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“That is not quite what I had in mind,” said Luther.

“Well, okay. I’ll give you a whole bar--but only if you really promise to tell the truth.”

“I wonder if you will still be so funny once you figure it out.”

“I hope so,” said David. “I like to think that an unbreaking sense of humor is the pinnacle of human integrity. Or at least useful for annoying one’s opponents.”

“I want a television,” said Luther.

David almost said no immediately. The most dangerous thing about Luther was his political mind, so granting him access to a news source would be a mistake. But after debating it in his head a little more, David decided that he could work around that problem. With a deliberate bit of reluctance, he said, “I can do that.”

Luther eyed him a moment, probably skeptical of how easy that was. “Television first. And a written agreement of exchange.”

“Of course. I will speak to your lawyer and have everything sorted.”


Chapter Seventy: ‘O, abiding blade...’
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Following Her Highness around all day long was more exhausting than she thought it would be. It also didn’t help that she still wasn’t feeling her best, what with her ribcage throbbing whenever she took too large a breath. She tried not to let it show, though, and as far as she could tell, she succeeded.

The promotion to being the Queen’s personal bodyguard had taken Lynnette by surprise. Moreover, Her Highness wanted her to continue wearing the white cloak as a symbol of the position, as the media had already latched onto it when she and Hector kidnapped King William--an act now known to the public as one of liberation. They’d taken to calling her the White Sword. Lynnette wasn’t really sure what to make of it, but seeing as the Queen had already spun it to their advantage, there wasn’t much left to do but just accept it. She wondered if it had felt this weird for Hector when people started calling him the Darksteel Soldier. She’d have to ask him whenever he woke up again.