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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Quickleaf" data-source="post: 6975919" data-attributes="member: 20323">As Amina settles into a seat alongside the other bidders, two wiry men in barely presentable grey kaftans and spotty beards seat themselves just to her left. The one closest to her sits with his right arm folded across his waist, his hand at his belt, and his eyes straight ahead at the auction platform. The other glances past his companion, glaring at Amina with dark eyes and a slight twitch of his lip.[SECTION][ALIGN=LEFT]https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/c4/30/b3/c430b3a17a63c87a8015b4b78bd645fc.jpg[/ALIGN]With scented smoke still trailing from Najiyah's fingers, even her "discrete" pass of the writ to Amina ends up being done with excessive flourish. Not only do Jina the Bold's eyes momentarily linger on the writ, but so do the eyes of several unsavory characters at the auction house. Jina notices the undesirable attention as well, squinting at Najiyah in silent reproach.Leaning in along with Akilah, Jina the Bold begins to part her lips to object, but quickly silences herself. Her secret must remain safe. "I didn't realize the vizier took an interest in such arcane baubles. It's of little value to me," she lies to Akilah and herself, attempting to diminish the sting of the lost sale. "I am told it is worth over 600 dinars (gp); would giving it to your woman there at the opening bid price be satisfactory?" Surveying the auction floor, she signals two of her guards who advance toward the men nearby Amina, and two more to advance on others bidding for the spellbook.Gesturing subtly to a tall beady-eyed man seated on the other side of the bidding "pit", the man who started the bidding on the spellbook, Jina whispers, "He is the merchant Fahad al-Zakir's man. I can sort out any others in the bidding, but Fahad al-Zakir is no man to trifle with. The others will nurse wounded pride and return next week, but to cross Fahad al-Zakir... It would not be wise for me, vizier."[/SECTION]As the bidding rises to 400 dinars (gp), with Fahad al-Zakir's man in the lead, several guards approach bidders for the spellbook, asking them to leave. Two guards stand over the seedy looking men to Amina's left and usher them out of the auction house; one of them snarls and must be pushed out forcible. In their wake, Amina notices a tattered letter sitting on the empty seat of the one who was closest to her.The only ones bidding for the spellbook now are Amina and Fahad al-Zakir's man.</blockquote>

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