“Where is he now?”  Ellen Eth asked, leaning forward.  “Surely he has told you how you could find him.”

“Luftin was eaten by the same bedamned dragon that Lord Caverstorm is looking for.”  Callindra said, savoring the dry bite of the mead.  “It was right after Jorda was killed saving us.  A few of her siblings came with him to avenge her death and there was a huge battle and Cerioth just ate him.”

“Luftin?  I was told your Master’s name was Glarian.”  Ellen Eth frowned and leaned forward.  “Why did you call him Luftin?”

“Turns out he was the god of wind the whole time.  I have no idea why or what a god would want with someone like me.”  Callindra was definitely feeling strange.  She set the goblet down with a frown.  “Why would the gods care about an orphan who never knew her real parents?”

“Why indeed?”  Ellen Eth said, “I know they rarely do anything without a reason, so that makes you a curiosity my dear.”

Callindra couldn’t take a deep enough breath, the bedamned stays were digging into her ribs.  She stood slightly unsteadily and bobbed a curtsey.  “Pardon me Lady ‘Orien, but I feel the need for a breath of fresh air.  I am going to just step outside for a moment.”

Ellen Eth watched her go, a slight but genuine smile on her lips.  This youngling was a puzzle and a prize.  She made a slight gesture and one of her spies slipped from the shadows and followed.  The girl wouldn’t get too far with that amount of the truth telling drug raging through her system, but she wanted to be certain that The Sol’Estin did not get beyond her reach.

–

Durrak toyed idly with a dagger, spinning it between his fingers and flipping it to catch the hilt.  Lorin had been gone for a quarter candlemark and he was starting to wonder where the blighter had disappeared to.  In any other situation he’d think his friend was off scandalizing the courtesans, but here and now he felt there was cause to worry.

“Hey.”  A low voice interrupted his reverie.  “You don’t look like the rest of ‘em.  I mean cause of the armor not cause you’re a Dwarf.”  A young human dressed in finery that looked out of place despite it fitting with perfection slipped into the chair that Callindra had recently vacated.

“You no do be talking like a court boy.”  Durrak observed with a wry grin.

“Huh?”  He stuffed some of the small sandwiches into his mouth and talked around the food.  “Yeah I ain’t from around here.  I’m lookin for a friend who ain’t from around here either.”

“Who do your friend be?”  Durrak asked, “A certain willful young lady?”

The boy’s eyes narrowed slightly, “Maybe.”

“If she do be Lady Callindra, she did be walking toward the exit less than half a candlemark ago.”  Durrak said, “If I do be seeing her again I do be happy to be giving her a message.”

“Which way’d she go?”  He asked.  When Durrak gestured with the point of his dagger, he nodded, “If ya see her tell her Reed was here and said time to go.”

“Maybe I do be joining you Reed.”  Durrak said, sheathing his dagger and rising from his chair.  “I do be getting bored of sitting anyhow.”

Reed looked at him and chuckled.  “You think I’m actually supposed to be here?  With all that armor you’d give me away in a second.”