Chapter 24

Before dawn, Fish Speakers escort Duncan Idaho from Goygoa to a hidden hall beneath Onn for Siaynoq. The previous night he shared a tense, chaste lodging with Siona, who coolly offered potential friendship. In the tunnel, Leto informs Duncan he will precede the Royal Cart and hints at unrest in the city, saying violence has ebbed. Leto admits the previous Duncan died because he stayed too close to Leto and reiterates Duncan’s special value.

They enter an immense underground square crammed with Fish Speakers. Leto triggers roaring adulation, then conducts the ceremonial “Change the Guard,” presenting mothers and infants. He frames Siaynoq as a Great Sharing that binds his female army directly to him. Duncan confronts the overwhelming unity and latent power, recalling Leto’s arguments about channeling aggression, the stability of female-led loyalty, and the Golden Path’s redirection of human warlike energies.

At Leto’s prompting, Duncan publicly declares loyalty “to the Atreides,” a phrasing that satisfies the crowd and averts lethal backlash. The assembly consumes spice-laced wafers; Duncan partakes and is flooded with old melange memories. Leto unveils Paul Muad’Dib’s crysknife, reinforcing sacred continuity and his identity as Shai-Hulud, deepening the women’s rapture and submission.

Leto restores the knife, blesses the hall, and orders movement through the throng. As Duncan leads and the Cart follows, the Fish Speakers close in, reaching to touch him, Leto, or the Cart. Duncan feels both the seduction of command over this fanatical power and a profound fear at Leto’s deliberate temptation and the women’s absolute obedience.