Valley of Gold bone & wine

He was annoyed only briefly to be challenged. He looked at Reverie's face when she called silently for his eyes and saw the truth written there. They would leave the valley — and they would do it on their own terms before they were forced.

He looked back at Khusobek.

"I wouldn't bother her with it," he said, his tone apologizing for the back-and-forth. "We'll probably be gone before too long. We're only passing through on the way to the next place. Far from here."

He hated the words and the conciliatory tone. He hated Khusobek, just a little, and the wolf behind him quite a lot.

"Thanks for stopping by," he said, finally allowing polite escape.