#scarsdale

With the wards down in Alabaster Hollow, Coradel and August find themselves not at it's gate, but in it's interior! They are near what appears to be a roped off device which August recognizes as the Orrery

"Oh! Oh, that was...rather abrupt." Coradel is smiling though.

August takes stock quickly; things may have changed, but.....

"Is that supposed to look like that?" ((Presuming the orrery is still broken.))

"No. Something has happened to it, and that is... troubling. I would have expected all hands to be assisting in the repair."

"But...they're not." She frowns now, looking about.

"I would expect to find Zara in the library, or one of the galleries....." he looks up; not a place to keep art, but a balconied space above the main floor.

(It is broken)

"But if she's in danger, maybe not. The boy did say she needed rescuing."

And that's when the sidhe might notice something. A spider's web.. along the wall, pointing like an arrow.

"They couldn't hold her, not without magics..... Look." he nods towards the web. "Come on." He leads them to follow the arrow.

She follows. August is more familiar with these halls, so she lets him take the lead.

As they move aloong they see a thane looking very confused. He does NOT see them though.. so they might sneak by if they wish

Sneaking is not Coradel's first choice, but August is in the lead. She waits to see what he does.

Sneak, indeed.

Scribe August knows very well how to move unobserved, unobtrusive, through these halls.

A slight pout as she follows him. We better hope the spiders left more directions...

And thus he does. and she does.. as if they belong

and yes, another spider arrow...

leading to the count's chamber!

That makes August pause; he knows the way of course but he was never welcomed there....

Coradel checks to make sure they're not being flanked as the approach.

Then he presses on.

THe door is incredibly secure, mutliple locks of great compelxity

"Don't suppose you have the key," Coradel breathes, barely a whisper.

"Of course not." he whispers back.

"Zara wouldn't need one, though."

"What would she be -doing- in there?"

"Wait....." he looks around for a spider, or evidence thereof.

"If my guess is right about the lady visitor, trying to rescue the rightful ruler here."

As August looks at the lock, he notices they are made of a brass like substance, and some have.. symbols. Old Arabic lettering

"Arabic?" You know, he took Arabic language a few years ago!

Coradel guards so August can focus on...whatever he's looking at.

Hey.. wait.. this is both language and story

A spin of dials.. and locks ...

and 'OPEN SESAME'

and it all opens up

August is AMAZED.

Coradel blinks and stares at him. "Well, that's a whole new level of turned on."

And without further ado, she gently opens the door.

August knows scholarly lore, but Coradel didn't get to survive Eiluned upbringing without catching something standing out. In an otherwise empty if grand bedroom, there are drops of paint on the carpenting, a circle pattern... as if someone placed them ritually there

"August..." she points. "Somebody has been casting here."

"It doesn't seem her style to leave a mess behind."

August has been looking in shadows and corners; he turns and looks, then whispers. "Zara?"

No answer.. all that listening means they hear something under the carpent..

the sounds of battle

August crouches and puts his ear on the floor, listening.

Earl's voice "Hang on, Zara... I need to finish this off and..damn, there's more of them"

A frown, and she flips back the carpet.

"Earl."