swallowed, his eyes darting nervously toward the corridor as though he half-expected Clementine to reappear and catch him speaking. His grip tightened again on the sword's hilt, though his knuckles were pale and the blade trembled. "From… from what I've gathered," he began slowly, each word sounding as though it were dragged from him against his will, "four of Necros's Apostles have attacked Tulmud's capital."
Van Dijk's brows rose, faintly, his smile freezing into something more intent. The torchlight flickered across his sharp features, throwing his pale skin into ghostly relief. He leaned just slightly closer, not menacingly, but in the manner of a man savoring an unexpected flavor. "Four?" he murmured, the word carrying weight. He let silence reign for a moment, long enough for the guard's breathing to quicken. Then, almost indulgently: "The Cardinal only mentioned the Shrike. Quite the interesting change. Go on. Tell me of these four."
