Vera seemed receptive enough to Ahnasha's words to nod and slowly get up. When she turned around, her face was still puffy and glistening from her tears. She seemed aimless enough at first that she needed Ahnasha's hand still on her shoulder to guide her, but her coordination improved as she warmed up further into the hideout. They got back to the meeting room without another word said. When they arrived, Vera glanced to both Oswall and Darahil with worry and mistrust.

Harriet was unconvinced. "Yeah, yeah, I'll go and see the body and Jerrick will be there to say 'surprise!'" Harriet raised both her hands in mocking imitation, then crossed them again, "Well guess what, it ain't a surprise, and it ain't funny." Harriet exhaled sharply, and then took another breath to answer Meesei's questions. "Well I came in through the front entrance, so it's not like I could have avoided the main chamber unless I climbed up to the sentry posts. I don't think the lookouts would have appreciated that. And Jerrick's waterskin? It was on the table during the meeting, that's all I remember seeing of it."