Did it hurt her? Did his words sting? Did she note the tense in which the word had been given? He hoped that she had, but not that it had hurt her, never that. Does he notice that her face turned away as he passed, that it hides in shadow? Of course he did, for he had looked back even as she looked away. Still the words needed to be said in such a way, that she would no longer wonder, or worry, if she did such things at all.
Her manner seemed less ill at ease then it had before, though still almost foreign to him. He took time to notice all that had changed about her, and all that remained the same. Did that tangle of necklaces, of trinkets, of memories, still rest at her throat beneath the heavy twist of scarves? This brought a small glimmer of a smile to his lips before he sipped at the brandy, leaning back in his chair, legs stretched out before him.
He listened as she spoke of Dhrin, and how he had died. And the manner of magick, for it must have been such, that destroyed him. Lamai would be consulted at some later date of this being who had helped her, there were thanks to be given. At her hand, the healer, the lady of light, had been the one to strike him down. It seemed somehow wrong. But there was talk of a brother. This too would be for much later, when her healing had been done, and perhaps his own. Now it made some sort of sense, this question of souls.
His hand would lazily gesture to the chair again. If she wished to talk she would sit, as civilized people do.
"I have not spoken to Lamai, she is in mourning, as you have said. I do not wish to disturb her. She will find me when the time is right, for her."
Then there is a slightly raised eyebrow as she continues, to tell about how the body had fallen away beneath her hands. A nod then, and another almost dismissive gesture with the brandy glass.
"You were there then, when this deed was done. It was Dhrin who killed her brother..."
What other answer was there? Why else would the healer turn killer? Even when the Order had been at it's strongest Lamai had not seen fit to end Dhrin. No, this was much more personal.
"Souls."
He nods and agrees with her simple word.
"A very deep subject, are you sure you care to spend that sort of time with me? Tell me Ariane, what is it you want to know about souls? Do I believe in them? Do I know what happens to them when the body dies? Do I even believe they continue when the body is in the ground? There are so many things you could ask me. What is it then that you really want to know, about souls?"