"So it would seem," Eirik replied with a sly curve of her mouth. "Rhys, correct?" After her eyebrows lifted, she continued seamlessly, as if any amount of surprise on his part- or lack thereof, meant very little to the ending point she was to make. "I did meet him at the carnival some time back, though I'd seen him before. And when he told me where he was from, it instantly reminded me of you."

Her smile became more warm at that. "He spoke glowingly of you. You appear to have a reputation about you, Ike."