Elisha tilted his head to one side, sliding his glance over at Jordan Novak. But it certainly wasn't trepidition in his eyes, or concern for his safety. He'd risen to Eight without violence and then been appointed Ace by virtue of the fact that he'd asked the new king if he had absolutely lost his mind to appoint Argine and Edgar's little girl, Eileen, to the rank. The Deck as a whole didn't really know what Elisha Kagan was capable; he fully expected that Hadyn's king was one of the exceptions. Regardless, his glance at Jordan was mostly to ascertain whether the Jack's expression read what Hadyn said. And really - not quite. Jordan looked concerned, but Elisha was fairly certain that the concern was less related to the Ace of Clubs and more related to Hadyn's state of mind after his challenge ended the way challenges ended more frequently in Spades than anywhere else.
Still, he expected there was some truth to Hadyn's words. He had enough ears in Spade Castle to be aware of the political games the Bernards played with the Faces and among themselves; he came from enough money and had enough experience with government work in war-torn places to know that the Deck wasn't unique in this way.
"I'm fairly sure it's one specific Club," he murmured, just loudly enough to be heard over the noise in Mooseknuckle. Then Hadyn kept speaking, and Elisha's brows rose slowly as he took another drink of his bourbon. This time, when he tilted his head to one side, it was in direct response to Hadyn's words. "First," he said as he picked up the bourbon bottle and refreshed his glass. "It's Elisha. I hate to live and die by Suit stereotypes here, but we're not exactly formal in the Clubs, darling, and really, I spend all day with Diamonds and Spades calling me my lord Ace, so let's put a moratorium on it when we're at a dive bar, shall we? Second," he added with a faintly amused smirk as he swirled the whiskey in his glass. "It's none of my business, you can do what you want, and if you need someone to keep your brother from seeing you plan to drink an entire bottle of expensive American whiskey, I don't mind being used. But I am curious: do you always recite your evening plans like we're in a gothic novel? It's an interesting approach."
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Still, he expected there was some truth to Hadyn's words. He had enough ears in Spade Castle to be aware of the political games the Bernards played with the Faces and among themselves; he came from enough money and had enough experience with government work in war-torn places to know that the Deck wasn't unique in this way.
"I'm fairly sure it's one specific Club," he murmured, just loudly enough to be heard over the noise in Mooseknuckle. Then Hadyn kept speaking, and Elisha's brows rose slowly as he took another drink of his bourbon. This time, when he tilted his head to one side, it was in direct response to Hadyn's words. "First," he said as he picked up the bourbon bottle and refreshed his glass. "It's Elisha. I hate to live and die by Suit stereotypes here, but we're not exactly formal in the Clubs, darling, and really, I spend all day with Diamonds and Spades calling me my lord Ace, so let's put a moratorium on it when we're at a dive bar, shall we? Second," he added with a faintly amused smirk as he swirled the whiskey in his glass. "It's none of my business, you can do what you want, and if you need someone to keep your brother from seeing you plan to drink an entire bottle of expensive American whiskey, I don't mind being used. But I am curious: do you always recite your evening plans like we're in a gothic novel? It's an interesting approach."