"There was a time I would not have let him darken my door-sill," Morgana admitted. "He was more dangerous when he tried to change than if he didn't care at all. But you're right. He's gotten older." Morgana passed a hand in front of her face and smiled at herself. "I'm sorry, I speak to you as if you've known him as long as I have. I don't mean to turn you off him. If you could have picked a time to meet him, I don't think you could have found a better one, save five years from now if he stays on this course."

Cara smiled at that. "You're not the first; don't worry. I met his last two lovers, too. I'm still not sure what I think about the fact that the one before me was all of sixteen."

Morgana gave a slight smile at that. "It doesn't surprise me. Most grown women wouldn't put up with him. But he seems to bow to you."

"Bows?" Cara asked, incredulous. "I don't know if I would call it bowing, and I wouldn't let him hear that." She shrugged. "We have an understanding. I'm not entirely sure what type of understanding it's supposed to be, but it's working for now."

"Not bowing," she said, laughing. "I'm not so good with Common. Sometimes the words don't mean what I think they mean." She plucked herself off the edge of the table. "What will you do, after this?"

"I'm not Jochy," Cara replied. "I have a job. A good job, that I like. I'll go back to work. I have a lot of research to do, on Dwarven mechanics."

"Could you not just ask the dwarves?" Morgana said, confused.

Cara tipped her head to one side. "Do you really think they would tell me how their machinery works?" she asked curiously. "I thought they were meant to be secretive."

Morgana shrugged. "Only to outsiders. It would take some time for them to trust you, but they have dealt with humans before now."

Cara tapped her long, pale fingers against the table. "But not if I were working for Aquitaine," she pointed out. "Or the University, which...well, our findings would be public knowledge. I don't think they would want their secrets shared with the world."