6

Meredith shifts position, uncomfortably, and you wonder how taxing this use of her power is. "I can," she confirms.

You wonder if it's anything like the magic-sense you used to have when you wore the Demonsight Stone—a sort of pull on your attention in the direction of mages and spells. Almost uncomfortable, at times. "Can all demons sense each other that way?" you ask.

"It's a skill as much as anything else is," Meredith murmurs. "It's taxing to do this, and there's not much you can offer to assist me," she adds, briefly examining the blade at your side again. "So you can return to town if you'd like."

There doesn't seem to be much reason to stay, now that you have what you suspect is the only explanation you'll be getting. "Thank you for telling me that," you offer as you walk back toward the center of town, releasing your grip on your sword.

Meredith has returned to silence, but when you look back over your shoulder, you find her watching you go.

Next

By the end of the day, you find yourself eating dinner with the others at a small table in a back room of the Warden's Rest tavern. Verity isn't present, but she offered to pay for your meals. No one looks particularly grateful for her generosity. Alvis is staring at nothing, hardly eating. Min is more thoughtful, their gaze drifting periodically between the door back out to the rest of the tavern and a sheet of parchment on the table where they're scribbling something. Evander also keeps glancing at the door, with a much more anxious expression than Min.

It's probably going to fall to you to make conversation.