(GRIFFIN)
"If it's human-owned, private property, we have very little chance of finding the place." Erik sounds tense.
Locke stands by the window, his broad frame silhouetted against the morning light. He's been uncharacteristically quiet as I've recounted the events of my captivity and the past few days.
Erik is sitting behind his desk, his expression thoughtful. Unlike me, he has never bothered with the formalities of royal bearing. Where I am disciplined, he is casual. Where I am reserved, he is expressive. It has made him an excellent diplomat, people trust his easy smile and relaxed demeanor, but it also makes him infuriatingly difficult to read at times. On the battlefield, however, my relaxed and normally charming brother is a demon. That is why he and Locke get along so well.
"So," Erik says after a moment, drumming his fingers against the polished oak of the table. "We approach the human government for permission."
