She laughed. "What? No, no, I meant-- I meant as friends. That if she was a Templar or you were a Guard..." She chuckled quietly. "Yes, she's married. And if we had attempted to set the two of you up the way we had with Donnic, I would have died of laughter months ago."

She corked the brandy and set it down so she could catch the smaller bottle, turning it over in her hands. "Bad Antivan alcohol is probably their kinder way of saying poison, anyway."

Her eyes flitted out to the water with a nod. "The disparities are frightening. Darktown and Hightown are as different as night and day." The nobles became richer and the poor stayed the same. "You stand out when you go to a part of town that you don't live in because of the way you dress and carry yourself." She pulled the stopper free on her bottle. "Unless you frequent there so often that no one thinks otherwise."