"Established bands are easier to draw attention to than new bands, and form a platform that can be used to leverage attention to newer ones in turn... but I have no answers at all to your second question, except that we were in place and completely suspicious." And, apparently, susceptible. Though Meril didn't understand that at all, any more than she understood what had prompted her to violent anger in the first place.

"Perhaps it was intended to destroy any friendship between us."