Ginsei's ice-blue eyes pulsed with hypnotic power, cutting through Mochi's nervous laughter and frantic gestures.
"Stop struggling," the serpent commanded softly.
"Tell us what you really know about Whisper."
Mochi's leather jacket stopped trembling as the compulsion took hold. His punk facade melted away, revealing honesty underneath.
"I... I never met him in person," Mochi admitted, his voice taking on a dreamy quality.
"Just heard descriptions through the grapevine. Young, rich, dealing in high-end artifacts."
Ginsei pressed deeper, serpentine influence coiling around the cat spirit's thoughts.
"What about Elias Thorne? Any deals with him?"
"No." The answer came without hesitation, stripped of Mochi's usual dramatic flair.
"Wolves make me nervous. Too much violence, not enough profit margins."
Cyrus watched the cat spirit's glazed expression, searching for deception but finding only scattered thoughts of easy money and harmless mischief.
