Sea Lion Shores may a storm wash you into coldharbour

he could sense he was losing her; his brow knotted as she delivered a cutting look intended to be sassy. iliksis knew if he was to capture her interest, he would have to somehow manipulate her.

he worked his throat in a feigned look of distress, casting his gaze aside in an artfully counterfeit expression of grief. "i'm sorry," he said hoarsely, knowing what he said next was true and would be delivered convincingly in light of that. "i just found out my friend died."

he was referring to relmyna - while her death came as an inconvenience to the dybbuk, it was easy for him to forge a sense of sorrow in learning of her passion. long ago he had learned women in particular were less likely to be defensive when men appeared vulnerable; if he could just convince her he was harmless, he might get somewhere tonight.