In the meantime...
			    ==================


Finn's thoughtful gaze was drawn to two men sitting alone at a table on the
other side of the room.  Her sharp senses picked out a few scraps of
conversation, but nothing useful.  The name "Qelrik" was mentioned, and
there was a lot of emotion regarding him.  Finn could hardly keep in control
over her emotions...  Could they really mean Melchor Qelrik, whom she mostly
thought of simply as Melchor the Wizard ?
Finn pondered over the idea of gleaning more information, but decided that 
both of the men were too skilled in the mental arts to ignore such a touch.

Instead, she narrowed her eyes to slits and tried a passive Look.  The rest
of the inn faded to gray, but the two figures stood out in sharp contrast.

The large warrior was injured.  The outline of his form was lined by the
distinctive light of necromancy.  His companion, the smaller of the two,
was harder to See.  His form was shimmery, like the heat rising from the
fire next to her.

She let her eyes refocus and thought more.  How to find out more, and yet
not be detected.  Maybe a subtle approach would be best, something that
they would not notice in the heat of their discussion.

Finn took the small bag off her belt and opened it.  She rolled the stone
in the bag around in her fingers, all the while staring at the warrior.
Two stones compelled her and she took them out and looked furtively at
them.

"Thurisaz and Algiz," she muttered, slipping the stones back in their pouch
and tumbling them again, "Problems with a demon's protector?  What did you
do to merit Qelrik's wrath, if it really is him?"

She felt for the runes for the other man and looked at them.

"Hagalaz, Inguz, and Isa," she thought for a moment, "An ephemeral teacher,
and intelligent to boot.  Energy in constant flux, in tune with higher
self.  Well, what a merry group."

Finn put her runes away and looked down at her tea, which had grown cold.
She had a few hours yet 'til the sun came, and she still had some thinking
to do.