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Iftheykeptonwiththeirquest,they’dhavetogetintoimpossiblecestofindtheirquarry.
Santiagotiltedhisheadslightly,hisgazefixedupontheheavenswhilehegentlystrokedBobby’shead.After<b>a</b>momentof silentcontemtion,hespoke,“Itisnotyourfault,Hansel.Perhaps,theSaintesshasonlyjustmadeherpresenceknown.”
“What?”Hanselwasstruckdumbbythisunexpectedrevtion.Onlyjustappeared?Buthowcanthatbewhen<i>our</i>lineagepossessesteachings<i>passed</i><i>down</i>throughcountless<i>generations</i>?Coulditbethatourforebearswereindeed
seers?
Santiago’seyesseemedtopiercethroughthefabricofreality,lookingfarbeyondtheimmediateworld.“Yes,”hemurmured,“Ihaveobservedsignificantchanges.The<b>stars</b>alignmorecloselywiththeancientrecords‘description,andBobby’srestlessnesshasincreased,signallingthepossiblearrivaloftheSaintess.”
Hansel’sheartleaptwithhope.“Truly?”Ifthisisso,thenthefateof<i>the</i>Lloydsisindeedsecure!Thisisjoyousnews!
Santiago’sgazeremaineddistant,almostotherworldly.Hedid<b>not</b>confirmdirectlybutsuggested,“LetusreturntotheLloyds‘estate.Imuststudytherecentcelestialpatternsto determheSaintess’spreciselocation.”
Hansel,filledwithrenewedfervour,replied,“Ofcourse,Cursemaster.Ishallescortyoubackatonce.”
Astheypreparedtodepart,athoughtsuddenlystruckHansel.Heturnedquickly.“Cursemaster,thereissomethingelseImustinformyouabout.”
Santiago’sexpressionremainedimpassive,“Whatisit,Hansel?”
Hanselcontinued,“Irecentlyencounteredsomeoneskilledinanembroiderytechniqueidenticaltothatoftheancientcourtembroiderers.TheymightpossesstheabilitytorestorethesacredrobeoftheQueenofLublurg.<b>”</b>
Santiago’sinterestwaspiqued,arareflickerofcuriosityinhisotherwisestoicdemeanour.
Inthedistantannalsoftime,theLublurgKingdomhadvanishedwithoutatrace,leavingbehindenigmaticrelicslikethecourtembroiderytechnique,losttotheages.How,then,couldsomeodaypossess<b>such</b>ancientknowledge?
“Letthemattempttherestoration,butexercisecaution.TheQueenofLublurg’ssacredrobeisapriceless.artefact;itisbetterleftuntouchedthanpoorlymended!”
<i>The</i>significanceof<i>that</i>sacred<i>robe</i>cannot<i>be</i>overstated.
Hansffirmedhisunderstanding,“Acknowledged,Cursemaster.”
Asuddendimmingoflightsinthegrandbanquethallcausedarippleofunease.Theheavydoors,withdeliberateslowness,closedbehindthem.Milly,unustomedtosuchdramatics,instinctivelysoughtrefugeinGeorge’fortingembrace.
“I’mhere,”Georgemurmuredsoftly,hiswordsagentlereassurancecuttingthroughthedarkness,<b>soothing</b>her<b>frayed</b>nerveseffortlessly.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.
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Afterapregnantpause,thelightsflickeredbacktolifewithadecisiveclick.Beforethemmaterialisedatable,uponwhichstoodanauctioneerd<b>in</b><b>a</b>pristinewhitemask,poisedwithasmallhammerinhand.
Clearingherthroat,theauctioneer’svoice<b>carried</b>acrossthehallviaa<b>microphone</b>,“Wee,esteemed.guests,totheculminationofourevening.Biddinmencesat750thousand.”
Withtheauctionitemshroudedinmystery,bidspromptlysoared,propelledbyintrigueandthe allureoftheunknowTL.
“Sevenhundredandfiftythousand.”
“Onepointfivemillion.”
Twopointtwentyfivemillion!”
“Fourandahalfmillion!”
“Sevenandahalf million!”
Oneminutehadgoneby,andthebiddingwentfrom750grandto7.5million.Evenso,thebiddingkeptonsoaring.
Millygulped.
Sothisishowuppersocietydifferentiatesitselffromus?FeelsliketheytreatmoneyasMonopolymoney.Orcould<b>it</b>be<i>funny</i>money?<i>Don’t</i>they<b>care</b>howmuchthey<i>spend</i><i>?</i>
Andwhatifit’sascam?<i>They</i>spendsomuchevenwithoutseeing<i>the</i>goods.This<i>is</i>justwasteful.
Twominuteter,thebidwasataterrifying75million.
Alotofpeopletriedtheirbestata<b>hail</b>Maryeffort.
“Eightytwopointfivemillion.”
“Eightyfourmillion.”
“Eightysevenmillion!”
Thecadenceofbiddingrosetoacrescendo,withvoicesgraduallytaperingoffintoahushedexpectancy,cachbiddersilentlycalctingpotentialgains.Suddenly,aresonantvoicebrokethesilence,“Ahundredandfivemillion.”
Astaggeringleap,increasingthebidbyover15millioninonedecisivemove,renderedtheroommomentarilyspeechless.Oneboldbidderrefusedtogiveup.Heclenchedhisteethandannounced,“107.25million!”
“Onehundred<b>and</b>twentymillion<b>!</b>”
“Onehundredandtwentyonepointfivemillion!”
“Onehundredthirtyfivemillion!”
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Atmosttheycouldraiseitby1.5millioneachtime,butGeorgeraiseditbytenfoldthat,andhedidn’tseempressed.
Naturally,theyweretheTates,unparalleledinwealthandpoise.Tochallengetheminafinancialduelwastantamounttocourtingfolly.
Earlier,observershadmistakenlyassumedGeorge’sdisinterest,buthismeasuredbidsnowrevealedotherwise<b>a</b>dismissaloflessersumsratherthandisinterest.
ObservingMr.Tate’sunwaveringresolve,theotherbiddersreluctantlyloweredtheircards,acknowledgingtheinevitableoue.Theauctioneer,standingpoisedonstage,dered,“135million,going once.”
“Onehundredthirtyfivemillion,goingtwice.”
“Onehundredthirtyfivemillion,goingthrice,sold!CongrattionstoMr.Tateforsecuringthiscoveteditem.Thekeywillbepresentedtoyoushortly.”
Milly,amidstthecollectedflurryoftheauction,remainedensconcedinadaze,thegravityofthemomenteludingherevenasthefinalhammerfelldecisively.
Shestarednklyasifhermindwassuckedout.
Onehundredthirtyfivemillion,135million,135million.
Wecangetmissileswiththat!
Androckets!
Inthemidstofthewaiter’sapproachwiththeitem,theyounggirlremainedfrozeninsurprise,hereyes<b>.</b>wideandherlipsslightlyparted,apictureofinnocenceandastonishment.
George’ughterfilledtheairasheextendedthekeytowardsher,histonewarmyettirigedwithamusement,“It’syours.Letmeshow<b>you</b>.”
Milly’sfingerstrembledassheeptedthekey,acoldshivercoursingthroughherhand,promptingaquickwithdrawal.
“Forme?Youspent135million onthatforme?”sheutteredincredulously.
George’sgrinwidened,hisvoiceunwavering,“Alwaysmeantforyou.Money’snotthepoint.”
Milly’sthroattightened,hernervesfluttering.“Ican’t…
Agiftworth135million,regardlessof itsnature,wasanunpayabledebtinhereyes.
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