"Rawp." Thot bows her back and shivers the slender cord of her tail, goblin paws pressed up in search of Ellis’ face, all bugged eyes and bat-like ears. Richard watches her go without interceding, truly the worst kind of parent.

“I understood the risk when I consented to his involvement.”

Even if he has no love for Barrow, there’s no venom to his saying so, reassurance of rhyme and reason while Ellis is probed over by a weird slinky baby.

“What sort of intercession would you think necessary?”