Corliss waves a hand dismissively. "Nothing untoward, childe. There were favors given and repaid. She had a burning desire to own the Rideau Club and Arundel put pressure on its owner. In exchange it became Elysium and now we all benefit. I can't fault either of them for that particular exchange. I merely dislike how our Prince fawns over her. It's…" she looks down at her feet for a moment. "…unseemly." She puts her empty glass back on the table and looks back toward the door where you last saw Lucca. "Ah," she says finally. "There she is. Chatting up Bouchard of all people. My childer have interesting choices of companions of late." She eyes Jordan. "What is it that you appreciate about the Seer? I find her attitude grates like sandpaper to the temple, and yet she's often at your side."
Corliss sighs. "Even the most powerful of us need allies. Though you should be careful taking anything the Clan of the Moon says at face-value, but I know you've heard that before. I wouldn't want to take what little light remains from your world, childe, but don't be a fool. We are predators. Even amongst the mortals, friendships are mutually beneficial symbiotic relationships. They aren't…like us."
"Like us?"
"Bound by blood-ties. Sire and childe is a bond that transcends convenience. You are a part of me; something that your little friend can never say with a degree of accuracy." She notices a tall, well-dressed man in the center of the room twisting an idle finger around the chain of an intricate gold pendant around his neck. She motions him over to join you. You don't think you've met him before.
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