#earthrunes

And other gossping?

...

He ignores, and heads to rap lightly on the door to the library.

"Open locks, whoever knocks!" A chipper response.

Chipper? He hesitates. What that the voice of the sluagh librarian? The door opens and he peers in.

Bronte swoops down to land on the back of a chair and peers at Symon.

"Salutations are greetings," said the voice. "When I say 'salutations,' it's just my fancy way of saying hello or good morning.”

Ah that makes more sense. He looks at the bookworm and nods a greeting. Realizing he still has a ghost serpent coiled around his neck, he whispers, ‘Quetz, play nice. We’re guests here.”

“Arthur blinked at the screens and felt he was missing something important. Suddenly he realized what it was.
“Is there any tea on this spaceship?” he asked.” Bronte tilts her head.

Symon shoots a glance back at Gerd. “Uh, yeah, tea.” He keeps a tight grasp on his bag

“Is the Librarian here?”

Gerd smirks "Sure. I brought a home blend"

“Where shall we three meet again in thunder, lightning, or in rain?" Bronte fusses.

"“I loved my bedroom... the vanity with the warped mirror, the squat chairs without armrests, the elaborate, oriental dressing screen."

He sighs, trying to hide his impatience. A peek back out the doorway to see if anyone else is about to ask - aren’t these noble holds just dripping with servants?

"Bronte, you're quite lovely today, have you gotten bigger?"

She preens.

"From a proud tower in the town, Death looks gigantically down." Trying to help!

“Bedroom tower… got it. You want to show me the way? Or am I going to get garroted for intruding?”

"She might be in her room" Gerd says

A nod to Gerd. “Yeah… I don’t generally go peekin’ in on ladies chambers, you know?”

Bronte looks at Quetz before deciding to launch herself over to Gerd's shoulder.

Quetz watches bronte mesmerized..

“Bronte, this is Quetz. He’s a Quetzalcoatl . I’ll try to find you a book about them if you like.”

but he writhes as if tryinngg to strike, or play, or flee

“Hssst, chill!” He whispers to the snake.

Contrite coiling

Gerd scratches Bronte under the chin

He strokes the head with a finger. “I’ll get you something good to eat later. Promise. And I’ll read you the book too.” An amused look.

“Miz Bookwyrm, could you let the Librarian know she has guests? I dunno about going to HER room uninvited.”

Bronte flaps off - leading, perhaps?

He follows.

Gerd says "Onn the dragon's trail, the witch and her trusty sidekick went"

and they follow

She gets a LOOK.

“Blessings be on this house," Granny said, perfunctorily. It was always a good opening remark for a witch. It concentrated people's minds on what other things might be on this house.”

Apparently, some liberties are only allowed to CERTAIN trolls.

Bronte greets a crooked door. The last few steps look... precarious...

Symon leans up past the steps, in case it’s some sort of trap for the unwary, and gives a knock.

The door opens before Symon may knock, revealing the white-haired sluagh. "Ah."

Somehow, not too surprised. “Hey Z… Uh. Good afternoon, Miss Zara. Do you uh, want some tea?” The polite strictures of sluagh society ill fitting him like a coat a size too small.

Gerd hangs further back but nods

She looks, and her brow lifts. "Perhaps you may join me for some, aye. Mind the step." She moves back to allow entry. Bronte swoops in!

“It’s a bit of business, I guess, not just visiting. If that’s okay. I was hoping you might help with a weird thing I came across. Gerd gave me a lift, and wanted to say happy 13th…” Not apparently knowing the significance beyond a witchy date.

Zara smiles. "The thirteenth is always an important date, but doubly so on a Friday. Welcome, Gerd, and thank you."

“It’s a cursed, uh… book.” A sideways glance at the Bookwyrm

Oh, that got her attention.

Zara's chamber is... skewed, nothing is quite plumb or square in the dusty tower room. Weak light filters through a high window, and the shelves appear to contain a mixture of books, artifacts, and cups full of pens.

“And it’s on a ticking time bomb before it goes off again. Not literal bomb, of course.” He says as he slides in, standing a bit awkwardly a few paces away.

" No worries. Hoped you enjoyed"