Snippet #1476316

Amon returned to his chair, but not before dropping into a courteous bow. "Apologies, friends. I had rather expected that Miss Elling would be alone." His smile was pleasant, but imperfect, as it did not quite meet his eyes. Even as he retook his seat, knowing that this confrontation was far from over, he heard the sound of a window opening behind him and turned slightly in his seat. Loki had not mentioned that her last guest was capable of passing his men without attracting attention- and that was something that certainly warranted his.

"Sorry I'm late," the young woman offered waspishly, but he could detect the undercurrent of uncertainty in it. It was far from his place to do anything about it, however, and so he remained silent.

Loki did not. "Of course, Scheherazade, have a seat." She gestured at an empty chair before turning to meet the group at large. "Right... now that we have all becalmed ourselves for the moment, I believe it would be most prudent to inform you of why all of you are really here. My apologies for the deception; a necessary evil, to ensure both your attendance and safety. There are those who would rather the information you carry does not reach any degree of completion, and it would have remiss of me to indicate that I knew you had it."

She tapped her fingertips on the table but thrice, something of an odd contemplative habit of hers. she was scarcely aware of it, but it indicated to the man beside her that she was trying to think of the best way to phrase her thoughts. "For those of you that do not know, my name is Loki Blackwood." the name would automatically associate itself with the appropriate title, so she saw no need to bring it up. "I have summoned you here because a man named Adam Goldwater was murdered, and I believe that each of you is in some way connected to it. The facts are not simple, but I shall do my best to make them so: The Marquis was murdered in his estate by method of an unknown poison, a neurotoxin. It was, however, made to appear as though he were strangled..." here, her eyes at last met Eos's persistent ones, but they quickly moved on. "Only a few people know that this was not the case, but we still have no idea who committed the crime nor how the poison was made or obtained.

There are, of course, a limited number of places with the resources necessary to manufacture such a product, but my supposition is that it took place within the Marchfield laboratories. I do not, as of yet, have any information that confirms this. But between the rest of you, I think, it can be found. I would like it if you could all tell me exactly what you know of it. I assure you that if compensation is what you seek, it will be done."

With that, the princess leaned back in her chair, steepling her fingers thoughtfully, waiting for someone to begin.