Random 53

"I'm more worried about poor Kirrya," Sebastian said, frowning. "Don't worry. I'll keep my eyes open." That might have been part of the problem sometimes.

"Well, from what she said, she hasn't seen Langoll in years, and she never mentioned the Saba family, so I don't see a way how she would get drawn into things... from that direction?"

"Ah. Well, but suppose she hears he's dead. What will be her first line of reasoning?" Sebastian paused. "I find it unlikely she'll contact the authorities, of course."

"Ah. Worried because of her, not for her." Sylvie made no further comment. She really wanted to get out of this mess, but that was no option.

"A bit of both. She was terrified of me to begin with. This isn't going to make her any happier," he responded.

Sylvie had trouble changing mental gears. Eventually she came up with, "Any likely temple she would turn to for protection against a monster?"

"I think the Shining One, as long as she can deal with their... zeal. That's the most obvious one. Mostly just because of their numbers, though."

"The kind of zeal that would send them combing the city armed with silver-laced maces, or something like that?"

"Sometimes I wonder if you can read my thoughts. Silver-laced swords came to my mind, though."

"Ah. Style is important. You are not kidding, are you?"

"Gods, I wish I were," Sebastian-Kai chuckled.

"So am I." After a sigh she added, "Well, she might not even hear of it that quickly. And I doubt talking to her about it would do any good..."

"Yes. One problem at a time, one problem at a time..." Sebastian-Kai mumbled, stretching his fingers in the water.

A pity that's not usually how they occur. For something more constructive to say, Sylvie tried, "So what's left? Trying to find out where Langoll was found, and hope to find something nearby? Rumour would have it..."

"Rumour would have it," he muttered, raised his hands to dry them and turned to look at Sylvie. He even allowed himself to look bemused. Why not?

"What are you thinking?" She handed him the towel and put the last pot away. Ayu-Asra landed on its rim and looked inside, his disappointed mewling echoing from the metal.

Sebastian-Kai smiled faintly. "We've been at this for too long," he said, nodding at the last of the dishes. He began to dry his hands. "Thank you. Now, to answer your question... I think there are certain establishments near the spot where Langoll's body was found. Inns, public houses..." Pause. "Brothels," he added a little nervously, wincing. "Those all keep their services going despite the weather, and I would wager most men at least would give into their urges in this sort of dreadful downpour."

He looked a little embarrassed.

"Yes, the usual gossip hubs," Sylvie said. Momentarily distracted by her dragon, who came close to throwing the pot off the shelf, she didn't pick up on his mood immediately. When she did, she tilted her head and asked rather matter-of-factly, "Do you have anything to worry about? Besides the general situation, I mean."

How about the fact that I just flirted? he thought momentarily, but assailed the actual words. There was something, but he didn't think it worth mentioning. Entirely. He'd already thought about it. Momentarily. After alluding to it.

"I'm still fairly incognito, so that's not a problem," he said instead, dodging the afore-mentioned topic entirely. He turned to look at her, eyebrows raised in askance as if to gauge what she was referring to.

"Well," she sighed, "that's something." Words to fill time. Some wrong turn there. She looked at him with a sad half-smile for a moment. The sensible thing would be to ask for the location and to split work, but just right now she needed a break.

Her expression turned more impish and she closed the distance between them. Subtle flirting looked different. "I trust you won't get distracted."