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--donation bonus (day #22, post 2/5)--
Hector put the phone on speaker and then said, “Prince David... your courier is unharmed... for the moment.”

<“...And to whom am I speaking?”>

“Sir... please tell me... what were you planning to do with my mother?”

There came a very long pause.

-+-+-+-+-

David put his fork down, suddenly forgetting about his buttered duck and chanterelle mushrooms. He shot a heavy look across the table.

Duchess Jezebel had already taken notice and stopped eating as well. Instead of asking what was wrong, however, she smiled and kindly told her maidservants to leave the room.

He hated being caught off guard, but it seemed a running theme of late. He disregarded the pit in his stomach and tried to assess the situation intelligently. If nothing else, he decided that ignoring the young man’s question about intent would be unwise. “You probably won’t believe me, but truly, I was attempting to ensure your mother’s safety.”

<“...You’re right. I don’t believe you.”>

The ice in those words gave the prince a chill. He clenched his jaw. “I wish I could prove it to you. You seem like one of the few people who understands the dire circumstances facing Atreya.”

No response.

David tried again. “I won’t claim to know what your goals are, but I have met the people against whom you’ve been fighting. I’ve seen their atrocities first-hand. I expected they would attempt to reach your loved ones sooner or later, but I see you are a step ahead of me. And them, it would seem. Your diversion was quite impressive. I was very pleased when I heard that you had stolen my brother-in-law away. If you had arrived at the castle earlier, I would have been there as well, and perhaps we would have met in person.”

<“...You sure like to talk, don’t you?”>

“Aha! That I do. I would be most interested to talk about how I might be able to help you. That is why you are bothering to speak with me, yes? Information in exchange for my courier’s life?”

<“...Y-yes.”>

David cocked an eyebrow at that, but said, “What manner of information do you require?”