Claire appeared in the room only moments after Gilean, his gold dust still fading around him. "Welcome back." The projection appeared at the dais with a bow. "I appreciate your success. On such short notice you both were...well...life savers."
'On the contrary... her life was very well safe.'
"We were able to bring them both back," Gilean said. "Though Sanria was quite unwilling to do so."
'She did not want to return, that is the truth.'
"I thought that might be the case," Throm acknowledged.
They spoke on Remus' methods for getting Sanria to return, a thing that, to Claire's relief, Throm did not request. 'She was not in danger, you realize,' Claire said. 'In fact, were it me alone, I might have left her there given her home situation.'
"Danger takes many forms Miss Claire," Throm said. "Not all of them sinister and ugly."
'If danger clothes itself as peace and balance and harmony, we should all be so lucky.'
"But those are the worst dangers of all."
"A trap of honey can still be a trap," Gilean said. Claire did not agree, but there was no need to continue. As Gilean said, it was done.
Claire still held the necklace and it troubled her to think that handing such a powerful artifact over would leave both in the hands of a single individual - and one connected to someone willing to kill to get his way - intended or not. 'We have retrieved the necklace though I would assume that you would perhaps wish it taken away and hidden?'
"You both have already done so much already," Throm began. "If I could ask you for just this I would be even more grateful."
'Should he take yours as well and hide it?' Claire suggested, nodding in Gilean's direction. 'If we separate then none will know.'
"Perhaps it is best for us all... even her," Throm said, "if one of you were to hide the second necklace."
Gilean took the necklace from the spot where it suddenly appeared. "I hadn't really seen it before," Gilean said. "It is quite beautiful."
'Better not to even commit it to memory in such a way.'
"Memory..." Claire looked up at Throm. He wore thoughful expression. She couldn't have known that somewhere in the city, a different projection was having a different discussion, a different feeling. He smiled a little and continued, "Thank you once again. Can I provide any assistance in your tasks?"
'I think not. Best that no others know where we take these.'
"Travel in safety is all I ask. Protect yourselves first, necklace second if need be."
Claire smiled. After time in the realms with her face be- hind a mask and a cowl over her head, 'I believe I know how to manage that.'
"I shall see you soon?" Gilean asked her.
'Perhaps,' Claire said with a smile and vanished in a blaze of purple light.
