The next morning, breakfast was already on the table. Kate was nowhere to be found. Everything was clean and organized, even the bed was done with Stephen still in it. How she did that, Stephen thought it was better to not think about it.

After checking himself in the mirror, to make sure Kate hadn’t written anything in permanent marker (or ink, Stephen corrected himself), he took to the breakfast platter. It was the same as before, but this time there was more fruit. Stephen remembered Isabelle telling him he’d made an impression on Kate, but he just shook his head.

Today, Stephen decided halfway through his meal, he was going to get some answers from Sebastian. It was only day three, but there was so much going on Stephen felt like it had been longer. That scared him. He wanted to go home. To learn whatever secrets he could that would get him there.

As soon as his plate was empty, Stephen gathered his courage and stepped out the door. Three steps outside his door, Stephen ran into a hollow knight. His forehead throbbed and his vision doubled as the loud ringing of empty metal filled the hall.

Standing between two hollow knights was the king himself.

“Good morning to you, Stephen Cray,” King Elbrick spoke with a practiced gusto, “I trust your stay is going well?”

Stephen rubbed his head, “Very well, thanks.”

The king narrowed his eyes, “And Kate, she is doing well keeping you comfortable?”

If there was one thing Stephen learned from his many years of public schooling, it was to sense tests. Stephen had grown so adept, he would know long before he got to school and could avoid the test entirely by going right instead of left – thereby avoiding the fact he hadn’t studied entirely so he could go to a café instead and stream anime. He always kept a spare charging cord in his pack.

This was most certainly a test, Stephen decided, “Very well, thanks.”

The king ran his hand through his greasy black beard. It wasn’t until then that Stephen realized he’d repeated himself. Panicked, Stephen followed up his comment in a nervous voice,

“S-so well, in fact, she gave me extra fruit this morning.”

The king’s eye twitched, “Is that so? Wonderful!”

The king rapped his knuckle against one of the knights, “You hear that? She’s taken a liking to him, I’ll bet. So sweet of her.”

Stephen realized there was hardly an ounce of enthusiasm in the king’s voice. There was a peculiar look in the king’s eyes, too. Something skeptical.

“You’d best be careful,” King Elbrick said cautiously, “She’s sly and deceptive. She learned a little too much, living on the streets.”

“She said she was your daughter,” Stephen said suddenly, “Was that a lie, then?”

The hollow knights tensed, King Elbrick’s eyes flared. There was a crackle in the air that ran along Stephen’s skin like static.

“You’d best get to your studies,” King Elbrick spoke harshly, “Stephen Cray.”

With that, the king turned around in a flurry. It was as if he was pushing the very air aside when he moved. It seemed to Stephen that every time he pushed for more information, the people he talked to got defensive. What exactly was everyone hiding?

--

When Stephen arrived at Sebastian’s study, the window had been repaired. Not only that, but the window had been replaced with a solid stone wall. Only a slim window at the top let any light inside. The rest of the lighting was supplied by a long bronze chandelier.

“It’s like a prison,” Stephen murmured.

“Exactly,” Sebastian agreed solemnly as he stood from his desk, “Not the most inspiring place to practice magic anymore. Luckily for me, I can fix that.”

With a sweep of his arms, the stone wall separated into two slabs that slide open like barn doors. Once again, the room was filled with sunlight and the morning breeze. Stephen watched in awe as the stone moved – this was magic.

“You seem melancholy,” Sebastian noted.

Stephen nodded, “There’s a lot on my mind.”

“I’ll bet,” Sebastian flicked his wrist and his two armchairs slid over, “Take a seat, I’ll answer what I can.”

Sebastian’s tea set floated over as well. He poured Stephen’s first and passed it over before filling his own. After a minute for Stephen to organize his thoughts, he opened his mouth to speak.

An incredible roar filled the room. It moaned sorrowfully, shaking the bookshelf and desk and rattling the tea kettle.

“What now?” Stephen asked, annoyed.

The two moved across the hall and into a study. Through the study’s window, they could see over the town. Peaking over a hill, just past the outer wall, was an enormous figure. It was human-like, with long arms and legs. Even from here, Stephen could see a long, gaping mouth open before another roar rattled the shook the castle.

“A giant,” Stephen said breathlessly.

With an exacerbated groan, Sebastian massaged his brow, “Great, here comes trouble.”