The City's Dark Jewel

[Tan Li]

There was more meaning in that one sentence than she had said. "Not everything. Heard rumor that some of them can pretend to be fully human. Live normal productive lives. I've seen a pair of golden eyes productive in the movies. Other's are just fairtales. I've never seen them." But then if they are living with in the world most Rougs weren't quite so human. Eating flesh was going to be noticed. Wolfkin, Sentient, there were others who were mostly human. Like the gods.

And her next question struck home more so than the one before. She knew what he was in a terrifying moment Li thought about leaving. The last thing he wanted was trouble. This woman was all of that rolled into one and if he said yes he could be dead, or no, either answer could result in the same thing. But honesty and lies could be one and the same. Balance. Li gave her another bright smile. "It's fine in theory. Until you find yourself between a rock and a hard place. Now mind, I've never hunted such souls. Monsters are my bread and butter - sick kids not so much. And then you find the tides have turned and you are faced with a decision. Follow the dogmatic practices of such a following... ending ones own life. Or you live and learn and become what you hate most. One of the monsters."