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Hero D'vyen barges into Murray's office. Well. That's not true.
She very carefully does not barge into Murray's office. She does not speed walk. She is not nervous.
She adjusts her makeup, as she steps inside. Smart girl.
Leans in close, as she drops a pile of paperwork on Murray's desk.
Murray casually waves a hand. The lantern on her desk goes out.
"The Curator rarely takes time off, Professor," Hero's voice is quiet, but no less dangerous in its intensity for it. "He never does so without sending word. He most certainly would not do so in these tumultuous times."
"So you are going to tell me, and you are going to tell me true," she coaxes, and the problem with knowing someone is on the enchantment track is that it's not awfully difficult to notice when they utilise it. Murray's impressed by her gall, though, so lets herself be coaxed.
"What happened to my Uncle?" She snarls.
"There were casualties, last night," Murray sighs, pouring one out for Teor, for Cyd, for Hannan, none of whom she knew half as well as she'd have liked. "Your Uncle was not among them." She hastens to add.
"But neither can he stay in the city, as things stand," she continues. "You're on the enchantment track, Hero, you're not blind to the political machinations of this city. Things are bad, right now."
"Alright," she says, blowing out a slow breath. "Thank you, professor. I'm taking the day off for a family emergency."
Murray Mag'Nesson watches Hero D'vyen stalk from her office, and she does not envy Hal.
Hal smiles at her as Hero makes her way into the house. It's small and strained, and he drops it after a moment when she simply stares at him blankly.
"Hero, kiddo?" He prompts, worried now.
"Who chased Uncle Bolaire away from his home, from his family," she snarls suddenly in Rungjani, "and when can I smash their face in?"
Hal opens his mouth and closes it again, slowly.
There's a flash of rage, as she refers to him as her uncle. Just as quickly as it came, it recedes, and he is swamped with guilt. Because... Because Termina might be the reason her brother left, but he is what chased him out.
He swallows hard. Turns away from Hero's gaze. It isn't accusing, except that it is.
No. No, this isn't his fault. It can't be his fault. Bolaire is the one who lied.
But... He's never really stopped to consider the why, beyond blackmail. Because that's... how he made it sound, the absolute idiot. There is a world of difference between blackmail and whatever the fuck convincing Hal's best friend that he holds his leash, if Thimble does not can be classified under. Than what 'Thimble, tell it what to do next' could be seen as.
He hopes Bolaire finds himself, out there. He hopes he gets the chance to apologise to the man he loves; to- to grovel, if he needs him to; to have that conversation, as it should have happened.
And Thjazi is the one who stole that from them.