Chapter 210: Chapter 195: Suppression

Janis had been happy to finally establish some kind of contact with the hive’s leadership, although she hadn’t waited for it to act. She’d shouted herself almost hoarse and used the sapient drones to try and instill some kind of order within the mass of Swarm Drones suddenly cut off from the hive. The news of Nerlian forces moving towards them had given them an even greater urgency than just losing the link would have.

Right now, though, as she looked at the visitors that had suddenly appeared in front of her, she missed the psychic link even more acutely. She had no idea what to say and desperately wished Regina was available to deal with it.

Janis considered what she knew. The group of Delvers around the dark elf Madris were clearly high-level, and the Hive had already assumed she must have a teleporter with them. Probably also a good rogue or thief — considering how they had seemingly just appeared here, which couldn’t just be actual teleportation, but probably also a Skill to evade notice. Madris herself was what Galatea called a very powerful psychic, which should give anyone pause.

She was the first person Janis would think of who might be able to shut down the psychic link even partially.

“I was not expecting to see you here,” Janis said, scrambling all of her composure as she stared at the dark elf. Hopefully, she couldn’t tell how quickly her heart was racing.

Madris inclined her head. “I apologize for dropping in unannounced,” she said, just a bit of irony in her tone. Her gaze flicked to the blades she had thrown down at her feet, then back up at Janis.

The gesture was clearly symbolic, since she had no way of knowing if Madris had other weapons hidden away in that coat she was wearing. And besides, a sword or dagger obviously wasn’t the most dangerous thing she could use. Although restricting magic was a bit harder, and Janis had to admit she hadn’t expected the Delvers to go even this far, voluntarily surrendering their weapons, and before they were even asked. She turned her head toward the other man, who was now coming up behind Madris, and raised an eyebrow slightly.

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