The dust showed no signs of settling after the hidden door opened, air flowing past it only kicking up more from the floor. The breeze only became stronger the more the door opened, putting an end to the flame of the lamp as the oil had already run dry. 

“Oh, perfect.” Oleander groaned, carefully rubbing her eyes in the dark from the dust. 

It was yet another inconvenience to add to the night, but not one she couldn’t so easily remedy compared to the others. Even if she could see more than decently in the dark she preferred to use a light source instead. A certain preference she had between keeping up appearances and rather enjoying being in the light.

As she let her eyes adjust to the darkness she heard the stranger speak up as he stepped through the hidden door, “There should be some lights tapped into the city grid below if we’re lucky. Otherwise there’s a chance we can still find a candle or crystal lantern around here somewhere.”

“Do you have a starting key for a crystal lantern?” It was an honest question she had to ask, following him through the hidden door before it closed behind them. Without one of those enchanted keys a regular person couldn’t hope to light a crystal lantern, or lamp, without knowing magic.

“No but I assume you can light one. I saw you cast that magic back outside the tavern.” 

Of course he did. She shuddered, looking down at her own hand in the darkness as a few sparks of dwindling fire flickered above it. Attacking him, getting rid of him, those were the thoughts that crossed her mind creating those sparks. Thoughts she quickly pushed back when she saw him turning around, hiding her hand under her cloak before he could see anything.

“Anyone can cast magic if they know the incantation and have the mental focus. The humans running the branches of the mages college just gate keep the whole matter of the education around it.” Oleander spoke bluntly as she kept a cautious eye on the stranger, trying not to clench her teeth. She needed to keep her temper in check, along with her anxiety.

"I know a few incantations thanks to show off noble mages. I don’t have a clue on what sort of mental focus anyone needs to go along with it, though…” He stopped to kneel down and touch the floor, tapping the boards in the darkness as he continued, “So magic isn’t something I’m willing to dabble in. Too dangerous and tends to blow up in your face.”

She unconsciously let out a sigh, watching him continue to tap the floorboards in a line from one wall to the other. His commentary on magic left her with a tinge of annoyance that she was hard pressed to even try to ignore. It wasn’t because of an insult, but rather because he was right. As much as she didn’t want to admit it.

Magic, all too often, had a tendency of being a double edged sword. Especially in the method that the mages college embraced.

“...Then I’ll start a crystal lantern if we find one.” Oleander muttered, focused on his tapping of the floorboards, “What are you looking for?”

“Tripwires or any wooden pressure plates. I did say this place was a black market fence.” He huffed a bit, shuffling on his knees from one wall to the other bordering the hallway, “And I’d rather not deal with getting hit by a dart trap in the dark.”

She raised a hand to her face, pinching the bridge of her nose as she shook her head briefly at his guised complaint. Dealing with any traps would be too much of a pain, especially right now. In that he had a point, and it frankly pissed her off.

Lowering her hand from her face she traced the clasp holding her cloak on with her fingers. She couldn’t keep it on anymore, much as she wanted to, if they were going to keep going at this pace. Let alone she had her own lingering worries in the back of her mind about it going into the ratways and sewers.

With some lingering hesitation she undid the clasp, silently mouthing the word “Scáthán” before starting to take it off. It would only get in the way if she kept it on, but she wasn’t looking forward to the repercussions. The cloth had already briefly shimmered at the word she said, following the embroidery along the hems before going dark once more.

The spell it was holding was undone now.

Holding her light hand out, Oleander let out one more sigh before sparks started to swirl just above her upturned palm. Soon the sparks expanded into a small floating blue fire, with a few sparks turning into crystallized magic before being burned up in the flame. A fire spell, plain and simple, born from her impatience.

“...Were you able to make a light this whole ti–” he snapped at her at first, but quickly lost his words as he stared at her.

Of course he had to just stare, not that she could blame him given the stigma about her kind. In that cloak she passed as a dark haired human, after all, but without it her scales, horns and tail were revealed. Those features were the exact reason she wore it almost all the time.

“Yes, I have scales, a tail and horns. Standard for a Nephalim. Can you stop acting like we aren’t on a clock?” She glared at him, adjusting her kerchief over her scaled ears and cheeks as she spoke with her other hand, “I’ll answer any questions you have when we’re far away from here. Deal?”

He looked to debate it for a while, glancing away from her and down the partly illuminated hall, “Deal. But I am going to ask one question right now.”

“And what would that be?” The flame over her palm flared brighter with her growing annoyance.

“What should I call you?”