"I see." Her voice was quiet, but there was a faint note of appreciation running through it. Her mouth curved, and it wasn't a happy smile, not really; it was a brief, smug flash of teeth that was quickly hidden behind her collar, the smile of a stray cat that finally didn't get a boot thrown at it for clawing up pet dogs.

"They'll think twice about signing me up for something as stupid as an auction, if nothing else."