Ophelia smiled happily to Enzo as he offered an arm, her own extending for him to take before Mal took her arm instead, a face of jovial shock, her smile wide again as she let a small sound escape her. Truly, I would enjoy the company, oh all of you, that'd be delightful too, they're doing truly well in their growth, and I can't wait to start cross-breeding the trees to see if their fruits will be more hearty and sweet. Being distracted back to her plants instantly had her back in a good mood, until they were being moved along towards something that was not the cats.
Her eyes were drawn into the room as she regarded the dark spot on the floor, the smile and innocence that had been in her face gone only a few seconds later. She had seen too many dead bodies when she had returned home to the manor house after... that her eyes slipped right past, cataloguing the positioning of the body and the amount of blood that was already spread across the floor. While she hadn't yet started her next line of inquiry into magical forensics, she was still intrigued in a great manner of things most would consider morbid. A bad habit, her professor had told her, a woman having knowledge of the body and it's inner workings, but she had to have one, her research into better more effective potions and thus, poisons, and how they reacted with the body handed itself to some less... savory knowledge in the process. If the puddle is warm, we just missed them, but if the edge is already set and drying it's been well over a few hours by the size of it.
It was quiet, low, for Tibby and Enzo to hear, but she tried to keep that little bit from the child's ears, specifically not saying blood. Lia watched Mal step away from the child, noticing that the girl couldn't have been older than ten, at most; a little gasp drawn in as she moved to take his place, to let the men work. Friendlier, but we'll keep him near by just in case, wouldn't you say, my love? These three are quite safe, I can promise that, they've taken great care of me this entire time, so I'm absolutely certain that they'll take very good care of you too, her tone was light, almost bubbly-ish as she spoke.
Lia moved to turn the child away from the body, using her body to shield any view of the corpse, turning the little one so their back was to it, and Lia could still see the full room and the three men with them. Keep your eyes on me, see, I'm not scared am I? So there's no reason for you to be scared either, right? Lia's hands went to smooth over the child's face, and down her arms looking for anywhere the little thing could have been hurt. Do you have any boo-boo's? No one hurt you did they? Her eyes flicked up to Tibby and Enzo and then to Mal's, her gaze lingering on his as her eyes asked the unspoken question -- would there be anyone dumb, or malicious, enough in attendance to hurt a child inside the palace, during a party being held by the Archon?
For a man so quick to use diminutives for others, he certainly didn't care for the turnabout. Enzo caught the frigid glance and returned a grin that was quickly shrunken into a thin, formal line and a nod. Yes, alright. No more cute names or lighthearted jabs. This had been a party before, but it was a most serious investigation now. Enzo would definitely comport himself accordingly.
...Right after a little more flirting with the young lady.
Except that, as she was about to accept his arm, Mal swept in and took it. Short king, eh. well... so much for toning down the playful name calling. The smile returning to his face, Enzo gave a small oh well shrug to Ophelia and allowed his arm to fall back to his side. He was about to comment on her interest in cross-breeding when Tiberius spoke up.
Turning, Enzo saw the new servant. The anxiety, if not already evident on their face, wafted off the servant like a breeze. Enzo barely had to try to read the thoughts causing the emotion. A missing servant, blocked doors. Aye, that'd be the way to go, cat be damned.
Enzo followed quickly behind Tiberius, his entire demeanor transformed. He was now picking up on what he'd apparently not been privy to this entire time. As Tiberius destroyed the blocked door, Enzo conjured his own bit of light in the form of a small flame in the palm of his left hand. His right was halfway to where his sword hilt would have been on his belt, but of course he wasn't wearing it. Jaw clenched in frustration, he followed Tiberius through the doorway and into the first room.
Holding the flame high to make the best use of the light, his eyes quickly focused on the body at the far end. He spared a quick glance to see Mal guiding Ophelia away, then turned back. Lamps sat on a few of the footlockers. Enzo flicked his wrist and the flame he'd conjured separated and flew to the lamps, lighting them.
Out in the corridor, he heard Ophelia's advice. Sound as it was, Enzo was prepared to defer to Tiberius in matters of blood and the dead. Leaving room for Tiberius to do whatever he'd need to do, Enzo took a deep breath, concentrating on the flow of power within his own body. As he connected to it, he brought that power to his eyes. His pupils dilated, the brown of his irises nearly disappearing entirely. The lamplight, now bright as day to his perception, illuminated even the darkest corners of the room.
Soon, he noted scuff marks on the floor, sets of two... hints of movement, a struggle. The bed that covered half the body had been moved, knocked violently, then replaced. And there... he stepped over to another bed. a splatter of fine spots of blood. He turned back, stepping around Tiberius and the corpse. There was a basin. But where was the...
Enzo crossed to the back corner of the room, picking up the metal ewer. The bottom was covered in blood, concave from where it'd been bashed repeatedly into... well, a skull, he imagined.
"Tiberius..." Enzo said, turning to show his friend what he'd found. "I'm starting to think this is bigger than a case of a missing cat."
Tiberius knelt to examine the corpse, murmuring thanks as Enzo lit the room. Normally he would be ill inclined to tamper, but … Well, Mal was here. Things couldn’t get much more official than that. Miss Jolfy’s advice was as interesting as it was unexpected. He wondered what else she’d studied as he reached out to probe the dead man’s head wound.
The body was cold, and he could feel where the skull had given way to the heavy iron ewer in Enzo’s hands. Absolutely barbaric, it was. In the Archon’s palace, one expected the corpses one stumbled upon to be produced by great feats of magic. Or poison, at the very least. Tiberius noted scratches on the body’s hands and face and that the edges of the puddle were indeed beginning to dry. According to Jolfy that meant this had happened much earlier in the night.
They were at a disadvantage then, playing a great deal of catch up.
“It does seem that way. Unfortunately.” He could hear Mal and Ophelia speaking out in the hall – voices pitched calm and cheerful. Perhaps they’d found someone to question. Well, the mystery dead man could be made to speak as well.
“Can I borrow your handkerchief, Enzo?” Tiberius heaved a sigh, then drew two fingers through the puddle of blood, inscribing a short spell. One crime scene, quite spoiled … But, with no veil in the way, the souls of the recently slain were often still and hand. It was a matter of will, to force the dead man back into his cold corpse for a few minutes. It would not last long, not with the wards also drawing on Tiberius’s concentration.
“Who are you?” That seemed a fine thing to establish first. The dead man drew in a raspy breath and tested stiff lips with a purplish tongue.
"I am a cog in a wheel that cannot be stopped."
Well, wasn’t he a spooky sort of bastard? Tiberius set back on his heels, frowning. The dead man’s eyes followed him, then the whole body lurched as it struggled to sit up. The spell contained him - he could not pass the runes scribbled into his own blood.
“Lovely. And what happened to you, Ser Cog?” Tiberius began cleaning his hands.
"I underestimated the bitch, I failed my master, but others have stepped in to fulfill his wishes."
Some appearances needed to be maintained in front of outsiders. The innocent dove at his side had no understanding of the heinous depths of war, the horror and this night was supposed to be a sweetener not an appetiser for destruction.
Still, there was a curious glimmer in his eye at Ophelia’s assertion. An almost quiet pride. There was more strength under the surface than first assumed, how curious a thing she was, none of the frigid, obstinance he’d come to expect of spinsters. She handled the child with grace, allowing his attention to focus elsewhere, moving to gauge the scene through the door, jaw becoming more taut with every new discovery.
Tiberius’s spell sent the hairs on the back of his neck up, the shift as the spirit returned to its fleshy husk for a time. I wonder, Ser Cogsworth, his voice dropping to a dangerous calm, Mal straightened, an imposing figure in any doorway. If your ‘bitch’ was poor Elaris? He’d liked that one, she’d been a competent addition only to be slain in front of her younger sibling. Mal had no siblings though the two men presently were likely as close as such a bond could be forged. It’s a pity you are already dead, he’d finish coldly, eventually sucking in a breath while he surveyed the room for a moment.
Enzo was right, this was far more complicated than a case of a missing cat. The Eyes had a blind spot. An unsettling truth that ticked his mind into overdrive. Was Demetrius in danger? We should alert the rest of the Eyes…. Was this master in attendance, Cogs? Or did Mal need to enact an inquisition? There hadn’t been one since the early days of the regime, snatching troublemakers from their beds, the streets, in broad daylight to be interrogated, forced to comply with the new order.
He’d glance over to Ophelia and the child, flashing the two a wink as the madam attempted to consol the lass. Madam Jolfy is right, no harm will come to you while we are with you. Now, do you think you can show us how brave you are? Tell us anything you can, did Cogsworth over there harm you?
What's your name, little Dove?Lia found nothing truly amiss with the child that she could see with her eyes, not that she was very good with her magic if it had been a big cut or something else. A small scratch on the hand, probably from one of the cats was all that she could find. It looked relatively fresh, so she turned the little girl's hand over, and set it on her own palm, making sure to focus deeply as she tapped the magic she knew was there within, to knit the edges of flesh back together. Let's see to this scratch, did one of the kitties give you this? It looks like it stings. The girl nodded solemly, as she tried to look back over her shoulder to where the men were. "Alyssa, I'm Alyssa. I'm eight and, um, Elaris had to bring me with tonight and and I was supposed to stay in the room but then he was there and,"
"He said that I was in the way, and needed to be gotten rid of I turned around because I was really scared that he was gonna hurt me and so I needed to turn around and look away and um," The child wailed as Ophelia's face fell, wrapping her arms around the young girl to pull her into a soft hug. There, there little dove, take a deep breath okay? We're not going to let anyone hurt you. She ignored the men for the moment, rocking the child a few moments. Deep breaths Alyssa, do you think you could tell us the rest without it being too scary? She went to push stray stands of hair away from the little girl's face. Eight was so young to have seen a murder, which Lia was now completely certain had happened, there was a dead body, and a traumatized child, and she felt like the biggest bitch to ever have lived to have to be asking this poor child questions after such a traumatic experience.
"I was holding one of the kitties when he said he was gonna hurt me, it's where the scratch came from and the kitty went charging off back into the house, and I went to chase after him because he was a special kitty and shouldn't be left alone for too long and Elaris said to watch him for a little bit and she would have yelled if I lost him and then, the door slammed shut and I couldn't get back in and I would have gotten in trouble if I wasn't in the room either so I.." Everything was tumbling out in a stream of consciousness but that answered that. Saxton was still in the house, and the little dove hadn't actually seen the murder. "There was a lot of fighting and then just lots of hits.. like.. ten of them."
Lia felt the bile rising in the back of her throat. Seeing the murder, would have been horrific, but it sounded to her like Alyssa had heard it taking place. That was another problem for another moment, and no more less traumatic, she was sure there was a mind mage out there who could take that memory and replace it with a happy time of just getting locked out of the room after snuggling Saxton and then hiding because the room was locked. Something to keep in mind as she brushed the child's hair back still. Seems to be two unrelated items now, I would assume. A case of a needing a witness to not be around any more. Lia chose her language very carefully in that moment. She continued then, to hold Alyssa close as she looked back into the room, and to Mal, especially, feeling quite helpless and resolved to solve what was going on in that moment as her eyes slipped further into the room to the corpse. I hope the same terror he gave this young one is revisited ten fold, she whispered quietly, before squaring off her shoulders. There was a murderer loose in the palace, and a cat to find, and a child to keep safe. What she wouldn't give to have Rene there with her to help put the puzzle pieces together, as she was certain they would have it solved before the hour was up. Thank you for being so brave, Alyssa, you did such a good job, little dove, such a very good job.
Enzo handed over a handkerchief without looking, then set the ewer back down by the basin. As Tiberius worked the runes to pull the spirit back into the dead man's body, he circled around coming to stand near Mal and the door. His attention split between the interrogation of the corpse and the gentler questioning of the girl. Between the two, the scene became more clear. Even if the former was cryptic in his answers.
Mal, more agitated by the minute, threw out his own questions. They dripped with his frustration. At hearing the servant woman's name, the dead man grinned, dark blood showing between brown teeth. At the second, he laughed. It was a wet, raspy sound.
"How many eyes do you need to see? My master needs only two. But hands... he's many of those." The corpse laughed some more, then began to cough. Dark, viscous blood bubbled up in his mouth, running down his chin, but he kept laughing... and coughing, and laughing. The noise of it grew fainter, wheezier. Disgusted, Enzo turned away. His eyes fell on Ophelia and the child.
Stepping into the hall, he knelt down next to the two of them. The girl stirred, hearing him approach and he gave the child a thin lipped smile. "You were very brave indeed." He said, touching a finger to her temple. "And very tired now. Sleep then, it's alright. You're safe." It was the easiest thing, to prod her mind into obeying the command. The girl slumped in Ophelia's arms.
Giving Ophelia a nod, he stood and stepped past her toward the open window. Looking out, the pitch of the roof around the window was steep, but not so steep as to be unclimbable. He studied the sill, finding more blood.
"Well..." he said, looking back to Mal and Ophelia, voiced raised so that Tiberius might hear as well, "I hope none of you are afraid of heights." Thanking the Maker that it hadn't rained recently, he climbed out. The shingles were rough on his hands, but he ignored it as he scrambled up and out of sight.
“If he killed Elaria, where is her body? And who brained him with that pitcher?” Surely not the little girl. Tiberius stood, happy to put any distance he could between him and Ser Cog’s shit-smelling corpse. Once the dead man’s final cryptic answer dissolved into spasms, Tiberius cut off the spell and smeared the runes with the toe of his shoe.
He couldn’t help it. The conspiracy was more interesting than searching cabinets for Saxton, whatever the cat’s importance. He trailed after Enzo, but was not yet so lost in thought that he didn’t notice two unexpected acts of magic.
First, the lady Jolfy was a mage – possessed of a subtle spirit he had not thought to look for until seeing the child’s dirty but uninjured hand. That … Went quite far in explaining Malachai’s behavior, actually. All that growling like a dog with a bone when he knew since all his life that Enzo was an irredeemable flirt.
Second, Enzo himself had picked up a new school of magic. And he was rather good at it. Huh. Wasn’t that interesting? Tiberius pocketed the bloody handkerchief and considered their little troupe.
Personally, he wouldn’t want to scale the palace roof in a gown. But he had misjudged Jolfy before.
“None of us should wander about alone. And yet, the girl said the cat ran deeper into the palace from here.” He shrugged at Mal and Ophelia and then scrambled out the window to follow Enzo.
It was steep and windy, but twisting the air currents to buoy him along in near-flight was entirely possible with Despair’s aid. Not particularly easy after so many other spells, but not falling to their deaths was worth the strain. It wouldn’t have been so bad if he had his staff with him. Catching up to Enzo, Tiberius paused to look around. The Imperial Palace was vast and he’d never seen it from this angle.
“It’s hard to parse where to even go.” He spun in a lazy circle, a few inches above the shingles. Light and movement would naturally draw the eye, even that of a young servant scared out of her wits. Suddenly, he stopped and pointed to a lower level. Glass roof and walls, the light of a single lamp.
Malachai stood rigid, his hands clenched into fists at his sides, fighting the impulse to storm out of the room and lock down the entire estate. His frustration was palpable; there was a murderer on the loose, and every second wasted felt like another opportunity slipping away. Yet, he knew he had to stay and see this through, to ensure the safety of everyone involved, especially, Demetrius.
He glanced over at Ophelia, cradling the child with such careful tenderness. Alyssa was a key witness, and her fragile state required delicacy that Mal was unable to deliver, Ophelia was handling it the best way she knew how. Though he was grateful, neigh, a little envious of Enzo's ability to render her unconscious, that was a useful trick. As he debated internally, Mal's attention was drawn back to Cogsworth and his cryptic and unsettling answers did little to quell his frustration. The talk of eyes and hands was maddeningly vague, and the corpse's blood-choked laughter only added to the tension in the room.
Malachai watched as Enzo, followed by Tiberius, moved towards and out the window, inspecting the blood-streaked sill and reporting on the condition of the Conservatory.. You’re not going on the roof, giving Ophelia a firm look. But... I’m not about to leave you both here either.
Malachai's mind raced. They needed to follow, but the descent would be difficult, especially with Ophelia carrying the child. He took a deep breath, making a quick decision. I’ll ward the room. No one gets in or out until we return. We'll come back for Alyssa, leave the child here. We need to move quickly, and I need you to trust me. After doing so, he commanded her attention again, Climb on my back, he instructed, crouching down to make it easier for her. Malachai stood, feeling the added weight but also the urgency driving him forward.
He approached the window, taking a quick glance down. The descent was steep, but placing his hand across the wooden frame the Chancellor began building a trellis downward, roots cracking, curling down towards the ground. Hold on tight, Spider Monkey he teased, his voice low and steady.
With Ophelia secure on his back, Malachai carefully climbed out the window. The rough shingles bit into his hands, but he ignored the discomfort, focusing on each step and handhold. We’ll meet you down there, calling out to the two men without .
Nearing the ground, Malachai felt a surge of relief. He managed the last few feet with a controlled drop, landing solidly on the earth below. Stay close now, we don’t know how dangerous dear Cog’s Master claims to be.
When Enzo drew close, she hadn't known that he was a mage, but she did now, as Alyssa sank into a sleep, and became dead weight on the woman, but she still gave Enzo a thankful, albeit sad, smile. Alyssa was an innocent in all this, she was certain, and making sure the child was safe was a priority for the woman. Lia shifted the poor thing until her legs were up around the older woman's waist, and Lia rested the girl's head against her shoulder. She would carry the child to where ever they went next -- until she realized where next was, was out the window. If the cat ran back into the palace, we know it's not outside, one of the other search parties can find the animal. I know the animal is precious to your leader, but I think in this case potentially catching a murderer is the more pressing goal now.
She thought fast, when Mal said he would ward the room. She didn't like the idea of Alyssa potentially waking up, locked in a room with a corpse and unable to leave... but someone had been murdered, and it appeared that he had been part of an even larger scheme set about, a criminal needed to be brought to justice, and she needed to stay with those who could vouch for her, should question about her where abouts and activities were brought under question in the aftermath. I'm so sorry dear little dove.
Lia placed the child on one of the fainting couches and covered her with the blanket off the back. The palace was warm, so she shouldn't have to worry, but... her more sensible instincts took hold and had her moving to drag she sheets off the bed, tossing them over the corpse with a disinterested gaze, making sure that the blood pool was covered under the cover as well. It would at least give opportunity for the child to not see the body again if she did happen to wake before they all returned. So the next order of business was making sure she could keep up with the men, and for that, she tore the lining of her gown loose, and then threaded the strips in such a way around her legs that she effectively had workable pants -- it wouldn't be the first, nor the last time she was so scandalously clad.
Sorted, she moved to Mal, her arms going around his shoulders to leave his arms free, and her legs wrapping around his hips. We'll not speak of this to my guardian, mm? She teased back, her lips close enough to his ear that she felt the faintest touch of skin on them as she spoke. She looked down towards the ground as they were moved out into the open air, it wasn't that far up into the air, a fall from this height would be survivable if she made sure to try and fall on her legs. She might never walk again, if she didn't get to an extremely accomplished healer in time, but a fall was survivable -- she had nothing to fear then.
She hazarded a glance back to Alyssa, still snoozing soundly as they started their descent, and then busied herself with admiring the plants, the sky, anything to not feel the stretch of her hips as she held tight, and then her feet were back on the ground and she felt much better, it had only been a few seconds of free-fall, but it had still made her insides jump with the slightest bit of excitement. She really should not be having fun, someone was a murderer and there was a person missing, a cat missing, and this incident could start a war... and she had never felt more alive in her life. Of course, danger, carefulness and staying close. Thank you for not leaving me locked in that room.
She looked around the little garden area they had arrived in, and found an edger, a tool she was familiar with. It helped cut grasses and plants away from where brick and stone were laid out in paths, the arching blade at the end of a pole nearly as tall as her gave her reach, and something to use if needed. Just going to take this with us as we go.
It was difficult not to get distracted. The night had been beautiful to start with and that hadn't changed. It didn't help that Tiberius now hovered beside him, like some fabled angel come to bless him with a prophesy. Enzo couldn't help but smile at him as he turned his slow circle. Danger to their ruler and the realm be damned, Enzo would not have traded the sight for anything.
But that danger saw no good cause to just let them be, and had to rear it's head again. Enzo's followed Tiberius' pointing hand and he nodded. Looking about, however, he saw no simple way to get down. Backtracking to Mal's trellis would take time. With a sigh, Enzo leaned his head first to one side, then the other, a series of pops ringing out as he did.
"Alright, then." He would regret this in the morning.
Taking in a deep breath, Enzo stepped down the sloping tiles. He pulled his power inward, letting the ward he'd placed in the kitchen fall to reclaim the energy he'd been using to maintain it. He exhaled, allowing gravity to slide him along the tiles now. Knees bent, arms out for balance, he pulled the air in again. Then forced it out. Right as he reached the edge of the roof, Enzo concentrated his power into the muscles of his legs and pushed off. He aimed for a nearby, and lower roof, absorbing the shock of his landing and pushing that energy back through himself as he ran, then jumped again. This time, catching a wall, he pushed from that to another, bouncing back and forth as he descended until he was low enough to slide down the wall to the ground.
He landed at a jog, coming to a stop after several paces and leaning to brace his hands on his thighs as he breathed heavily. He'd not done something like that since his military days. Maker's damnation, he was getting old. With a grunt, he kept moving, jaw tight as he approached the conservatory. Without hesitation, he kicked the doors open, conjuring a sword from thin air into his right hand as he did.
A man, a servant by the look of his clothes, whirled around at the sound and stumbled back a few steps. Surprised, he'd almost tripped over the several cages that littered the floor around him. In the light of his lamp, Enzo could see his clothes were blood stained.
"Hands up!" Enzo shouted at the man, sword tip gleaming as he pointed it toward him. "You've nowhere to run."
Well. That was certainly very odd, watching Mal and Enzo go to great lengths to traverse the roof without assistance. Piggyback rides notwithstanding, Tiberius mourned briefly for everyone’s fine clothes. Otherwise, it was just as well. This way he might still handle another spell or two before he had to drop the wards he’d cast earlier. Tiberius flew after Enzo, smirking as the other man ran out of breath.
Alas, this was not the time to tease Pavus. The light within the conservatory flickered as someone moved before it. Tiberius held back as Enzo rushed forward, crouching by the glass and studying the scene.
All those little boxes – was this it, then? A plot to steal more of the Archon’s animals? That could not possibly be worth several lives. He winced as Enzo rushed in, searching for Mal and Miss Jolfy. He’d lost track of them in the climb. If he tried to cut off the stranger’s escape with magic, he might inadvertently lock the others out.
Instead, Tiberius merely slipped in behind Enzo, sticking to the edge of the room. If the bloodstained stranger tried to cast, he was ready to counter it.
A passing mournful look caused his brows to shrug in annoyance, a mental note made to have the Palace send her a suitable replacement for her ruined dress. It certainly wasn’t the way he had envisaged its potential future destruction, but Malachai had to pull his attention to the matters at hand.
Once they’d reach the safety of the ground he arched a brow at Ophelia’s procured weapon of choice. Honestly, her paired naivety and bravery were utterly charming though they divided his attention between storming into the conservatory and protecting a valuable asset. Please remain behind me, I don’t wish for them to notice you if things turn nasty, which they would if reason didn’t sway this culprit.
Enzo had overtaken them with that magnificent leap making his way inside and closely followed by TIberius. Mal paused knowing there were a number of ways in besides the one the others had burst through. Side door, silent as a mouse now, he’d whisper, guiding them around and peering through the glass before deciding to join this new familiar type of party.
In the lamplight he surveyed the cages with a frown, the scent of blood clinging to sweat drenched clothes stood beyond and a few feet further ahead of that, at the open door, their comrades. He allowed himself a grin, one hand raising to run across a certain ring that cut skin, a bead of blood dropping as he murmured an incantation. Focusing on their murderer, Mal summoned the splatter across his chest, bringing it under his will and control.
A brand in blood, familiar to the two men would form a pattern across the man’s clothes, indicating their lagging, but sneaky friends had remained unnoticed. If this fool decided to run or endanger them all, Mal was prepared. The victim would attain some vengeance, their blood would harden into droplets and pepper his flesh if things went south.
Tibs could raise him after if he wished, the investigation afterwards would likely keep Mal occupied till the small hours.
I am not a fighter, I will leave that to you and the others, but I will cut them if they come near. She resolved as she fell into step behind Malachai. She felt safe in the man's wake, and checked behind them to make sure no one came up on them unseen. She grinned a little though, at the mention of the side door -- recalling to mind the night they had spent at La Garre. She'd have to recall that memory more fondly, later, of course.
She stayed on alert as she surveyed, watching as he worked, before her attention went into the room -- well that was curious, she would ask him about it later. Honestly all her companions this evening were extremely skilled mages, just going to solidify that she, was not. Later she would allow herself the sting of jealousy that went with that, but for now, she was still having way too much fun tracking down this murderer. She tiptoed alone behind him until they came to a stop. Something glowed there inside the green house, so she knew magic had just been cast.
It had felt different in the air, than the others, this one felt heavier, more.. substantial than any she had felt before, what sort of magic left that sort of feeling hanging in the air. More questions for her to ask later. Assuming that the gentlemen had the murderer under control, she in turn focused on the various cages that littered the floor around.
There, look, she whispered, so quietly that it would have been lost to the sound of one's own breath had she not timed it right. He has more of your Archon's cats already caged, what is this madness..
Enzo took slow, measured steps into the greenhouse. His eyes remained fixed on the man, wary of hands flashing to pockets or moving to conjure, but his awareness extended to the room at large. He could feel Tiberius moving behind him, familiar and calm. He noted the muted sounds of -he presumed- cats within the crates on the ground. The man was wide eyed, mouth agape as he stepped backward for each step Enzo took forward.
"Casse-toi, Tevene branleur!" the man spat, seeming to find his courage. His steps bumped him into a work table and his hands instinctively moved to it to balance himself. As they skidded across the table's surface, one hand closed around something. The knife he hefted was small, comically ill suited to combating the silvery sword that seemed to glow faintly in Enzo's hand. Enzo smirked.
"Nique ta mère, connard!" the man growled, suddenly lunging forward. Enzo stifled a laugh as he sidestepped the clumsy attack, leaving a foot placed just so to trip the man.
"I'm sorry, my Orlesian is a bit rusty." he said, lowering his guard to rest his blade on his shoulder as the man scrambled back to his feet. "Did you catch that?" he asked, glancing sideways at Tiberius. It was then that he noticed the shift in the blood splotches on the man's shirt. Enzo tilted his head slightly in thought until the shape came clear. His smile spread across his face as he chuckled.
"Tu es...." he clicked his tongue and waved his free hand, as if trying to conjure the words from the air, "comment dire... fucked."
Tiberius winced at the shouting, peering down at the cages. He couldn’t hear Ophelia’s whisper, but he could just about make out movement within. Surprisingly, the Archon’s cats weren’t screaming their heads off. If Mal thought they were in danger over one missing feline, and there were at least a dozen here …
It was past time to get this over with.
“What? Oh.” His Orleisan was still rather sharp, from circumstance if not love of the language. “Something rude about your mother. You know, they have too many words for ‘fuck.’” Mal’s spell was interesting, if surprisingly restrained for the fearsome Chancellor of the Eyes. Perhaps it pricked at the stranger’s skin already as he lunged with that soil knife.
And Enzo was clearly playing with him. He shouldn’t be. What if there were more? What if this was an act?
“It’s ‘Vous êtes baisé.’” The wards probably weren’t needed anymore, since they were only keyed to exclude cats and not catnappers. Tiberius dropped those spells and called a band of shadow to wrap around the stranger’s knife arm, at bicep and wrist.
“Or ‘Tu es foutu,’ if you want to be a little nicer.” The bands of shadow tightened and thinned, shearing through flesh and bone. Hand and forearm hit the tiles, a meaty abattoir sort of sound. The man screamed, universal in any language.
“I know you speak the trade tongue. But perhaps Miss Jolfy could tell you in your own how long it will take to bleed to death?
