Quoted By:
>Under wraps
Well, have you ever in your life leaked sensitive information? Have you ever broken a promise? No and also no. It's frankly ridiculous he'd question you here. "Well, of course it's between you and me! You said this was a private conversation, and I don't know what other definition of 'private' there—"
"That was all I needed to know," Monty says. "Thank you."
"I after all have unimpeachable moral standards! Ask anybody. I wouldn't go spreading around <span class="mu-i">information</span>— I haven't even spread around all the stuff from last time, so you know. Even though I could've! I could've told lots of people! But gossip is highly unladylike, Monty; I thought your breeding was high enough to realize that." You push your hair behind your ear. "Then again, given the company you keep... ahem. Of course, if it becomes necessary to <span class="mu-i">countermand</span> such an agreement, perhaps in an effort to put a stop to the horror you have personally unleashed..."
"I expect that bridge will be crossed if we come to it, Charlotte. And if it becomes relevant to make this public, I would prefer to do it on my own terms." He riffles the papers with his thumb. "I do think it would be the just thing to do. But not right now."
"Okay, um, do whatever you want." It's a little less exciting to know all this if Monty just up and tells everybody. "Also, if Jean starts blabbing all about it while I'm dueling her, that's not my fault. I didn't cause that."
"...Yes."
"Okay! Then we're all sorted! Let me just grab this—" You scoop the token back up. "What <span class="mu-i">is</span> this, by the way?"
Monty sighs out his nose. "It's a counter for the Game. Marks kills."
"Oh! So do you think the scoundrel I disposed of had already killed—"
"Anything's possible, but no. I doubt it. They were also collectibles. Different one for each of us. The hoi polloi kept replicas on their person to show tribal allegiance."
You consider this. "So there's a counter with your face on it out there somewhere?"
"No comment."
Another item for the search. "Okay! Well, I shall be taking my <span class="mu-i">leave</span>— I'll go notify Eloise that she needs to make a new tent. How about that? So you don't even have to leave."
"...That would be fine."
"Great!" You spring to your feet. "Goodbye!"
-
"Aw, shit!" Outside, Gil springs to his own feet. "Are you— hello! Are you <span class="mu-i">okay?</span> You were i-i-in there for so—"
"Did I scream?" you say merrily.
"Um, no, but... uh... I-I finished the paperwork... is <span class="mu-i">he</span> okay? Did you do something to him?"
"What would I do to him, Gilbert? We just talked. Watch. I'm going to go straight back in, hand him these papers, and he'll be completely normal." You lift the clipboard out of Gil's unsuspecting hands. "Watch! Hold the door open! I'm just going to—"
You barge in, Gil obligingly holding the tent flap open behind you. "Monty! Hello! I—"
(1/3)
