The Six Guardians consisted of three men and three women. There was one who was seated at the end of the table and was closest to us, and she stood up. She was an extremely thin elf, her bones jutting out from her cheeks and shoulders. She made her way to me, her glowing eyes fixed in my direction.
She smiled as she raised her small wrists, her bony fingers picking up my hair. Her voice was like the melodies of a harp when she spoke. "How golden you are, dear girl. Ah, you are oozing with life's essence. Yes, yes... you will live a very, very long life indeed."
The elder elf was toying with a curl, feeling it with the pads of her fingertips. Unnerved by what she was doing, I took a step back and cleared my throat. "Uh, hello there."
She blinked, her smile fading. It was as if she had only realized what she was doing, as though a child forgetting where she'd put her manners. And I was right. "Oh my, forgive me. I got quite ahead of myself there, didn't I?"
