I had to find my long-lost professionalism.

We were here for a reason and I couldn’t blow that.

I followed her around the corner to the elevator and caught Asha’s eye to signal that we were heading up without her.

When we got to the door of the room we were using, I fumbled in my pockets for the key until I realized it was in my jacket, which was still draped over Elena’s shoulders. I nodded sheepishly to the right pocket and she retrieved the plastic card, swiping it in front of the reader.

I’d forgotten what it was like to walk into a hotel room that wasn’t a spacious suite and this one was no exception. Elena didn’t react to the luxury, but she was probably used to meeting clients in this kind of space.

She perched on the couch and I took a chair a safe distance away.

She said, “I wouldn’t normally tie Crown of Swords into the dungeon since it’s a fantasy world, but there’s an opportunity to try something if we can cross the two unrelated worlds for a minute. We’re going to try a role-play scenario and see if it opens anything up for you with the character. You’re going to pretend you’re Lucas Steel coming to the dungeon and meeting me for an interview before a session. We’ll keep it casual so you can break character and ask any questions that pop into your head. The idea is to use it as an exercise to figure out what those questions are. Let’s find out what you don’t know about Lucas Steel.”

“Why would Lucas Steel pay for something that people beg him for?” I asked. She tilted her head slightly like she was trying to decide whether I was teasing her, but I wasn’t.

She said, “Every human interaction is a transaction of sorts. We want things from each other. Lucas Steel’s partners expect pleasure and some degree of intimacy, his focus, his care. By paying for the experience, he would be shifting that transaction so it can be solely about his own needs because the other party is still being compensated. Humor me and go through the exercise. If he did, what would he want? How would he behave?”

I hesitated, still unsure what she expected of me. “What does a normal interview with a new client entail? Can you set the scene?”

She nodded quickly. “We’ll assume he isn’t being snuck in the back door like you were. You’re going to enter the dungeon and walk down a long hallway and as you do, you’ll pass storage rooms filled with every implement, toy, and accessory imaginable before being led into a comfortable sitting room for the interview. So start by thinking about that. How does Lucas Steel feel in that environment? Many clients are nervous and intimidated, but I think we both know he’s in his element. He’s used to being a wolf amongst sheep, and he’s stumbled into a den of other wolves.