Morningside Cuesta the music's too loud

He found her ire amusing, which earned him a stony look. His assurances did not mean much to her, though Haunt couldn't deny the pleasure she felt when he called her an arktoi. She raised her chin a little, remaining silent as he spoke more directly to Vex. It surprised her, a little, when her brother offered up the name given him to by Kaertok. Haunt had all but discarded her own. He mentioned their search for Kaertok to Kigipigak, who still seemed so hung up on this idle familial connection of theirs.

When Arbiter appeared, Haunt drew in a breath. Her eyes remained narrowed, now flicking sharply in their mother's direction. Why was she so hellbent on imprisoning them? Didn't she want some answers about Kaertok? Even without their deadbeat dad taken into consideration, Haunt found Arbiter's confinement stifling. She resented it. Her ears swept backward and she swallowed thickly, thinking of the interrupted conversation with her brother moments before.

"This is our Uncle Kigipigak," Haunt found herself saying to Arbiter, "and he's a tracker. He's going to help us find Kaertok." Her heart broke into a sprint in her chest as the half-truths rolled off her tongue. "Aren't you, uncle?" she added, giving the man in question a shrewd look. Haunt had no desire to go with this Tartok anywhere, yet if it might be their ticket to get out of the bypass and find answers, then, well... Haunt's eyes drifted to Vex, trying to gauge what he made of this little plot twist.