Mischief sparked in the Symenestra’s eyes and she leaned into the human at her shoulder. Revealing a full smile from between her pearly lips, the woman whispered far too loudly. “Keep at it and you may find out why my human sleeps with a knife under his pillow.” The spider purposely let her syllables roll to emphasize her Symenos accent. Drawing her tongue over opaline fangs for effect before she pulled away. Shai hoped the human would let the threat work and back away from her; his proximity unnerved her. “Call it a gamble, Victor.” She replied to his inquiries. Very purposefully the woman ignored his curiosity about her desires; it was a secret she kept nearer to her heart than her familiar. None of these men would be given the fuel to topple her, not so easily. She wouldn’t tell them of her son. Straightening herself and clearing her throat she addressed Dra-Seven, “The why of the matter is not my concern; only the who. I cannot pretend to fathom the ways in which surface minds work.” Smiling much less venomously at the Ethafael, she continued. “I did not catch the messenger, only the message.” Taking the letter, she opened it once again to rove over its contents. Sighing she placed the paper in her lap. “Let us then assume that I do believe you. That none of you had any hand in writing this letter. Then that begs the question, who did? Why here and now?” As if from some divine providence at that very moment the troop of strangers entered the tavern. As they took their respective seats, Shai had an excellent view from her perch upon the bar. Asking the entire room, “Alvadas does not understand coincidence does it?” She had never been fortunate enough for the city to act completely upon whim, there was always a motive. Shai was almost certain the city was actually sentient, she simply couldn’t prove it. Tossing the letter down in front of the man sitting at the bar, she raised an eyebrow and tilted her head to indicate he should pick it up. “Perhaps the who and why just walked in.” |