the ground could open, he could still say please

[slavophile]

Comments

[undermyfeet]

It still doesn't feel like it's mine.

[Not his birthright, even if it is. He drums his fingers against his thigh and sighs.]

I want my coven to be safe. They've sacrificed a lot to protect me, I don't want that to be for nothing.

[But he also doesn't feel like he's ready.]

[jockwitch]

It won't be. It could never be, Danny.

( She flops back against the couch, arm over her forehead. )

First hunters who worked with witches and now witches who hunt other witches.

[undermyfeet]

Colony's always been ... messy.

[At least as far as the stories are concerned.]

You should talk to Hope's family. Make sure you have somewhere safe to go, just in case.

[jockwitch]

Hope's family is not my family. But, she does have an Original vampire-turned-witch aunt.

( Which means she needs to talk to her sister. )

Are we all in the crossfire?

[undermyfeet]

Probably.

[There's no way around that.]

The last time the Colony decided to hold a Gauntlet, we wound up with the Spanish Inquisition.

[jockwitch]

Which nobody expects. Boy, when you had to talk you really had to talk. Damn it.

( Can she or her sister ever just have a normal college experience? )

[undermyfeet]

[He winces before nodding.]

Sorry, but I did warn you.

[A beat.]

I can make it up to you?

[jockwitch]

( She sits up at that. )

I don't know what you could possibly do, but I'm not blaming you. I'm starting to really hate this David guy. Representation is great and all, even with shadowy witches, but all he does is get you involved in really shady shit.

[undermyfeet]

You know how they say there's no ethical consumption under capitalism?

[He's a teen on the internet, you hear stuff even if you're not in college absorbing the knowledge.]

I don't think there's non-shady witchcraft under the Colony. You just do the best you can to keep your head above water. Especially if you're an heir.

[He didn't know this about David before but he knows now and honestly it makes him respect him a little bit more.]

And the fact that he was here to warn me and not kill me to assure his place in the hierarchy, I think that buys him a little bit of trust. Honestly simplest route would have been not telling me at all and stealing the power at the solstice for himself.

[jockwitch]

( So, blame the corporations. She can see that, at least. )

Or killing you, himself. ( She's the blunt sister. ) And, he didn't. And he was there in London and in Prague. He's like our bad fairy. ( Give her a second. ) I heard it back.

[undermyfeet]

[He smirks.]

It's still kind of amusing. Picturing him in one of those gauze-y dresses with a magic wand.

[It's a good picture for such a scary witch. But he lets it go after that.]

I don't know. I'll figure it out. Should probably talk to Eliza and let her know what's coming.

[jockwitch]

Whatever you need from me, Danny.

( She didn't think she'd be signing up for ending her college career so early, and maybe she doesn't mean something that drastic, but she's a bit in love with her British guy. So, she says what she says. What comes next, then she'll determined. )

[undermyfeet]

Thank you.

[He leans in to kiss her softly before pulling back with a sigh.]

But right now I could use a good distraction. Maybe there's something off campus we could do?

[jockwitch]

Alice and me may have been invited to a party.

( Everyone is, it's all very the more the merrier at college. They don't seem to be discerning but that's what college is supposed to be about, right? )

It means cheap beer and even cheaper conversation. But with you being there, it now has a kind of appeal.

[undermyfeet]

You know what, that sounds like an excellent distraction.

[Time to go be dumb college age kids. Might as well enjoy it while it lasts.]

Let's go grab Alice and see if she still wants to go.

[And with that, off they will go to see if they can enjoy their evening.]