For some reason, the prominent sculpture of Prophet Ylvaine seemed highly incongruent in this setting. Calabast herself admitted that Madame Cecily was a fabricated identity that didn't exist before she infiltrated the Protectorate.
Now that she faced him from the other side of the desk, grinning like a certain mechanical cat who just devoured a huge lump of high-grade exotics, Ves simply could not equate her to a devout believer.
"What is it, Ves?" Calabast asked as she caught his skeptical expression.
"Is it difficult for you to maintain your cover identity here? What if you're found out? I doubt the Ylvainans will be pleased to have a nonbeliever in charge of such an important responsibility."
