#earthrunes

"There is.... another matter on my mind."

"Is it related to the mission? " Magnus says

"Yyeeeesss....." Unspoken is 'somewhat.'

Eyebrow.

He clears his throat. "It ... has been brought to my attention that.... releasing Tantalus after only so long, and without notification to any who might be effected is... questionable."

"I believe Count Jude to act appropriately and with due care and consideration for the nature of Tantalus's crimes and the damage done to others and to the Dreaming and I have every faith that justice was served when the satyr was released."

"But......."

He looks like he's sitting on a cactus.

"That assumes it was, indeed, Count Jude who made the decision."

Magnus raises a brow

Zara mirros the FIona's expression.

August pinks slightly.

"What if it wasn't him? Tantalus is a master of Chicanery, as Zara said. What if a member of Jude's court were... suborned? Or... what if it was not, in truth, Jude at all... but another?"

"I know I am not good at ... subterfuge. So I thought to mention it to you."

"Then Tantalus is a far more dangerous creature than we thought, to act from within those hideous mirror-boxes."

"Surely someone else would have broken out by now if it were possible?" Magnus says "Jude has been around for.. well, pre accordance war by a few years"

A sniff.

"Miss Zara, even an escapologist of your skill wouldn't be able to escape those alone" He says

"Agreed."

".... -alone-."

"Jude is powerful."

"And what friends has Tantalus?"

"Ones that are not paid."

August shrugs sheepishly.

"Certainly not family" Magnus says "Wait.. what if we're looking at this wrong... we've been assuming he's the ring leader..and maybe he is, or maybe he's a co partner, the man with connections someone else needed?"

"There is another Paler running about Tijuana."

"And much Balor bad blood, since they were ousted from Fenix."

August looks up from his tea cup. "He's working with those associated with Paler."

He nods agreement with Zara.

"It might make sense in the 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' kind of way" Magnus frowns "And the Palers MIGHT know that you were involved in how to defeat Tantalus the first time . "

"But let's not forget the Alligator pooka that WORKED for Paler. He's involved, though I didn't think that loyal so much as for hire"

"Nay - there is a Paler sidhe, his brother."

"-Paler's- brother?" for clarity.

"Well, all sorts of words come to mind but none of them suited for civlizied company" he says

"Less obsessed with blood-prophecy, of course - that was Paler's particular madness."

"What -is- this person interested in, then?"

"Power, from what I have seen. He is a Balor."

"I can understand profit, but how does this get him power?"

August nods, wanting to see the connection.

"You need me to explain how wealth leads to power?"

August glances at Magnus. "So this.... brother of Awren Paler seeks to exploit the people he traffics in to gather crude treasure and develop that into power. Presumably mortal, since Fae count wealth differently than that."

"And fae still need to eat - some are desperate for dross, aye - but you can command loyalty with gold just as well."

"True, but i can't help but think it lacks style. Sidhe are as much victim to our kith as any other... money is usually gained by our arrival.. it's not a goal that has much glamour for us in and of itself..and we prefer to win loyalty as our birtthright, not as our payment for cash"

"They also want Fenix - he is working with a relative of Rathbone, also."

".... and Fenix is held by a titled commoner, non-Housed."

"Oh now it clicks" A thought

"What?"

"House Balor has lands, and, slaves. Not one set back, but many. So... two balor, related to those defeated, work on a means to get revenge, resources material, and more... to recoup losses and prestige for the House."

".... and in so doing, for themselves no doubt."

"And Zara is right that they might liberate Tantalus as a front man... though now I wonder who is going to get to Tantalus first. us? Or the Balor who will use him as a fall guy?" Magnus lights up "This is getting exciting" A pause 'Horrible too, but exciting"