Wilhelm raised an eyebrow at Lorena's request. Just a 'simple question?' It seemed far too humble a request for someone who seemed to be as big of a fan of Phsara as to own six of the hermit's books. They were considered quite rare and now that Wilhelm thought about it, he probably could've sought one out for himself and sold it for quite a bit of money to the secluded circles of alchemists or philosophers. There were plenty out there who would bend over backward just to get a glimpse of one of her original texts. Maybe some day.

Phsara studied Lorena for a moment, lips pursed and eyes narrowed into a frown. She turned her eyes toward Wilhelm only briefly before she took a step out of the shadows. "Very well. I can hardly deny you that much since you have come so far." She sniffed, passing Lorena and Wilhelm without a second glance.

Wilhelm fell into step beside the dark clothed woman, a grin on his face. "Much more hospitable this time around than you were before."

Phsara grunted. "I can't trust humans to do as they say, can I?" she muttered, not even bothering to look down on Wilhelm.

"I never told her how to get here, so I never broke that part of the oath." Wilhelm glanced back at Lorena who returned his look with an innocent smile.

Lorena raised her hands in a gesture of peace. "I didn't even look."

"You never said anything about me returning with a companion though."

Phsara's frown twitched with annoyance, her eyes turning to peer down at Wilhelm. "I shouldn't have to. Why else would I even come up with such an oath if I wanted uninvited guests to just waltz to my home?"

Lorena picked up her pace so she walked beside Wilhelm. "It must get lonely here, no? Surely a little bit of company now and then is welcome."

Phsara threw Lorena a cold glare. "I have no need for company, especially those of a human or myr. Though that does not mean I am without hospitality," she added with a sharp look at Wilhelm. She returned her eyes forward as they passed the fenced garden and entered the little clearing where her cottage sat. It was a squat wooden home built out of carefully cut logs with a rounded, thatched roof. Light colored smoke drifted from a short chimney and smelled like medicine rather than food. The cottage would have had that fairy-tale look had it not been located in the middle of a dark grove covered by shadows. Phsara stepped up to the front door, not looking back at them, and said, mostly to herself, "Normally, I would consider it a pleasant surprise for an acquaintance to drop by if I didn't already have guests."

Wilhelm paused at the front porch of the squat cottage and looked up at Phsara. "Guests?"

Phsara turned around to look at Wilhelm, letting out a sigh. "Yes, and I can't possibly hope to sustain five people here any longer than one night." She clicked her lace umbrella shut, looking Wilhelm and Lorena in the eyes. "I will have to ask that you keep your voices down. The first two guests came to me injured and are still resting, and it is important to me that they get better quickly." She placed a hand on her door and pushed it open.