Six Thieves and A Ringer, Part Two

Trihalo stared at the sorceress for a long moment before responding in a very soft voice. “Explaining works better when we’re not locked in stasis.” The voice wasn’t a result of Seraphina’s spell, the slender woman always sounded as faint as a whisper. No one was quite certain if she simply liked speaking softly or was incapable of being as loud as her brother.

Seraphina shook her head. “Explain first, then I’ll free you.”

Metha shrugged his thick shoulders and sighed dramatically, as best as he could manage the feats when half-frozen in place. Unlike his sister the man was nearly incapable of subtle movements and his voice remained as subtle as a thunderclap.  “Why is it you always expect us to explain the insanity that occurs at your social events?”

Boris chuckled. “Likely because if there is trouble to be had one of you is behind it.”

The werecat thrashed in his arms and tried biting at his paws, but he’d pinned her properly and she couldn’t quite manage to get a proper mouthful of anything but his thick fur. As a rule when Boris caught someone, they tended to stay caught.

Trihalo sighed breathily again. “We only came it at the end, really. It wasn’t for either of us to judge who was doing what.”

Dru eyed the thin woman with obvious distaste. “Did you or did you not see what happened to the jewels in the display case?”

Metha snorted. “Jewels? Is that what this is about? I thought you were trying to decide who took the last bottle of port. That I can confess to, by the way. It was delicious.”

Seraphina shook her head and winced in immediate regret. “No, Metha. The jewels. They were displayed on the dias at the center of the table.”

The werecat tried for Boris’s arm again and when that failed let out a shriek of frustration. Boris was absolutely unfazed. The rest of the group was a bit started that the slender cat could make that much noise while being held by him.

“Why were they on display in the first place? Who leaves a collection of precious gems out for anyone to take?” Metha shook his head, frowning as he asked the question.

Seraphina let out a sign of her own. “They weren’t just on display, Metha. They were supposed to serve a purpose.”

“If the purpose was to get them stolen, you’ve managed beautifully.”

“Not every jewel is simply a trinket.” Elietan crossed his arms and stared at the werecat in Boris’s arms, apparently still not satisfied with why she was there in the first place. “Not every mirror is for looking at reflections and not every goblet is merely meant to hold wine. Sometimes there’s magic involved, Metha. Sometimes sorcery needs a focus and those gems were meant as focal points.”

“Focal points for what?” The werecat was listening now, no longer struggling.

Elietan looked toward Seraphina, as if asking for her silent permission to continue.