#anywhere

"Ahh, here, story of a great king, arrogant king, who thought to defy death, and then declared himself.. a god" He shows her the book. Elegantly scripted, Lotka-Paper...

"Oh, that way often lies folly... aye, I will take this one, please."

He has others in similar vein and American money apparently is quite good. He also has other things. Including ...

"This one costly" he says almost apolgetic "You understand? This not plastic"

She understands - she does haggle, but she has money to spend.

A good deal is done, and the old man does haggle back. Wanting to know of a place she has been , be it a spot in Prague, or London, or New York City!

Apparetnly a story is worth a discount

Zara tells of the cemeteries in Paris, and the twisting sewers beneath, and glass houses with dragons made of smoke...

A fairy tale, the last, not true, of course - but a good story!

Good Bargain. Good Bargain! May her family have rain of happiness on their heads for a hundred years

So... books, a demon mask for Earl, flowers and postcards and trinkets... yes, fitting back in the suitcase may be a challenge, later.

And Zara slips in, reads, slips out... only in the middle of the week does she get caught...

Who managed?

Turns out Cricket did. Narrowed eyes and then..a kata mesmerizing motions....hyponotic

Then 1122 bit her and threw the hyposis off allowing Zara a chance to run

Run, and hide - squirming into a place no human could follow until the heat is off.

And Zara finds much to her frustration some of the books she wanted MOST are missing

Feh!

Of course, she still HAS learned a lot. But still! The cheek!

then the classic mistake is made.

They hid.. they hid the books in the attic crawlspace! Zara has been using ito get to the roof anyway!

Whatever 'tradition' Cricket is, they do not understand sluagh

In fact, a book Zara MISSED was put up there

Delight!

Zara is... well, Zara. Obviously, da'an has rewarded her.

It would be a sin NOT to read these.

And Earl can paint and muse and connect to artists. This is a good week.

And that private journal of the Cabal that works here tells her more than Cricket ever wanted her to know.

The secret nature of the journal delights Zara's sensibilities even more than arguably more "useful" information.

Apparently they are a 'cabal' rather than a motely. Cricket is an akashic, and Danube a Cultist of ecstasy! And ..House Jerbiton, a minor house of the Order of Hermes is for Nigel. they seek to use art, and writing to uplift humanity! She didn't know they existed

Musing in their own way.

The plan here IS noble. Finding young potential mages, and helping them find ascension by finding the right tradition for them.

And she also learns some fun things.

Like Cricket apparently loves romance novels but is embarrassed it is so.

A smile. She might have Earl drop off some, later.

Nigel apparently nearly nuked a potential out of rage. The felllow was reading and eatting CHEETOS at the same time. CHEETOS!

CHEETOS!

Danube is a beer snob.

and they have many adventures of their own. Some close calls agains the hidden one, and a battle with something called a Nephandi

There is some searching for what a "Nephandi" might be.

What she learns of them is bone chilling.

It's the fae equal of letting the Formor into your soul

Hissssss.

"Satanist" is too soft a term

Zara decides she LIKES this cabal.

She will send them gifts, yes.

Fairy godsluagh.

Yes. They are good folk. Will workers aside.