Shady

Ky shook her head helplessly. She had the benefit of legitimately not remembering. "Three? Four? I'm not sure. It ran together, sir."

"I have no idea." Pratik shook his head. "I wasn't here long before I climbed in that cage. Don't know him much better than you do at this point."

"A bit over a week?" She glanced over at Tadaaki like she was asking him to confirm. "Sounds right," Tadaaki hesitantly said. She glanced back at Gaius. "Not sure exactly. ...

"I barely recognized him," Pratik said, shaking his head. "Went rabid for the night."

"We took turns walking it sometimes..." Ky said, with a nod. "But, yeah. Yes. Sir. We only got the one -- didn't want to risk going back."

"It seems like a game to him," Pratik said. "An intellectual pursuit. You should have seen him in here right after they saw it -- absolutely mad with passion, tearing ...

Wait, how was he a part of this now? Tadaaki blinked, startled as he got yanked back into the narrative. 'You may' -- that wasn't an order that he had ...

"Probably." Pratik nodded, glancing around to be sure they didn't have an audience still before lowering his voice. "I don't think his delight will be shared by other nobles."

Ky shrank, anxiety bubbling up in her at his attentive gaze. How did she always end up in the center of attention? Especially when the attention was very, very, very ...

"He is," Pratik said with a nod. "And it is... if it's possible to figure out, they're making a noble effort at doing so."

"I... am not sure what happened at the front, sir, we couldn't see it," Ky said. "But the cage rolled off this little drop-off. I guess the snowbank gave out. ...

"I mean... yeah, I suppose, if you believe in that sort of thing." Pratik shrugged. "I think Ash and the librarians are trying to get that all sorted. I'm not ...

Ky was quiet for a moment, thankfully having to pause to remember their story, which she hoped would sell her trying to remember the truth. "...one was named..." She squinted. ...

"Books record what has happened, not what will happen," Pratik said. "At least not with any degree of reliability."

"I'm afraid I don't, sir." Ky shook her head. They'd all agreed on that one. "I apologize. Sir."