Elder Alen Voss had already taken a step down the stairs when those words reached his ears. He stopped, turned back with a frown, and climbed back up again.
"What do you mean by that?"
The old man was sharp, and the hint in the fat man's tone hadn't escaped him.
"Uh…" The fat man's face went blank, his mouth working but no words coming out.
"Your mouth really is foul," Emery Shaw muttered, shaking his head before throwing the fat man a glare. Then he turned toward Voss. "Don't worry, old man. Look at this. We found it under the sofa in Kane's room earlier."
Alen Voss accepted the item and raised it to the light. It was a small porcelain bottle. His brow creased with suspicion as he worked the stopper loose, taking his time.
"Lust Serpent core…" he whispered. He brought the bottle close, caught a whiff, and immediately recoiled, his face flushing red.
"Hah! The old man knows his stuff!" The fat man's laughter rang out.
