#anywhere

Time is of the essence, but they won't be inconspicuous if they're running around the posher portions of the hotel in nothing but beach gear. A quick change is necessary.

"I always forget about fashion" Olgar admits as they dress

Kerri opts for an outfit that's simple but just a little bit on the dressy side. If there are auction attendees there, she wants to fit in.

He's got a nice dress jacket, slacks, no tie "So plan if it's empty?"

"I've got the release command. We get to the statuettes, and I hope like heck that it will apply to all of them at once. I release them, you get us out of there."

"And if the attendes are there, or the auctioneers?" he nods

"Or...no...wait....we take the statuettes, you get us out of there, we get someplace safer for mortals, and then I release them."

"If we've got an audience, that's when I try to release them right there. I have the mask, so they won't be able to recapture them."

"They may have another mask, but otherwise, yeah, would work" he nods

"Then I think we're as ready as we can be. Let's go."

"Roger" And he takes lead. Habbit. A rover takes on the danger. It's somewhat amusing he's done it without thinking

It'll work, especially in this case. He's the one people will want to keep an eye on. Even as a troll, she'll be less worrisome than he is."

And they find the hall with the painting.

She gives the same knock she did before.

Someone , no, not someone, a slaugh, that same sluagh, is spying on them as they knock

Sluagh are someones, too. She pauses, her hand raised to knock. "Ariadne?"

Ariadne winces "you have annoyingly keen senses"

"I'm not going to apologize for that. Which side are you on, Ariadne?"

"My own" She answers softly "It's not simple you see? "

"It's simple for me. If you decide to make it more complicated, we're going to have a problem, you and I. But if you help, or even if you stay out of the way, we're fine." And with that she raps on the picture frame.

'Destroy the mask when you're done" she whispers and slips back

A quick nod.

It opens...

And she sees two sidhe admiring a statuette, a guard stands nearby the table. They're not alone, but the guard seems more concerned with the sidhe than her or olgar

She moves into the room, putting on an expression of slightly-haughty curiosity.

Is only one statue on the table? Or all the ones that were there before?

there are MORE statues than before.

A bored blink. "Are these all of them?" she asks the guard.

"Just one missing, madame' he says respectfully

"Mm." A disinterested nod.

A glance at the sidhe who are examining the statuettes.

The sidhe give her a side eye and move possessively at the writer

well, the writer statue

"Hm. I had a chance to speak with him," Kerri indicates the writer. "What interests you about him?"

At that the sidhe gets curious "Why did he choose ignominy over fame when he could have used his own name?" ghost writing has her curious

"I was wondering the same thing," Kerri nods, tone of tea party conversation. "So...the novelty of his choice is why you want to bid on him?"

"It stands out... rare" She says

"Mm." Again, that noncommital sound. "You are bidding for yourself? Or...?"

"Oh I shouldn't go into detail, but let's say ..." She kenns the troll "Well, SOME forces are hindering dreamer keeping . A certain broken tree? "

"Oh, yes," a beleaguered tone. "I know just what you mean. Such a pain."

'Yes, this bypasses such burdonsome people NICELY"

"It certainly does!" Having been kenned, she kenns right back, not to determine house, but to determine rank for the sidhe and her companion.

A baroness she suspects

"Well, I hope you enjoy him, should you win him. He's not my preference, but I hope you get him." Trying to reassure the sidhe so she might not feel the need to guard the statuette.

That DOES sseem to settle her

Olgar moves to her . Hes not as lucky chatting folks up

The lady sidhe moves back to admiring HER future purchase

Olgar whispers "How goes?"

"Lovely," she murmurs back, but gives him a look: Get ready.