Sun of the Sleepless Read Online Free PDF

on weaving around the small group of pedestrians that had started to cross.
    They both dodged back abruptly and Frans winced at the piercing whine of the little engine, coughing exaggeratedly at the acrid fumes spewing from the puny exhaust as it whizzed past. Along with a few other pedestrians, Frans just shook his head and muttered under his breath as they continued to walk along Prinsessegracht, Rey waiting for the informal briefing to resume.
    'You were given the name 'Faber' when you were apprenticed?' asked Frans, letting the question hang and watching for Rey's reaction.
    'Go on -'
    'Ahh, so now you're interested, eh?' Frans winked cheekily. 'Well, as I say, Hendricks has caused something of a political situation and between you and me it is a problem that has required intervention at the very top - the very top. You may recall that the Senator Hollis had decided to centralise the repository of artefacts in the Temple of die Sonne der Schlaflosen , the Seraphim castle up in Poland. There are some pieces here, some there, all over the place in fact and they want to create a grand temple of what are regarded as sacred relics. Anyway, about two weeks ago a couple of the pieces were lost in transit, by which I mean lost as in stolen.'
    'I bet Senator Hollis was pleased!' Rey exclaimed with an exaggerated harrumph, although repressing the worst of his disdain for the clear lapse in security.
    Rolling his eyes in memory of the explosion of fury that was rumoured to have taken place, Frans chuckled and stopped Rey with a touch against his forearm. He crossed his two forefingers to illustrate ticking off the points he was about to make, 'The lost items are, one, the last surviving copy of Dirigo Lux , testament of a certain Rutilus Faber printed in 1735 and considered a treasure by the Holy Order of Seraphim and, two, an original Sigil Ring , made in 1938 and worn by Queen Maria right up to her death at the end of the Seventh Age. That is considered even more important by some! Can you believe it, the ring of a Sigulah? What do you think of that?'
    Rey assumed an expression of suspicion and thought for a moment. 'Alright, I like the Faber connection and I can understand that a couple of priceless artefacts being stolen is significant, certainly embarrassing, but at this time, in the context of Merkur ? Come on, there are bigger things to be worried about.'
    'Oh, you think so, eh?' Frans nodded. 'Well, that is why I agreed that you were the best person for this job. You've been working too hard on the detail of Merkur . You have lost sight of the bigger picture. You know the butterfly effect? Of course you do, the fifteenth century knights of France knew it, by just one nail one loses a good horse, eh?'
    Rey nodded back as if about to repeat by rote the multiplication tables, 'Yeah, alright, for want of a nail the shoe was lost, for want of a shoe the horse was lost, for want of a horse the rider was lost, I get it, but are we really going to lose the battle and the kingdom for want of an antiquarian book and a silver ring?'
    Pursing his lips, Frans opened his palms and shrugged, 'Who knows? Whatever the future may hold, our job right now is to hammer home a couple of loose nails and so that is what we are going to do.'
    Rey knew that he had been given some slack to complain, such was the prerogative of a Knight in The Holy Order of Thrones, but he also knew that Frans was right. It was their job, no matter how big or how small. He was also right that a couple of days away from England could be a good thing. A short break away from his team, away from the myriad of minutiae that had absorbed his attention for so long - it might be as good as a rest. It would help him focus when he was back on the job.
    'Are we alright on this?' asked Frans with a meaningful look.
    Rey snapped his mind into focus and smiled back, 'My old friend, the dishonour visited upon the illustrious author of Dirigo Lux shall be repaid in kind by his