#fenixtj

"Not on my account. She would have killed myself, and Ellie."

"Does the Duke know?"

"I sent a message."

Brekke nods. "I would like to know his response, when it comes."

Jess nods. "I'll let you know. Promise."

Brekke turns to Frank. "Do you wish to see her?"

He breathes slowly, thinking.

And shakes his head in the negative.

"I cannot think of what good it would do."

Brekke's jaw is tense...no, her whole posture is tense. "Then what is our response to this?"

Jess looks confused "To... the assault here?"

"That. And to the attack intended for Siv. What is our response to her thirst for revenge?"

"She can take it up with the Duke." Jess offers.

A long, quiet moment from Brekke. When she finally speaks, her voice is low. "I have never learned who betrayed your father. I have never learned who served him up to Rereadus those many years ago." Pause. "I still have a debt to settle with that one."

Frank lifts his head and looks at her. After a moment he says "You have suspicions."

She looks back at him, and her expression grows wry. "Some of my suspicions have been settled, years ago. I believe it was not he."

Frank watches her a moment, then nods. Agreeing.

Jess observes this, but does not comment.

"But still...it was no accident that you were taken. Some day I intend to have satisfaction there. Perhaps she knows."

"If you want...." Jess says slowly "... to talk to her. I'd be ok with that. You outside her cell, her inside."

Brekke looks to Frank again. "Should she know that her lover is not actually dead?"

Frank considers this and sighs heavily. "In her place.... what would you want?"

And the look in his eyes tells her that he knows she was in EXACTLY that place.

And he will regret that for the rest of his life.

Her eyes widen slightly as he makes the comparison. She stares at the floor for a long, quiet moment. Eventually, she mutters, "Not-knowing killed my spirit. Having hope..." a glance at Jessica "...spurred me on. But...she will not find him by harming us. We do not hold him captive. We do not even know where he is."

"If she knows he lives...." she falls silent.

All the Kings think about it a while.

"... she will have hope. In custody." Jess adds it up.

A slow nod. "And time to refocus her energies."

Frank exhales heavily; he concurs, but does not like it.

She frowns, trying to remember, and looks to Frank again. "What is the last you remember hearing of him?"

"Disappeared to the south; Willows."

"Willows. Hmph."

Frank shrugs.

Jess... looks nonplused.

Brows up at Jessica's expression, inviting an explanation for her surprise.

Jess returns the eyebrow, but it's Frank's Hmph?

"What are you thinking?" Brekke asks Jessica.

"You have some ... distain for Willows?"

"Sorry, I might have misread..... Sorry."

A heavy sigh, and a weary headshake. "An old tension. Perhaps unfairly earned. But old habits die hard."

"I will ask Vali to speak with Akanthea, to find out if she has heard anything of Rereadus."

Once you go Skunk, all other women are junk

((Oh, Slackbot. An oldie, but a goodie.))

Both Frank and Jess seem ... nonplussed by that.

"You will?" Frank asks.

A brow. "It is necessary."

Jess sits up. "I could ask her."

A nod. "You could. I might still send Vali. He would appreciate the excuse, I think."

"But ask her," another nod to Jessica. "You interact with her often?"