Cryptic Ink: Trois
Adair had heard Lind long before she heard the bubbly girl with her mental abilities. This was saying quite a lot considering the wide range of her powers. Around this time, Jabari's face had darkened with what surely seemed like an onslaught of thunder and stone at the realization of being cornered, verbally boxed in. And trap them they did, it was no easy feat tricking Jabari Quade, who had the paranoia to match his sharp intellect. Although personally, Adair thought that Jabari took it quite in stride, and had expected far worse from him, considering their rather cruel efforts. However, exactly twenty three tricks of the clock's hands, and two strides after Klavier and l ind entered the room, Jabari had signed the contract with quick precision, his signature was equal parts neat, although it was clearly a masculine, angry, and careless scrawl. With Jabari's exit he left in his wake faces of varying shock.
Adair was the first to recover her poker face. Before anyone knew it, the mask of stoic, cool indifference was stealthily re-attached firmly on her face. Daray was the second to regain his composure, although it wasn't so much regaining as it were reverting back to default mode, as Adair liked to call it. He had a few modes, though some were more well known than others. There was Lazy, and then there was Pervert, which was always, then there was Jaunty. Of course, there were others, some terrifying even to her, some where he was vicious as a lion, snarling teeth and all, fighting to protect what he'd believed for. But the vague images of him faded, and he jovial smile on his face was all that was there now. Adair had already expected that, and found nothing interesting there. However, Sophie was a different story. Sneaking a surrepitious peek to Jabari's official new partner who'd apparently flown the coup. The angel who had forgone her ornamental wings merely arched a cool brow. She seemed more preoccupied with the new arrivals than she was with her partner, which Adair found laughable. Distractedly, Adair's attention was firmly stolen by Klavier, who was suddenly all up in her face.
Adair scowled murderously, wondering what she would have to resort to, just so the man would stop invading her personal space. She idly considered the thought of subtly dropping hints that she didn't wash her hands after she used the bathroom. That would ward him off immediately, or at least she hoped. Spying Sophie's gloves Adair entertained the feeling of envy she'd felt at how they'd covered everything up to her elbows. A genuine snort nearly made its way up through her dainty nostrils. She wondered if she wore those gloves, how else Klavier would obtain his information. The image of him hovering awkwardly around her neck area and Daray looking as if he dared Klavier to even think about it.
While Adair's hand and mind were being usurped by Klavier - she had to watch him ever so carefully - Sophie had made quick work of the distraction, deciding the girl who was obviously enamoured with Adair not a threat. Her dismissal was not so harsh, as she still observed how the girl seemed completely oblivious to the man who was transparently smitten with her. Sidling closer to Daray who had his large arms crossed over his broad chest, she whispered softly into his ear, "Are those two an item?" she murmured, looking from under her long dark lashes at Klavier, who held Lind in a certainly reverance Sophie was nearly certain not even a god would be graced with. Daray looked down at her, she was so petite when he did that. A smirk tilted his lips, and his leaned down whispering back in her ear, as if planning a conspiracy. "Ha! Klavier wishes," a dramatic pause here that was slightly mocking, as if they were both elitist socialites. Amusement kindled in his eyes at having a partner in crime. "Lind wouldn't give him the time of day. It's quite one-sided, but Klavier compensates that with more than enough bite. The last time I started some harmless flirting with her, he glared daggers at me. Almost as cold as Adair's." he chuckled ruefully. "Harmless flirting? I doubt that." she said cynically. "In either case she doesn't look like she even notices."
"I know. But I wonder if it's lack of interest in him or outright ignorance... Can you imagine? Klavier being brushed aside like that?" As Klavier bent down to kiss Adair's hand, Sophie had a flash of inspiration, bright and sparkling. Daray caught the mischief in her twinkling eyes and playfully spun her, as if in a dance. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" he asked suggestively, trailing his fingers down the length of her arm. She glared at him balefully, but smirked despite herself. "With that tone and leer of yours probably not." she said firmly. "But if you were thinking that we find out how she reacts when I flirt with him, than we've got ourselves a plan, don't we?" Daray laughed with rancour, but Sophie frowned a little, wondering "But what shall we have you do? I mean, you can hardly help me." She laughed as she saw his suddenly stern gaze. "None of that," he insisted "But as for me, I'll be adding fuel to the fire, as usual. Don't worry, I'll hardly be a hindrance." Sophie nodded, and it was as if the deal with sealed with Adair's bored, knowing and slightly chiding look that was slyly sent their way.
"Have we had enough dawdling?" Adair drawled slowly, now instead of seeming cold and sharp as a winter queen, she was lazy and uncaring. "I'm debriefing you all for a mission. Klavier, your mission is being handled by someone else." A malcious flash of annoyance made itself clear on her pretty face. "It was so mediocre, I have to have a word with the people who handle the lower class missions." This was of course not to demean Klavier, for even as much as she suspected him, she would be a fool to call him incompetent. Adair had taken to giving missions of vital importance, whereas others delegated income missions, high paying but to someone like Klavier and Lind, child's play. She sent him a brief look of appraisal, and even the smallest token of approval. He would know what she'd meant. "But you're all being sent to the Elven kingdom." A soft gasp from Daray forced her rubied gaze on him as soft hurt reflected in his eyes only for her. "Me too, Adair?" he seemed so much like a large child at this time, although a small part of her couldn't blame him. It'd been many years since they'd been separated for any mission. "You too Daray." a firm look and he nodded, duty straightening his spine like puppet strings.
She handed them each mission scrolls, standing up and discreetly brushing Sophie as she handed it to her. "Jabari's the mission leader." and then: "Open it later." Adair breezed away, standing near the window and sighing. "You're all going to the Elven palace, like I said. Klavier, you're Severon's former student, and he's the shadow king to the place after all. It should be easy for you to infiltrate and pretend like nothing's wrong, or is there something you wish to tell me first?" it would more or less be addressed later. "Sophie, you and Jabari are going as well. Have some sort of cover as to why you're there with each other. Arrive at different times, if need be. But you'll all have to meet up somehow, discuss your findings. Spy on the new Woodland Deity, and most of all, get as much information as you can from Severon." she met Klavier's eyes as she said this.
"That's all. For now. We'll meet back here in a few hour's time, you'll get the memo. Sophie, get the directive to Jabari. Dismissed."
Adair watched them file out until only Daray remained. "Why are you doing this?" he asked very quietly, looking at her with gentle grey eyes. A soft breath made its way through her lips as she suppressed all the emotions she would dney ever having. "Because I trust you, Daray. I trust you to watch Klavier, to be careful. It would be most efficient if I myself could go, but..." she looked up at him as she said this. "I can't." He walked around her desk to reach her side, very close but not daring to touch her.
"I know."
----
Sophie moved quickly, her heels clicking loudly on the polished marble floors, so that if she looked down she could see black and white reflections of herself, although for a strange reason the bloodstains were still there in red, despite the shades of grey she was shown with in that other mirrored world. She caught sight of his retreating back, dark and angry even from here. Now is not the time for games she thought to herself and strided up to him with only the promise of cameraderie and truce in mind. "There's a mission for us. You're the team leader, read it." she said softly, already opening it. As she unraveled the scroll, an extra scrap of paper flitted down, nearly missed and she bent down to pick it up, showing it to him.
In a neat scrawl, there wrote in Adair's hand:
Objective: Watch Daray.