Tahira hesitated, unsure of what to do next. Part of her wanted to burst through the doorway and confront whoever was on the other side. But another part of her, the part that had been trained to be cautious and stealthy, urged her to wait and observe.
Ariana seemed to sense her hesitation, and she leaned in close. "Let's listen for a bit longer," she whispered. "See if we can learn anything useful."
Tahira nodded, and the two of them stood there in silence, listening to the sounds coming from the other side of the doorway. As they listened, Tahira began to pick out individual voices, and she realized that one of them sounded familiar.
It was a woman's voice, low and husky, and it sent a shiver down Tahira's spine. She couldn't quite place it, but she knew she had heard it before.
Ariana seemed to sense her tension, and she turned to her with a questioning look. "Do you recognize that voice?" she whispered.