Aarushi assessed him with a critical, narrowed gaze, her deep amber eyes drifting across the lines of muscles shaped beneath his coat. He was a strong creature and no doubt could easily best her brother in fight should the situation have risen to it. Aadhira was no warrior, and the clean slate of his deep grey coat would speak to that – not a scar pricked his skin. Aarushi had devoted her life to making it so.

And that would not change now.

“Well met,” she replied coolly, nodding her head as he explained her assumptions had been correct. Aarushi glanced around them just for a moment and saw they were still quite alone before returning her attention to him. It would not do for Aadhira to see her speaking with Rougaru, for she didn’t know what foolish thought would come to his mind. Normally she would do everything she could to separate him from Priya but she’d rather they think the time alone they were spending together was of their doing, knowing Aadhira would do all he could to stay from Aarushi’s eyesight.

“I am Aarushi, twin-sister to Aadhira, the bevakooph – idiot – who spoke against you when you came for Priya.” She paused, watching him carefully. Could she trust him to this task? Aarushi did not know him and she did not trust easily, if at all… but this may be her only chance to separate her brother from Priya and pull him from the islands at last.

“Do you wish to covet Priya still?” She asked carefully, her voice grown soft with thought.