The maze of thoughts was overwhelming. It was not a stream of consciousness. It was a storm. I saw strange dice. I heard contradictory thoughts about servants. I felt a vague sense of perseverance. But mostly I felt a sharp pain in my own head.

I cut the magical connection instantly. I felt like I might fall if I stayed inside his mind for another second. The dizziness lingered for a moment. I had to steady myself against the railing.

I felt a surge of frustration rise in my chest. First I had spent my time staring at an ice sculpture because Flurry acted strange. That turned out to be nothing. Now I had risked my own mind to look into my grandfather s thoughts. That was for nothing too. Every effort I made today seemed useless.

[b]"Yes, it does,"[/b] I said. My voice sounded a bit strained. [b]"But we should not overthink it. It is a party after all. We should just enjoy the moment."[/b]

I took a long drink from my glass. I needed to wash away the taste of the failed spell and hide my annoyance. It was better to just stand here and wait for the ceremony to begin.

[hider=OOC]Viktor immediately drops concentration on Detect Thoughts to avoid any negative effects.[/hider]