Beka is not sure what she was expecting as a result of walking into a snake monster but an Elf city would have been very low on a list of possibilities if someone had jumbled a lot of random words together into place-phrases and had her rank them. "Elf city" would probably have been under "spider void" and above "grape juice ocean". And yet here she is.
They get there tomorrow! With double the usual escort, just in case, and with Maitimo's consort riding alongside him, no sign that anything's unusual there except the hair. Lots of people keep the sight in their public thoughts.
"I should arrange more mysterious Enemy conduct, I don't see you often enough."
"Ah hah, I figured it out, this is all a lie contrived to keep my mind off death and taxes."
"We're resettling the humans. Humans die so easily, of everything, it's terrible for morale - for our morale, not theirs, they're used to it."
"You could write a song for it. Where is our mysterious agent of the Enemy?"
"We have been trying to unravel the mystery of you. How are you doing?"
"Have you thought of any explanations for your suddenly being here?"
"Do you have long-term plans if he doesn't give you any instructions?"