The corners of Lashan's mouth try to twitch and she conceals that by pressing them together. She is, unfortunately, impressed and the kind of person who tends to find teenaged bluster endearing. Her demeanor is cool and hard, not that of someone holding back a fit of temper - the days when the old woman's personality better aligned with the symbol of her clan are long passed.

"How interesting, since the 'lock' I use for these is one that takes cunning and foreknowledge to circumvent. You must have slipped away from my apprentice." Her eyes go to Vena, who's turned the color of cheese, and then back to the boy. "What I want to know is why steal from us, after everything?"