<div class="floatleft">(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/7b/2a/07/7b2a0723c7ba76185e522ce51fccb7d2.jpg)<div align="center"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>Adan Hathsin</strong></span></span></div></div>Adan did the mental equivalent of a chuckle at Corbin’s jest; a full, genuine sound that was said to be quite pleasant.<em>Fiend you are, and the one I adore.  You are safe for now, but once she sleeps, well…</em>Corbin wouldn’t have to look at him to know Adan was grinning.  He enjoyed taunting the demon; provocation through banter was just foreplay for them.  The internal conversation quieted on his part as he focused on the verbal one, not wanting to get Corbin too riled up.  He would leave him little breadcrumbs of taunts here and there, and see where they would lead to later…<br/><br/>Corbin, of course, was in a mood, and considering his figurative leash was pulled as tight as it was going to be, he would just have to let things progress as they would, and see if Niamh had what it took to handle what they threw at her.  Which turned out to be quite well, since she turned that teasing smile to him which renewed his grin.  “You mean you weren’t impressed by my combat skills in an effort to please the lady?”  Diago squawked, punctuating his agreement.  Adan laughed at that, and scratched beneath the hawk’s beak to praise the beast.<br/><br/>The laughter died down and he allowed the other two to swap banter as he focused on the trail.  According to the map, which he had meticulously poured over prior to the journey (and still some more along the way), there would be a fork in the road within the next couple of hours, given their current pace, which would put them at two days from Bayside.  “Just about two days, yes.  We will be hitting a smaller town in the interim, Bruxley, though I doubt it will be anything like our destination.  We can rest for the night there, or make camp out here.  Between Bruxley and Bayside, though, we would want to take shelter due to the road being known for bands of marauders.  Daytime traveling and such, and with Diago’s help, we - hopefully - shouldn’t run into too much trouble.”  He looked over at Corbin, a playful glint in his eye, “I know you are very saddened by that, but you will just have to deal with it.”<br/><br/>He turned his attention back to Niamh.  “The libraries with floor to ceiling book shelves?  And stone gargoyles that seem to follow you around… the ones that are said to come alive at night and go after any who dare steal from the library?  Oh yes, that’s the one.”  He was eager to walk those halls and see if the legends were true, and maybe make some discoveries of his own.<br/><br/>The conversation turned to Corbin, and both pair of eyes were on the demon as shadow seeped out of him in fine tendrils.  Adan smirked, leaning close to Niamh in a conspiratory fashion, “that is what happens when he is forced to behave,” he fibbed, eyes still on Corbin as he continued, “soon that smoke you see will turn into flame and before you know it he will explode.”  He paused, considering his choice of words, and quickly added, “in flames.”<br/><br/><em>Not too far from the truth, right?</em>The smugness in his mental tone mirrored his outward grin.