บท 104: Devising the Board - Part 15

"Ada, love," Alfred spoke as he entered Little Ko's chambers. He had seen the light creep out from beneath the door and knew it could only be his cheeky little niece, too sharp for her own good. Only he and Ada dared enter into the rooms. "Why are you-"

He stopped short upon gazing at her heavily flushed faced, tight with what seemed to be alarm.

"Ada." His tone took an insistent turn as he crossed for her in concern, seizing a shoulder in his right hand and falling to a knee to even their gazes. "What is it?" He demanded, before following her eyeline - to the old parchment in with her grip.

Alfie furrowed his brow, tracing his free hand down to her wrist, trying to relax the muscles in her hand. She was squeezing the paper so tightly it was beginning to wrinkle. Any harder and it might have even teared.