Fri, August 28
Lassander, Kingdom of Obdrest
The King’s private study
Phillip was in his study again; this time, he was not alone.
“Your majesty, I’ve heard some rather unbelievable rumors,” said Sophie; she was the Duchess of Lassander, and his brother Carl’s widow.
“Don’t ‘your majesty’ me, Sophie,” he said. “We’ve known each other more than 50 years now. Just ask what you’re going to.”
“You never were one for pleasantries,” she replied, “but you’ve gotten positively grouchy these past few years.”
“Justifiably,” he said.
“We all must move on,” she replied, “and I wanted to ask if the reason some of your senior security people had been at the Gate had to do with Princess Christina’s disappearance.”
“Why pay attention to such rumors now, Sophie?” he said. “Ever since she disappeared, there have been rumors that the Gatekeepers let her through.”
“I’ve heard the same rumors, but until they came up again recently, I never believed them.”
“You should have,” said Phillip. “There aren’t many ways you can make someone disappear so completely that there’s no trace of a body, nor a ghost.”
“So, she did? The Brotherhood confirmed it?”
“I’ve been pretty certain of it since the magicians my brother hired couldn’t find anything.”
“So does that mean she’s been found?” asked Sophie.
“In a manner of speaking,” said Phillip, shaking his head. “She died young, on the other side of the gate.”
“Oh, how horrible. Will the brotherhood let you bring her remains home?”
“She had a husband there; I don’t intend to have our people ask.”
“There’s a child, then,” said Sophie.
Phillip didn’t answer right away. “Whatever you think you know, keep to yourself. I’ll let you know the rest when the time is right, but if you breathe a word of this to your nephew all bets are off.”
“I have never understood why you dislike him so much,” said Sophie.
“Distrust, not dislike. If I haven’t gotten that through to you yet, I never will.”
“Very well, then. I’ll keep this to myself, but if I’ve come this close to figuring it out on my own, others will eventually.”