Vance smiled. "You're sharp, knowing exactly what I'm thinking. I suspect that bastard Andrew is deliberately setting up a smokescreen for me. He says he can't wait and wants to attack Throne City, but anyone with half a brain can see that would obviously draw attacks from all sides, maybe even massive assaults, completely counterproductive.

"So our natural assumption would be that Andrew just came here to spout nonsense and blow smoke, and that he has no real intention of striking first. Based