Sidney's eyes flickered, his thoughts unreadable. He coughed lightly and skipped straight past the subject. "Have you found Phoenix?"
Only at the sound of his voice did the woman come back to her senses.
At the mention of Phoenix, she gritted her teeth. "I've found some leads! Someone spotted him in the Hearthfire District!"
"The Hearthfire District?" Sidney frowned. "Isn't that Elliot's territory? Does he know too?"
"I'm afraid not. I found traces of forgetting. Phoenix erased his own tracks. He's very cautious."
"I still don't quite understand. What exactly happened between Phoenix and your Hollow Cathedral that makes you so determined to catch him?"
"He betrayed the Hollow Cathedral! He betrayed the [Shell of Regret]!" the woman said bitterly. "And he took an extremely important relic with him! A relic that can change the world!"
Sidney nodded impassively, seemingly not particularly interested.
"Many things can change the world. Too many, even, leaving our world riddled with holes," he said softly, then looked at the woman again.
"I'm heading off on an expedition next. Will you come with me?"
The woman hesitated for a while, but ultimately shook her head. "I'm staying here to deal with Phoenix. He's an utter lunatic. We absolutely cannot let him keep rewriting history as he pleases!"
"As you wish, but remember your promise. Barring any surprises, it will soon be time for you to fulfill it." Sidney turned and walked toward the door.
"Lillian."
Vanessa glanced at Victoria out of the corner of her eye and found her frowning at Maeve again.
She had already looked three times in this short span. That wasn't normal.
Had she noticed something?
Vanessa and Victoria were standing on a vast spiderweb, made from silk Victoria had spun.
Maeve's flesh regenerated quite well, allowing Victoria to weave