"I see," she says, perching one pair of spectacles on her nose and scribbling something in her notes. "I assumed the portal would take the subject through the River itself – but if that is not the case, then I can see how it might not be necessary."

She looks up at him and smiles. Her spectacles are really quite thick. "How have your own studies progressed here? This place possesses resources the Sixth would collectively give their right hands for; it's very nearly overwhelming."