She was used to people knowing her name, but it still wasn't something she liked. In this case, it couldn't have been helped - someone had checked her into the damn clinic, and it had to have been the correct name because Cian had been informed almost immediately. Annoying as hell, but the way it was. Ash shook the other woman's hand. "Pleasure's mine, Peony."
The name felt weird on her tongue. She rarely used people's names, instead defaulting to nicknames unless she was working. She couldn't remember the last time she had called Lea Azalea - another flower name, now that she thought about it. Clearly her mind was more interested in tangents than anything else at the moment.
It didn't surprise her to see Peony here, though; there were many devout Pharists, and many more who came out for the holidays. Ash herself came a few times a month when her schedule permitted, though she still couldn't exactly figure out why. The religion gave her no real comfort, and confessions were risky. Her father had sold her soul to the underworld when she was born; maybe she came to try to buy it back.
She looked down at her own candles again. "One is still one too many," she replied quietly.