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((The Mon/Wen/Fri Double -- page 2 of 2))
'That's right,' said Ericoros. 'A string of unrelated misfortunes lead to the further misfortune of a famine. And a famine led to cannibals.'

"I see," said Hector. He remembered Garovel telling him a similar story regarding a now-extinct Hahl of Sandlords in Sair. The notion of eating human flesh was certainly repulsive, but at least servants could regrow body parts. In that respect, he could imagine a moral argument for resource efficiency being made.

He doubted that was the kind of cannibalism that Ericoros was referring to, though.

'Though the friends we made there are gone,' Ericoros continued, 'their descendants remain. Our last visit was more than thirty years ago now, so there may not be many there who remember Leo personally, but the stories about his deeds have survived from generation to generation.'

Hector supposed that he would just have to ask Leo about this story. If Ericoros really was lying, though, then he didn't think it would be so easy to prove it.

'Please, Lord Goffe. Please send your team to check on Miro for me. I would like to know that it is safe.'

Hmm. And what if it wasn't safe?

"...I'll think about it," said Hector.

'Thank you.'


Chapter Two Hundred Seventeen: 'Thy confounding colloquy...'
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What an absolutely insane day it had been. Lynnette still hadn't really processed it all. Honestly, she was ready to retire to her guest room and plop down on the wonderful bed she'd been sleeping in the past few nights, but the King was still chatting it up with the Rainlords like there was no tomorrow. Perhaps he was trying to make up for lost time, due to that big debate they all had earlier.

Telepathic birds and a second Continental War. The world was much stranger than it was yesterday.

She'd spoken to the Queen earlier over the phone, but only briefly. No doubt, Her Highness was having a hell of a day, herself. The woman had told Lynnette that information was still coming in but that Atreya would be pursuing a plan of neutrality for the time being--and that she should remain vigilant in her role as the King's bodyguard.

Lynnette didn't think she would be getting to that bed for a while yet.