If Kurrad hadn’t taught her anything else, the flailing Lina had to undergo burned the instinct when to ask questions and when not into her soul. And the stern look of this Atal or Halik or Machado, or whatever his name was, told her it was a time to shut up and keep up the pace, which wasn’t exactly easy as she was a good head and half shorter than him and damn, he knew how to move in great leaps.<br/><br/>Although some of her worries fell from her shoulders once she had found him, others immediately replaced them. She followed him through the mud and dirt of the town, as it got darker, poorer and dirtier. When she thought it couldn’t have gotten any worse the scamps started to skew her way and for the clothes she was wearing.<br/><br/>She couldn’t see the girl he was talking to from behind him. All the more surprised she was upon entering the room, when she saw the woman. She doubted she had seen someone to move with such a smooth precision. It bore a certain silent menace, which could be easily overlooked when someone got too distracted by the good looks of the woman.<br/><br/>While Machado talked to the woman, Lina had time to observe. The room itself was more of a shelter. Little windows on the walls, scarcely any furniture and certainly there was very little evidence it was inhabited at all. It was very evident anyone who occupied this shroud was constantly one foot outside the door.