Elisha had done his hiding well in the Clubs. People had been worried for him when he challenged to Eight right after Andrew's assassination. And then he'd destroyed Noah, and they looked at him differently. Jared hadn't fared much better in knife-fighting, but then Elisha had spent years sparring with Victor Fox. Getting through those matches with a minimum of blood involved becoming very good.

"They like their swords on the Deck," he agrees. "Do you get bored with the parade of sword challenges in the Spades?"

Then he smiles a little. They used to flirt like this all the time, and it would go to it's natural conclusion. Somehow...he didn't want it to. Perhaps Katya had been right about he and Hadyn. "In art," he says. "I'd help you express yourself."