<em>A monk?  I sincerely doubt that!</em>Xastasia thought as she quickly moved back behind the wall to conceal herself from the man now entering the house.  She pressed her ear to the wall and listened as the mage led the unwelcome visitor to another part of the house, but she couldn't make out their conversation.<br/><br/><em>What possible pilgrimage would a monk be going on in these dark times, and why isn't he choosing to stay at the Sacred Crossroads?  </em>It didn't make sense, and Xastasia didn't believe for a minute that he was here by mere coincidence.  She crossed her arms in a gesture of irritation.<em>No, he's up to something, I'm sure of it.  Time to change plans.  Damn! I hate that!</em><br/><br/>It was fortunate though, she reasoned, that the monk didn't know she was here as it gave her a huge advantage.  She grinned.  It was also fortuitous that the water mage had invited him in so they could<em> play</em>.  Xastasia wondered if the mage would be able to use empathy to uncover the truth behind his presence here, but it mattered little to her.  She was prepared to use her own special brand of interrogation.<br/><br/>Waiting for the mage to return, Xastasia reached down to retrieve the dagger from her boot.  Grasping the jewelled handle, she thought with a chilling smile.<em>The only question is...what shall I slice first?</em><br/>