It was testament of her seriousness that she didn't hesitate, and only let the door close before she began to speak.

"I was going through my mail this afternoon and found this." She handed over an embossed card, gilt with all the trappings of royalty, pomp and posh. "It's an invitation to the annual Turkish ball," she explained.

Stepping over, she pointed to a small but legible symbol crafted into the decorations encircling the calligraphic writing. "And that," she said seriously, "is the symbol of the Arcana."