The change in the stranger's face was not large, and if I had not been watching before I asked that question, I would have missed it.
But I did not miss it.
"That is a very interesting question," the stranger said. "You know about the others."
I kept my voice flat. "It's not a hard one. A god is dead, and I am sure that would draw attention, especially when he died trying to get hold of this."
I brought out the Death Stone, and the face of the stranger turned to it, and the entire murder of crows froze, even the ones in the air. Their wings no longer beat, but they did not fall. After all, there was no need to keep up the pretence that anything about these crows was in any way natural.
"So beautiful," the stranger whispered. "Even seeing it with my eyes, I can barely imagine the vision that went into its creation."
