(no subject)

[sunnydalealum]

It's a bigger room, this time. The better to fit two dozen zhirelin in addition to the sorcerers themselves.

The conference room setup this time is much hastier, at Emma's orders. The table's been upended against the wall instead of removed entirely; the blood in the spell diagram is still tacky. Everything's in place, including the two most vital components: the real Kshaartian mandrake, and the Scythe.

Emma's trying hard not to pace as the two red-robed apprentices bend to light the first candles, as the priests in their darker robes begin chanting.

We're in the homestretch. Go. Go. Go.

Comments

[sunnydalealum]

Emma cuts him off, her voice suddenly a touch brittle.

"If we're going to have this conversation ... let's clear the room." Her eyes flicker over the watching young women, but don't stay on any one of them for long. "Ladies, this could be a while."

She turns to Brianna and lowers her voice. "Take the others and raise Security. Get a perimeter guard up. It's probably nothing, but after the breach we almost had earlier I don't feel like taking chances."

[sunnydalealum]

Brianna nods and starts for the door, passing almost (but not quite) close enough to shoulder Dean aside. The rest of the zhirelin fall in behind her, filing out of the room.

One of them moves more slowly, looking over her shoulder at Emma in what might be fear or might be horrified realization.

Emma doesn't look back at her, and Beth finally drops her gaze and hurries out with the others.

[slayer_fray]

Mel touches her tongue to her upper teeth as she watches them file out.

After the last reaches the door, she clears her throat.

"Hey, you guys sort this out," she tells Dean. "I need the bathroom."

And she spins on the ball of her foot and follows the other girls.

[sunnydalealum]

The demon sorcerers are watching, but making no move to follow. Emma's given the cliath'tah a discreet palm-down sign: wait.

As the last of the zhirelin file out, Emma steps over to shut the door behind them.