#goldfinchfreehold

Sylvi had ordered pizza when Dagmar said they needed to talk, and they're currently down in the freehold proper with a meat-lovers pie.

"I don't think we'll be disturbed. Dig in...and what's up?"

Brow-furrow.

"So, um. You know Symon's girlfriend?"

A dismissive sound as she takes a seat on one of the bar stools. "Yes," she says with a voice loaded with derision.

"Please tell me they're breaking up?"

She helps herself to a slice of pizza.

Frown.

She shakes her head.

A sigh. "I don't trust her. And...he's not being himself. I know it could be, like, maturing or whatever, but he's being really un-Symon. Of course, I haven't seen a lot of him."

"That's..."

"I..."

"Okay, so, like, magic is not my strong point."

Sylvi's brow furrows and she leans forward.

"But... but there are cantrips that can, you know..." Wavy hands.

"Um. Chicanery does emotions, for one."

"Others, too? Not ones I know, but ones out there."

"You mean...like...you think she cantripped him to be in love with her?"

"I think she did it with a treasure or an enchanted object, but yeah."

"We have an excuse to go to Dark Gate, and Zane is there..."

"Well, I bet Zane would come down here if you asked. Do you need to go up there?"

"Symon has this necklace, and it's radiating glamour. I couldn't get a good look at it, it was under his shirt."

"Well, see, if I can get Symon up there, legit, and we're meeting with Zane anyways, to discuss ways to protect May..."

"I'm worried if I say something too direct, I'm gonna lose him."

"Oh, that's a good reason," she nods.

"Did you give Zane a heads-up?"

Frown. "Lose him more than I already have, even."

She nods. "That I smell something fishy, yeah."

"Zane doesn't think it's smart to just rip the thing off and smash it. That might hurt Sy."

"What if she wants to go with you?"

"That shouldn't stop Zane from getting a read on the necklace, I don't think..."

"Like, if we can figure out what the cantrip is?"

"Yeahhh...but if she catches on, she's going to try to stop him. Tricky."

"I just... she's not treating him right."

"She's using him like an ATM and a coatrack."

Jaw jut. Scowl.

A matching scowl. "I guess we can't just smash her, either, huh?"

"Oh! Have you told Dirk what you thinks going on?"

She shakes her head.

"I am trying to keep a secret from Symon."

"I wonder if he could bully her to keep her distance. But...then that would cause grief between Symon and him."

"And yeah, I'm worried about doing or saying anything to wreck what I still have."

"And maybe I'm wrong? He won't forgive me."

A sympathetic half-grin. "I get it. And I don't think you're wrong about her. Or about him." A sigh. "Is there any way I can help?"

She chews on a nail.

"Think you can get more info on her?"

"I can try..." She thinks about it. "Huh...if I can get anything of hers, like hair or something she's been carrying for a while, I might be able to WillowWhisper it. At least I can check out where she's been, maybe."

"Can't hurt..."

"I'm not sure how, unless she's spent time in his room. Which..." An uncomfortable look. "I mean, I don't know if they've gone there."

"She doesn't strike me as being willing to spend time in there."