He expected an interrogation regarding the inner workings of the Magic Association. He braced himself for questions about arcane theory or political influence.
Instead, Elara just wanted to fact-check the bard.
"So," she pressed, "those Snail-Dragons. They're real?"
"They are, Your Highness," Rhazuun replied, quickly recovering his composure. "I happened to tour that realm some years ago."
It wasn't the line of questioning he had hoped for, but he adopted the air of a seasoned traveler—humble yet knowledgeable.
"And you know Cloudsong?"
"Ah..." Rhazuun hesitated. He felt like he was playing catch-up with her erratic train of thought. "To be honest, yes. We are friends."
He admitted it, but briefly. In his line of work, admitting connection was a liability. If he offended the Stoneheart Horde, he didn't want Cloudsong caught in the splash damage. It was a code of honor among drifters.
"Give me the coordinates for the Snail-Dragon world," Elara said.
