Two Heals, then, next time he prays for spells, and two Break Enchantments.  Mariona is insane or cursed; and reason declares that there must then be an excellent chance that so, likewise, is he as well.

(And a little tiny jar of dissonance, very far back in Esta's mind, as the thought occurs to some tiny piece of himself that Aspexia Rugatonn is very unlikely to storm into this room and Detect his Thoughts; and that he need not take his usual pains to finish this paragraph of internal monologue with a rationalization about why Mariona is a valuable piece that he is not being un-Asmodean to protect.  It is a very tiny jar indeed, quickly squashed and forgotten; for Asmodeus's gaze sees all; and a 6th-circle is worth Discern Locations or even Gates for Rugatonn to retrieve, if he painfully fails to return by his own efforts.)

They are alone in this place, and insane or not, he must take care to protect all pieces he has to play.

Two Heals, then, next time he prays for spells, and two Break Enchantments.  Mariona is insane or cursed; and reason declares that there must then be an excellent chance that so, likewise, is he.

(And a little tiny jar of dissonance, very far back in Esta's mind, as the thought occurs to some tiny piece of himself that Aspexia Rugatonn is very unlikely to storm into this room and Detect his Thoughts; and that he need not take his usual pains to finish this paragraph of internal monologue with a rationalization about why Mariona is a valuable piece that he is not being un-Asmodean to protect.  It is a very tiny jar indeed, quickly squashed and forgotten; for Asmodeus's gaze sees all; and a 6th-circle is worth Discern Locations or even Gates for Rugatonn to retrieve, if he painfully fails to return by his own efforts.)

They are alone in this place, and insane or not, he must take care to protect all pieces he has to play.

Two Heals, then, next time he prays for spells, and two Break Enchantments.  Mariona is insane or cursed; and reason declares that there must then be an excellent chance that so, likewise, is he.

(And a little tiny jar of dissonance, very far back in Esta's mind, as the thought occurs to some tiny piece of himself that Aspexia Rugatonn is very unlikely to storm into this room and Detect his Thoughts; and that he need not take his usual pains to finish this paragraph of internal monologue with a rationalization about why Mariona is a valuable piece that he is not being un-Asmodean to protect.  It is a very tiny jar indeed, quickly squashed and forgotten; for Asmodeus's gaze sees all; and a 6th-circle is worth Discern Locations or even Gates for Rugatonn to retrieve, if he painfully fails to return by his own efforts.)

They seem to be alone in this place, and insane or not, he must take care to protect all pieces he has to play.

Two Heals, then, next time he prays for spells, and two Break Enchantments.  Mariona is insane or cursed; and reason declares that there must then be an excellent chance that so, likewise, is he.

(And a little tiny jar of dissonance, very far back in Esta's mind, as the thought occurs to some tiny piece of himself that Aspexia Rugatonn is very unlikely to storm into this room and Detect his Thoughts; and that he need not take his usual pains to finish this paragraph of internal monologue with a rationalization about why Mariona is a valuable piece that he is not being un-Asmodean to protect.  It is a very tiny jar indeed, quickly squashed and forgotten; for Asmodeus's gaze sees all; and a 6th-circle is worth Discern Location or even Gate for Rugatonn to retrieve, if he painfully fails to return by his own efforts.)

They seem to be alone in this place, and insane or not, he must take care to protect all pieces he has to play.

Two Heals, then, next time he prays for spells, and two Break Enchantments.  Mariona is insane or cursed; and reason declares that there must then be an excellent chance that so, likewise, is he.

(And a little tiny jar of dissonance, very far back in Esta's mind, as the thought occurs to some tiny piece of himself that Aspexia Rugatonn is very unlikely to be lurking invisibly in this room to Detect his Thoughts; and that he need not take his usual pains to finish this paragraph of internal monologue with a rationalization about why Mariona is a valuable piece that he is not being un-Asmodean to protect.  It is a very tiny jar indeed, quickly squashed and forgotten; for Asmodeus's gaze sees all; and a 6th-circle is worth Discern Location or even Gate for Rugatonn to retrieve, if he painfully fails to return by his own efforts.)

They seem to be alone in this place, and insane or not, he must take care to protect all pieces he has to play.