Above the altar, Jann knelt beneath the majestic statue of the Sunset Goddess, looking utterly lost. Captain Seychelles went forward and tried several times, but he could not help him up.
Federico gazed silently at his cousin's back, his expression complicated.
"So this was revenge born of a personal grudge." Wyatt recalled what had happened in the Birch Forest of the Northern Territory years ago. He looked at the assassin's suicide note Tales had handed him with both emotion and satisfaction. "The mistake Duke of South Bank made back then ultimately came back to haunt him."
Tales stood at the very front of the altar with his hands behind his back, looking up at the inscrutable, divine Sunset Goddess.
Perry Bott's body, covered by a white cloth, lay quietly between the two Cavendils, humble and insignificant.
"If it had only been about him, that would have been fine," Marius said softly, his tone calm and emotionless. "Unfortunately, the debt a gambler incurs often has to be repaid by the people around him as well."
The people around him...
Jann's back trembled slightly.
"Right, Shilai—no, Shilai... She... she's now... The enemy went after Zadvi because of her..."
But those words seemed to remind Jann of something. He came back to himself and turned frantically toward Tales.
"You! Tales! Go find her, now! Send people! Send the army to protect her! And you, Cassian! How can you still be here? Go back at once—go back to her—"
Everyone looked at one another.
"Calm down, Jann!"
Tales had no choice but to interrupt him loudly.
"Don't worry. I've already made arrangements." The Prince came before Jann. Looking at the Southbank Duke in such a disheveled state, he could not bring himself to feel happy. "There are enough guards, and she's well hidden. Nothing