Thank you for your reply.[spoiler]If you mean the crimes that the MC is investigating, I have considered the possibility that they may have been planned by Lord Imperion too. But the way I see it, it doesn’t really make sense. Maybe when it comes to the mayor, but not when it comes to his son. Because, as far as I can remember he was supposed to marry Lord Imperion’s daughter, which certainly would have increased Lord Imperion’s power. Although your MC have the opportunity to not bring back Lord Imperion’s daughter, your MC also has the opportunity to bring her back and whatever you do, it doesn’t change the events near the end of the first Lux book. There’s also the fact that if Lord Imperion’s people catch the MC at the scene of crime near the end of the first book, Lord Imperion just releases the MC after ordering them to continue investigating the case. Given that Imperion first contacted the MC because he believed they had qualities that would be really useful to him including, I suspect the MC’s skills in investigation, it’s hard to believe that he would go to the risk of the MC’s investigatory abilities leading them to discovering his role in the two crimes, since he already knows what the MC’s capable of. I also think that Lord Imperion’s likely is high up in The Circle and probably its leader and likely also has been instigating a turf war against the Blackstone Thieves Guild and certainly wants them out of Lux. I also think that it’s highly likely that it’s highly likely that he’s using the events at the end of the first Lux book to try to take control of Lux. But unless there’s really important stuff that I’ve missed, I find it hard to believe that Lord Imperion is behind both those crimes.
On the other hand, I do find it highly suspicious that a thief organization that’s been mentioned in the first book of the trilogy, hasn’t made any “official” appearances after that and I would be inclined to think that when they’ve been talked about, they’re meant to be used later. And since they’re apparently “magically secretive”, that would be a good reason for them not being noticed and they also have a clear motive for being behind those two crimes. Of course, I might be putting too much emphasis of them being mentioned in Evertree Inn, but I still think them being the culprits makes more sense than Lord Imperion and The Circle being the culprits, based on what I know now.
[/spoiler] But, whatever will turn out to be the answer, I’m looking forward to “the big reveal” in the next Lux book, just like I’m really looking forward to that book being published in general. And this demo has certainly whetted my appetite for the next Lux book.
) Chapter 9 is a headache but it’s also the midpoint so once it’s done, it’s all go! So I’d say it’s about 40% done at the moment? Hopefully?