Zero Hour

[Bjorn]

Bjorn smiles slightly in return.  "As do I, Mistress," he says politely, and makes his excuses.

Once outside the room, he makes his way to the nearest alcove, four rooms down, and sits down.  He closes his eyes, as if catching a brief nap, and then debates wordlessly with himself for a few seconds.  Still... nothing ventured, nothing gained.

With that conclusion reached, he wipes his mind clear of the other-self memories, and wills his mindboard into existence.  With that in front of him, he reaches out through the Lindsey-smudge, keeping a light touch and writing nothing, but watching through her eyes.

[Brian]

The Lindsey smudge is slippery ... almost like it's just moving out of the way.  Either something's in the way, or she won't let you see through her eyes.

[Bjorn]

Bjorn opens his eyes, his face not giving any hint of the frustration he's feeling.  Damn.  Odds are she knows now, and nothing gained for it.  Yet another goddamn secret in their fucking hands.

Rising, he heads off to the library, with the intentions of finding Loremaster Mattias.

[Brian]

When you return to the library, both Mattias and Eske are there, though Lord Kevin has gone elsewhere.

[Bjorn]

"Gatemaster, Wardmaster," Bjorn says, with a nod.  "I was wondering if you might be able to help me?"

[Brian]

"What can we do for you?" Mattias asks, looking up from a sheet of paper he's busily inscribing runes on.

[Bjorn]

"To begin with," Bjorn says, without a hint of embarassment, "I was wondering if either of you had a copper I could borrow."

[Brian]

They both blink at this.  "Just a copper?" Mattias asks, as Eske mutters to himself and fumbles through his belt pouches.

After a moment, the Gatemaster produces a small disc of copper -- it's got words scratched into it; 'Glory to Soth.'  "What do you need it for?" Eske asks.  "You shouldn't need to buy anything at the keep."

[Bjorn]

Bjorn takes it between two fingers and holds it up in front of his face, to study it carefully.  "I need to catch a spy," he says, somewhat abstractly.  He snaps his hand closed around the coin, and looks at the lorekeepers.

"I think I've found a lead on at least one of the traitors in the Keep," he explains, briskly.  "A copper coin," he hefts his hand, "is a recognition symbol.  There are two other requests I have to make.  Wardmaster, could you put the same sort of trap on this coin as you did on the cloth?"  He frowns.  "Ideally, if possible, I would like the spy's identity to be made directly known to me."

[Brian]

"I can ... make it so that I immediately know who is touching the coin at any given time," Mattias says slowly.  "While I could share that information with you as soon as I know it, I couldn't do so in a way that ... no one else might overhear."

[Bjorn]

Bjorn grunts, eyeing Mattias thoughtfully for a second.  He heard me, I remember Nathan saying.  How much does he know?  And... what could he teach me?   Thoughts for later.

"So be it," he says out loud.  "That will do just as well.  The last question I have presumes that, for whatever reason, your initial ward doesn't work -- if the coin doesn't get picked up.  Is is possible by any means to render me invisible?"  He frowns.   "From speaking with Master Radagast, an illusion might be able to disguise me as something else... but to be unseen entirely would be preferable."

[Brian]

"That I can do," he answers.  "My hands are tied right now, trying to find the thread that leads from Elric into the keep ... but tomorrow, I'd be able to make you a charm to hide you from sight, if only for a while."

[Bjorn]

"Thank you, Wardmaster," Bjorn says, gravely, holding out the coin to be prepared.  "And thank you, Gatemaster.  I will pay you back as soon as I am able."

[Brian]

Mattias adds a few scratches to the face of the coin you're holding; once he's done it just looks like any other slightly scratched piece of copper.  "Do be careful," he says, turning back to his runes and papers.  Eske has wandered to the other side of the library, and is paging through a hefty tome.

[Bjorn]

"I always am," Bjorn replies seriously, taking the coin.  "Unless there's something I can provide for you, Masters...." He bows, and makes his way back to the hidden alcove.