Shade remained cautious. This unexpected encounter tonight had not been part of the plan, and he truly did not want to approach an unfamiliar witch like this. He still had many matters to handle in the Moon Bay Area. Managing relations with a witch would delay too many things, and he could not be sure how she viewed an existence like himself.
"Intuition?"
The voice from inside the carriage window seemed quite interested in Shade's answer:
"A Ring Arcanist's intuition, or inspiration, is the most important trait that sets us apart from ordinary people. But aside from Diviners, ordinary Ring Arcanists merely treat their inspiration as a tool that occasionally helps them. Some even fear their own inspiration too much."
The witch's laughter seemed to drift through the night fog:
"This lady, why are you hiding in the alley? Just now, weren't you discussing with someone on the rooftop how to find me?"
"Just now... You're the Ring Arcanist from the Belinder Family who took the relic?"
Shade was startled inwardly, but when he asked the question, his tone remained calm:
"Lady, so you heard us talking just now."
"You merely chose the wrong person to speak with. The five-ring gentleman the Hawthorne Family contacted bears a curse I placed on him. If he discusses me with others, I can hear faint traces of it."
The woman's voice from the carriage window asked teasingly:
"Since you are so interested in me, I came to meet you personally. That opera was boring just now. I hope the story you tell will be more interesting. Introduce yourself, lady in the alley. Who are you, and what are you looking for?"
Though her tone remained gentle, like an idle young noblewoman leisurely discussing the weather with her servant, Shade heard the threat within