---
The horned man swallowed, and this time his arrogance looked smaller. Slowly, he released the woman.
The woman adjusted her sleeve, then looked at the guard with a cold nod, like she had just made a mental note to marry him instead.
Sekhmet almost smiled, but he did not allow it. He moved forward, scanning the halls.
This place was a web. If he walked into the wrong section, he could attract attention he did not want. He needed a candidate. Someone suitable for the vampire creation ability, but without placing a knife at his own throat through politics.
Auri's voice was quiet. "Master," she said, "do you wish to search openly."
"No," Sekhmet replied. "We watch first."
They walked along the edge of the courtyard, passing a wall lined with contract postings. Each posting had a seal, a short description, and a set of terms. Some were simple. Some were written in a language that looked like it had been designed to confuse anyone without a lawyer.
