Re: Part 71a The Courts of Chaos
"Ah... "
Derris tilts her head down, studying her fingers, where a last spark still dances. Whe she lifts her gaze again, her eyes are yellow and the pupils are cruciform, "I remember when you were young, Roman. We would sit in this very room together, though it has changed since then, so perhaps you do not recognise it. And we would talk. I would tell you stories. Do you remember that?"
"Always, at the end of the tale, you had questions. You never could simply accept them. You always had to ask where the hero went after the tale ended, or why the conquering army stopped where it did, or why the wandering princess was not devoured by a manticore... Do you remember?
She turns over her hand, and the spark skips into her palm, and she enfolds it in a loose fist. "You always had questions Roman. And I see that you have not changed. As always, I will do my utmost to answer them."
"Senghiz has been loyal to Chanicut, Roman. But he has changed, while accusing me of changing. I trust my allies, Roman, but they are not the only ones who have seen this. I have seen it with my own eyes. With each passing day I have seen him grow less and less reliable."
"That is why I do not trust him. It is why I let you go with him, and then summoned you back. I did not wish him to grow suspicious while he was here. This way, we can talk, while he is far out of earshot."