Page 95 of The Last Kingdom

The same words as on the sheet.

“The prophecy had long been uttered across Bavaria by the superstitious,” she said. “Maximilian himself was quite superstitious. He repeated those words to Ludwig right before he died. My grandfather was there and heard them.”

“It’s obviously a reference to the calendar.”

“And the year where all those dates simultaneously aligned was 1886.”

He connected the dots. “The year Ludwig II died.”

She nodded. “Precisely. The prophecy fulfilled.”

But he was still baffled. “That’s all fascinating. But do you have any idea why your grandfather and father chose that year to add into this mystery game?”

She shrugged. “The prophecy became closely identified with the Wittelsbachs, long before there was a Ludwig II. Why? No one knows. But everyone thought it amazing that Ludwig died in the exact year the prophecy predicted. If this helps, my relatives would have known that the solution to the prophecy was well known.1886. So the actual year is not all that important. But rather, what to do with those numbers seems, to me, far more relevant.”

He liked her logic. It made sense. “And the other parts of the message?”

She grinned and shrugged. “Those I will leave for you to decipher.”

“You don’t know? Or won’t say?”

“Part of the duty of the one who utters the words you spoke is to decipher the game on their own. My telling you of the prophecy is meaningless. That is a well-known fact from history. But the rest? That is for you to discover.” She paused. “Or not.”

“I bet you were a good lawyer,” he said.

“I was, actually.”

“You miss it.”

“Not in the least. My children and grandchildren run the firm now.” She motioned with her hands. “I stay here, among the books, trying to right a wrong. And you, Herr Malone, what do you do besides own a bookshop?”

He thought of Stephanie Nelle, his former boss and current friend. She was in big trouble and needed help, but was too proud and too stubborn to ask.

“Me too,” he said. “I try to right wrongs.”

Chapter 52

DERRICK WAS CAREFUL AS HE ENTERED THE STATE LIBRARY THROUGHits main doors, stopping in the outer foyer before another set of interior doors, concealing himself, and spotting Terry Knight through the glass, who’d assumed a position farther inside where he could easily see the exit and elevators.

People were coming and going.

Plenty of traffic to keep Knight’s attention.

The damn fool was waiting for Malone. They’d pinged the phone and here he was. Rife tried to take them both out earlier. Had Knight come to finish the job? You bet. But first they were probably wondering what Malone was doing.

He kept out of Knight’s sight and watched.

Less than five minutes later Malone stepped off the elevator and walked straight for the exit doors, hands stuffed into his coat pockets. Derrick retreated into an alcove that accommodated two foyer restrooms, slipping into the men’s room but keeping the door cracked open. Malone pushed through the inner set of glass doors and kept walking through the foyer for the outer set. Knight stayed back, but was clearly following. Derrick retreated farther into the bathroom and found his phone, texting to Malone that he had company.

A few seconds later a reply came.

I know.

* * *

RIFE HAD FINISHED HIS DISCUSSION WITH PRINCE STEFAN AND LEFTthe Chinese consulate. After they’d revealed all that they knew and decided on a joint course of action, he’d taken his leave, driving back into town. Earlier, he’d left Terry Knight at the state library to find out what Malone was doing. Knight had texted to say Malone was on the move, walking down the east sidewalk on Ludwigstrasse, heading toward the university. Luck had smiled on him today as he was driving in the same direction, on the same side of the street.

Then he saw trouble.