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The Sounds of Silence

McIan

Journeyman
The life of being on the lam from the law and from the ire of the lawless was none to his liking, mused Torak. His present habitation at the castle was a gift from the Elder, and while it was a safe place to live so far, its features, fauna, and occupants did not appeal to him at all. The Elder himself was someone he could not trust and did what he could to avoid him. Dharzhal, the drow, kept to himself for the most part, dabbling in his mysterious alchemical experiments and constantly researching something. He ate with him occasionally but they rarely communicated beyond a head nod and greetings. Tamara was his current female companion but she was dedicated to her training, trying to impress the Elder. The many others were nothing more than acquaintances with their own assignments and preferences, and some were not even among the living.

And then there was Virani. Dodging her was a real effort as her senses were quite acute now. He had to wear various scents to mask his own smell lest she detect it. Remembering how they had parted; how he brought her to this place; the look in her eyes when she fled for her life after realizing he had used her, brought a bout of angst even to his stone-cold heart. Mahal she had been, and now she was queen of the place. He shuddered to think what she would do if she ever caught him. Fortunately he had bribed the guards to warn him when she was about, using a clever system he had concocted from his vast expertise in evading hard cases looking for him eagerly.

His thoughts returned to Deminatza, his lost love. The thought of that wolfman and her being together almost made him physically sick. He feared to attempt another personal visit with her but he hoped the dream connection might still be effective. He had not tried it in a long time; it didn’t help the last time. Influencing her from a distance alone would never work to achieve his goals. He would never allow them to be married formally; he would see to that.

If only he could be rid of the wolf and get far away from this place with her like before. He was happy then, with worries, but happy. There *had* to be a way… and he would find it.
 
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