still , she had been in the court only a couple of minutes , just long enough to learn the sickening nature of the `` message '' that the rebels had been sending to the seraphim , and ... the emperor 's response-dear god , the sky dark and bright with dominion , a merciless display of might , hopeless , hopeless-before thiago cut off midsentence , pivoted on the pads of his wolf feet , and , lifting his head just slightly , nostrils flaring delicately , scented the air .