everyonelives | as we pass through arrangements of shadows

( Kol stands back with Scott, letting Davina start them off.

He's a witch middle man that knows his salt, and currently something ancient has him tangled up, something binding. And as for H, his (12) gives him just enough recognition. After all, their paths have never crossed.

"Davina Claire," H says. "We have someone in common, but not the someone I assume you're here about." )

You would be correct.

[She turns to face him with a small smile.]

I'm here about Julian Connors.

Friends in high places.

( But, he doesn't give anything away, just smiles, a bit impressed. )

He does. We've had a hard time getting ahold of him, though. Given the situation right now, you must understand why we're concerned.

[Time to test and see how much he knows about the hunter situation.]

I do. I understand why you'd be concerned.

( He can sympathize, really. )

I'm glad to hear it. Any chance you know where I might find him?

[Point blank and direct. She's not intending on taking him anywhere, at least as far as H is aware. She's just inquiring and looking for proof of life.]

( He makes a face, pressing out air, like, oh, shoot, no that's not something I can do. )

I can't answer that.

Can't because you don't know the answer, or because I didn't bring enough clout to the table?

[Because she could up her game. She does have an Original on her side, after all.]

Because I can't answer. ( Maybe she's not familiar. ) How old are you?

Isn't it rude to ask a lady her age?

[She tries to keep apprised of the big witch names (12), but she wants to play dumb for now, to see how much information that will get her. And as much as she's not the teenager that she used to be, she knows she's still one of the younger people involved in this little mess.]

Actually, I think we came back around. Now, it's feminism.

( Or, it's something close to it. )

Secrets come in all forms, Davina Claire.

( Kept, held, hidden, bound. It depends on how immersed she is in secrets as a magic. )

[Her head tips to the side as she considers his words, but when the pieces settle into place, her eyes widen (19).

She's heard stories over the years, from different magic users who had visited the Quarter, from Kol, and from other creatures as more and more of the things hidden by Malivore began being leaked into the world. The truth of them all has been taken with a grain of salt, unclear if the magic itself is something of legend or actually real. But seeing it in action has her peering at him curiously, almost as though she's looking for the metaphysical ropes that bind his tongue.]

They put a geas on you, didn't they?

Nothing's been put on me. Think more mutuality. All involved.

( With nothing specific. But, he'd have to have agreed to it for there to be one on him. )

But, the sister called. Quite a mouth on that one.

She's the type who gets touchy when people mess with her things.

[Which she doesn't blame her. Davina would be the same.]

And she's not going to back down until she gets her brother back.

And I believe that siblings are their own people. I have five.

( He gets it. It's not like he's trying not to be helpful. Ask better questions. )

If I were on better terms with them, I'd probably do what she's doing. Are you acting as her proxy?

[She shakes her head.]

More like a two-prong approach. She was also looking for you, I just happened to find you first.

[And Kieran clearly found something else as she hasn't made an effort to find them yet.]

Well, you found me.

( He spends too long a time sipping the rest of his drink, leaving it behind as he gets to his feet. )

But, unfortunately, I'm headed out. I'm tired from my day of not gambling. But, I have been drinking. So, I probably won't be driving any time, soon. I think I'll just go back to the van. And wait.

( For you. Follow him. He can't say anything, but he can get up and go. Please understand him. )

[Davina picks up on what he's putting down well enough. She glances to Scott and Kol to make sure they understand the same, before nodding her agreement.]

If you want, we could give you a ride. Make sure you make it home safe and sound.

I have to pick something up from my car, though. It's in the back. You should probably carry my keys. People get knocked for sleeping in the backseat, they'll knock me for just having them in my hand, you know?

( Davina and H are on the move, which Scott and Kol do notice, following from a safe distance, Kol zeroing in on the conversation the further away from the casino floor they get. )

I don't want to end up in jail.

And I wouldn't want that for you. It would be a poor end to everyone's day.

[And she will follow, trusting that the boys are following her. If he wants to hand off his keys she'll take them, but for the most part she just plays the role of following him out to his car to make sure he gets home safe.]

And people come here to have fun, right?

( He hands her the keys to the van (if it's his van, he's a very questionable individual. it is a nondescript white van, that's for sure.)

Kol and Scott wait for an indication they can get closer, but Kol does explain to Scott -- the confusing situation regarding Davina's politeness. )

[Yep, that's super questionable. She doesn't like it. But she will take a breath to try and see what magic she can sense as they approach (16).]

( A whole lotta ~~love~~ magic. Too much for any one person or one location. Something dramatic has gone down and it originates in the back. But, Davina has the keys. As she approaches, H. will take a seat on the side, under one of the doors. Maybe he has been drinking a little too much. Maybe he's playing the part!

If she opens the back two doors, Julia is laying there, catatonic.

She can intimate that H took it upon himself to drive Julian away. Or, he was doing what he was told. Either way, he now has Julian and he didn't say it. )

[She looks back at the body, then over at H, and then back to the catatonic form again. Given that H walked her to this willingly, she can't say for sure that this isn't a trap. But she does say:]

Kol.

[It's quiet, and just the one word, but he's the one who can get here the fastest and might be able to help her assess what's wrong (19).]

( Both Kol (15) and Scott (12) hear it, but Kol leaves Scott behind as he speeds forward. )

That's - ( Between the pounding of his own heart, and Davina's, and crossing traffic he barely makes out a heartbeat. But he does. ) He's alive.

( 'Barely,' he keeps to himself.

Scott arrives seconds later, moving at his werewolf speed.

"No,". )

He's not dead.

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