[ Angelo draws from his cigarette and exhales very slowly. Free labor is as good a reason as any to take somebody else along - if he felt particularly uncharitable he could even accuse Elias of taking advantage of his situation to get Angelo to do his dirty work.

But he knows that's not what this is, at least... not quite.

It's something else, something human and uncertain and unwise. There's a moment of dead silence before he can compose himself to answer. ]

Just so you know... I've had better offers. I'm quite in demand with the more experienced immortals and their bleeding hearts.

[ A beat. ]

I have no intention of becoming a pet for either of them.

[ It's not a derision he'd repeat to Sariel's face, who doesn't deserve it, and not to Hwylryn's either, when their relationship is more complicated, but... Right now it suits the argument he's trying to make, a catchy oversimplification. ]

So... I believe you owe me some description of your actual goals, right? What's it all for, at the end?