“Are you sure?”
“Yes. I checked every case in the warehouse. They're all here.”
“Did you open the cases?”
“Yes, of course.”
“All right. Let me ask you this; can kurline be diluted?”
Mr. Lun's jaw slowly fell.
“That answers my question. Here's a follow-up. Do you have a way of testing the concentration of kurline?”
“Yes, of course,” he whispered. “I have a kit.”
“Go get it,” the King said.
Mr. Lun hurried off as I went to the wooden crate directly before the patch of ground that had hosted the message—the message that was meant for me, not Mr. Lun. Hallaxgral hadknown I would save Katai. He had known the Eljaffna would abduct me. And he had known he would kill them. For me. It was all a part of his plan. What else did he expect of me?
“Don't.” The King put his hand over mine and drew it away from the crate. “Let Lun's employees take it down. I want to see if they notice anything odd.”
“That's a rather good idea, Your Majesty.”
“I told you I could help you.”
“Yes. You've told me many things. So far, they've all proven true.”
Still holding my hand, the King leaned down to fuse our stares. “I will never lie to you, Tekhan.”
Strangely enough, I believed him.
Chapter Twenty-Four
I was right about the dilution of the case of kurline. The entire case was diluted by ten percent. Just enough that a cursory inspection wouldn't catch it. And just enough to give the thief a pint of kurline. A fucking pint.
Despite being correct about the kurline, I wasn't satisfied. Because I was wrong about Katai. So far. I had discovered no connection between him and the theft or Hallaxgral. But how could I? There was no evidence that could tie the theft to anyone, much less Katai. Of course, he could have committed an unrelated crime. Another case to solve.
“Tekhan.”
I stared blankly out the window of the King's carriage as we rode to wherever Vasren had taken his lover. My mind was focused inward, trying to unravel the clues.
“Tekhan.”
Hallaxgral, whoever he was, hadn't left another clue or another time limit. The discovery of Kun-lo's remains had to represent a round concluded, and Hallaxgral had proclaimed himself the winner of that round. Was the prison explosion the start of a fresh round? Of course it was. But the only message I received was that I was getting closer. So was Hallaxgral himself the next level of the game? Did I have to find him to end this?Either way, I had to find him. Regardless of the innocence or guilt of his victims, he was still a murderer.
“Tek!”
I flinched and looked at the King. “What is it?”
The King sighed and grimaced.
“What?” I asked again.
“I've been calling your name.”
“I've been thinking.”
“Yes, I realize. Can you not think and hear simultaneously?”
