A Mentor's Shadow

"She spoke of him with such reverence, as if he could part the seas—"

"What did you expect? He is her mentor and guide..."

"And now a shadow over her."

"Or perhaps a beacon in the storm?"

"He should have known it wouldn't last; she was always so headstrong."

"Indeed, she followed her own path, and now she's challenging the council."

"I heard she sent a manifesto—"

"A manifesto?"

"Yes, ten pages long, declaring that if they didn't heed her warnings..."

"Heed her warnings?"

"Exactly, if they didn't heed her warnings, she'd expose their secrets."

"Did she? Expose them?"

"Well, she's writing for an underground journal now..."

"Not exactly bringing down the empire."

"Depends on your perspective; I heard she has quite a following... but you didn't hear it from me."

"No, certainly not."

"More wine?"