Siana nodded. "I will. Too many flapping mouths will hinder any investigation, especially one as delicate as this. If you know of any mage who could be of assistance, please refer her or him to me. I will let you know if I ask any of my colleagues to help as well, so that there are no surprises."
She stood and showed Peony to the door, smiling gently as she clasped her hand. "Again, thank you, truly, for all your time and hard work," she said. "This is valuable information that nobody else would have been able to provide us."
After Peony left, Siana returned to her desk and stared at the notes the mage had left behind. She was one part satisfied, for this was progress, and more significant than anything else Siana had been able to find for herself, and another, bigger part, worried. They still had a long way yet to go, and it was as Peony said: they were running out of time.