"I needed to get away. So I left." Light tone and light words and turn and slice it however I do not seeing sense to it. "Happy to be back, but it didn't feel that long," she adds.

"Which didn't?" I say dry, taking a step back and measuring the distance between us, height of the counter and my reach and the weight of the scales. Last time someone missing quite so much of sense and sequence came in t'store where I tended counter, I near had my brains beat out. Last time was enough, and her not looking near as stunned as Dorian gives me no ease. "The twomonth since you left, or the threemonth since the riot that happened after you left?" Not like to be the mockingbird bitch, I'm thinking, not so simple a mistake, but what the hell...?