My father, specifically. Hired thugs rather than endure the ordeal of coming to get me himself... You know, it's funny; he was trying to avoid a scandal, but all his colleagues must have spoke of it for months.

[It's funny, he says, but he can't bring himself to crack a smile. He can't bring himself to look at Prior. He casts a glance back to the mess left behind, blood seeping into the lines between tile, and he thinks to himself that must have been a terrible inconvenience to get out. He was a terrible inconvenience to get out, maybe it wouldn't have turned out this way if he'd made better choices—

He takes a breath, pulling himself from his woolgathering so he can take Prior's hand and start down the hall. There's a door at the end of it, away from the distant, dying commotion.]

I didn't find out because I was on a boat, then I was stuck at home for a rather long time. He wouldn't speak of it. Not civilly.