Guardedly she listened, as if hearing the prattling of a child only thinly laced with truth, words made grand to make itself sound older and more important - until, that is, he named the originator of the taint upon him.<br/><br/>Malikai, Lord of Pain. Malikai, ancient demon. Malikai, unsavory creature who delighted in death, in pain, in cruelty and sex - she knew of Malikai, and it showed in the way her tilted eyes widened. Tales of him had been told to her as a small elf; had been told to all elven children, cautioninf them against those things that would make the Lady Diune turn her eye from them. Where the great Lady sought to heal, comfort, cherish, HE strove to sow pain and discord and fear.<br/><br/>"Malikai," she whispered, the word carried from her lips by the wind. "No... it cannot be Malikai. He is not real!"