“Ah, right.” She nodded, thanking him with a polite nod as she sat. He was probably hungry. So food and conversation first… but she wasn’t letting him off the hook. She had to know he was somewhat alright before he left… and, if not, give him a safe space to voice anything that might have been bottled up. That was her goal.

Smiling at the condensation that dusted their glasses, his question caught her a bit by surprise. “Um… it’s not so much my being able to afford anything… I know the Shards are a bit tricky to keep track of, but that we earn them and don’t seem to run out. It’s more…” The girl hesitated for a moment, like she was debating whether it was smart to voice her thoughts. “I just don’t know whether I can trust it. The crystal, I mean. People have successfully wished for things and gotten them, so there isn’t a problem of if it works. I’m more concerned what, besides the Shards, we might be trading in exchange…”

A never-ending debate on her part. While Vaeros seemed to have made this place convenient for their comfort, she still couldn’t get rid of her wariness.