Almios sank into the water covering everything but his nose and top of his head. He didn’t know how long he had been in the water already, but he did know Garza was taking his sweet time getting to him. Almios looked around at the moderately lavish bath, it was smaller than he thought it would be at only three meters by three meters. Still for something not in one of the capitals, larger cities, or estates it was serviceable. Almios flinched for a moment as his back twinged, the masseuse hadn’t been gentle on him or the knots in his back.

After sitting in the heat for a few more moments Almios stood and walked to the right side of the water where he had piled the soaps, perfumes, and scrubs. Grabbing one he smelled it nodding, it was his favorite lavender. Stepping up and into the comparatively cold air Almios slowly started to scrub himself thoroughly. He didn’t even make it past his waist before the door burst open and Garza came in yelling, “By the gods! He is naked, someone fetch the guards!”

Almios rolled his eyes while Garza laughed uproariously slamming the door behind him. “Was that necessary?” Almios asked while turning to Garza noting he had a towel on at least. Which Garza immediately dropped when Almios stopped turning, “Really? So what took you so long? Did a good looking attendant catch your eye or something?” Garza chuckled striding to the water slowly, “No, the masseuse did wonderful things to me so I felt the need to do the same to them.”

Almios stopped scrubbing and stared hard enough to make Garza stop in his tracks and sigh fondly. “It wasn’t what you think it was, I wouldn’t do that while someone is on the job,” Almios continued to stare. “That was just one time, I swear by the Three that I didn’t do that this time!” Garza retorted while continuing to advance to the water. “Sure, I believe you about as far as I can throw you,” Almios said while his back was turned to hide his smirk.

Garza snorted and loudly splashed into the water mindless of the heat and let out a relieved sigh. “I know we have our bathes at the inn, but this, this is so much better” Almios looked at Garza as he spoke, but before he could reply Garza cut him off. “I know you have had better, but you have to agree this isn’t all that bad.”

“I can’t say no to that, but I am surprised you hadn’t asked why I needed to talk to you alone,” Garza shrugged as Almios spoke. “I figured you would tell me when you are ready, but now that you mention it I would appreciate the answer.” Almios sat down after he finished soaping himself and grabbed a brush to scrub himself with. “To put it simply I am concerned about Lissa and Saida.” Garza raised an eyebrow before replying, “What do you mean?” Almios pointed the soapy brush at him, “You can’t say you haven’t noticed they have been acting a little stranger than normal. I mean the night we left they very well could have killed each other.”

Garza touched his chin in thought while Almios continued to scrub himself. “I mean you aren’t wrong, but I just thought it was them being competitive like usual. Besides that, I can’t think of anything else that is strange.” Almios stopped scrubbing once again and sighed, “Really? You haven’t noticed the way they act to each other? I know they were once a thing and ended it amicably but this is different than then.” Almios put his hand up to start Garza from opening his mouth.

“Think about it, they have pretty much the entire time been inseparable and feeding into whatever has gotten into the other.” Almios mulled over his thoughts and worked his jaw for a moment before continuing. “I also noticed once while they slept a glow came from their eyes.” Garza stood abruptly when Almios said that and quickly reached to grab his shoulders and look him right in the eyes. “Are you suggesting they both have the Gloom?” Almios quickly shoved Garza back almost falling backward in the process, “No! Let me finish you, idiot! Maybe Saida since the glow I saw from her eyes was red, but you can’t hide the eye color change though and hers haven’t changed. Lissa’s eyes glowed gold though so I don’t know what is going on with her.”

Almios looked at Garza who was standing about a meter away in the water arms crossed, “And I thought it may be a Blooded thing with her and I wanted to ask you about it.” Garza didn’t say anything but continued to stare at Almios, after a few moments of silence Almios couldn’t stand it anymore and said something. “Just forget it, maybe I am just imagining things or just working myself up. I just thought telling you this would help me but obvio……”

Garza cut him off by splashing a large amount of water at him, “You idiot! You talk too much I was just thinking.” Garza walked over and sat next to him, “Alright so both of those things are weird, strange, and worrisome. I mean by the gods imagine how someone who didn’t know them would react if that happened in front of them.” Almios looked to Garza and smiled, “Thanks for hearing me out.” Garza rolled his eyes and slapped him in the back hard enough to slide him forward into the water.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah I am great heap the praise on me,” Garza said after Almios resurfaced. Thankfully the brush was still in his hands and he threw it at Garza hitting him in the chest. For a moment Almios’ head swam and he became unbalanced but quickly caught himself on the edge of the bath. He also noticed Garza brace himself as well for a moment, “You alright?” Almios asked his head clearing quickly. Garza nodded, “Yeah I am fine, maybe we just worked ourselves up a little bit too much in the heat. At any rate, the whole eye glowing with Lissa isn’t a Blooded thing or at least not a Blooded thing I am aware of. Do you want me to keep an eye on them with you?”

Almios wanted to deny the fact he was watching them and didn’t need the help but couldn’t bring himself to do it. “Thought so,” Garza said smirking and sliding back into the bath slowly. “Thanks, Garza, I appreciate it. Should we ask Darvick about Saida? Or at least rope him in on this?” Maybe the twins too?” Almios set the brush aside after finishing and leaned his head back. “Not unless things get worse, let's just keep an eye on them because I don’t want to piss either of them off if it ends up being nothing,” Garza said while sinking further into the bath as well. “You know what these bathes need though?” Almios turned his head to look at Garza, “What?” Garza’s turned to look at Almios completely deadpan, “Fucking pillows.” The deadpanned look on Garza’s face along with the serious tone in his voice made Almios laugh.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Lissa felt someone touching her shoulder and shaking it gently. Her heart was racing, heedless of the fact that warm water was surrounding her she stood wheeling on the person touching her. With a tightly clenched fist, she swung into their jaw, realizing as her knuckles connected it was Saida who was touching her.

The blow sent Saida sidelong into the water with a large splash. A gasp drew Lissa’s gaze up towards the door into the room and she saw Mera and Mela standing there. “What the hells?” Lissa muttered aloud while inspecting herself ignoring what she had just done. Looking to her side she immediately noticed a new dagger-shaped scar was there. Bursting from the water Saida stood again glaring at Lissa while touching her cheek and jaw. “Lissa, what the fuck was that for?” Saida growled in frustration while watching her friend touch a scar on her side.

“I was just attacked! We need to alert the guards and investigate the bathhouse,” Lissa rushed to get out of the bath searching for any evidence of her assailants. “What are you talking about?” Mera asked while Mela continued “We found you asleep in the bath here.” Lissa looked around wary still before it clicked, “I was asleep? No, that isn’t possible. I was attacked here and stabbed in the side.” Lissa turned to Mera and Mela to show them the new scar before doing the same to Saida.

“Lis, what are you talking about? You have always had that scar,” Mera replied while Mela looked with concern at Lissa. “What? No, I haven’t, this shows where I was stabbed and poisoned!” Lissa said this while walking towards the bench she had collapsed near. She didn’t notice the exchanged glances between the others. Lissa quickly knelt her tail swinging in agitation at finding not even a spec of blood.

Lissa heard splashing and turned to watch Saida climb from the bath still touching her jaw gently. “Lis, is it possible you just had a dream? I mean everyone has one now and again where they swear it is real.” Lissa followed Saida’s gaze to Mera and Mela who nodded in agreement. “No, that wasn’t a dream! I was attacked, and collapsed right here and lost consciousness.” Lissa stood adamant in her position with her fists clenched in frustration.

“Then how did you get from there to being asleep in the bath? Where is the blood if you were stabbed?” Saida slowly advanced arms outstretched to show no malice. “How would your assailant get out of the room or bathhouse without anyone seeing? Think Lissa and calm down.” Lissa was shaking in frustration now as Saida embraced her and began to run her hands through her hair. “But I never had this scar! I would have remembered getting it!” Lissa retorted looking Saida in the eye before trying and failing to look at the twins.

“Lis, look at me, follow my breathing and calm down okay?” Lissa saw the worry in Saida’s eyes, heard it in her voice, and did as instructed. Over the next few moments, Lissa took long and slow breaths in tune with Saida returning the hug. “Lis, if it makes you feel better we can give the room a once over while you get dressed, okay?” We need to get going since our time is up.” Lissa heard Mela ask to her right just out of sight, and gave a small nod. “Calmed down now?” Saida whispered into Lissa’s ear.

“Yeah, it was just so real, and I am sorry for hitting you,” Lissa pulled back and gave a furtive smile before pulling away to grab a towel. As Lissa walked away she saw momentarily in a reflection on the floor golden eyes above her. Jerking her head up she saw nothing and clenched her fists again. Muttering under her breath she roughly grabbed a towel and started drying herself while watching the twins and Saida comb over the room. Lissa sat, waiting for them to finish, touching the new scar on her side. Her gut told her they wouldn’t find anything.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

“So Lissa,” Darvick made a point to look across the empty table at her with a small smile on his face. “You had a bad dream, and Saida had the bad luck of waking you. So you punched her?” Saida bit the cheek opposite the punched one and looked away pointedly. Lissa couldn’t help but nod, and Darvick broke out in a big grin laughing and slapping the table hard enough to make Micah jump a bit in surprise. Wiping away tears after a moment Darvick took a deep breath to steady himself, “If I or anyone else did that to her, she would beat us bloody. You got off lucky ya know.”

“I certainly did, but being in the water certainly prevented a quick retaliation,” Lissa added while her eyes caught Micah who was playing with what was more than likely the object from the interview. “Alright, can we get back to the matter at hand please?” Micah asked while setting down what seemed to be a large coin the size of his palm onto the middle of the table. Both Lissa and Saida leaned closer inspecting it, “Is this what you had stuffed into your pocket after we spoke with that Silver Shield?” Saida asked, making a point to pick it up. Micah nodded while Saida picked up the ‘coin’ and took a closer look at it closely.

“Inscriptions? For what?” She asked, bringing it closer to her face. Lissa leaned closer to look and saw that there were intricately detailed runic inscriptions all over the ‘coin’. “Ooooooo! Can we take a look after them?” Mera giddily asked while loudly clapping hands with Mela who had let out a small squee of excitement. “Once this is over yes you may. Saida can I have it back please?” Micah reached out a hand for the ‘coin’ while the squeals of delight continued from Mera and Mela. Almios and Garza leaned away from them to try and escape the excited halfling twins.

“Sure,” Saida answered gingerly, placing it in his palm while leaning to Lissa. “Do you mind using your Aether sight to look at it?” Saida whispered into her ear while Micah put the ‘coin’ on the table. Lissa nodded and took a deep breath to center herself, but before she could finish Micah’s words stopped her. “You may be wondering what this is, and this little ‘coin’ can record words. So long as someone is pouring Aether into it.” Lissa opened her eyes to see Micah’s closed and the ‘coin’ slowly beginning to glow the light filling the inscriptions as if someone were pouring molten metal into a mold.

“Now, before you ask, these are still rare and so far the smallest one I know of.” Mera and Mela were enraptured at what they were seeing, while Lissa was glad they had managed to get a private room to do this in. “To activate it you pour your Aether into it to make sure the runes are charged. Sometimes this takes a few moments and others a few minutes.” Lissa stared marveling at what she saw and decided to close her eyes, centering herself; she felt the pain as her sight changed.

Opening her eyes once more she saw the flow from Micah into the ‘coin’ slow but steady. The Aether around it was swirling, being drawn into the larger rounds scattered around the edges, though curiously they didn’t seem to be filling it along with Micah. “Once it is fully charged, you don’t need to feed it anymore as it will use ambient Aether to continue to function.” Lissa now understood why isn’t wasn’t feeding it along with Micah. “How does it look?” Saida whispered into Lissa’s ear. “Just as he said, and it is fascinating.” Lissa’s whispered response came as Saida chuckled. “Mera and Mela are jealous, they are staring at you,” in response, Lissa looked at them, saw their piteous expressions, and almost laughed.

“But what does it do?” Darvick asked looking at Micah, who had opened his eyes to look at him. “Wait a moment it is almost done,” Micah replied and closed his eyes once more. Darvick rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath. Lissa looked back to the coin and saw it was almost full now, just as it finished she saw one of the runes change. At that moment she heard Micah’s voice, though not coming from him. “It has started, just so we are clear you are alright with this?” Lissa looked to Micah and saw his lips were sealed. Everyone sat in silence for a moment before both Mera and Mela shouted, “This thing records sounds!”

Anticipating something Garza and Almios had grabbed one of them each and held them in their seats even as they struggled to try to get to the ‘coin’. “Yes it does, and I recorded our conversation with the survivor now all of you shut up and listen,” Micah snapped at them agitated which came as a surprise to everyone. Lissa knew what they had talked about so half paid attention to it while still staring at the coin. She watched more runes change as it went on, she doubted anyone without her gift could see this happen though. The only reason she noticed was that each one flared momentarily with Aether before it changed.

Soon enough the recording finished and Micah pointedly grabbed the ‘coin’ from the table. His gaze lingered on Mera and Mela who still fidgeted, “You can have it after. We are finished talking about this alright?” Affirmative nods and the end of their fidgeting caused Almios and Garza to stop holding them. Lissa took this time to center herself once again and her sight painfully returned to normal.

Rubbing her eyes she looked at Darvick who was stroking his chin, “So this thing is smart, smarter than the reports said. Amateurs didn’t want to make themselves look bad, or were told to downplay everything.” He added after a moment while Saida snapped her fingers in response. “My thoughts exactly, and it followed them for some reason. Though why I can’t fathom.” Darvick nodded, “So could something they have on them be drawing it here? It started coming closer to the city after the first encounter.” Almios shook his head, “It is possible, but what could it be? If it is something common it could have gone anywhere else, and if it were something specific to them, if it were smart enough to do this, wouldn’t it just be better to take or destroy whatever it is?”

“Not necessarily Almios,” Mera replied, beating her sister to the punch. “We don’t know if this thing is acting on its own, it could be controlled by someone or something to do this.” Lissa frowned; she hadn’t thought of that. Garza snorted, “If something or someone was doing that wouldn’t it have been smarter to wait? I mean it is drawing too much attention to itself if we are involved.” An idea sprung into Lissa’s mind and she quickly responded, “What if that was the point though? What if it was to draw Emissaries out to eliminate the threat?” To head off any arguments Lissa continued “I am not saying us specifically but just in general, it makes sense to want to eliminate us we are both a large investment by the Dominion and hard to draw out unless something big is happening.”

“I mean that makes some sense but still why wouldn’t it stay closer to the mountains or forests instead of coming closer to civilization?” Micah added after a moment of thought. “See! Micah gets it! It clearly isn’t being controlled by anyone, it is just a really smart animal,” Garza pointed to Micah before sweeping his gaze around the table, “I am not saying it isn’t smart but maybe we are overthinking this.” Darvick harrumphed, “You are letting your muscles talk. If it were just a smart animal would it really be able to figure out protections around a camp? Or better yet avoid them, or even test to see what sets them off?”

Lissa sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, she knew the arguments would go back and forth. They all knew it wasn’t mean spirited or insulting to anyone. But by the gods was it tedious and could drag on for hours. “I am going to get us food and drinks. Any requests?” Lissa asked sweetly, trying to hide the frustration underneath, while pushing her chair away and standing. Darvick wanted a bottle of white wine, Almios, and Garza both wanted ales. Mera, Mela, and Saida wanted some mead, while Micah was fine with some light beer. Lissa sadly was left to decide by herself what they should eat.