Amara had watched as the Archive's room gave way to a twisted hell. She had seen the raw horror on Tobias' face, an expression she was sure matched her own as lifeless hands had grasped at her, trying to pull her in as well. However, they had not. Only Tobias had suffered that fate. Amara stood once more in the dusty, silent room, shuddering as she tried to shake the last vestiges of the terrors. Despite the almost suffocating silence of the moment, the echoes of tormented cries still rang through Amara's mind. She straightened completely, closing her eyes and breathing deeply, trying to clear her mind. She needed her wits about her, needed to evaluate and control the situation. At first she looked to herself. Should she not feel despair, or crushing guilt? Amara was not sure, though in the moment she felt only hollow emptiness.

She looked over at the demon beside her as he spoke, now in a voice that was no longer simply in her mind. Her gaze was immediately drawn to his eyes, a sharp contrast to his coloring and unnerving in their darkness. Even more disquieting than his eyes were the words he voiced. What [i]was [/i]she to do with him now? What was she to do in general? She had summoned a demon, and there would be no undoing that, not with the bond they now shared.

She was startled from her reverie once he took her hand to his lips. His words sounded like a deadly promise, his eyes unreadable. Amara resisted the urge to touch her hand where he had kissed it. Her face seemed dispassionate, but her eyes swirled with complicated emotion: mistrust, defiance, malice, perhaps a bit of fear. 

"No one can ever know," were the first words she said. "It cannot be brought to light that I have summoned a demon. Within the Guild, within the country, it is taboo. Therefore... we... must conceal it at any cost." It had been less than an hour and already the costs had been proven high.

She looked at him firmly, eyes calculating. "If you need a way, as you say, to keep yourself occupied, you will assist me. There are many tasks I must perform as a mage of the Guild, and you will have to accompany me." She could not risk letting the creature leave her side, though she did not exactly want him near her either. She pinched the bridge of her nose. She had long since passed exhaustion, the weariness seemed to pervade her very core. 

"If I was going to be stuck with you, you could have at least come a week ago and helped me sort through all this mess," she muttered irritably. "Anyway," she continued. "My work at this place is done, we will rest for the night and leave here just after dawn tomorrow. I live at the Guild in Valmyra, the capital city. It is about a day's ride from where we are now..." Eirikur would have to take Tobias' horse, she decided. And then, once they reached Valmyra... Amara did not even want to think on such things. [i]One matter at a time[/i], she told herself.

"[i]Terms[/i] can be discussed tomorrow morning, once we set out. For now... try to avoid any contact with anyone you may see here other than myself." The stone archive was a large place. It was a wonder Tobias had come across them at all, and if Amara was lucky they would be able to sleep, pack, and leave before they ran into another person. After all, Tobias surely had not come alone, but the last thing Amara wanted was to encounter yet another member of the guild before she had a chance to figure this all out. Trying not to show her weariness, Amara turned to lead them to the Residential Wing. Perhaps the god of dreams had a strange sense of humor, and she would awaken tomorrow to find the demon nothing more than a horrid product of her imagination. Amara sighed. It was a nice sentiment, however obviously false.