#dreaming

The trods to the Ducal seat start out fine, not so deep as Zara becomes a wisp of a river spirit, nor Magnus some demigod made flesh, though she does web toe a bit, and he glows.

She has several of her spiders - 1122 and Octa in her hair, Quinta on Magnus, and Una and Undecim stowing away in the satchel. (7, unsurprisingly, is with Velvet. The others have their own assignments to follow and watch and gather.)

As they close, they see something... artificial, temporary, a detour , a barrier that leads to a constructed trod with a sign that says 'Regular path closed by order of their graces; any continuing must take this side passage for security evaluation'. The barrier before them seems a smooth and solid wall with no cracks to slither through. Magnus rolls his eyes, and looks down the detour "I think I'll pretend i didn't see this wall"

"Aye." Zara eyes the wall, looking for a way through or around.

Smooth, hard to climb.

Zara does not have fly fingers, alas.

"This won't last long" he tells her, then looks at the wall "seog ti pu ,seog ti pu ,enots yb enots ,kcirB yB kcirB"

the stones slowly grow less smooth, brick like, then, the bricks start to be removed, it's being deconstructed as time reverses

Chronos, his skill in it has grown!

An arched brow. "Interesting."

"Move quickly, it's about to rebuild" he steps through

Zara slips across!

And sure enough, the wall 'reforms' as time snaps back. Magnus keeps moving, "Blocking trods? That's technically within a Duchess and Duke's power, but some would call it over reach. The Queen of Grass might have opinions on that. Still, a murder is a murder"

"Indeed."

"Jacob seems a fine lad, if I may say?" They move further along the trods now

Oh, he got a smile from Zara! A real one!

"Aye. My brother has his charms. Do not let him know I said thus."

"Oh no, never, first rule of siblings, you never let them get a swelled head, though in my case it's usually sparrow having to keep MY Ego in check. I like the lad. Shows signs of not buying everything folks are trying to sell him, at least not without giving it a shake first. He'll go far"

At this point, Zara notices something.. on the trod, winged eyeballs.. no doubt spies for someone, are approaching. She notces them before it notices them

Zara grabs Magnus and veils them BOTH without asking.

And he does NOT complain...

the eyeballs flap up and down, ominiously gazing about but... the veil does it's trick, and shields both, they return on thier patrol

"Feh."

"Well, thank you, Miss Zara" Magnus says "I prefer to be the snooper to the snoopee. Some one really doesn't want anyone on this trod. Surely by now the quarry would be far beyond it? So what are they hiding on the trod itself?"

"That is a good question."

Zara kenns and looks carefully - sluagh are not easily fooled by illusions.

Zara's kenning reveals little, at first... there appear to be no illusions at play, at least not at this part... but then as they move about she spots it... shards of crystal, smokey gray in hue. The kenning reveals they have an active cantrip in play.. for a moment she feels..disoriented.

A frown. Steady.

Magnus mutters "that's dangerous as hell. one could walk off the trod without realizing it"

"That's criminal."

"I know rovers who would slap someone repeatedly for it. Still, it might be a good reason TO block this trod off"

"Mayhaps I can unweave that cantrip..."

"If you want to try, down side is it may make it harder to omen the crystals or willowhisper.."

"Ah, I shall whisper the cantrip first. Wise advice."

A nod

"Thank you" at the praise

Zara settles down in a lotus seat by a cluster of crystal

The Fiona waits and is quiet.. for once

"Magic, magic, in crystal cast, answer me my questions to their last.'

and they shine in response, ready

"Describe to me the one who cast thee.'

"I was cast two fold, once by the Dead man, once by his lover"

" For what ends?"

"Her ends were to escape...the wrath of those who sought to avenge him"

"Ah," The Fiona whipsers "He gave it to her as a precaution before his death."

"Describe the lover, in appearance and temperament."

"Redheaded fool of a girl, a satyress, lied to herself often"

"Did she do the deed?"

"She had sex with him several times" the cantrip answers

Magnus covers his mouth. THIS is hilarious, but Zara may not see that