( She might have been kidding, but he... isn't really. With his line of work and how his life tends to go, he's seen enough to know when something's a little more outlandish than usual for a party.

Flicking some of the ashes away, he takes a longer drag as he glances over to her. Fleeting. )

From what I've seen, the locals don't seem to be much help.

( The ones working in the manor, he mostly means. )

But when's that ever any different from any other place?