[Aubrey actually does listen, even lowering her hands to side-glance at Whelk as he talks.
[And talks.
[And talks.]

[It’s not like Aubrey’s unfamiliar with going on about something for a long time, though, and she’s happily to have the ball back in his court. The mention of ritual sacrifice doesn’t stick out to her much, at least relative to the rest of this potential-crock-of-shit.

[She really just wants to know if this is actually possible. And, if so, why it hasn’t happened. It’d figure that Aubrey also hates to think that the possibility is there, but the could-be spirit never bothered—though she’d be far, far less insulting.]

[So Whelk’s conclusion is… actually kind of a relief. The jab annoys Aubrey, but it’s closer to baseline than earlier.] Psh. You don’t know that.

…Methods like what.