"Well, you Spades do have a certain reputation, Mr. Novak," Elisha said as they stepped into the bar and peanut shells crunched under their feet. People didn't part like the Red Sea for anyone in Mooseknuckle, not even the Ace of Clubs, so he pushed their way towards the front of the bar. "The Koval, neat," he told Eric in a slightly raised voice before turning back to Hadyn.

"You know. Dark, dangerous, irresistible to romantics across the Deck." His tone was as dry as dust, because if anyone was definitely not a romantic, it was Elisha Kagan. He'd grown out of that stage ten odd years before, at least. Truthfully, he'd always been too pragmatic to be considered much of one. He supposed it made him an odd artist. "She'd probably worried you're going to take my heart and crush it under your heel, and you must admit, a broken-hearted Ace is probably more than she signed up for when Lancelot left."