As Orynn made his way down the steps into the area that held the cells, he fought the urge to cover his nostrils as he felt the nauseatingly cloying stench attempt to invade his lungs. It was all he could do not to gag and as soon as he reached the bottom of the stairs, giving him a full view of the cell space, he understood why.
His mouth curled into a grimace as he walked past a row of cells that had acquired new occupants, ignoring their pleas for help as he made his way to where Allan, Greyson, and Lexi's mother were held.
"What the fuck do you want?" Greyson snarled as soon as he saw him, standing and adopting an aggressive posture as he glowered at him.
Orynn sighed and chirruped softly, reaching into his satchel to open it wide and showing him the contents.
"If it's not going to help us get the fuck out of here then I'm not interested. If you really think I'm going to trust anything that anyone here brings me then you take me fora fucking fool."
"Greyson..wait…" The strained voice of Lexi's mother came.
Orynn chirruped in alarm as Ximena dragged herself out of the shadows and into view, clutching the bars for support as she peered at him curiously.
"You came to take the girl, Aoife, with you, didn't you?" She stated, as she eyed him curiously.
Orynn nodded as he surveyed the obvious signs of physical damage across Ximena's body and crooned sadly. It was obvious that Narcissa had drained her of her magick almost to the brink of death and then exacted some sort of physical punishment on her so that her healing would be impeded.
"Is she still alive?" Ximena asked and as soon as Orynn nodded, her features relaxed slightly, "That's good. Can you tell me why you took her?"
Orynn sighed in frustration and shook his head, reaching into his bag to grab a pot of ungent that Aoife and he had prepared and cautiously passed it through the bars to her, miming the actions to open it.
Ximena frowned slightly as she slid down the bars to the floor, resting her back against them as she slowly unscrewed the lid.
"Wait...you don't know what's in there." Greyson snarled as she waved him away with an unbothered flick of her fingers.
"At this point, if it's something that will end my life and put an end to the torment I endure down here, perhaps it will come as a welcome relief." Ximena scoffed without a trace of humor.
"Don't say that.." Allen murmured, "We'll get out of here…think of Lexi…"
"She is all I have thought about," Ximena snapped as she sniffed gingerly at the contents of the pot before a flicker of recognition flashed in her eyes and her surprised gaze shot to Orynn's, "Is this…"
Orynn's heart stuttered with relief as he nodded and allowed his lips to curve upwards slightly before pointing to the underside of the lid.
Ximena turned it over cautiously and examined it, picking at the seal underneath and peeling it away carefully. She sucked in a sharp intake of breath as she revealed a corner of the folded paper in the small recess they had created, but before she could take it out and read the contents of the hastily penned letter, an unwelcome voice intruded that sent a shiver down their spines.
"What the fuck are you doing down here Orynn?" Narcissa's voice hissed as Ximena carefully pushed the seal back into place and Orynn stood to meet her furious figure.
He bared his teeth in warning, a low growl rippling from the back of his throat towards her as he reached into his bag and thrust a scrap of paper at her which she snatched angrily.
The three of them in the cells watched her reaction with interest as her expression became darker by the minute and an almost smug smile settled on Orynn's lips.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Narcissa hissed, "Now I can't even have any fun with these…these…pathetic examples of their races?"
Orynn emitted a noise which sounded very much like a snigger as he snatched the letter back and handed it carefully through the bars towards Greyson.
"Are you serious?" Greyson coughed incredulously, "So he's going to keep us here indefinitely?"
"As long as it's necessary to keep his Eternal under control it seems," Narcissa fumed, "Don't for a minute think that I am going to be playing nursemaid to any of you. You take these fucking ointments and whatever else they've made from ingredients stolen from my stores and you sort yourselves out."
She whirled furiously on Orynn who's smug smile had expanded to a cocky grin.
"And don't think I don't know that you had something to do with this." She fumed, "You'll fall out of favor sooner or later and when you do, I'll be waiting to have my fun with you again." she finished darkly before stalking off towards the rest of the prisoners in this area who cowered against the walls at her approach.
Orynn passed out the rest of the contents of his bag, dividing them equally between the two cells, chirruping occasionally as he did so.
"What are we supposed to do with these?" Allen asked curiously as he sniffed at a vial.
Orynn chirruped and pointed at Ximena, gesturing towards the pot in her hand.
"I think what I have here will answer everything," she murmured quietly as she stole a furtive glance towards where Narcissa was occupied with tormenting her other prisoners, "Am I right?"
Orynn nodded, smiling at her as he stood, closing the flap on his bag. He chirruped softly and as his eyes locked with Ximena's, he hoped that the meaning he had tried to infuse into his glance was enough for her to understand before he turned, and sauntered away, pushing past Narcissa much to her displeasure.
"Ximena?" Allen asked, moving from his position and approaching the bars of their cages expectantly.
"Not yet," she murmured, "Not while Narcissa is still here. When she's gone, then I'll go over what we have here."
Allen and Greyson shared a look as she painstakingly moved herself back to her bed to rest. As much as they wanted to know what all of that was about, waiting a little while longer wouldn't hurt.