The girl yelps and then trembles, but holds very, very still otherwise, wide eyes fixed firmly on Shade.

She kneels down and draws out a knife.

"You're being very cooperative, you know that?"

Terrified whimper and quick nod.

"I like cooperative." Shade caresses the girl's cheek with the flat of her knife. "If you stay like this, maybe I'll let you live when I'm done."

The girl freezes, going even stiller. "Y- Ye -Yes -es m'm - " she stutters out.

"That's a good girl."

And then the fun can start.

The girl would disagree that this is fun, but is very cooperative nonetheless! And very appropriately terrified and in pain and miserable and overwhelmed, at often very proper moments!

After the final round of healing, Shade stands back up, sheathing the knife.

"Run along when you feel up to it, then."

Choked sob. The girl curls in on herself for a bit, then gets up and starts to stagger off.

Shade watches her leave, a small smile on her face.

"A very good find."

"I thought so."

"Searching for psychological traits is actually quite tricky, you know," she says, voice a bit teasing.

"It's a good thing you didn't say that earlier, then."

She laughs. "I'll hold off on telling you when you're being impressive then, shall I?"

"At least until I've already done it."

"Duly noted."

"I think I'm ready for a change of pace now."

"Opinions on to what?"

"We should probably plan for tomorrow. I don't think it will be as easy as today."

"Of course."

"Will it be just you and I?"

"And whoever chooses to follow us. Which will probably be very few - I have a good sense of most of them, and this won't be an interesting hunt to them, not yet."

"Do you have anything more about where he is, what his defenses are?"

"That is what divination is for."