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[Niles is waiting in the alleyway, on ground level for once. He's very font of traveling on rooftops then dropping down to land beside or behind people he's meeting just to see them jump, but there's no sense in doing that to Henry. First off he's not sure he'd even get a reaction. Henry was fairly unflappable from what Niles has seen of him. He once grabbed a hot baking sheet that Niles had just removed from the oven bare handed without even flinching. Secondly, no reason to pointlessly antagonize him when he was asking for favors. Instead he greets Henry like a sensible person, with an inviting wave.]

So, what's your specialty, magically speaking?

[Were he to try to get the drop on Henry, Niles's anticipation of his reaction is pretty spot-on. Since he predicts Niles and only Niles, it's most likely he would only laugh — jump reflexively, but laugh. Were it a surprise ambush, there might be some other kind of reaction honed by one who grew up on the battlefield. It's easy to predict.

Niles cuts right to the point, and Henry smiles at him.]

Well, I started with Abjuration, believe it or not. [He raises a finger.] I've always known how important dispelling and countercurses are, from early on! So compared to Azura, I'm not so different, defensively. Buuuut I've been placing a heck of a lot of study into Necromancy and Evocation nowadays... So, those are my specialties, too!

[He says he's practicing Necromancy so easily, behind this shop, with no fear of consequence. Not terribly wise, but Henry's not known for his perfect subtlety.

Still holding the idea that this is about offensive magic, Henry nods.]

I've got fire and ice spells aplenty, but I'm even working on some injurious and gruesome necromantic spells that pack a wallop... Oooh, it's delightfully nasty stuff. Trust me. I got in trouble, hee hee!

[Niles' eyebrows jump up, and his ears perk to attention in clear excitement at the word necromancy, and at Henry's final comment he chuckles. They really are birds of a feather aren't they. Who else would use the phrase 'delightfully nasty' with such glee? He jerks his head to the side, gesturing into the alleyway. If they're going to continue this conversation they should take it somewhere a little more private.]

Sounds intriguing. Walk with me? [As they slip off the main street, Niles starts meandering through the back channels, slowly leading them towards the refugee district, but definitely not making the most direct path there. He wouldn't put it past Linden or Mello to be counter-tailing him somehow, although he doubts either of them are up to that at the moment. Better safe than sorry.] What trouble did you get into, exactly?

[He nods, agreeing to this walk as he tucks his hands behind his back. Though now that he's on the streets, the warnings from Witches and Monsters who take sympathy on his area of study remind him to tread carefully with what he says.]

Oh, I kinda slipped. [He doesn't like to talk about messing up magic, but it's part of the story.] I was using a spell to let one of the Rathmore guy's flesh necrotize, sloooow and agonizing. It was sooooo cool! The closest stuff I've found to dark magic, in feeling. Good stuff.

[Oh, right. Wasn't he going to be a little quieter about his love for this discipline? Henry brings his fingers up to rest over his mouth, like he accidentally said something he shouldn't have. When he continues, he just does it at a bit of a softer volume.]

Anyway, the group leader caught me. He roughed me up a bit, but not so bad. So I undid it... And that's the long and short of it.

[He inflicted necrotic damage, was reigned in by Dantes, undid it... and the untold part: he was strangled by the aristocrat for his terrible magic.]

[Niles keeps them off the main streets, away from casual observers. Surely the coven has some larger and more close monitoring of the citizens, but he can at least minimize any immediate suspicious reactions.

He's headed in the general direction of the refugee district, but in a meandering, unconcerned way. He's got a destination in mind, but there's no rush to get there.]

Hmmmm. I take it you're something of a scholar then? [The tone in his voice is clearly approving.] Pushing at the edge of magics and testing their limits eh? I like that in a man. [And it's true. One of two people he likes is fond of dark magic, pushing its boundaries, exploring its potential.] And clearly you've no qualms against retaliation. Another quality I like.

[He stays quiet for a beat, ears swiveling quickly around, checking to make sure they're alone now.]

I have a project I could use your help on. I promise you it'll be...fun. [His smile is inviting in only the worst ways.]

[A smile's a smile to Henry, and it seems inviting enough. Approval is something Henry can never shoot down, and he laughs. Henry's particular type of laughter makes way for a questioning intonation at its tail, somehow.]

Fun? If it has anything to do with my particular "scholarly" pursuits, I'm sure it'll be a slaying of a good time! Because you're pretty much right, yup. Don't know if I'd call myself a bookworm, but when I know magic exists, it steps up my pulse. I can't say no to the worst of it.

[Such flattery, though...!? What is he supposed to do with it all but laugh it off? So he does. It's a default Henry reaction.]

I have an enemy who needs his wings clipped so to speak. Unfortunately he's a powerful witch, with dangerous and extremely devoted bonds.

[No point in beating around the bush. It's Henry.]

I need to rip off his fingers, not let him die, and if possible, mute or dampen his bonds so they don't come rushing in. Can I count you as an ally?

Whoa.

[That's... something he hasn't been involved in in some time. Henry nearly slows, but not for any disgust or squeamishness. Wonder, perhaps.]

So there's a big bad Witch, and you need someone who can make sure that he won't lose too much blood, huh...? Just a bit of payback? Well, I'm a pretty good healer, too. They must've REALLY crossed you, nya ha!

[Hm. He wonders what happened to bring them to this point, but it hardly feels right to ask. If anything, he simply wants to make sure Niles is pleased with him, so he nods.]

I could do that stuff. As long as I get to hold the fingers. I wanna hold fingers!

It's more...preventative than pure spite. Obviously I'm going to enjoy myself, but it's ultimately self preservation.

[His smile fades slowly. He takes a deep breath. He'd been preparing what details to share, and how to phrase them. Having his agreement already and not having to use the details to bargain for sympathy from someone he's not entirely sure is capable of it actually makes it suddenly easier to elaborate.]

I have an ugly past. The fae put me in an illusion that took me back there, and Linden saw. He knows illusion magic, and he knows my past, and there's no question that he'll put the two together if and when he feels like it.

[Then the smirk returns in a flash as he abruptly switches gears back to the details of his plan.]

He needs his fingers to do illusion magic, so you won't just get to hold them, you're welcome to keep them.

[He is very pleased with Henry.]

Linden, huh...

[He's never met the fellow, but he starts to piece such a situation together in his head. Henry raises a slender finger of protest, just a minor one.]

So he saw it, and he could put you through it again, is that what you're worried about? [A mild tip of his head, with a similarly mild smile.] Did this schmuck threaten you?

[If it were him, he'd just place his hopes in the good will of the Witch. Nothing he can do over spilled milk, and at that point, it'd be the spilled blood of a butcher shop's worth of trauma. Niles must be in a similar boat to be cautious of it.]

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