Nill studies the glass for a moment, tilting her head as if weighing her options. She reaches for a pouch at her belt, only to realize there isn’t one there. Her fingers pat over her clothes, and they finally settle on her pants pockets. From one of them, she pulls out a small, rough rock and slides it across to Storm.

Her attention returns to the glass. She nudges it closer, then dips the tip of her tongue in the liquid in a catlike motion. When Storm mentions the collar, her eyes widen for a heartbeat, but she immediately resets her face to its usual neutral setting, as though the reaction had never occurred. She turns her gaze back to Storm.

“You are knowing of the collars?” She pulls the fabric aside to reveal a metal band resting there. The skin around the collar is red and irritated, almost as if it is burning into her flesh. Her voice takes on the faintest edge of urgency, quiet but sharp. “Do you have the knowing to take it off?”

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