The aether carried her swiftly to the City of Mages, from there she would have to travel on foot. Maggy swore lightly, tonight she would remember to mark a rune to the professor's house. The wrought iron gate groaned and protested as she yanked it shut behind her and headed through the dark towards Von Cross' estate.
Maggy ran the most of the way until she was breathless and standing before his door. There were no lights on inside, a sudden reminder of how late it was and she paused before pounding on the aged oak. "Professor! Professor!" Her hand was red and raw before it finally cracked open. Von Cross stood there, bewildered. He held a lantern up, nightcap askew, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and squinting, "Marguerite?"
"Don't stand there gaping, child. Come in, you're the one knocking doors down at unreasonable hours." He stepped aside and with a sweep of his arm, all candles were lit. Maggy blinked, trying to adjust to the sudden light. Von Cross disappeared and returned with his spectacles and some tea.
"Now," he yawned, "what is so important, that you must interrupt my beauty sleep?" He gave her a stern look over his glasses and she sunk lower on the chair.
Ten minutes ago she was all but ready to kick his door down for an answer and now Maggy found herself barely squeaking out the words. "I need to show you something, and I need you to tell me what it is..." her voice trailed off. Von Cross pushed himself out of the chair and limped over to her.
She showed him the mark on her shoulder and after several long minutes he snorted. "So you got a tattoo and now you don't know what it is? Kids today....." he shuffled to the other side of the table. "Not the first time someone's gotten 'Minax Rules' or some other nonsense printed on their backside and regretted it..." he was waggling his finger at her.
Maggy cut him off, "But I didn't get a tattoo. It wasn't there before today." Von Cross' brows shot up. He turned, frowning, and walked back to look again."If you didn't have someone do that, how did it get there? Things like that just don't appear by themselves."
"But it did," Maggy was scowling. She told him about Peter. He listened quietly, arms tucked into the sleeves of his robe. His nightcap was dangerously close to falling off his head and she supressed a giggle.
"He bears the same mark? And you are responsible for it?' Von Cross pulled a book from the shelf and dropped it onto the table.
"So you don't know what this is?" Maggy asked.
"Oh, I do, actually." His eyes darkened and his whole demeanor changed. Maggy fought the urge to flee.
Maggy ran the most of the way until she was breathless and standing before his door. There were no lights on inside, a sudden reminder of how late it was and she paused before pounding on the aged oak. "Professor! Professor!" Her hand was red and raw before it finally cracked open. Von Cross stood there, bewildered. He held a lantern up, nightcap askew, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and squinting, "Marguerite?"
"Don't stand there gaping, child. Come in, you're the one knocking doors down at unreasonable hours." He stepped aside and with a sweep of his arm, all candles were lit. Maggy blinked, trying to adjust to the sudden light. Von Cross disappeared and returned with his spectacles and some tea.
"Now," he yawned, "what is so important, that you must interrupt my beauty sleep?" He gave her a stern look over his glasses and she sunk lower on the chair.
Ten minutes ago she was all but ready to kick his door down for an answer and now Maggy found herself barely squeaking out the words. "I need to show you something, and I need you to tell me what it is..." her voice trailed off. Von Cross pushed himself out of the chair and limped over to her.
She showed him the mark on her shoulder and after several long minutes he snorted. "So you got a tattoo and now you don't know what it is? Kids today....." he shuffled to the other side of the table. "Not the first time someone's gotten 'Minax Rules' or some other nonsense printed on their backside and regretted it..." he was waggling his finger at her.
Maggy cut him off, "But I didn't get a tattoo. It wasn't there before today." Von Cross' brows shot up. He turned, frowning, and walked back to look again."If you didn't have someone do that, how did it get there? Things like that just don't appear by themselves."
"But it did," Maggy was scowling. She told him about Peter. He listened quietly, arms tucked into the sleeves of his robe. His nightcap was dangerously close to falling off his head and she supressed a giggle.
"He bears the same mark? And you are responsible for it?' Von Cross pulled a book from the shelf and dropped it onto the table.
"So you don't know what this is?" Maggy asked.
"Oh, I do, actually." His eyes darkened and his whole demeanor changed. Maggy fought the urge to flee.
Last edited by a moderator: