His attention was transfixed by a small tablet of glass and some other materials foreign to her. His fingers tapped over it smoothly as he brought up file after file for her to inspect. The technology The League used was of the most advanced form. Most of it was unfamiliar to her, a few she had crossed in the Marketplace, and still others she knew what they did, but had only seen older forms.

"We're wasting our time," she answered shortly when he presented yet another data set.

"If you currently have an easier alternative, then by all means, present it," he replied, bending forward lightly in a flourish. His eyes held her own, a gentle, almost passion, seemed to fill them. A passion for his work, she assumed. This was his life.

"You don't know what these creatures are like. They're not of this world." Her posture stony and tense, she felt pressured. Too many people; watching her from the corner of their eyes. None of them she knew, she knew nothing of their kind, his kind, only their work.

"How do you know?" he stated, voice biting and accent thick. She stared through his eyes, searching through the deep impact of his mind, strangely, she pondered, he let her.

    She hesitated before answering, "I've seen them, been around them, even talked to them. There isn't a weakness. Even for you with all your many resources. This isn't a war you can win." She pled with him, her tone desperate. Begging him to fail, begging him to let her go back. To let her sell herself to these creatures. To not care for the skeleton of a desperate woman.

    His eyes flashed in surprise, but also warning. The panic trigger set off in her brain. Did she run now? Or wait for a better opening?

"You met with them?" he finally asked, back stiffening and shoulders pulled back. She nodded slightly while berating herself for letting that slip, she worked in the shadows alone. Deception was not a forte.

"Why?" His single word question left her speechless. What did she tell him, the truth? Or some mangled form of it?

"I had no choice," she all but snapped. "Either sell myself for immortality or starve on the streets." His eyes wandered down her wretched self. Taking in the thinness of her form. She curled around herself unconsciously. He looked at her like he was ready to bargain for her, was whispered from somewhere, but when she glanced at his eyes, all she could see was an unnamable collection of thought running through them.

"You would surrender yourself to Evil that easily?" She shot to her feet, small form towering in menace and fire.

"You don't know what it's like here!" she shouted, fury taking over her being. Hands shaking, ready to hit, back straight, legs firm. Her voice fell to no more than a frightening whisper. "Living in an ideal little world built for you isn't a luxury we all have. I can't afford it. We make our own destinies here, even if it means selling ourselves to get there, the opposite is hardly better."

1/11/2017

A/N Thanks for reading and please comment what you think! I'm planning on writing the whole novel someday, but for the time being, I'm playing with some one shots or excerpts.