The Overseer felt Aethril's subtle interest, and it knew with a twitch of its whiskers that the Hand would wait and see before she gave proper validation. After all, words were simply words until they were turned to blood. A smart woman--
There was a hint of something, a twinge that the Overseer couldn't quite pinpoint. It... Hopefully had nothing to do with itself, but its ears pricked more intently when she spoke again, offering her thanks. Until they got dangerous. Had any of the new generation ever proved dangerous? It thought it over, trying to pull--
the dragons... Yes, there were dangerous ones out there. But proud, self-defensive, not the sort to bring the fight necessarily to them.
The Overseer would keep it in mind, all the same, because the Hand spoke of actually doing something to the rebels and that struck it right in its ethics and ambitions.
Take your time, she said, which amused it. It was a patient creature itself, something that Master Vargas had taught it. The implication that Vargas wasn't patient humored it, but it supposed Vargas put up that impression. Sometimes, the Overseer thought, Vargas was
too patient. When the amusement faded, all that remained was a cold, bitter aftertaste.
"Very well," the Overseer purred, rising to its feet. Its tongue washed over its milk-soaked lips, and it eyed the Hand for a moment longer.
"We'll be in touch." Confident that it would only continue to earn the respect and recognition from her, it raised its tail with a swish, and its magic activated. From its stone outward, its body shimmered and vanished into thin air, and it hopped down from the table with barely a sound, and slipped back out into the Palace halls.
