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They always seemed to forget, or perhaps it was just that they’d never cared enough to consider it.
Nelli was well known for her eavesdropping, well known for her ability to command total awareness of the goings on around her. But what they all failed to remember, was that Eva had her own mastery over Auspex, and the breadth of awareness that allowed.
So, when Victor and Jasper stepped into another room, they believed they were in privacy, unaware that Eva was listening to every word.
Victor’s reaction wasn’t surprising, of course he cared about the Truce first, about maintaining the fragile state of the battle ground he called a city.
But Jasper?
He was going to deal with her? Make sure that it didn’t happen again unless they wanted it to? Tidy her away onto a shelf like a weapon, that they could bring back out to point at their enemies whenever they chose?
He was going to make sure it didn’t happen again. He was going to block her from the ley lines. He was going to take away her path to Strauss, to hurting him.
When they came back out, she smiled, playing along with Victor’s fragile cover.
But when Eva and Jasper left the club, she pressed a hand to her shattered ribs, told him that she had healing to do.
It wasn’t a lie, not really, she told herself. Her injuries were severe.
She could see the concern in his eyes, the hesitance at the thought of leaving her alone. But they had always respected each other’s space.
So, she walked away.
The once White Witch slipped into the shadows, disappearing from her Nosferatu.
As he did the same, she focused, drawing on her Beast to allow her to track his movements as he headed deep into the city.
To keep the deception, the lie Victor had begun, he was in search of blue roses.
With the confirmation that he did intend to go into the city, Eva downed a vial of Essence of Air, allowing the wind to carry her up and away towards the depths of Griffith Park.
As she flew, weightless and blessedly free from the drowning sense of unreleased rage, she mused on what would happen where she to continue with her current course of action.
One way or another, the people she loved would be affected.
But then…they weren’t giving her another choice.
The journey to the park was long, but calming, a sense of purpose settling over her as she alighted gently outside the back entrance to Jasper’s haven.
He was right, she knew the way out, which meant she also knew the way in.
Passing through a multitude of corridors, through the twisting, contorting walls of the Labyrinth proper, she made her way to the black mirror.
Coming to a dead stop as she saw the inky surface.
Running a hand over the frame, she saw in her minds eye the moment Jasper’s hands had shattered it.
Would things have been better if he never went to Hester, never had the mirror repaired?
They would like to have her believe that, but they didn’t trust her, didn’t see her connection with the ley lines. How they sang for her and guided her power and fury into fulfilling the desires she funnelled into them.
Steeling her resolve, Eva stepped through, losing herself in the sensations of the Abyss running over her, through her.
When she came out the other side, the ley lines shone brighter than ever. Drawing her closer, like tiny beams of starlight, each humming their own melody.
The now real statue of the Gargoyle seeming to stand guard against any who might think to stand in her way.
Stepping up to the stone slab, Eva ran her fingers gently over the most prominent of the lines, the Magic Castle.
To her, it felt as though as she reached out, the ley lines reached right back, whispering to her, begging her to give them purpose once more.
Placing a hand to her side, she examined the damage to her undead body, more out of curiosity than any further intent.
Turning over her hands, the blackened line across her palms served a reminder of the price all such things came at.
Digging through her bag, she pulled out a small piece of paper and a pen, sitting with her back against the stone as she began to write.
It didn’t take long, no more than twenty lines on the page.
Not an apology, not even an explanation.
Just, a wish for understanding, and an acceptance that it might never come.
She thought for a moment before a small smile curved her lips, placing the letter delicately in the clawed hand of the Gargoyle.
Turning back to the ley lines, Eva’s hands began to spark, a shimmering field of electricity building around her.
The fizzling blue energy running over her skin, comforting and secure. A power she had earned, one she had learned for herself, and only for her.
The pure joy of being the epicentre of a storm.
Reaching out, her fingers hovered over the ley line for the Magic Castle, as her other hand finally came to rest over the line for the Observatory.
She couldn’t foresee exactly what would happen, the extent of the destruction that would be wrought. But only craters would remain of the Tremere Havens, she would make sure of that.
Eva was sure that Strauss wouldn’t even be physically affected. But he would know, he would receive the message loud and clear.
A final message from The Red Witch of Griffith Park.