Magister Kaelith stood just inside the towering front arch of the Shadowed Gavel, fingers clasped too tightly behind his back. His eyes flicked toward the corridor again, scanning for familiar shapes. The crowd of elegantly dressed patrons flowed past him, but he paid them no mind.
A pair of familiar figures finally emerged from the outer hall.
Kaelith stepped forward at once, his pace brisk and sharp. "You're late."
"We're here," Riku said casually, not breaking stride.
Sherry offered a polite nod, though the slight arch of her eyebrow betrayed her curiosity at the Magister's tension.
Kaelith didn't respond to Riku's tone. He simply turned and gestured for them to follow. "Come quickly. The final warm-up auction is underway, and yours will be next. We've held the timing as long as we could."
