Caoimhe nodded."I thought it was something like that."She glanced at her sister, happy that she'd helped her cover for the question."I told you."
Eleanor rolled her eyes."You always have to be right, don't you?"
"She always is right," the Emperor said.
"Thank you," Caoimhe replied.She said the words, looking at her father, but she meant them for her sister.
Fortunately, a glance at Eleanor, and she knew her sister knew that as well.
The three of them finished their breakfast, and Eleanor and Caoimhe returned to their suites.
Eleanor glanced at her after they got away from their father and were far enough away from the dining hall."What was that all about?"
"I heard a rumor that the Terran Empire might have prisoners of war," she whispered.
Eleanor blinked."We don't do that.Take no prisoners and all that."
"I know, which is why it doesn't make any sense.But I heard--"
"Where did you hear this?"
"In my missives."
Eleanor rolled her eyes."Sister, someone is scamming you."
"I wondered that, I did but--"
"It is a scam, I promise you."
"Maybe it is, but what if it's not?This war has been going on far too long.What if there's more to it than just war and anger and the Emperor wanting vengeance?"
"There's always more to it, you know that."
"But I feel like this is important.I'm not sure why."
"Show me the file."
When they got back, Caoimhe showed her the digital letter.
"Scam.It's a scam."
"Are you sure?"
"Is she sure about what?"Lady in Waiting, Freya asked as she walked into the suite.
"Caoimhe got a scam, and she thinks it's real," Eleanor said.
"Like you thought the ion germination process was real?"
"Hey, that would have worked if you would have let me bury that box," Eleanor said.
"Or we all would have had seven ears by now," Caoimhe said, laughing at the memory of Eleanor getting sucked into a scam about fast-growing plant food.
"Regardless," Freya said."What's got you both so concerned?"
"This," Caoimhe said."She thinks it's fake.I think there might be something to it."
Freya came over and looked at the file.She started pulling up the hidden coding and going through the digital gibberish that made little sense to Caoimhe.
