Chapter 72: THE UNSOLICITED ADVICE

"LUCIUS, be honest with me: you already know that a dungeon would appear in the Winterbone Duchy, don't you?"

Lucius hid his smile by sipping his tea. He took his tea before he put the teacup down on the saucer, then he answered his mother's question. "Mother, did you send Cyrus on an errand to talk to me in private?"

Only Lucius and his mother were left in the tearoom after the empress asked Cyrus to fetch Gypsy and Yvo Woolsey.

But, of course, he already knew that it was just an excuse.

"I can tell that Cyrus is already close to Lady Woolsey and Young Master Yvo," Empress Audrey said. "I don't want you and your brother to fight again."

"Mother, I don't mean any harm to the Woolseys, but I can see why you'd think Cyrus and I would fight again if he heard about my goal."

"So, I was right," his mother said. "You didn't choose the Winterbone Duchy to visit on a whim."

It was no use lying to his mother now.