Athénaïs brought little with her back to Nevarra, and is taking away less— easy enough, as ever, for her to up sticks and move on. This is, nevertheless, a longer leave-taking than usual and a more complicated one for the lingering ties that bind; she’s agreeable enough when it’s suggested to her that she might coordinate herself with Professor Volkarin, likewise expected to return to Kirkwall with the recently-arrived Riftwatch.

If she harbours private suspicions that Athaliah just wants her to get her shit out of her sister’s quarters, that’s no one’s business.

A firm knock on the door to what she’s been assured are Volkarin’s private quarters, and she waits, in no great rush.