ENOCH

"Any sign of the little one?" I ask while entering my father's observatory. Ten thousand steps just to reach this ridiculous room is outrageous. I guess it keeps most at bay. What a recluse. "Because my unit has searched both the south, and the north, twice. Word among my ranks is you did not even bother to search the north. Have you found her?"

Adler stands up above me peering through the great telescope that allows him to map the stars, and more importantly, track our dying star's health.

"No, I have not. I have not had the time to...Zard's craft was spotted two moons ago. I've heard reports of another sighting-"

"This is old news. What aren't you telling me?"

Finally, he descends the spiral staircase and actually gives me his full attention. Even if that full attention is staring condescendingly at my forehead, at least, he has not thrown me out of this chamber yet.

With that face of his growing purple, and the way he storms over to his desk, well, somehow I suppose I struck a nerve by gracing him with my presence. I have only done what he asked of me.

"I do not have time to care for the child anymore. Is Brometheous not helping you with the search?"

"Obviously, he is not and he will not unless you declare it so. He is working the streets. Constantly. You know this. I see through your careless façade. The girl is special. The day she disappeared, you were irate. Now you are calm."

"She is special, I simply do not have time to look myself. I apologize for dismissing your efforts. Whoever finds her shall be rewarded greatly. Please continue to keep me in the loop. I am only calm because this empire is dealing with greater concerns that I must move my focus onto now."

I watch as his attention moves to the book on his desk. He picks it up and leans back in his marble seat flipping through some pages with a small smile as if taking pleasure in knowing something I do not.

He is exactly like that reptilian beast slithering around in the shadows of the grand water fountain in the atrium with endless fish to pick from. Instead of eating all the fish in the world it has, it preys on the innocent souls that decide to take a swim completely oblivious of its presence.

It's typical of him to make a game out of the folly of others.

"You know exactly where she is, don't you?"

"Maybe I do. But if I were to get involved and return her to the palace, why, we would never find out just who stole her away. A greater reward waits for whoever solves that mystery. I can tell you right now where she is, but that would not be fair to Brometheous. The two of you should be less concerned with where you find her, which you will surely discover, and instead, determine how exactly someone entered my chamber to steal her away and who this someone is."

"I'm sure Brommy and I can handle this request. We may simply work together and split the reward. Is that acceptable?"

"The reward is my sword...which cannot be split. I'm getting a new one crafted. Can I trust you to inform Brometheous of this challenge?"

"Yes, you can. I will return here again in the morrow to report on progress."

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