"We need to put up our own defensive and offensive spells. The Drebasty Adepts will be a perfect offensive force. They have already prepared a place t... fight from. Jorslan will find their type of magic deadly indeed," Vostich said in a recap.That was a lot to walk in on. Our field commanders were all looking at me. Darla was there, off to one side. Mirwanna was still not back with her reinforcements yet. Fithian was sort of staring off in the distance. I felt him doing something, I just didn't. Towards the far end I saw my sister, Lucy, turn from me to hide that she too had been smoking just a second before. Her friend grabbed her cig and sucked in dramatically, then exhaled a smoke ring. Momentarily everyone stopped to admire the ring drifting upwards and dissipating and I almost forgot that I had just caught my sister smoking.“Nice,” Dave said appreciatively. Everyone relaxed, except perhaps Lucy who was fiddling with the wrapper of a pack of polo mints. For a girl she had short. ”“I think it’s necessary even if it isn’t OK,” I said, smiling.“I just don’t want to sound condescending,” Liz told me. “I’ve lived this life since I was a teenager and a lot of it is second nature to me. Just like you can explain the concept of a sacrifice bunt and I don’t have a clue. So, let me give you a rundown on the people I have working for me either directly or through the label for now.“First, there is my manager.”“Stephanie,” I said.“No,” Liz said. “In a few months, she will take. I live next door. I just wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood.She softly accepted my handshake and came out onto the deck, peeking around the partition at my back door… Oh right here? Well what a quaint little neighborhood… she laughed… My name’s Maria! It’s great to meet you! …eyeing me up and down a bit.Do you need a hand with anything? I’d be happy to help?Oh no sweetheart, placing her warm, well manicured hand flat against my chest in a friendly gesture… I just carried in the last of.