Where the Heart Is, Part 17

Now that you've laid the trap for yourself that the heroines requested, you take a more relaxed stroll through the city streets. It's hard to relax completely, now that you know malicious eyes are watching you from above. But you show no outward sign of trepidation. Instead, you wind your way back toward Elianna's orphanage. Then, in a display of your own acrobatic skill, you make a series of leaps and clambering that ends with you pulling yourself up onto a rooftop that overlooks the place from a distance.

You settle into a relaxed sitting position, as the sun dips lower in the sky, staining the clouds orange. It isn't long before you hear a small figure alight behind you. Mockingbird takes a similar path to yours, but her movements are far more silent, barely audible even to your ears. When she jumps, it's with a graceful ease that makes your own acrobatics seem lumbering in comparison. You don't let on that you've detected her, though. Instead, you wait until she finally speaks.

"What are you doing here?" she demands, wary as ever.

"I finished leaving the messages with my contacts," you say, leaning forward a little, pensively. "Now it's just a waiting game, to see if the demon takes the bait. So until something happens, I... wanted to check on Elianna. To watch over her, as best I can. It's the least I could do, after all the kindness she's shown to a thief like me."

That last remark definitely gets under Mockingbird's skin, further rubbing in all the painful parallels between Kavia and herself. And she's seen your "Kavia" persona receive the affection from Elianna that young Polly wants so desperately... but can no longer have. At least, not in the way she wants it. Not as her true self. Not as long as her fear and shame keep her hidden behind her "Mockingbird" persona.

Her agitation draws her a few steps closer to you. "I still don't trust you, you know..." she grouses. "How do I know you're not really here to watch the Holy Mother, so you can lay your plans to do... to do... to do lewd things for your real master?"

You glance back over your shoulder at her. "Really..." you say, arching an eyebrow skeptically. "And just what 'lewd things' do you think someone like me could even attempt, that would work against someone as righteous and holy as Mother Elianna?"

"I... That's not..." Mockingbird protests, floundering for a response. "I... I didn't say it would work on her, I... I just..."

You watch in amusement as she struggles for the right words. Until finally the halfling walks over to the edge of the roof, looking out at the distant orphanage. Her shoulders slump, and somehow her tiny figure seems even smaller than before.

"I... know she seems so powerful and perfect..." Mockingbird finally says, her voice now a shadow of its former self. "Like nothing could ever hurt her. But that's... not true. It's not true because... because she is a good person. Because she trusts people. Even when they don't deserve it at all. And that makes it way, way too easy for... for bad people to take advantage of that trust."

Since her back is turned toward you, you allow yourself a small wince. It's obvious who she's really taking about here. She gazes out at the orphanage, at her old home... and in that moment she just seems so pitiful and hollow. Like she left a piece of herself behind there, when she ran away in her shame. A piece of herself that she has never been able to get back in all the years since, and can only long for from a distance.

"That's why she needs someone to look out for her," continues Mockingbird, conviction now entering her pained voice. "Someone who won't get fooled by smooth-talking scum like that demon. If he so much as tries to lay a finger on her, I'll... I'll..."

She struggles to come up with a suitable threat. And watching her try, you get the distinct impression that for all her bluster, and however prodigious her skills as a thief are... the young halfling doesn't actually have much experience—if any—in straight-up killing.

"...I'll stop him," she eventually finishes, clenching her fists. "No matter what. Whatever it takes. I won't ever let anyone hurt her. And I won't ever, ever, ever betray her."

Even if you hadn't already seen the memory of how they parted for yourself, you're pretty sure you still could have heard the unspoken "again" lingering painfully at the end of what she just said.

Now you shift over to sit closer to her, reaching up to place a hand on her shoulder. "Then we're on the same side," you tell her, even as she startles, then turns to look at you. "I swear it, Mockingbird. I don't want anyone to hurt her either. Let's make sure that never happens. Together."

As she looks into your eyes, you subtly work the tip of your thumb in to brush against her neck. As with Elianna, you start extremely small and subtle with the aphrodisiac. Just enough to ignite desires that could plausibly be natural. Her mask hides the top half of her face, but even from what you can see, it's obvious that she's blushing at the unexpected intimacy.

Still, you can't afford for any growing attraction to be too obvious yet. So after letting that sit for a second or two, you lighten the mood. "So then..." you say, as though musing. "Exactly what sort of 'lewd things' were you talking about earlier, that we should we be on the lookout for this sex demon to try? We should have an idea what our enemy might be planning, if we want to stop him."

Mockingbird splutters, taken aback by the sudden turn in the conversation. "What? I... that... I was just... I only meant... you know! Lewd things!"

It was already pretty obvious that the reclusive, isolated young halfling had basically no real experience in such matters. You can tell a virgin from a mile away. But you act as though Kavia has only just realized this. Your face displays the perfect blending of understanding... with just the tiniest hint of smugness. "Oh. Oh, I see. Well... it's nothing to be ashamed of. We all develop at our own pace. I can help you fill in for some of that knowledge in our planning against this fiend."

The rogue is, at this point, practically vibrating with barely-suppressed exasperation and embarrassment. But it's not like she can dispute anything you're saying, not without exposing her inexperience even more. A strangled little sound emerges from her throat, but it doesn't form into coherent words, only an expression of adorable aggravation. She is definitely fun to tease.

Also—fun aside—this will give even more teeth to the rivalry you're developing: an area of capability where Kavia really does outstrip even the famous Mockingbird. Something you can use to distract her from the feelings developing underneath... while still keeping her thoughts dwelling on you at the same time.

"I... I don't need to know the... the details of all that to be her guard!" protests Mockingbird, only growing more flustered and distracted the longer the conversation circles these topics. "The whole point is to catch him before it even gets that far!"

"Are you sure? I think knowing those details could give you insight into the strategies he might employ," you respond patiently. A level of obvious, kindly patience which—of course—only annoys her even more.

For the next half-hour or so, you draw the halfling into even more protracted bickering, going back and forth with her in a verbal sparring match filled with enjoyable—albeit utterly acerbic—banter. And since suspicion and exasperation are similar enough emotions... you doubt she even realizes that the latter is ever-so-slowly supplanting the former.

Eventually, you even manage to goad her into straight-up grabbing you by the front of your tunic, bringing her face even closer to yours to make her point. Though any intimidation does take a hit from the fact that, even standing, she isn't any taller than you, sitting down. Still, she does try her best. And it makes you wonder how much more physical contact you can coax out from this insubordinate little bitch!

You clench your fist, using raw willpower to fight back the sickening waves of anger at this female who dared to lay her hands on you so impertinently. Bile rises in the back of your throat.Shit! You had hoped that the damage done to the Incubus King's soul by the succubi destroying his artifact would last for longer. But he's clearly recovering.

And with as many runes as are now active... it probably won't be long before he's stronger than ever.

Mockingbird blinks, confused by your sudden silence. You bow your head, feigning pain to explain away the flash of twisted fury. "I'm... sorry. Just... had a bit of a headache all of a sudden. It's... been a long day."

You probably shouldn't push it any farther today. In fact, your excuse aside, you really do need to decide on where you want to spend the night. There's only one safe vial left, and it's the very next one in the case of holy water. One way or another, either you or Mockingbird will likely use it up tonight.

Which means that either tonight or tomorrow night, you'll need to start making excuses for why Kavia is completely avoiding the protection of the safehouse, as well as reporting to Alicia. And that will probably start getting suspicious in short order. On the other hand, spending the night at the rectory is the obvious choice if you're more concerned with feeding, with replenishing your Lust to give you more options in the face of whatever does happen tomorrow.

There's also the question of whether you want to use your dreamwalking power tonight—and if so, on who. Now that you've seen one of your stalkers with your own eyes, you could search their memories for in-depth details of their location and plans. Or alternatively, if you instead content yourself with whatever the ratfolk might or might not learn, you could instead use the opportunity to make even more progress on swaying either of your targets.

Any combination will likely have its own set of dangers. Including some dangers you can't yet see. But one way or another, you'll need to make the best guess that you can.