Chapter 131: Book 2: Loop 15.3 (2)
"Two rings."
The words make Whisper freeze, just as she'd told me. I admit, I was half expecting this to be a trap. "Check your messages," I tell her. "You sent one to yourself agreeing to work with me."
This is probably the easiest time I've ever had talking to Whisper. She doesn't even say anything—I can feel the flow of Firmament as she instead just immediately opens her Interface and begins to read. She's silent for nearly a full minute, which makes me wonder exactly what she's written in there, but... I've pretty much already committed to the plan, at this point. It's not like I can get her to un-read whatever she's read, anyway.
Thankfully, the message doesn't appear to contain a trap, either. "We fight the raid together, then," she says, although her tone is guarded. That's more or less within my expectations. "Will Teluwat sends others?"
"No," I say. I don't know how to feel about the fact that she still thinks I'm working for the guy. There's something in the way her Firmament flickers when she says the name...
She's afraid. Maybe that's why she's so fixated on it—why she isn't questioning things as much as she should be.
Or maybe Teluwat did something to her. Ahkelios sends the suggestion through our bond, and I frown a little at the thought, though I try to hide that from Whisper. "We're on our own," I add, hoping it'll mask the slight reaction I had.
"Of course we are." Whisper scowls, taking my words at face value. She reaches up and rubs at her face, something like exhaustion and worry and stress all warring for dominance within her Firmament. It's a surprisingly human expression from someone that doesn't... well, have a face. "Where's the Trialgoer? These raids happen to test Trialgoers. The Integrators cannot have simply decided to target my city for no reason."
"They have to be here somewhere," I say, affecting a frown. Ahkelios promptly shifts off my shoulder and clambers onto my back instead, hiding his face from Whisper. He's having trouble keeping his face straight. "Maybe they just don't care? What do Trialgoers get when they defend against a raid?"