"Among other things," Ari answered. "For Bella, I mostly heal; there are not many who can, among our lot, and white mages tend to be... touchy about certain things." Her mouth turned up at the corners in a small smile. "I'm just as good, and I know how to keep my mouth shut."
At his admission, she tilted her head curiously and inquired, "What people would that be? Perhaps we have common acquaintances, too."
She laughed. "My mother tries," she told him. "It's one of the many reasons I try to see her as infrequently as possible." That was pretty much an open secret, and she didn't mind sharing - the more open secrets she told, the less it would seem she held back. She often operated that way. "Machinist, then?" she asked. "Impressive - and useful. What sorts of things do you make?" She finished off her coffee and poured another cup - on to number four, and she was feeling like herself again. "It depends on what you find interesting, I suppose," she said. "I'm a bard - work at the opera, mostly, with some private performances when the pay is good enough. Between you and me, some nobles can't pay me enough to tolerate their company, but that's neither here nor there."