not looking for a dowry, i promise

Eligos carefully smoothed his expression as Thalia dropped that bombshell on him. An alliance? With Abaven? It hadn't precisely been in his mind to ally with anyone when any Contract they took could very well pit them against an ally. His gaze encompassed the pair of them, the way they'd been pressed shoulder to shoulder until Thalia pulled away, the way Theory leaned towards her naturally even after she'd moved. He had a spike of unease race through him. He hated the thought that crossed his mind, that Thalia had turned her coat after spending so long with the wolves of Abaven. An uncharacteristic flutter of panic touched him. Abraxas were not meant to integrate into the rest of the world. They were meant to be a species apart, superior even as they played nice. Had this been a mistake? It made him suddenly doubt that any of his decisions had been based on solid ground. "An alliance..." he said allowed, tasting each word with care, neutral."What does Abaven offer that would make an alliance worth the potential lost revenue?" While he didn't say it outright, he implied enough, that the lost revenue would come from being unable to accept a Contract against an ally.