Nerissa's eyes burned into her daughter's. "So all of his effort, all of his reckless gambits, were for that. To seize what he wanted from the Gate… and then to get out of the Empire. Nothing more. Nothing less."
She leaned back, her voice softening once more. "Simple. Obvious. So obvious that only fools would miss it."
Her smile widened just slightly, her gaze still fixed on Celestia. "And yet… so many missed it."
At which, the faintest flicker of realization began to shine in Celestia's golden eyes. The wheels in her mind spun furiously, linking one piece of her mother's explanation to another, trying to connect the puzzle that had seemed impossible only moments ago.
