Mention of Ramona wipes away any of the pleasure that Alex is taking from this gathering.
"Yes, Ramona is missing in the Hedge. She went to scout and did not come back. Right now her status is unknown."
He turns to Morgause.
"Are immigration taxes a thing in many Freeholds? I've never heard of it, although I admit my experience is limited... The thing is, this place has to be an attractive destination for people to be paying to come here. And considering recent events, we're not there yet. And this whole tax thing could easily be taken as a protection racket. That's not a good look."