The young man turned to the Bull with a sullen expression but said nothing. When his gaze returned to his dying brother, he felt Riga calling out to him with his eyes. At last, Riga spoke, his words labored:
"I am Riga, the Black Herald... sent to announce the death of the Pleiades... Akimitsu will not be the last to perish! Among the stars destined to explode and those doomed to collapse upon themselves, my arrival heralds a massacre!"
He panted heavily, the effort seeming almost superhuman. Shahin waited, sensing there was more to be said. Riga closed his eyes and hesitated several times before continuing:
"My father... I loved him, but that woman... I loved her more. She was the only person in the world who trusted me, who esteemed me, who showered me with her favor."
Shahin was stunned by this revelation. All the scenarios he had imagined after Riga's betrayal evaporated. Everything suddenly became clear.
