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“I think we should bring Juno in and talk this over with her. At least hear her out, see what she’s able to tell us. If you really want to keep her out of the way after that, I’ve got an idea,” you suggest, “What about the Demesne? It’s about as out of the way as you can get, and she won’t be able to interfere with your plans there. It would be kinder than locking her in some dingy prison cell somewhere, at least.”
“Kindness is not our main concern, Master Pale,” Master Teilhard points out, “Regardless, the church may not approve of your idea.”
“Leave that to me,” Cato says quietly, a firm edge to his voice.
A brief silence falls, Sakhalin and Master Teilhard swapping an unreadable glance. Then, eventually, the old soldier lets out a heavy sigh. “Fine. So be it,” he grunts, “So long as you can keep the girl from talking with her father until we launch our operation, I don’t care where you do with her. Miss Legrasse, please bring her in. Let’s see if she’s willing to cooperate.”
With a pained look on her face, Elle gets to her feet and hurries out. When she’s gone, Master Teilhard leans back in his chair and massages his temple. He looks tired, you notice, weary beyond his years. “If you’re really looking for a scapegoat, why not Rhyl?” you suggest, filling in the tense silence, “An outside enemy has a way of reuniting a troubled family, remember?”
“There are certainly forces within Rhyl who may seek revenge for… certain recent actions,” Sakhalin says delicately, choosing his words with care, “An attempt on the Saint’s life would be a logical response.”
“Blame Rhyl, and the people would soon clamour for war. At least with the Tomoe, we can keep this problem within our own borders,” Master Teilhard shakes his head, “No, I fear that blaming Rhyl would cause more problems than it would solve.”
The logic is sound, but you’re more interested in Sakhalin’s ambiguous words. “Should I assume, then, that our friend in Rhyl is no longer in the business of agitation?” you ask, “Permanently retired, even?”
“That he is,” Sakhalin bows his head, “Young Master Teilhard has recently returned from his travels in Rhyl, and he brought us this good news.”
“Young Erwin holds a great deal of promise,” Master Teilhard says, a note of pride burning in his voice, “I see a bright future for that boy. You might get to work with him one day, Master Pale.”
Perhaps you’re being paranoid, but there’s a lot of different ways you could interpret that – and not all of them are pleasant. You answer his remarks with an ambiguous smile, erring on the side of caution. Cato seems to sense the same thing, awkwardly clearing his throat as he searches for something to say. “It’s a shame that Justine wasn’t able to make it,” you remark, taking pity on him, “Has she said anything about this operation?”
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