Xaviers!

"The magical wolf cub?"

"That's at least what she appeared to be."

"Not exactly easy to explain," she shrugs. "But aye, the one we were seeking that he took."

"Right. And where exactly was he when he disappeared? There may by a clue there."

"I can't be sure, but close to there?" She gestures towards the stain on the floor from the globe that failed to ignite.

He nodded and knelt down to search for traces of a teleportation spell. Alchemists used magic circles after all.

There was no circle but there was the lingering effects of some sort of departure spell. Not enough to track a destination and there was a definite spirit component to it.

"Huh... spirit magic too... I'd almost say projection but you can't take things with you that way..."

"I hope that meant something to you," she says to Tereza.

"We've got a person using a weird mish-mash of magic and making it work is my take-away."

"Pretty much, yeah," he said, "They're definitely good." He moved on to the mystery stain, taking a sample..

"He's going to be good and dead when I find him."

The stuff on the floor looked and smelled a lot like paint mixed with some other things to change it's consistency.

"Well the potion bomb didn't fizzle, it looks like was fake entirely. Hmm..."

He went back over everything else for evidence of more stagecraft.

"So he played us for suckers. Lovely."

"Squishy humans who decide to play in the big leagues don't get by for long without some level of trickery at the start," Tereza said, looking at Tosh, "No offense."

Most of what was around the room could be genuine or could do some stagecraft in a pinch.

"None taken," he grinned, briefly flashing serrated teeth.

She gave a thoughtful noise, "Think you've got enough to put together some sort of tracking spell or something?"

"I think so. This guy's clever and resourceful but not as skilled as I first thought. Though I'm not sure how I feel about helping you kill the guy. Seems... disproportionate."

"You weren't there," she growls.

"He abducted someone, took their blood, and threatened to kill her and everyone else in the room when he was found. We aren't typically known for proportional response, but I don't think we're that far off here."

"With a fake weapon, but I still concede the point. He does give mages a rather bad name."

"We can agree on that." She looked around the room, "At least the vampires had the good sense to stay out of this, even if they were watching the guy."

"Why would vamps even care?"

"I don't pretend to know what motivates dead people."

"The old ones get to be that way for a reason and some of the young ones have it in them to become one of the old ones. I don't know *whose* guys were watching the place, Sister doesn't care and wouldn't know the difference, but I do know that one of the families was aware of the situation. What they hoped to gain, I'm not sure, but they wouldn't have even stuck their noses out unless there was something to be gained from it."

"Sister is your spirit friend?"

"She is," Tereza said motioning to the spirit who settled around her shoulders.

"I'd introduce you to mine, but he has to use my body and I'm still worn out from his last time driving."

That tree shouldn't have gotten in my way.

"Aye, well less mumbo jumbo isn't hurting my feelings at all."

Tereza just smirked at Sam before turning back to Tosh, "You'll let me know when you have the tracking spell ready?"

He returned his eyes to normal.

"Give me a few hours and we'll be good to go."

"Take all the time you need. I want this bastard nailed to the floor."

"I'll just go... punch something for awhile."

"Food, then punching," Tereza said. "We'll call it brunch or maybe just lunch."

"Food, then work," he smirked, "Playing host for that aforementioned friend has its cost. A delicious, delicious cost."

"We're none of us dainty eaters."