Valdana absolutely swells with affront, rage sparking behind the ice chips of her blue eyes. "No," she says calmly to Koumyou. "You can't tell me what to do in my own damn town."

"Administrator--" Devero starts.

This time, she interrupts him. "I don't want to hear it! If neither of you is going to cooperate then we'll let the Guard get the story out of you." She stalks forward through the dissipating rings of smoke and brings up both hands to shove the infuriating pale-haired stranger back out of the doorway so she can get to Devero.

Devero lurches almost into Koumyou, reaching past the priest to try to halt her before she can make the contact. "Madame, no!" he cries. "He'll kill you--!"