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((Triple Monday -- Page 3 of 3))
“So, uh,” said Diego, once he was close enough, “how are you doing over here, Hector?”

That seemed like a strangely plain question. “Ah... I’m alright.”

“It just occurred to me to that, despite all the craziness we’ve been through together recently, you and I haven’t really spoken all that much.”

And as was often the case, Hector wasn’t sure what to say to that.

Garovel helped him out, though. ‘That’s sort of a running theme with Hector. He’s not the most talkative.’

“He seemed rather talkative with Malast.” Diego rubbed his jaw.

‘Ah,’ said Garovel. ‘Yeah. Uh. Well, what can I say? He has his moments.’

‘That’s one way of putting it,’ said Yangéra.

Hector didn’t know what to make of the way she was staring at him.

Garovel changed the subject. ‘I don’t suppose you managed to get away with any of that treasure, eh?’

Diego frowned as he reached into his vest. “I only managed to swipe a few jewels there at the end.” He held out his hand to show his spoils. “What about you?”

‘We got a few things. We’ll show you later.’

“Hmm. Looking forward to it.”

‘By the way,’ said Yangéra, ‘what the hell was all that stuff that Malast was saying about “blessings”? I’ve been meaning to ask.’

Ah. That subject. Hector just let Garovel handle it, as usual. The reaper told them basically the same things that he and Hector had already discussed. Hector did notice that Garovel kept things vague when talking about Focus, however. Not that they had much detail to actually go into, of course, but still. It seemed like Garovel didn’t want to reveal even what little they already understood about the concentration boost it provided. Instead, he simply said that he and Hector were still trying to figure it out--which, in fairness, was not a lie.

From there, the two reapers took over the conversation for a while. Yangéra inquired about Warrenhold, and Garovel offered answers. He told her of how spacious it was, how it had seen better days, how they were currently in the middle of trying to restore it, how there was a lake near it, and how it was exceedingly durable thanks to an integrated material called nightrock.

Zeff and Axiolis came over as Garovel was explaining that last part.

‘It will be interesting to see Warrenhold again,’ said Axiolis.

‘Oh, that’s right,’ said Garovel. ‘Shenado said you’d been there before.’

‘Somehow, I doubt that is all she said,’ said Axiolis.

Garovel chortled. ‘She said you hated it.’

The other reaper’s skull-faced expression seemed to stiffen, somehow. ‘It is true that I have little love for that place. It caused considerable grief for our kin in the past.’

‘I’ve heard,’ said Garovel.

Garovel reiterated details of Warrenhold’s “pest control” mechanism that they had learned from Voreese.

It didn’t seem to do much for Axiolis’ mood. Or Zeff’s.