miraz says, "i am a busy man, susan, and i have no time for games."

susan replies, "only one of those things is true."

but he goes on as if she hadn't spoken. "i know what you know, so i'll try not to waste both our times."

"because knocking me out and tying me up is such an effective use of your time, is it?" she snaps.

miraz chuckles and reaches out to stroke her cheek. she tries to turn her face away but she can't really move much. "doesn't it remind you of old times?" he says.

out of the corner of her eyes, susan sees glozelle roll his eyes.

she sees caspian's head poking through the grate.

"i can tell you that the patrisos don't have connections in the philippines," says miraz, "but it won't be long until they find some. i hope your brothers work fast. i can also tell you that they have been remiss in repaying their debt to me. don patriso is not currently on the best of footings with me, especially since i know they have not been completely honest about their bookkeeping."

caspian grins and makes the a-ok sign at her. oh god.

"what do they say?" miraz muses. "the enemy of my enemy is my friend?"

"so," susan hesitates, "does that make you my enemy or my friend?"

and suddenly glozelle yelps and goes down hard, caspian on top of him. the both of them roll around and curse and try to restrain each other, not that much attention is paid to them, since at the moment lucy and miraz both have a gun trained at each other's heads.

susan groans inwardly. timing: lucy and caspian never really had a sense for it.

the adages never did mention what happens when the enemy's enemy's (friend's?) family get involved.