“What’s your game, Esse?” The mead was finally making me warm.

“Game?”

“You don’t dedicate resources without a payoff to be had. This is very much a Weaver problem. You don’t have to investigate.”

“It is, as you say, a game.” He raised his horn. “I could use the amusement.”

I rolled my eyes. “Ass.”

He smiled, a genuine gesture. “Yes.”

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