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Chapter Two Hundred Thirteen: 'The Lords of Gray Rock...'

Hanton lowered his gaze. "I apologize for the omission."

Hector could sense the shape of the invisible bird making a similar gesture.

There was a decision to make now, Hector knew. If he didn't need Hanton to release them anymore, then the power dynamic of their conversation had suddenly shifted. No doubt, that was why Hanton had been holding back that little piece of information this whole time.

Hector didn't want to get too confident, though. Hanton could still be--and probably was--hiding other things from him, things that could potentially shift things back in the Sparrow's favor. Hector wanted to be careful, but at the very least, he now felt that he was in a position to ask the question that he'd been wanting answered since the beginning.

"...Did you run the Vanguard out of Atreya?" said Hector.

Hanton's human illusion looked up at Hector and then remained perfectly still. His true body, however, was shifting beneath its shroud of invisibility.

The Lord Gaolanet was taking a while to answer, but Hector just waited.

"Yes," Hanton finally said.

"Why?" said Hector.

"That is a rather long story."

Hector materialized an iron chair for himself and sat down. "I don't mind."

"I... do not currently have time for this, Lord Goffe. I have other matters to attend to. Perhaps you can return at a later date, and we can finish this conversation then."

"And what if I return, only to find that you're no longer here?" said Hector.

"I would not flee over something so trivial," said Hanton.

"I wonder about that."

For the first time, anger flashed across Hanton's illusory face. "Why are you so interested in the Vanguard, Lord Goffe? Please do not tell me that you have been taken in by their lies."