#valdoon

"They call her the 'Lioness."

Eld held up the picture with a curious look, noting the elven features and the golden aura about the woman. As much as he thought he looked curious to any onlooker it would always appear to be marred with grim lines and a hard frown. The witch hunter's blue eyes would lift from the photo as he gently laid it down on table to eye the guardsman in front of him.

"Who's the cub?"

The guardsman gave a chuckle as he struck a match, the soft flame dipping into the bowl of his pipe as he puffed gently with his casual grin. "That's what we want to know."

Smoothly the inquisitor would slide the photo back to he guard, the curiosity gone from him as the frown deepened. "I'm not a detective, Valdoon."

Waving away the match Valdoon would toss the smoldering stick in the ashtray with a grunt. "I am well aware of your talents and I assure you we know who need for this."

Candell was already rising to his feet, adjusting his tunic as he stood. "Since when do I qualify for SI:7 work?"

"Since the name Nimueh arrived in my agent's report."

The witch hunter froze.

Valdoon nodded softly as his former joviality faded, reaching forward he slid the photo back over to Eldridge. "You seem familiar."

The inquisitor stared hard at the photograph, no change to his grim visage as the blue eyes had grown hard as the iron he carried. "I thought she was dead."

"Hmph," Valdoon took his turn to grunt now as he chewed on the end of his pipe. "San'layn seem to have an 'in' with the realm of the dead."

Eld held the picture again now, his eyes boring into the crude but clear scene. A beautiful woman. A warm child. A hint of shadow in the background. The hands.

"Where do I find the lion?"