“Leoh~!” Avali skipped over to him with a book she was holding. She draped over the back of his chair and shoved it in front of his face rather unceremoniously. “Can you help me? What does it say here?”

Leoh placed his book down and looked at the paragraph she pointed at, “‘I don’t care that you’re just a chambermaid or that father wants me to marry Lady Carondelet, I love you! Run away with me!’… where do you keep finding these?”

Avali giggled to herself watching him awkwardly read when suddenly there was a ringing in Leoh’s ear.

Leoh narrowed his eyes. “Hold on just a moment Ava, I better see what this is.” She made a pouty face but freed him, wandering off and settling on the floor within earshot.

He raised a finger to his ear, “Yes?”

The voice on the other end belonged to Rilo Welo, a Lalafell who once served as Leoh’s stand in. It was a long story. And odd. “What did you do? Lord Lolorito is calling me for a private meeting! It can’t be about that last job you had me do, but you said that was going to be the last one ever!”

Leoh leaned forward in his chair. “It was. Has he said anything about what it could be for?”

“Of course not! You know how he is! Probably wants everyone to soil themselves before meeting.”

“I assure you that whatever’s going on has nothing to do with me, but…” Leoh suddenly felt his chest to make sure the key was still there then sighed in relief. He hesitated a moment then rushed out of the room.

Ava's voice echoed out after him, “Where are you going in such a hurry?”

Leoh called back, “I want to check something!”

Ava wrinkled her nose. “Check what, exactly?”

Leoh smiled, “Don’t worry, I just want to make sure no one is using it. Something that happened recently has me worried…”

Rilo spoke again, “What are you talking about? Is someone else there?”

Leoh cursed, he had forgotten Rilo was still listening. “Rhemi is back.” He walked into the now dusty room where he kept his Garlean equipment. It was still, silent and dust had begun to collect on every surface. No one had been using it, not recently at least. “She isn’t working with me, though. But she might be working with someone.” He thinks for a moment, “Can I ask another favor, can you call me again after you meet with Lolorito?”

“Does this mean you’re going to help me this time?”

“I can’t promise much… but yes.”

“Okay, that makes me feel a little better. Oh, gotta go!” The linkpearl went silent.

Leoh came out of that room to find Ava still buried in her book. She glanced up at him with a crooked eyebrow. “What was that all about?”

“I just had to make sure of something, Rhemi paid me a visit recently.”

Avali simply nodded her head and returned to her reading. She made a face and flipped through the pages silently, her thoughts flicking back to memories of recent events. Some of it still didn't make much sense; parallel dimensions and a Leoh that wasn't himself, as much as things that had happened might make her wish otherwise. Maybe this was more of the same. She snapped the book shut and looked up at him, deciding to change the subject. “Who writes these things anyways?”