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Cir started as Mithalwen put her pencil down with a clunk and flushed guiltily. Her brother sent her a sideways glance that was at once amused and knowing. Mithalwen might not have noticed Cir sliding sideways in her seat, sending a sly foot under the table toward the mysterious case on the far side to try and lift the lid, but her nosy brother had.
"See anything?" He mouthed at her, and she shook her head in frustration. She had barely managed to get a toe under the rim before her aunt and their companion finished speaking. It was fortunate for her that the long years spent learning to take in enough of whatever she was supposed to be listening to whilst actually doing something else entirely had paid off, as it meant she had something to fall back on when Mithalwen turned to her with a question.
"Did you learn anything about the situation while you were in the kitchen? Is there anyone we could ask about the state of the cook's room?"
"I'm not sure." Cir replied, not missing a beat. "There were a couple of girls in there earlier, but they seemed run off their feet and didn't look to have any more of an idea where their cook had gone than anyone else. Still it might be worth checking with one of them. Should I go?"
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