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Matter of Thyme by Vlork
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In an alleyway in the town outside the castle, the man pulled out a
small disc and breathed on it. A man’s face appeared on the disc.
“Yes, James?” the face asked.
“Mission accomplished,”
“Does Quom confirm?”
“I confirm,” Quom croaked.
“Good. Return at once.” The disc went blank.
James and Quom walked out of the city. After a while, Quom asked, “So,
who was it?”
“The king’s brother. The duke.”
“Next in line for succession?”
James nodded and ducked into a side street to avoid a guard.
“Always the same. So he would have seized power?”
“The Master said that everyone at the high table would be dead in ten
minutes, including King Fredrick. Then the Duke takes the throne,
declaring martial law, and war on a nearby country. A century of
darkness, and lots of dead people. Then, finally, there’s a bloody
rebellion, in which yet more people die and the kingdom is back to
about where it is now a decade later.”
There was silence for a moment. Then Quom asked, “Now will you tell me
what Tommy—sorry—the Master told you?”
“All right. He said that this was a test. Something big is coming up.”
“Bigger than saving a kingdom from a century of darkness?”
“Yes. The very event the Order was founded for approaches. Everything
else has been simply leading up to this point. And the Master is
considering us for it. Whatever it is, it is going to affect the
entire world.”
Quom had nothing to say to that.
* * *
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