#scarsdale

imposed over a rune for 'gate'

"No, no, no..."

"Honey? what's wrong? It's okay, I'll put something on the mosquito bite, it'll go down. I'm not allergic"

"We have to go. We have to go now."

"We cannot go home. Clem, will you call your Uncle?"

CLem immediately takes a guarding position and pulls out her cellphone

"Can and will"

"Can we take her there?" Fingertips hover over, but do not touch the mark.

"of course, Zara...you're my friend, and the Debukes look after friends and their family"

"What the heck is on my neck? " Tovah says, veiled to most others "Zara, we have to pay for these."

"We'll get them later." She leans in, giving her a peck on the cheek - and a drop of glamour.

And out they go. Her mother still enchanted. that mark not going anywhere...

Zara leads Hannah to the Hollow... avoiding contact with most, seeking the library path to Firnost.

There is no intrusion on their mission, though she notices that the tea cups have been violated... there's no time to look into that. From Firnost she can get to the DeBuke farm "Oh the gardens here are lovely" Tovah says "Why is no one telling me what's on my neck?"

"It... I am uncertain what it is. It's Balor."

"Like.... like him, nu?"

"oh..oh my. I can't get into a cemetary like this, and certainly not with That oh baby, are you okay? I feel fine"

"We'll take care of it, Mama. I promise."

"Clem, do you think she'll be safe in the wards?"

"I worry she might be.. ah.. a way to surpass them. A gate."

"We'll find out, not like Uncle Emmit doesn't replace them every week anyway. Last week he had wards up that well... let's say I think we're good"

"Still... " Poor Hannah is being hauled along silver pathways, Zara's hand firmly entwined with hers. "Mama, look sharp... mind the path..."

"oh my lord..." for kinian it can be far more overwhelming, but sheh as support and...

they arrive at the farm in the corn field.

"Good lord this place is huge" she says

"This is where Earl is from, Mama."

"He's a nice boy" she says . Earl may not be her ideal, but he is a good boy "Hehe likes him, complains about him fondly"

"high Praise" Clem says drily and waves to kin folk "It's me, we need Uncle Emmit"

Zara sits with Hannah as they wait, studying the mark. "They say a tattoo says aught about you, if ink could speak, your cover, you blew... this sigil on Hannah's neck, be now less than circumspect... instead to a whisperer, whisper thee, all the secrets about this misery..."

They are brought before Emmit, but rather out on a log, Agnes has insisted a guest be allowed into a house proper "That iowa sun would burn those northern girls like meat on a griddle" and she plays host to them all while Emmit looks it over

Zara DOES have a knack for finding shade, even if it is cast by a troll instead of a tree.

Emmit notices the cantrip at work, "Not sure she needs me for this."

"My daughter's the best" Hannah/Tovah says, "Good grades is just the start. She puts the witches brew in Hebrew" proud

"Who cast you, and what is your purpose?"

"Two questions are asked, and two answers I'll say. He who sired you crafted me, he wanted to play"

"Aye, of course it was him. And your effect upon her?"

"not a thing that will last once she reverts, a brief sting at settling that barely even hurt. You're the one we wanted it to affect, a reminder from your father of a result of parental neglect"

"What was the intended effect on me?"

"panic, fear, to see where you went my dear. " And it starts to sing "Green arces is the place you flee. Hiding amid a troll family. I knew where they were but now I see...there maybe time when they're not your plan B. Dadday dadday da..bump bump"

Emmit raises a brow "He's watching us, through the mark"

"You still have another question, don't waste it"

She hisses, eyes narrowed.

"Does he understand a sluagh's mercy?"

The lips part to answer...

"He understands that he can help you get rid of it, with the right guidance. Oh you'll be magnificent"

"So... he does not. Pity."

Emmit reaches towards TOvah and...suddenly her shape dissolves, turning back to 'mama'... and the mark is gone with it "Interesting. The false form she wore, that's what it latched onto. IT's gone now. WOuld have faded when the transformation wore off."

She nods. "And I have given him a glimpse of the Farm... I know he has tried to see here before, last year..."

"Mama, I'm sorry for scaring you. Though.. oh, mayhaps you could meet with Agnes. She's been dying for your babka recipe..."

Emmit nods "He's not watching anymore, but yes. We've seen some activity around the hold, and caught at least one fellow we knew was up to no good. I wiped memories. But I think it's safe to say he's known where we were for a long time"//Clem nods "Not like it's the secret it once was, don't you think this is on you, Zara. I practically set up flares to ALL sidhe by some accounting"