"This is so weird," she mutters.

"Which parts?"

"Mostly the parts where I have a negligible chance of dying or almost-dying or seeing someone else die or running across a corpse in the next week."

"That's a good kind of weird."

"Mm. Leaves me kind of on-edge, though. Like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop."

"Well, maybe Melkor'll walk in, but we're hoping not." He squeezes Idaia.

"Hell in a handbasket, that is actually a thing that could happen."

"Bar says people inclined to break the rules in here don't tend to get doors."

"Oh, good. That's a relief."

"Yeah. It's not a guarantee, but."

"...Should we be worried about a Thauron, from everything I've heard he could probably respect the rules while here in order to, like, fuck with at least one Maitimo in a non-rules-breaking way."

"...if the landlords do that then - I mean, honestly, fuck them -"

"I think the information we currently have is not sufficient to say that they would do that and condemn them for it but yeah."

"Yeah." Shudder.

Hug.

We should go back up where we're safe - they can come too if they want -

Isn't it technically safer here, what with Nechar doing security?

I think him not knowing we're here is better than him not being allowed to do violence.

I think we don't have a good reason to expect him to come in ever or now instead of later if he does and we're supposed to be taking the time I'm pregnant to turn into reasonably healthy adults for little Artemis and we can't just hide upstairs forever...

Why not?

Because I'm tired of living in fear.

And I am tired of watching people die.

The security's supposed to be able to handle daeva.

I know. But we have a big suite, we can totally acclimate your alts up there.

We can go upstairs now if it'll make you feel better but I'm not willing to just not go downstairs ever.