Oh, that's easier than getting their bearings in new places has historically been.

To the signage. Things are slightly easier to track when they are using their actual names, he'll say that much.

speak for yourself. Mordred has a totally fine time with his large number of pseudonyms.

The porter looks visibly confused at the presence of an eight-year-old.

Lev tightens his hold on her hand.

The porter says that Savitree Sirikhan has paid for the four of them to stay at the Oriental Hotel.

The rooms have electric lighting, ceiling fans, and a private bath. There’s mosquito netting on all the beds. The hotel is equipped with a smoking room for the gentlemen; a ladies room for the, well, ladies; a billiards room; a bar capable of sitting fifty patrons; and a restaurant. The cuisine is excellent. Savitree has covered all their bills. The reception office can arrange for guided tours of the river and royal palaces, English-speaking guides, motor cars, garage accommodations, and river launches. Not far from where they’re staying is the Author’s Wing, a two-story structure which has served as long-term residence for a number of famous writers.

This is such a change from their standard globetrotting experiences. The last two places this nice were mansions they'd broken into. Oswald half expects someone to notice they're there and kick them out.

Mordred's sort of weirdly on edge about it, and really wishes he weren't.

Tereza and Lev can get set up in the hotel and then Mordred and Oswald can meet their host?

:OOO

Daniel Lowman is waiting downstairs at the bar once they've settled in.

"Mordred. Oswald. Mariam tells me you're very interesting."

"Is that the adjective she used?"

"Close enough."

"She also tells me you're a very straightforward man. So why don't you tell me exactly why you think you're worth Savitree's time?"

"Well, we closed the mouth in Malta."

"Did you."

"Mariam can also confirm that about two days before it happened we told her we were planning to, and showed her two spells that would do it."

He's smiling. Cheerful. Chill, and not even the slightest bit freaked out. It's like 80% true, even.

"I regret to inform you that the Liar is not the Black Pharaoh and that spell is entirely useless."

"We noticed! Fortunately, the Rituals of Self Denial turned out to work fine."

"Interesting. Savitree would like to look at that.

I understand Inaaya has told you something of our... goals."

"Something," he agrees.

Nodding! Finally something with a fairly safe answer.

"What do you understand them to be?"

"That the end of the world is bad and should be prevented? She wasn't very specific, I was pretending to be working for Walker at the time and she was trying to talk me into jumping ship."

"Before I continue, I'm going to remind you that we have deathmatches every day and they have an extraordinary need for new bodies which not even our number of Nectar addicts can supply. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"I do."

Why do you have so many deathmatches, then, he doesn't say, because he understands the threat and the supply logistics is beside the point.