“Bastian is dead,” I whispered. “He died when we were just infants.” “…I didn’t die that night,” he said, after a long pause. “Though I came close, I’m told. Our adoptive parents and Orin ended up sending me back here, in hopes that the magic around this palace would help bring me to full health once more. Somewhat ironically, since they’d originally sent us to the Above to protect us from being overwhelmed by the very same magic.”
