Farilane found it significant that he interceded just then. These two definitely know each other. But how? Did Virgil speak to the empress dowager and . . . no, Virgil didn’t know Sephryn. But something is going on. Sephryn knew it was me because I arrived with Kile. Her eyes said so. Was she also expecting Sheldon? Didn’t seem that way. It is as if Sheldon is invisible to her. But none of this makes sense because I was the one who decided to come here, and I did so at the last minute. How could she be expecting us?

Farilane drew the note from the book and handed it to Sephryn.

“Have you read this?” the empress dowager asked.

“Only the first couple of lines. I may be a book thief, but I draw the line at reading living people’s correspondence.”

“Thank you,” Sephryn said. “But I think you deserve to hear it. Might even help.”

Help what? Farilane wondered.

Sephryn held the letter a tad farther away than was normal. Apparently, even myr suffered sight problems with age.