"I'm done," Asmodia says to Ione.  "You can go now, unless you want to hang around for forty-minutes in case I want somebody to bounce ideas off for the game against Keltham."

There's a strange feeling of emptiness to go with the exultation.  Everything else she can do in the next forty-five minutes, working out more details of the game to play against Keltham, none of that is going to be as exciting as this.

Maybe the Grand High Priestess's puzzle will be more exciting.

The thought brings with it a chill of fear... no, she was told she wouldn't be hurt as long as she wasn't incredibly stupid.  Being lent the Crown of the Most High isn't something that happens to you when your life is ending.

Will the Most High understand how much she's achieved?  No, she was told that Sevar would judge it.  And Sevar, Asmodia thinks, Sevar will understand.

"I'm done," Asmodia says to Ione.  "You can go now, unless you want to hang around for forty-five minutes in case I want somebody to bounce ideas off for the game against Keltham."

There's a strange feeling of emptiness to go with the exultation.  Everything else she can do in the next forty-five minutes, working out more details of the game to play against Keltham, none of that is going to be as exciting as this.

Maybe the Grand High Priestess's puzzle will be more exciting.

The thought brings with it a chill of fear... no, she was told she wouldn't be hurt as long as she wasn't incredibly stupid.  Being lent the Crown of the Most High isn't something that happens to you when your life is ending.

Will the Most High understand how much she's achieved?  No, she was told that Sevar would judge it.  And Sevar, Asmodia thinks, Sevar will understand.