Although recent weeks had found Ishiah busier than usual with the need to explore the island, the peri's need for order still kept him adhering strictly to his shifts at the Hub, times that were almost as essential to him as sleep. He took care of patrons with an efficiency that seemed to surprise even the regulars, the lack of deeper thought driving all of his energy into the more mundane of activities, polishing glasses until no water stains remained. When Lucy wove into the light crowd at the establishment, Ishiah picked her out immediately in his periphery, such that by the time he took a seat in front of him, he had just arrived at a nice breaking point in his errands.

Before answering the question, he took the time to look her from head to toe, the only way he really knew how with his acquaintances, and those he cared about a little more. Intuition wasn't his strongest suit, so he read her more like a textbook. Glassy eyes. Distracted expression. Hair that was slightly out of place. A weaker tone.

Something was wrong.

"Not at all," he replied, pressing his lips thinly together before he stepped out from behind the bar, sliding easily onto the stool next to Lucy. "What happened?"