Hela turned, her movement as fluid as silk, her expression softening into a look of calm, maternal curiosity. "Yes, I know who you are, Zaeryn," she said, her voice resonant and smooth. "It's hard not to know who you are these days. My friends at the Citadel... they talk about you quite a bit."
Zaeryn blinked, feigning a touch of surprise. "Oh? You work at the Citadel, then?"
Hela let out a soft, amused hum, shaking her head. "No, I don't work there. But I frequent the place; I have many friends among the Council and the High Command." She gestured toward a nearby glass table where a chilled carafe of pale, sparkling liquid sat nestled in ice. "So, the Citadel has been speaking about me? I hope there were good things."
"A mix of both," Hela replied, pouring him a glass and handing it across the table.
Zaeryn took the glass with an appreciative nod. "Thanks. And for what it's worth, it's a rare pleasure to meet someone who isn't trying to decide my nature on sight."
Hela nodded.
