Tangled

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311 Lisa: Would a Watch Work?

LISA

"You've gotten fat. Elverly greets me, in that traditionally hateful way of hers.

Does the fact that I missed her toxic tongue mark me as abnormal? Probably. But I hug her anyway, smiling when her body doesn't tense, even as she grumbles at me for touching her without permission.

The rest of the night with Kellan was nothing but awkward silence. Being away from him is a blessing right now. I just keep thinking about how he smelled-yeah. No. Not thinking about that. "I'll ask next time. How have you been?"

Elverly's snort could mean anything really, but I choose to interpret it as I've missed you too.

Maybe I'm psychotic. Or delusional. But I'm pretty sure that's what she means.

"Their food is terrible," she mutters. "Not a cook among them."

"They are refugees from war," says the Grand Sage, sounding rather resigned. "It isn't as though they would gather the kitchen before escaping."

"Food is important, the old gnome woman snaps. "Eating well is an important part of recovery."

""Yes, yes."

I'd never dare say that out loud. Elverly might actually bite my head off if I did. "It's good to see you, Lisa," the Grand Sage says, turning to me with a warm

place for me

understanding. "Ah, yes. It's always important to step away from new mates. Wolves don't have the same deep-seated urges for

subject, I nod towards the papers scattered on the table

on? Looks like some kind

Grand Sage's face lights up. "Indeed it is. I'm developing a communication

genuinely

working with limited options due to our lack of supplies." We're refugees, after all. It's not like we have access to the latest tech or endless resources. "Plus,"

11:34

<

Would a Watch

do you mean by

camp can utilize or sense magic. We need

Obviously that's what that means. "Right. Gnomes can't use magic. Or wolf

have always

with werewolves? I mean, their whole shifting thing is

to manipulate other forms of magic. It's a bit like how some humans might have extraordinary physical abilities but no talent for, say, mathematics. They are unrelated. Now, let's get back

intricate, full of symbols I don't understand

pencil again, tapping it against the paper. "The basic principle is to create a network of energy that can carry

require any magical ability from the user.

on."

me how familiar the gnome is with our human world and its inventions, but I suppose that's why he

in our current situation. And then there's the matter of testing and refining the design. It's a delicate process. But above all, we would need a way to charge