"There was nothing to like of my people." The statement was out from between his lips before he thought of it, more of an inward observation than an answer. He laughed, a true laugh, as his mind finally processed her words. "Did I say it would not be noticed?" A sly look crept onto his face, a dark malice lingering in his expression. "It will certainly be noticed, however there will be no one left to remember it." He quickly recovered from his little slip up.

"If unnoticed is what you're looking for I could probably manage it. It will be a bit more difficult though." He looked thoughtful once again as he pondered a more subtle entry. "I suppose there are many ways in, depending on the amount of blood you want shed. There's many fancy doors and windows where security took second to elegance." A voice in the distance caught his attention and he silently urged Kali to stay silent and follow, only hoping she understood, as he turned and slipped silently into another alley.

"It's best to avoid guards and citizens alike at night, no good comes of either." He whispered. "This city may be a safe place in daylight, but it's as malicious as any other under the moon." He quietly removed his dagger from its sheath and stored it safely in his left sleeve, where it would be both unnoticed and at the ready.

She seemed amused, if a bit troubled, by his words. Inside, Kit warred with herself for a moment. She had learned, through much heartbreak, the value of the simplest life. Yet, at contrast, did not mind nor hesitate at shedding blood for a greater purpose. Whether anyone understood hers was not her concern.. The briefest expression on her face gave this truth. As if she had led many people to their death.. for good or ill. So, then. A decision.

She followed him easily; and if he payed attention, her footfalls made no sound whatsoever. She walked with a strange gait, toe-to-heel, something only hunters learned in the woods- to noiselessly track prey. "i would prefer unnoticed, if we are to simply break in." she murmured. her games were of deception, of intrigue. Bloodshed.. at last choice, these days.

"Moonlit walkers have no concern for me." she stated, just as quietly, to his last statement. In some ways, due to her current clothing, it was true. Who would bother to steal from a common waif? They had nothing. And as for those who would prey on women.. she pitied them if they ever crossed her. During the day, she had blended seamlessly with the noble folk to move unseen. At night... she seemed to be whatever was convenient. "So then, if you were to lead me in, how would we progress?'

He wondered if she had ever shed blood for what she wanted in the past, too caught up in his own thoughts to notice anything but the absolute silence between her words. He was aware that she could handle herself based on her nonchalant demeanor, but he knew full well that his guard would have to be up at all times. For a brief moment he wondered what she might be.

"I'm not worried about you." His manner of speech proved that better than the words themselves. "I don't know what you are, but it seems you can handle yourself. Besides that, it's no worry of mine if these streets make your grave." He gripped his dagger tighter. He knew it to be truth, but there was a sliver of doubt that tugged at his inner emotions. Curiosity, he thought, would be the only reason to help her should it come to that.

"Unnoticed, eh?" He pondered his options as he led her through the alleyways towards the palace. "The second story windows at the back of the palace would give you the shortest route to the library, however the maids use that corridor to move between the main house and the living quarters. The east wing is another option, but it would require moving past a handful of guards patrolling the grounds. If you're any good as scaling buildings, the second story garden would also leave you with a short path to follow, and it's always empty at night." He searched through his memories to try and find any other safe ways in. "Those are the only viable approaches I can think of m'lady." The last word rolled of his tongue purely out of habit.

She could not resist a very unladylike snort of laughter. "But you are worried about yourself?" her words teased him, almost mocked him in the amusement they betrayed. He would leave her dying in the streets - and she would be wise to remember it. At the same time.. he displayed a confidence she might be able to put to an advantage.

She had not yet fully explored this city, so she followed where he led, but very nearly laughed again at his assumptions. Then, she must be fair. She knew nothing of this man and so had told him nothing. "I have no trouble with climbing. But this tome will not be in the library." She grinned, the expression recalling the predatory look she had displayed earlier. "it is hidden, beneath the Kings chambers.. "This is not what I had planned, but it is faster, so, since i have your knowledge, lead us in. I know the route and the tricks from there."

A look of pure hatred crossed his face for only a moment, his eyes darting to her neck as he reminded himself of all the reasons he shouldn't slit her throat. He sighed and let his tension dissolve. "If you were human I would tell you that mocking me isn't wise." He decided it best to forget the matter entirely. He put his hand out to stop her at the end of an alley; then pointed her in the direction of the palace as if it was a place easily missed.

"Tell me, if you can, where in the palace is the Kings chamber?" He turned towards her and leaned his back against the wall. "That knowledge will decided how we progress from here." 'Perhaps I should use this opportunity to test her. Plenty of guards about and plenty to go wrong.' He thought to himself hoping his face wasn't betraying his thoughts.

She laughed, then, a tiny, soft chime of laughter that had nothing to do with pleasure and everything to do with desire.

If he had been her one of her subjects, she might have kept him caged until he learned better. But he was not, and the defiance and hatred in his eyes only served to spark the typically dormant gene of dominance. It had been a very, very long time since she had been challenged. His face was devoid however, of blatant challenge, yet she recognized it for what it was, and she eyed him with - contradictory though it was- a trustingly smug expression. Why would another betray her, after all, what was there to gain?

"Three levels down through a passage inside the kings chamber itself." She said easily. This new game was worth the risk of losing the tome.. "If i am correct, however, there is also an exit through the dungeons. Designed, I think, as an escape for his majesty."

Her laugh sent a chill down his spine, it certainly wasn't whimsical in nature. A slight change in the air told him she was unused to being challenged forthright, her eyes almost begging him to try something. With much effort he swallowed his anger, and pride, and turned himself toward the palace partially to observer for movement but mostly to spite her for being so smug.

"Entering through the dungeon would certainly be easiest, once we get past the guards outside." He thought for a moment before turning back to her. "However, if you don't know for certain that there is a passage then it may be a fools errand." He wasn't just challenging her knowledge; he was attempting to goad her into taking a more dangerous route. "If we do go for the dungeon we should enter from the west. I can take care of the guards at the gate, but I'll need you to get past and take out the guards at the door before they can call for reinforcements." He watched her expression carefully as he spoke. "Once we're inside I'll be counting on you to lead."

She watched him in return, eyes glittering in the darkness. He had already changed her game here, and she would not be deterred again. She trusted her own folk, and was curious of him; but not quite enough to risk over-exposure. "I said exit." she rebuffed him quietly, a hint of the crooked smile on her face again. "A door that would open to the outside enemy would be a poor escape indeed."

Kit gave herself the barest moment to contemplate. Vharrus seemed determined to bash his way in, and by so doing, she would not have the luxury of scoping out the palace as she normally would have. "I'll take care of whatever guards you feel you cant handle." Her eyes turned to the structure before them, adding, "But you know, you need not make my errand here your own - we have only barely met." There, was the amusement that had been lacking in her voice since they began discussing this matter. It gave him a release if he wished to back away, leave her to her own devices. Failing that, "I would still choose an unguarded window to get inside, if you are determined. There is no need to do elsewise for a trifle."

"Any door can be opened both ways." Vharrus muttered half grinning; but he knew she had a point. Despite his desire to test her, he knew that it would put himself at risk too. Perhaps he could find a way to gain from this in another way, perhaps there was something in the palace he could make use of. He thought back to the rumors he'd collected and his attention landed on what could very well be this mysterious woman's prize.

"Very well, we'll do this your way. Even if your way isn't as much fun." He paused momentarily to remind himself of the dangers this may pose to himself. "Besides, if we can get in quietly I'll have a chance to find my own prize." His half-grin turned into a full grin as he thought of all the mundane treasures that traders worldwide would pay their fortunes for. "It will be easier to plunder with someone at my back, to pass up this opportunity would be foolish.

He took a moment to study her once again, wondering why she would care if he chose to help her. It wasn't that she was selfless, not that he knew enough to say either way, but something else. He had been curious mostly of her whimsical nature thus far, but this new information raised even more questions that -in that moment- he would not rest until answered. "Don't think I'm doing this to help you," Even he noticed the defensive nature in his voice, "It will be mutually beneficial."

Kali, known as she was, settled back into what he had known of her. A light smile, her eyes sparkling within her crooked grin. "My way is extremely fun. Just try not to be caught..." She almost laughed as she said it, her expression indicating both that she would stay through that fight, yet laugh the entire time. Again.. a contradiction.

She waved him off with a simple flick of her hand. "Mutually beneficial, eh." Her tone said she knew better. "Well, regardless. You said the garden windows were unwatched? That still leaves us to cross the wall." Kit, Kali, yearned for the sky at that moment. Judgment called her to wait. If he had a rope, that was one thing...

'That smile of hers is a thing to fear.' Vharrus noted, turning his attention to the wall. "It would probably be easiest to cross the wall closest to the garden then, though that would require scaling the wall itself and the east side of the building." He turned his attention back to the woman before continuing. "I suppose that's what I'll be doing, as for you, you find your own way over." He couldn't help but grin, curious as to how she would go about the task.

He didn't wait for a response before exiting the alleyway and following the shadows towards the eastern side of the wall. He glanced up when he arrived and thought for a moment about how much he wanted to reveal of himself. A simple trick, he decided, would be best. He put his hand up to the wall to test its strength, small tendrils of bone --almost invisible to the eye-- pushing through his skin and into the wall. He couldn't help but wince from the pain.

'Perfect,' he thought to himself, 'I should be able to support myself with these, and hopefully it wont reveal too much.' He proceeded, slowly, to climb the wall; maintaining three points of contact at all times. It wasn't the fastest way up, but it was certainly proving effective. He stopped at the top and sat on the wall, turning to see what progress Kali had made during his climb.

Of course. She muttered silently to herself, he would be able to climb like that. She couldn't mimic him now, it galled her to do the same as another. Kit watched him for a moment from the ground, her eyes following him up... And decided. Aubrey would smack her upside the head for this one if he knew, but... Alright.

The cloak she wore frayed at the edges, then dissipated entirely. In moments it had formed into smoke-laden wings. She knew she shouldnt, especially to show her true wings, that was part of her constant game; but meeting him had changed that particular game, after all. She was more curious about him than she was about the tome that lay inside. Mentally she warned herself not to get too interested. She did not know what he was, and thus, he was dangerous. Especially if he recognized what she was. But she had lived too long to not risk the unknown. Her people were safe, secure now, because of what she had done.. did she not deserve a little fun?

Kitiara could not help a small sigh of happiness as she left the ground. No matter the circumstances;
she detested giving up her wings and reveled in them when she could take them back.

Smoke formed the wings that bore her upwards, quiet as a shadow, keeping just below until he had reached the sill. As soon as one hand of his had touched it, she shot upwards before he had turned to look for her. Smiling once more, Kit flipped upsides down, then waiting for him to look around. She hung like a bat in midair, coppery hair glinting softly in the silvery moonlight, at odds with the wolfish grin she wore. "Finally up, are you?" She teased him, not understanding that he had pained himself to do so. She knew only pleasure from this particular leg of the journey.

Vharrus scanned the ground for only a moment before hearing her voice, somehow behind him already. He spun around to find her, the shock of seeing her upside down and midair was almost enough to send him crashing back to the ground; he caught himself before such a thing could happen and threw his legs over to the other side of the wall to face her more easily. "Wings, eh?" It came out as more of a statement than an answer. "Way to take the fun out of it." A small grin crept onto his face, 'This explains little and raises many questions. He thought to himself, trying to think of any creature he knew of that had wings like hers.

"Care to lend me a hand getting down?" He asked, reaching out for her as if he knew she would comply. "I'd rather not take the long way." He studied her expression to find that she was enjoying this quite a bit more than he was. A semblance of anger, followed by an intense desire, crossed his mind for a moment as he waited.

Kit's grin grew wider with his shock; (she loved surprises and even more to give them). In even so short a time, it was apparent that she seemed to care little for others emotion except when it suited her to do so. She said nothing, just then, but reachedout to take his proffered hand.

[apologies, on the godmod here, im taking a liberty, by moving your char.]

"Down? Perhaps. But we also need to be.. elsewhere." she took not his hand but his wrist, her grip firm and unrelenting. She could only hope he would not shout out as she sprang again; out from the window he was in. Her grip on his wrist did not slacken as they dropped, and if possible grew tighter as they climbed upwards again. Her wings, the only thingthat kept them afloat, seemed to grow more distinct the more effort she put into them. As they climbed with his weight, she gladly gave more to herself.

The seemingly flimsy, smoke-made wings (swirling and disintegrating; forming again); carried them past dark and lightened windows alike. For all her gestures of not knowing the city... the lady before him, wings dissolving as she set him down on this new sill, seemed to have an extrodinary knowledge of where she was.

And they were just outside the Kings chambers.... Precisely where she told him that she needed to be.

Kitiara studied him, then, the smile gone. She waited for the explosion, the denial, the fear. Perched as she was still on the window's edge. she needent fear any of these... So she was waiting for the inevitable.

[By offering my hand, and you subsequently taking my wrist, I put you in a position to do so :P if need be I would interject and alter but I tend to work with it.]

Vharrus noted the grip she held him with, and her wings that seemed to fade in and out mid-flight. A fascination took hold of him silencing any attempt he might have made to resist her, though he felt he wouldn't have taken one given the chance. He couldn't help but wonder how she knew so much about the palace, but wrote it off and assumed she had learned it from someone knowledgeable of the location.

He stood for a moment after being released from her grip, different parts of him screaming from different reactions. Part of him wanted to run, to distance himself as much from this strange woman as he could before she showed her fangs; another part of him urged him to call the guard to his aid, partially to rid himself of a potential threat and partly to test her strengths. The winning decision, however, was to swallow his fear and stay close to her; he needed to learn more about her before he made a move, and he still wasn't sure that she was a threat regardless.

"I've always wanted wings..." He mused, attempting but most likely failing to hide his fear. "All of the possibilities, all of the responsibilities.." His voice drifted off, once again his mind was swallowed by his thoughts. He shook his head and focused. "We should move, if we weren't spotted during your little show we're certain to run into a guard sitting still. "Plenty of time to question you later." He grinned, no longer playful in nature; he would learn more of this mysterious being, even if he had to wring her neck to do so.

"Wings.." There was a note of longing in the word, perhaps as her own had already vanished from sight. She suddenly seemed detached, aloof, her eyes looking past him and into the corridor beyond. "We need only a distraction to enter the chambers we need, now." she said quietly. She did not yet move from her perch, despite his warning. If he had a simple solution to the matter, she would hear of it.

Vharrus looked to each end of the hall, silently judging his options. "Distractions are simple enough. Where would you like the guards to go, or would you rather see them flee in terror?" A sudden grin twisted his face, lasting only a fraction of a second before disappearing again. He wondered for a moment just how much of his ability he should flaunt.

A grin of her own followed his question. "I think the pampered palace louts could do with a bit of excitement, wouldn't you agree?" She hopped off the sill silently. "There should be a gilded door that is where we need to be, around the corner here. The guards outside should be your target."

He couldn't help but smile viciously, his thoughts racing through all the different possibilities. "I think you'll like this one..." He said, holding his hand off to his side level with his waist. His bones writhed beneath his skin once again, until they slowly began protruding from his skin. He winced as his vine-like bones swirled through the air, twisting about themselves as the body of a small dragon-like creature took form. He set his other arm in the same position, and another of the creatures slowly came to be.

"Meet Yul'mah and Yul'dur." The two creatures spread their flesh-less wings as if in response to the sound of their names. Vharrus kept a close eye on his new companion, curious to see if she was aware of these creature's existence.

Kit raised her eyebrows in a curious expression, eyes brilliant in the low light. She edged closer to him, peering at the dragons. She didnt touch, but it was obvious that her fingers itched to do so. "Theyre gorgeous.." she muttered under her breath. She blinked and finally looked at him, grinning. "Those should work.."

Vharrus stifled his natural reaction to shy away, unused to such proximity, especially with a woman. "In a twisted way I suppose you're right..." His mind wandered for a moment before Yul'dur gently nudged his leg, pulling him back. "There will be time for introductions later, but right now.." he leaned down and whispered to Yul'dur, who took off around the corner. As soon as the beast rounded the corner the sound of fearful screams and rapid footsteps echoed through the hall. "He should keep them busy for a while, let's get moving. "

Kit snickered, not understanding exactly the "twisted" comment, but she let it rest. There were other things to interest her at the moment. She moved easily down the corridor once his dragon had gone, her footfalls silent as a ghost's may be. Kit grinned at the echoes of panicked yelling, pausing the barest moment before crossing the hall to a gilded door. She trailed the tips of her fingers over the doorknob, the soft sounds of the lock releasing just barely heard. As she did so, a faint roll of power washed out from her into the room beyond. When she pushed the door inwards and stepped in, motioning him to follow, there was a man sleeping on the bed that did not waken. There seemed to be a thin layer of smoke laying over him, wafting in the slightly breeze of their moment. "Take whatever you wish as we go.." she murmured softly, turning away from him and edging slowing along the walls in the large room.

Vharrus followed Kali down the corridor, his beast Yul'mah close at heel; he wore an obvious sense of satisfaction on his face. He studied her for a moment from across the hall as her fingertips brushed against the door, and he wondered what form of magic she was proficient in. At her gesture he followed pausing for a moment to allow Yul'mah to enter first; he silently commanded her to take to Kali's heel, an order the beast reluctantly obeyed.

Vharrus paused again as he entered the chambers, his eyes scanning the room for any valuables worth snatching. His gaze moved back and forth between the many gemmed and golden objects adorning the walls, appraising them was difficult under the circumstances. His eyes fell on a desk nestled against the wall, on top of which was a case containing a pendant that struck him as familiar.

The pendant was ancient, that fact required no expert to determine, but it was made of steel and laid with gems that humans had only recently began to work with. The craftsmanship was far to intricate for human tools and the designs reminded him of something, though he couldn't determine what it was. He followed Yul'mah along the wall, pausing for a brief moment at the desk to swipe his prize. To his surprise the case was unlocked, royalty believed too much in their security to think this event possible. Vharrus turned back and continued following Kali.

Kali paused momentarily to watch Vharrus attend to his own matter of prizes, a half grin dancing along her face. She absently flapped a hand at the dragon by her side, the gesture too natural for what she was 'shoo'ing away. She studied the spelled king for a moment, then smiled again and turned abruptly back to the far walls.

Her head cocked to one side, Kit took four quick strides and laid a hand against her chosen stone. "Thank you, Keeper," a mumbled phrase that, even if true, came out sounding half sarcastic. If Vharrus could see magic the way she could, he would see a slow spread of violet fire creeping out from her hand, the sudden bloom of power changing the pressure in the air. A half heartbeat later, the wall fell back into itself, compacting to reveal a door and a narrow passage beyond. Clearly delighted, she turned to him with a brilliant grin. "Well, this way, then." And she promptly bounded inside.

Vharrus caught a glimpse of Kali's half grin as she turned her attention to the far wall, and a moment later his attention turned to Yul'mah, who had turned her back to Kali and was obviously glaring at Vharrus. He tried to ignore the beast. A purple wisp caught his eye, obviously magic in nature, though he couldn't make out its true form; he could feel the pressure however. He refocused on her as she spoke, but was caught off guard by her grin; his own reactions around this woman were beginning to worry him. He nodded in response, too unfocused to manage any more, and slipped in behind her with Yul'mah at his heel.