#earthrunes

An image flashes before Zara's eyes. death stalks this girl.... a dark fate post poned, but a price, yes. There is a prize that can save her, but she must walk the barbed wire with her heart in her hands. She must make it to the other end to get that prize which can never be truly stolen, only gifted.

A brow.

The girl promptly goes into the library and signs the book out.. only to be hissed at by Bronte

"I am sorry, Bronte" She says.

Bronte huffs "Your repentance is now superfluous. If you had listened to the voice of conscience and heeded the stings of remorse before you had urged your diabolical vengeance to this extremity, Frankenstein would yet have lived."

"uhm..." The piskie blinks

Bronte is not that used to Piskies, and their weakness

"my name's Selene..." She offers, "And I'm a piskie. Sometimes my fingers get stuck. I am sorry though."

"Feh" the dragon curls ontop of a book shelf back to the book thief

"I shall have to buy her a new book to make up for this, shan't I?" the piskie asks

"Likely, yes."

"I will try to find a good used one" Clearly not a girl of means.

Which is odd, come to think of it, all staff here are paid decently, and when you add that to free room and board, that saves them a fair sum

"How long do you think you'll fool them?"

"Pardon?" she asks

"How long?"

"I don't understand the question, miss" THe girl says with such a surprised face, Zara realizes either she doesn't get it, or is a very good liar when she needs to be.

But Zara can see... the face is calm, but the fingers flex...her breathing, so soft, rushes faster to a sluaghs' ears. She IS lying

"Mm. Is that so?" A wry brow.

She squirms then says "I don't know, I came in over a month ago. I avoided slaugh mostly, but when Ivanka asked me to bring you tea today because she was sick I ..didn't have much choice... not without getting Ivanka in trouble with the Steward and I didn't want to do that. So far though, it's worked. All the maids think I'm one of them, the nobles think I'm a maid when they notice me at all. Of course, I don't really do the work they do, not the full amount. I just.. look busy mostly, help here and there"

"Mm-hmm." A steady look. Does she blink, at all?

Squirm, and not in the sluagh way

"Please don't tell?" Hopeful

"Why shouldn't I?"

"Because I'm not doing any harm. I'm doing work now and then even if it isn't scheduled so I'm doing enough good to pay my way," she swallows "Please, I need to be here. I can't tell why. I litterally can't explain my problem or it.. or things will go badly for me"

"So... why hide here, girl?"

Zara steps forward and takes the piskie's chin in her clammy hand.

"Here ... " The girl does not pull away, "Here's where it ends, one way or another"

"I have a chance to find the solution to my problem"

"Fair enough, but..." Zara omens the girl directly!

"oh!"

"It must be gifted, aye."

"Still, no reason not to sign on as a maid properly."

"What? I... oh" A swallow "I ccan't tell but I guess it doesn't happen if someone else just..finds out. " She seems almost relieved "I can't confirm.. but what if Steward Delores says no?"

"Use me as a reference."

"I.. thank you but.. doesn't that put you in some danger if folks discover there's more to... my being here?" A frown "I don't want to risk you"

"Feh."

"Don't Feh this" the girl says showing more fire than normal "You and I both know that the noble system , while often elegant, does not take well to secrets not their own. And you, you don't even know my name" She points out "If Delores asks, what are you going to say ? 'Oh I highly reccomend 'piskie girl'. 'Piskie Girl' puts lime in the tea"

She clearly does not want to risk a stranger

"Selena, the one Hume is making moon-eyes at."

BLUSH "Is he?" A squeek

"Mm... so, Miss Selena."

She looks hopeful, then "Okay.. I'll ask for the job and hope.. what if one of the other staff tells her I've been working here for a month? What do I do then?"

"You are a piskie. Twas a mischievous gambol."

"You may even blame me for catching you."

"That sounds more like a pooka than a piskie, no offense I..." She ponders "Well, somehow folks think kleptomania and mischief aren't far. I'll try. Should I have a letter of recommendation from you, or merely mention you?"

"Mention me. The Steward knows how to find me."

"I.. thank you. ANd I will buy a new book for the library, honest" Selena says

"You did promise. And Bronte hates disappointment."