[Prisma*Illya]

"I'm not really at liberty to discuss that," Shade said toyingly. He tucked the key out of sight and placed his cane on the ground. The shadow below him twitched before rising up and forming a chair. Shade sat in it, crossing his legs and looked at Marcel and Cornelia interestedly.

"These keys are a boring subject anyway," Shade said, waving a hand. "I'd much rather discuss you. What's your interest in all this anyway? The Association would stop me to protect their precious secrets, but why do you want to stop me from procuring these keys? What do you hope to gain by it, Miss Alba?"

He seemed to be focused on Cornelia more than Marcel. Perhaps he didn't find the boy as fascinating a subject. Curiously, this annoyed Marcel a good deal.

"Do you have a plan?" he whispered to Cornelia, taking care not to move his lips much.

-------------

Fayline blushed, then took Gabriel's hand. Her previous concern had almost evaporated at the sudden turn of events.

"You're quite the gentleman, Gabriel," she said, giving him a sensual smile. A part of her mind was nagging to hurry and find out about Victoria, but it was only a distant buzzing to her at this point. Still, she tugged on his arm, hurrying toward the spiritual invocation department, which was conveniently close. As expected, Emily was nowhere in site.

"She never came," Fayline said, feeling annoyed. The lights suddenly winked off in Victoria's room, and the door opened quietly.

"Hey, she's leaving," Fayline breathed softly, still holding onto Gabriel's hand as they pressed together in the alcove they were spying from. The closeness of their bodies was not entirely lost on her, but she was determinetly staying focused.