you don't talk to no one, don't you look at nothin'

[verbrannt]

No one's gonna love you
No one's gonna touch you
No one's gonna look at you the way that I do
No one's gonna save you
Use you up and break you
I'm the one you pray to every night 'cause you're mine

Comments

[blumenthal]

Astrid's casting--See Invisibility, surely--is momentarily surprising. Does she not trust the security of her own office, or does she not trust him? It's silly even to wonder, honestly. The latter is far more likely. But Caleb has nothing to hide, and so he remains still, allowing her caution and waiting for her to settle again. When he follows the tilt of her chin, his gaze lingers naturally on the burn scar beneath in roughly the shape of his own hand. The twang of guilt he feels is familiar, but he reminds himself not to dwell.

"The same one, yes. His knowledge about what we may uncover is second to none."

Of course she would be aware of who he plans to meet there. A week spent together at the Blooming Grove had been unintentionally revealing for all parties involved. But the more he can avoid talking about Essek the better, for a multitude of reasons.

[verbrannt]

It's a mixture of both, but primarily the former. Here in the tower offices of the Assembly, Astrid feels a watchful eye always, regardless of whether or not it is really there. With as much power as the position brings, it also comes with a leash tied directly to the Martinet, and she is not about to grow complacent. Ever. It is how she survived so far.

She stares Caleb down, memories of the handful of days spent in close quarters for the first time in more than a decade winding through her mind. The connections between him and the drow had been unmistakable for someone who was always watching others carefully. Yet for as easy as it was to spot, understanding her own feelings have proven much more difficult. For as much as she tries to tell herself that Bren...Caleb...is not her concern unless he is on her doorstep, it is harder to truly detach.

"How fortunate." Her voice is just a shade drier than neutral. "That you happened to make such a connection. But I am surprised you would so willingly offer what you find to me, knowing that such knowledge would be difficult to contain once shared."