Edalene raised her eyebrows as the man explained. Not like his peers? She doubted it. Xander was a noble. Even if by some miracle he had different values to the opulent and indulgent nobles Edalene spent her time researching, it did not mean he was any different. He would have had the same upbringing. The same wealth. Access to resources, all the lessons and tutors he could want. All things Edalene had not had access to, and yet she was the one with an actual job while he just sat around at home, doing whatever it was rich nobles did.
Mainly killing each other and spending too much on drugs, in Edalene's research.
"Even if you are not like your peers," she said, her voice low. Some part of her could feel she was playing with fire. "It still does not explain your interest in the Andaris family in particular. Or rather, to be more specific, your interest in their less ... noble venture, so to speak." She was getting frustrated. The man was so reluctant to give up any information, but Edalene was nothing if not specific.
"Besides, I doubt you would be spending so much time with these dusty tomes just for fun. You are from Krome, are you not? I doubt you took the trip to Andaris just for a little light reading." She glanced with raised eyebrows towards the thick, heavy manuscripts scattered on the table before her. While she spent time buried in these pages, it was not something someone would simply choose to do - not without an ulterior motive. A motive she knew he had. She just hadn't found it yet.
Xander's change of demeanour suddenly brought a smile to her face, a smile which grew even more predatory after he returned back to his noble delightful self. And then: finally. He leant in, whispered short words to her, and her breath flew from her lungs as if she had just finished running a long race. Tomorrow - a secret meeting. She knew he was hiding something. And now it seemed as if she had a chance to find out. "Very well. I will be there. But I expect answers."
Leaning back, she took a page from his book. She would find out tomorrow. There was nothing she could get him to say now, not without potentially pushing Xander away before he even opened up. Smiling, she glanced towards her colleague, but he still seemed to be buried in his research.
"Very well!" she said, standing. "It seems we've made some headway. You're welcome to stay here and research. Just return the books to the library when you are done." Leaning down, she bent as if she were collecting her things, but brought her lips close to his ear.
"Remember. Answers."
Turning, she walked out of the room without a second glance back. Til tomorrow.
