A Private Correspondence (Morrigan, Thaddeus, Alfarinn)

Alfarinn listened to Thaddeus's explanation. He had not considered that possibility at all. Earlier in their relationship it might have been his first suspicion but that had passed a while ago, still he was glad Thaddeus was thoughtful enough to reassure him.

[Thank you. I didn't believe you were hiding me out of fear of being seen with me. Just it would be difficult to explain this without explaining the rest when asked how we came to meet. I don't think he'll be pleased but he'll have to know eventually. I understand that you respect him and I respect that.]

He reached a hand up to Thaddeus's cheek at the pause,brushing it briefly in a gesture of sympathy and gratitude.

[I know you want to tell him and this is difficult for you. You are a considerate man, Thaddeus Grey, despite your protests otherwise.]

Alfarinn let his hand drop as they followed once more after Morrigan.

Thaddeus fell quiet as they ascended the stair case, looking over the banister at the limited view below, and it was not until they reached the top that he sent again. He could still feel Alfarinn's fingertips on his cheek, and wanted to preserve that gesture of affection as well as the words his companion had sent.

[Thank you...your understanding means a great deal to me.]

He was not certain of what would happen when he told Sorin; he knew that the Elder had no great fondness for Evenhet in general, and according to Alfarinn the differences ran deeper than that between them in particular. Having a measure of mutual respect, if not for each other than at the very least for him, would go far in making this all a little easier. While he could not in all fairness expect Alfarinn's regard and Sorin's friendship with him to bridge the gap completely, it was encouraging to know that his companion respected his relationship with his Elder, if not the man himself.

Alfarinn had a way of being accepted and well liked, and Sorin could be pleasant and engaging; with only the slightest effort on both ends, Thaddeus could see the other side of what was sure to be a temporary tension.

Morrigan's heels continued to click on the floor ahead of them, but Thaddeus paused as she rounded the corner, heading down the hallway to her office. He reached up and traced the outline of Alfarinn's lower lip with his thumb before linking his hand with his lover's once again and following Morrigan's lead.

[I am quite glad we decided you should join me here tonight.]

Alfarinn watched his companion with a bit of sadness as they walked. His empathy might be misunderstood from time to time by his imperfect ability to interpret it but long term exposure to Sorin had left him with little doubts as to the man's character, those things led to the discovery of some of the man's dealings which were not all that savory from time to time. Alfarinn also held no delusions that Sorin cared for Emma, in fact, quite the opposite.

There was hope that Thaddeus would never find out such things though Alfarinn couldn't imagine that lasting much longer with him in the picture. The elder of the night was likely to take their relationship badly to put things mildly. What's more, Alfarinn couldn't get it out of his head that Sorin was mixed up in this in some way, despite never having found anything to point him in the man's direction.

He smiled at Thaddeus's touch, kissing the thumb gently before it was pulled away.

[I'm glad to be here.]

And he was, Alfarinn imagined that part of the stress of the evening would not be on them if he weren't here but on the other hand there was still plenty without him, including Simon's appearance at the front gate. If his presence helped in any way then he was glad to be here besides he found that he was happier in Thaddeus's presence than outside of it, no matter where they were.

Thaddeus schooled his expression away from the soft smile he wore when thinking particularly fond thoughts of Alfairnn as they approached the office door. Quickening their pace a bit to catch up to Morrigan's swift strides, they arrived just as the Elder managed the locks on her door and opened it.

This had been a trying night, and Thaddeus was not certain of how much more to expect. Alfarinn's presence helped a great deal, but there had been an air of underlying sadness to their walk, both caught in their worries as they were, and he felt the need to refocus and stay present. He looked over his shoulder at Alfarinn, meeting his eyes for a moment.

That seemed to be all he needed; he turned and walked through the door after Morrigan.

/ooc I forgot to say, permission to get these guys all in Morrigan's office :X. *crawls off to get diet pepsi*

Stepping through the office doorway, Morrigan gestured for her guests to enter. The room was elegantly furnished with large chocolate brown leather chairs facing an art deco desk behind which was a blood red dupioni silk upholstered wingback chair. Morrigan's tastes always ran with the more refined and she enjoyed mixing pieces reminiscent of many design eras. Her office was a prime example.

Do please make yourselves comfortable.

Rather than wait patiently at the door, Morrigan wandered over to the gramophone and set the needle on Villa-Lobos' Bachianas Brasilieras No. 2.

A little music never hurt..and it's helpful in thwarting the plans of eavesdroppers.

Morrigan gave a wry smile.

Thaddeus moved to one of the offered leather chairs, though he would wait until Morrigan was seated before he did the same. He allowed the corner of his mouth to turn up as chamber music filled the office space, recognizing the dual motive, and nodded in approval of both the selection and the reasoning.

It was not until he had taken his seat, thanking Morrigan with a nod of his head, that he realized just how distracted he must have been. The Elder had likely been to the library on important business of her own, and they had completely pulled her away from that. It seemed, good intentions or no, they were proving to be a disruption.

There was, however, little they could do about that now. It vaguely occurred to him that perhaps he should not concern himself so heavily with what were, in the scheme of things, small matters. Morrigan would quite likely forgive them a few minutes and seemed quite willing to avail herself, after all.

We appreciate your time, and your discretion.

Morrigan waved her hand.

My time is dedicated to my clan before anything else. You have no need to thank me for performing my duties as elder.

Despite her words, she smiled at Thaddeus in appreciation.

Discretion is something I must ask of both of you although I'm sure the requirement is something that does not truly need to be spoken. However, the same discretion was asked aloud of me long ago and I choose only to share the information in question with you for one reason - I firmly believe the person to whom I made the oath would allow this exception if it meant saving your life, Thaddeus.

She shifted in her chair and took on a more somber tone.

You asked if Lykaios was of Anantya. He is and he is not.

Morrigan looked into Alfarinn's eyes for a moment and considered if she should reveal this information in his presence. Remindng herself of the trust he had shown in entering her private office and the relationship he shared with the endangered vampire, she decided it was only proper he understood the nature of the situation. Returning her gaze to Thaddeus, she continued.

He was never officially admitted to the clan, but its blood is in his veins. Thaddeus...his maker was Emma.

Her body went cold at the admission.

He was turned in an act of desparation and kindness. Emma could not have known the sort of vampire he'd become. He was angry with her and bitter about his new life. This does happen to many of us, but with him it seemed only to get worse. I'm sure he felt that she did not regard him as a true heir which could only have angered him further. He disappeared and she made me swear not to speak of it.

Morrigan swallowed hard. Her mind reeled at the possible connections Lykaios had to this situation these two were researching.

I know this is a lot to process, but I need to understand why he would be pursuing you.

Alfarinn took a seat in the chair next to Thaddeus, listening to the music a moment as everyone settled into place. The polite exchange going on between them was more the Anantya that he remembered, though he'd have to admit it always had those that didn't quite fit the mold.

As Morrigan began to speak a feeling of foreboding came over him, it would seem that the person who had cautioned her against telling this information was no longer around...Emma? Did Emma know something of her attacker after all?

The rest of the tale was calmly told but the outcome was shocking. Never in all his mental wanderings would he have come to that conclusion. Emma made the Wolf. The very man who killed her was her child. The man bent on killing Thaddeus...was his brother.

Somewhere in his mind Alfarinn held out a small hope that the ring might simply be a trophy to the crazed murderer and that once it was back in his possession he would leave his lover alone. That feeble ray of light was smothered by this dark reality. If Lykaios hated Emma and what she made him to the point of killing vampires then he'd hate his brother more than most.

Rising slowly so as not to disturb the quiet of the room, Alfarinn came to stand behind Thaddeus's chair, resting his hands on his shoulders and looking down at him in concern.

[Beloved?]

In some distant part of Thaddeus's mind, he was aware of the odd fact that he could no longer feel the tips of his fingers. He wondered vaguely why it was so cold in the room, and suddenly wished for his gloves.

Where had he left his gloves, anyway? He had forgotten, and couldn't seem to think clearly enough to retrace his steps.

Instead, he reached up to his shoulder and found Alfarinn's hand, and even though his companion was self admittedly not much good for getting things warm, for some reason he felt a little less cold, he at least felt something now, and that was certainly encouraging.

He realized that he must have fallen silent for a rather long stretch, which was probably a little rude of him, and he wondered when he was going to stop being ridiculous. And Alfarinn was asking him...something, he wasn't quite sure of what, but it would probably be a good idea to answer him so as to prove he was not catatonic or out of his mind or something equally disturbing. Which he wasn't. He was fine. He turned up his head to look Alfarinn in the eyes, just to make that clear.

[My love.]

I've been...such an idiot.

That had, underneath various disjointed thoughts that didn't make much sense even to him, been his mantra of the past several moments. How could he not have seen this? He had looked into The Wolf's eyes and had -seen-, dammit, he had -known-...something, and he didn't know what but he should have realized, when Simon told them that The Wolf wanted the ring...that The Wolf had claimed...

My god. I've been such an idiot.

...had claimed that The Maker had -given- him the ring, as though that monster could call ripping the ring from Emma's dying hand a gift, and now he was after it as though he were entitled, as though he had the right, and suddenly Thaddeus was -furious- with that knowledge, almost as furious as he was with himself for being so blind.

[We need to call Simon.]

He looked up at Morrigan, sharp and focused, his jaw set.

Forgive me. This is most unexpected.

The Wolf most likely wants the Maker's ring and would probably find my death more than a little satisfying.

Anything beyond that is speculation. It is possible we are in the cross fire of a conflict between The Wolf and an accomplice. It is also possible that The Wolf is merely attempting to cover his trail.

There are two things, though, of which I am certain.

The Wolf is responsible for Emma's death.

He will never be responsible for another.

Alfarinn watched his companion silently, waiting for Thaddeus to work through this enough in his head to come up with some sort of response. The anger his companion felt was surprising. He expected the shock, and thinking on it, he knew that it would lead to anger but the swift transition left him a bit stunned. He could not see what his companion had to be upset with himself over but Thaddeus was likely to blame himself for not guessing this.

[You have been no such thing. This is hardly your fault, nor should you blame yourself for not knowing.]

"Thaddeus..." Alfarinn's voice was quiet and calm." There was no record, no mention.. and looking back we can see where this fits into what we've seen but as they say...hindsight is 20/20."

Squeezing his companion's shoulders lightly, he contemplated the thoughts Thaddeus had sent.

[Yes, we should.]

Alfarinn listened to Thaddeus's explanation to Morrigan and pointed out something the Anantya had forgotten.

[We had no told Morrigan we had Emma's ring. An explanation will be required.]

It would seem the whole story was likely to come out at this time, there was almost no help for it. Alfarinn sighed with the twists things continued to take but assured his companion.

[It is alright. I suppose it is time she knew the whole story, given the information we just received. Do you want me to explain?]

He wanted to give Thaddeus time to process this some more, and he could do that in silence while Alfarinn explained the details of how they came into this situation. He'd far rather do the talking himself than have the added stress of remembering everything put on his companion at the moment.

Thaddeus's vehemence was striking but Alfarinn didn't pull away, instead he tightened his hold on his lover's shoulders. Feeling Thaddeus's anger, Alfarinn sent his own love and support. He was willing to stand with him through whatever came up.

Thaddeus nodded in response to Alfarinn's assurances, though he still struggled with his thoughts on the matter. That they had been so close to the truth only to miss it completely was disturbing to him, and moreover he felt that some part of his mind -had- known, and he had pushed the thought away.

[I suppose it is hardly relevant now. We need to move forward.]

At Alfarinn's tactful observation, Thaddeus sighed, then realized that he was matching the Evenhet's gesture. It would have been amusing to see them sighing in tandem under any other circumstances; now it just seemed to amplify his mistake.

[Hell. You're right, of course. I am getting ahead of myself.]

Even knowing that he had just made a rather drastic error in the discussion, he still nearly declined Alfarinn's offer to explain before realizing that this is what the Evenhet would feel most comfortable doing. While he felt he ought to be the one to tell Morrigan the full story, in reality it simply made the most sense to have Alfarinn speak on the matter. His companion was a natural at this sort of thing, and if Thaddeus was to be honest with himself, he was likely to only make the situation worse by trying to explain in his current state of mind.

[I think that would be for the best...and would certainly be appreciated.]

He tightened his grip on the hand resting on his shoulder, realizing that he needed to rein in his fury if he wanted to be of any use at all. At that same moment, he felt a strengthening of Alfarinn's feelings through the bond, and relaxed into them as though they were an embrace.

Not too long ago, he had warned Simon of his path; how vengeance could change a person irrevocably. Now, he realized, he walked the same road. His own cold readiness to kill was suddenly worrisome to him, and he wondered just how far gone he was.

[Alfarinn...]

He was not quite sure of what he wanted to ask his lover; he only knew that something critical was hanging in the balance, that the smallest thing could push him into darkness.

And he was not certain of which direction he would need to go in order to do what he must do. That rage beneath the surface may be exactly what he needed in order to end this once and for all, but in the process he could lose himself completely.

[Stay with me. Please.]

Morrigan expected some level of disdain from Thaddeus, but his reaction was still surprising. Less surprising was the revelation that his dark brother was Emma's killer. It was not one of Morrigan's early considerations, but it was certainly a well-fitting piece to the puzzle. Of most concern was Thaddeus' self-depreciation and resolve for Lykaios' death. While he was certainly justified in the pursuit, Thaddeus would find it a difficult task to say the least. His protection from himself as well as Lykaios would need to be attended to quickly. She looked at him with eyes of understanding.

Alfarinn is quite right. There is no way you could have truly known. Blaming yourself now will do nothing to change that.

She leaned forward.

What we can do is use the information to keep you better prepared for the dangers you may face. We also need some type of hard evidence against him to sanction his capture. His fate after that...will be grim at best. How did you discover he was the villain? And what have you to support a possible accomplice?

Morrigan waited in complete stillness hoping to hear something of the missing pieces for which she had been searching so long.

Alfarinn sensed the change in Thaddeus's emotions and from the words sent to him he could guess the feelings he was having were frightening to him. He could understand and sympathize with that.

[I'm right here and will be no matter what comes of this.]

If ever he wished to be able to wrap his arms around Thaddeus while telling him these things it would be now and it ate at him that he couldn't. However, Alfarinn decided this was selfish of him and pushed aside his own wants to do what he little he could to help comfort his companion while here. Later, he promised himself that he would hold Thaddeus all night if it eased some of his lover's worries.

He didn't know what to say to ease the pain. There was a great deal of doubt in his mind that Thaddeus would indeed kill the Wolf in cold blood if he had the chance, especially allowing time for this revelation to settle. Of course brooding on it might make it worse and allow his companion to see the injustice of it all, hate nurtured is powerful but that didn't seem like Thaddeus, perhaps he was wrong but he thought more than anything Thaddeus would want to know why. He knew he would... why... Why murder this one you claimed to love? Alfarinn had asked a similar question long ago and the answer to the question did spur his anger enough to kill. The Wolf's answer, should they ever get a chance to ask such a thing, was likely to stir the same feelings in Thaddeus. Alfarinn knew the guilt that came afterwards and resolved to be there, not that he had any plans to the contrary.

[I'm here]

He held onto the hand in his firmly to demonstrate he had no plans of letting go.

Alfarinn looked up at Morrigan then to begin his explanation.

"Mai found Emma's maker's ring and in the course of trying to find out what happened in the ruins so long ago, Thaddeus contacted me. I gave him what information I had from that time and once he concluded I was not the murderer we both worked on this investigation together. "

Alfarinn sighed and continued.

"As you may recall both Emma and I were psychometrists, Thaddeus and I are the same as well. We combined our abilities with decent effect. It gave us leads that neither of us had before. There were images and feelings of two men. One seems to clearly be the Wolf according to the description of him that we've been given. The other we have no face for, simply a hand holding the ring and an apartment somewhere downtown near the House of Pain. We are pretty certain this belongs to our second person. Nor do we know the exact involvement of the second individual. The best guess was that he hired the Wolf to kill Emma and the ring was demanded as proof.

The second person dropped the ring again purposefully so that it would be found. The reasons for this elude us but perhaps this second person wants us to find and kill the Wolf thus freeing himself of any blame.

So.. to answer your questions. We don't have much evidence other than what we saw and felt from the ring. That is why we hoped our trail would lead us to more before we pulled in support from our clans. Unfortunately we have no way of knowing who this second person is. At least we now know that the Wolf isn't really a member of Anantya."

Alfarinn frowned and added. "Blood or no. His spirit never belonged here"

Alfarinn shrugged at this point and looked down at Thaddeus.

[I'm afraid you should tell it from here, Love, Simon is the one who clarified things about the Wolf and is the one who let us know he was after the ring and you as well. I'll continue it if you don't feel up to it but Simon's appearance and our chat in the limo is sure not to have gone unnoticed. ]

Alfarinn pushed away the strand of hair the fell forward and brushed Thaddeus's cheek, tucking it safely behind his ear with his free hand. He continued to look down though, watching his companion for any signs that he should take over the story once more, sending all the support and love he could muster, which considering his feelings for Thaddeus... was a great deal.

[Thank you.]

He wondered once again at Alfarinn's capacity to give even in this situation, though at this moment he could not even bring himself to question it, and doubting was the furthest thing from his mind.

Feeling the grip on his shoulder as he listened to Alfarinn's telling, he allowed his head to bow in thought. He found himself unsure of what to do with this new knowledge, how this would ultimately change their plans, though he was certain Simon needed to know. Giving The Wolf exactly what he wanted rather than a piece of the puzzle changed the situation for the Tacharan, and could potentially put him at more risk from The Wolf. Though at this point Thaddeus could see no other option save to continue on, both for their sakes and Simon's, he felt Simon may need more protection of his own.

Thaddeus looked up at Alfarinn's prompting, his thoughts a bit more orderly and calm now that the initial shock had worn off. A part of him longed to lock himself in a room somewhere and spend some time just thinking this all through, but for the moment he catalogued the things to be considered at a better time and brought forth what must be said and done in this moment.

There is more. Armed with the knowledge we sensed from the ring, we began investigating possible leads. In the course of this, we were contacted by a man named Simon Huntington, of Tacharan. Apparently The Wolf had approached him for help in finding the Maker's ring, and Simon chose to inform us that he was looking for it. In retrospect, of course, that part makes more sense; The Wolf apparently claimed that the ring was his, that it was...given to him...He gritted his teeth at that memory....but was later stolen.

At the time, though, we assumed, because the ring would only be of value to Emma's descendant, that The Wolf wanted it for another purpose; to track down the ring's owner. I suppose in light of new information one could argue that The Wolf may, indeed, merely want the ring for himself, but this is something I doubt very much considering his willingness and desire to kill. Simon told us that The Wolf was dangerous, psychotic even, and I do not believe such a vampire would be willing to suffer my presence once he has the ring in hand.

In light of this knowledge, Simon agreed to help us further. He was willing to give The Wolf the ring so that Alfarinn and I might follow his movements, to see if he would lead us to his accomplice. We then began to prepare for the eventuality that The Wolf would seek me out instead.

That brings us up to this evening. We turned over the ring, now fitted with a tracking device, to Simon's care, and we await word from him. When he makes contact with The Wolf, he will make us aware so that we can be in position. Or, that was the original plan. Things have, obviously, changed.

He paused for a moment, going over everything said, wondering for the second time that evening if he had left anything out of the telling. Finally, he looked up at Morrigan once again.

I know it appears that we have put a great deal of faith in Simon; we have, it is true, but that trust is merited.

Morrigan looked to be in deep thought.

I hope you are correct...for all of our sakes. If he is to be trusted, he may also be in danger.

She paused and seemed to stare into nothingness for a moment as this new information swirled around in her head and landed on the pages of her mind. So much of this had filled in some missing parts to the story, but others were left glaringly blank. Still, she was ever so much closer.

It seems we have shared the same pursuit though I must say my path has been much less eventful. I, too, have been seeking the truth to this tragedy that has been my passion from the very beginning. I also know it has been difficult to remove the masks of our assassins and while their identities have remained unknown trust in others has not been easy to give. My deepest thanks for bestowing that gift upon me.

She nodded politely to both men.

This apartment...is the building across from the House of Pain?

Thaddeus nodded in agreement with Morrigan's assessment of Simon's vulnerability.

Yes, we will need to inform Simon of the latest developments; the risk may indeed be greater than we originally believed for him, though I do think we need to continue with our plan.

Thaddeus reasoned that he should not be surprised that Morrigan was conducting her own investigation on the matter at hand; it was not, after all, as though Emma's murder would simply be forgotten. He supposed that what he found surprising was that he had not been aware. Morrigan had been discreet indeed...though up to this point he had been as well.

I should thank you for your open mind in this matter.

He sighed at the mention of the apartment. Matters had simply moved too quickly to get around to a meticulous investigation of the area, but now Thaddeus wondered if they should have pushed harder to spare the time.

We are not precisely sure of the location of the apartment; we only know that it provides a view of the House of Pain. Realistically speaking, it could be any of several buildings. We had planned to investigate the matter further, but the process would have been time consuming at best, lengthy and dangerous at worst.

[I likely should not be hatching plans when intoxicated. That night seems so long ago, doesn't it?]

Even so...it needs doing, one way or another.

Alfarinn looked thoughtfully at Morrigan and waited until Thaddeus finished his explanation before asking.

"It is very likely across the street, though what street, as Thaddeus said, we do not know. Is there some reason you asked?"

It seemed to him an odd question to make simply out of the blue and he wondered what the Elder of the Rose might know, if it led to their second person then he'd feel that much better. Alfarinn was not at all happy with the thoughts of the Wolf not leading them to the second party in this matter and that leaving someone out there that still might want to see Thaddeus dead. Just the thoughts of it made him look down to assure himself his companion was sitting safely in front of him.

Alfarinn smirked at Thaddeus's mental suggestion but disagreed.

[I think it was an excellent plan and as I recall you had several ideas that night that were of great importance. Perhaps we should get you drunk more often?] Chuckling inwardly, he continued. [Of course, I'd understand if you prefer not to, so long as you continue having such sterling revelations then I think we won't need to induce any with alcohol.]

Nodding at the statement, Alfarinn replied.

"Yes, I suppose we can continue that as planned. -After- the Wolf is taken care of. "

There was no way he'd feel comfortable with Thaddeus flying so far away from him from window to window in a place that might contain a person ready for him and until the Wolf was dead even that small bit of seperation would make him twice as anxious.

Morrigan was not surprised Alfarinn had clued in on her pointed question. She leaned back in her chair and rested her hands on the armrests as she spoke.

I ask because my research has pointed to Anantya taking up residence within certain buildings in that area. I strongly believe this accomplice may have been doing so in that specific building and in one of my visits there I do recall a glimpse of the club.

There is no question you are aware that investigation of the apartments facing the House of Pain will help us narrow the search by matching the angle of view to the vision you had when sensing the ring. When we have discovered the correct apartment, the documents I have procured will allow us to match the apartment to the owner. There is the possibility this person is no longer renting the apartment which is why I have collected records detailing as far back as when the building was constructed.

Morrigan frowned.

I do believe this accomplice is within the clan. Tracking Emma would have been quite difficult without certain information. If Lykaois had a personal desire to hurt her, he likely would have done so earlier had he known how to find her. This is why I have not alerted anyone else in the clan to my search - I very well could have been giving confession to the enemy.

She interlaced her fingers as her elbows rested on the arms of the chair.

I agree, Lykaois should be dealt with before we pursue the matter of the accomplice further. He is too dangerous to leave unwatched.

Thaddeus smirked inwardly at the suggestion of getting drunk more often.

[I think my drunken schemes are fairly hit or miss. I had this brilliant plan that involved behaving myself and -not- falling for a certain tall handsome blonde. It failed utterly.]

His light tone did not last long. Though the possibility of the person responsible being Anantya had been brought up before, it still came as something of a blow to hear Morrigan speak the suspicion out loud. The thread of hope that this was the act of a clanless vampire was beginning to unravel, and Thaddeus could almost feel the blood of both brother and clansman on his hands already.

That is a difficult thought to entertain, though of course we must. Not wishing something to be true changes nothing.

[She knows something she is not saying. Or at the very least she has a specific suspect, or suspects, in mind that our evidence, when obtained, would confirm or deny.]

Thaddeus leaned forward, elbows on knees, and pinched the bridge of his nose between thumb and forefinger.

I must put an end to my own brother. Is it so much to ask that I not be forced to consider one of my clansman as well?

Yet even as he thought, his active mind was flickering through the possibilities in a way he had never permitted before. Who would have something to gain from Emma's death? What possible motive would an Anantya have for murdering not just one of their own, but an Elder and a truly remarkable woman, well loved and respected within her clan? He shook his head. Was this all some random act of cruelty?

How many times had he looked this person in the eyes? He could only hope it was an Anantya he had never met.

It seems so utterly senseless to me, though I suppose such things always are. Even so...the motivations elude me on all sides.

He straightened up and tilted his head to one side, choosing his next words carefully.

But let us for the moment say no more on that particular subject; there will be more to discuss when we have more evidence. He lifted his chin slightly, regarding Morrigan with grave seriousness. You are wise to be discreet, even now, even with us.

I think we are all agreed that Lykaois is quite enough to deal with at this time in any case.

It served no purpose to press Morrigan about her suspicions right this moment, in the first place because she could be incorrect but also because they needed independent proof. Trying to prove someone guilty was a very different scenario than looking with an open mind at the facts. Furthermore, there was the very distinct possibility that Morrigan was exactly right, and at this point the more people who knew, the greater the risk for everyone.

Alfarinn smirked at Thaddeus and sent

[Was that brilliant plan hatched while sober or drunk? See I'm thinking that was done while sober in which case perhaps getting you drunk is a good thing after all...unless you plan on falling for another blonde...because if that's the case, no more drinking for you. ] He chuckled inwardly at this thought, Thaddeus seemed generally all too happy not to drink.

Instead of feeling a sense of vindication at Morrigan's confirmation of his theory about the second person being in Anantya, Alfarinn felt worry. If this person began to suspect that Thaddeus's absence had anything to do with Emma's death then his companion's life might be in even more danger than they knew.

"It might be reasonable to assume this person is either in The Order of the Night..which is most likely or the Order of the Rose. Someone with knowledge of Emma's whereabouts...as well as my own..."

Alfarinn frowned thoughtfully at that.

"Sent the letter to me. The image I got from the letter itself when I opened it was of a woman's hand and a vague sense of unease but while that could be the qualms for doing this thing, I saw another person standing behind her and.. when the letter was finished..I saw her turn and a hand reach for her throat..her hand was still on the paper." He sighed and frowned. It had told him nothing at the time, the person either coerced her to write the letter by force or persuasion of some sort and then killed her but that did not help him figure out who the person was. "The one thing that I am certain of was that she's dead."

Looking down at his companion, he said quietly. "We might be able to get more off of it if we tried together but only after the Wolf is gone and only if you're up to it." Alfarinn squeezed Thaddeus's shoulder gently.

"Thank you for trusting me enough to include me in this information, Morrigan. I know things haven't always been easy between the clans. It does mean a lot to me." He looked up at the elder of Anantya and gave her a nod and a small smile.