The smoke from the splif curled lazily into the air. He watched Rowan talk. Mostly, though, he watched Asha and Tobias' reactions. He was defensive, almost unnaturally so, as if he were hiding something. Which he probably was. I mean, who wasn't? Not like Mik didn't layer himself about with lies and deceptions.
But for some reason, Rowan having access didn't bother him as much. Maybe it was because she was so naively transparent about her power and what she wanted to do. She was an open book, as far as he was concerned. Which meant she'd be easier to manipulate. She might see through his lies, of course. But he didn't think it meant he couldn't use her desires to push her down the road he felt like going.
Which was nowhere for now. Just watching and learning.
The card trick really didn't do anything for him. It was like horoscopes. One chick he'd dated for a week or three had been religious about it. . "Ooooo....something bad is gonna happen this year." Guess what, giriie. Something bad usually happens at least once a year. Especially with 'bad' being vague and shit. "You will meet someone interesting." And? You meet interesting people everyday! The self serving ones were the dumbest. "You have a great amount of untapped potential that no one knows about yet!" Yeah, like there was a human on earth who'd say, "Yeah, you know what? I don't think I do. I think I'm good."
As far as he could tell it was the same thing. Course, being himself he wasn't exactly mister super tactful. She didn't care for his opinions all that much. Nor did he really care.
Hey, at least that one horoscope of hers was right. "You will face those who don't believe in you, but you will overcome them." (As if that couldn't be more vague!) Haha! He had helped her fulfill the reading! Yay for Mik!
So anyway, what was going on? That's right, these card readings. Xander had seemed put off by them. Asha though, he focused on her. She was blushing something fierce as the cards turned. A slight smile formed on his lips. If he had to guess, it was the Lovers card. Ok, maybe not a slight smile. He knew better than to confuse mousy with lack or hunger or passion. Still, it did make him laugh inside. Dearest Fate, please oh please, give me the magics to see the images that make her blush so red!
Whatever else you could say about this stuff, it was great for getting a read on people. Probably why it was used in the first place. See, if Mik was doing it, he would have read enough in their reactions to know what questions to ask next. Tobias was more guarded, as if he was used to hiding. Enough, though, that he still had an idea. Asha, though, yeah, he knew how he woulda proceeded.
And then the lady revealed herself with the last of Asha's words, pushing all further thought of her as lover out of his mind. "You know of them?! Tell me about them! Sorry. Please tell me. What things do they hunt?"
This was one area he was sorely poor in. These Atharim.
But for some reason, Rowan having access didn't bother him as much. Maybe it was because she was so naively transparent about her power and what she wanted to do. She was an open book, as far as he was concerned. Which meant she'd be easier to manipulate. She might see through his lies, of course. But he didn't think it meant he couldn't use her desires to push her down the road he felt like going.
Which was nowhere for now. Just watching and learning.
The card trick really didn't do anything for him. It was like horoscopes. One chick he'd dated for a week or three had been religious about it. . "Ooooo....something bad is gonna happen this year." Guess what, giriie. Something bad usually happens at least once a year. Especially with 'bad' being vague and shit. "You will meet someone interesting." And? You meet interesting people everyday! The self serving ones were the dumbest. "You have a great amount of untapped potential that no one knows about yet!" Yeah, like there was a human on earth who'd say, "Yeah, you know what? I don't think I do. I think I'm good."
As far as he could tell it was the same thing. Course, being himself he wasn't exactly mister super tactful. She didn't care for his opinions all that much. Nor did he really care.
Hey, at least that one horoscope of hers was right. "You will face those who don't believe in you, but you will overcome them." (As if that couldn't be more vague!) Haha! He had helped her fulfill the reading! Yay for Mik!
So anyway, what was going on? That's right, these card readings. Xander had seemed put off by them. Asha though, he focused on her. She was blushing something fierce as the cards turned. A slight smile formed on his lips. If he had to guess, it was the Lovers card. Ok, maybe not a slight smile. He knew better than to confuse mousy with lack or hunger or passion. Still, it did make him laugh inside. Dearest Fate, please oh please, give me the magics to see the images that make her blush so red!
Whatever else you could say about this stuff, it was great for getting a read on people. Probably why it was used in the first place. See, if Mik was doing it, he would have read enough in their reactions to know what questions to ask next. Tobias was more guarded, as if he was used to hiding. Enough, though, that he still had an idea. Asha, though, yeah, he knew how he woulda proceeded.
And then the lady revealed herself with the last of Asha's words, pushing all further thought of her as lover out of his mind. "You know of them?! Tell me about them! Sorry. Please tell me. What things do they hunt?"
This was one area he was sorely poor in. These Atharim.