The women—the controllers—have herded most of the soldiers toward one side of the huge room, all except you and Cyril. Stralchus seems uninterested in Cyril, but he looks you up and down with an expression of cold contempt.

"We are about to open the armory," he says, addressing the nearest controller though his eyes are on you, "so why is some watchmaker from the Triple Alliance allowed among the soldiers of Byzantium?"

Dr. Sabbatine stops her preparations and glances toward the dispute.