Euphony turned to the Crone. "Will you match this bet?" she asked.The Crone narrowed her bog iron eyes. "Evil, cunning man," she said in a low whisper...to her cards. "We have duelled of old but to barter this?" She looked up and said, "I pledge my place as polemarch of ravens."Euphony nodded slowly and tension entered her music. "Crone, Emperor, make your destinies."The Old Emperor moved first. In a voice of graves, he said, "To know the past is to know the future so I shall speak legend."I. "I was on the track when I saw you come up the stairs and disappear through the door of this building. I had just enough time to wonder, 'Why did Bree go in there?' when I got your text. At last--I found you before time expired! Are you going to renege on your promise?" You cheated!" I exclaimed. "You peeked while I was hiding! It doesn't count!" I crouched behind one of the machines and glared angrily over the top as he sat on the desk right beside my neatly folded clothes."Bad girl, your. "The screen clicked off and the lights came back on. Everyone continued to stare at the screen for a moment, all of them somewhat taken aback by the briefness of the message."Well," said Cassidy, "she certainly doesn't mince words, does she?" As a third generation politician, used to being addressed formally, she was actually a bit offended by Whiting's brevity."No," Billings agreed with a sigh, "she certainly doesn't. But let us forgive her for this minor transgression, shall we? Martians are. Samantha left after one drink, saying that she had things to do at home. Jane disappeared briefly and when she returned with a second round for Jessica and Serena, her wig and clothes were gone. Bald and naked, she knelt at her mistress’s feet, resting her head on Jessica’s lap. Jessica absentmindedly stroked the stubbly growth on Jane’s head as she tried to focus on what Serena was saying, something about a popular book of the moment. It was hard not to be distracted by the yoga teacher’s.