The Elemental remained cemented to the marble pillar of the lavish venue. The lobby of the casino had been wreathed in a honeycomb trellis that lined the ceiling with wisteria, morning glory, and creeping ivy. The Court of Desire spared no expense in display of their wealth and authority over all things wanting. The Coronation was in full swing with likely the entire Freehold of Reno flooding its halls in a powerful display of Hedgespun regalia, creating a frenzied mosaic of natural phenomena in the jarring backdrop of capital at its finest. It was too much, and Fawkes kept his attention on the champagne glass he dared not drain lest another friendly Courtier insist on their hospitality. The Antler Crown had outsourced to the Spear, and it fell to the newest to skip the party and run security. His superior wouldn't be pleased to see the prop in his fingers, but he was quite talented at being unassuming among the throng.

Threading the marble between the knuckles firmly tucked in his pocket, he spied the tired glare of Rook cutting his way through the party like the shittiest Moses there ever was. The Wizened pried the drink from his hand without a fuss and downed it like his life depended on it. "Help me out? Two just showed up, still got the goddamn brambles stuck in their hair," he hissed. The mannequin nodded, flanking the dark Soldier wordlessly; one with a classy rapier and the other a rifle slung over his shoulder like a Columbian gangster.

Rook wasn't being literal, but the pale faun and towering waif of a spirit looked like they didn't have a clue, wide eyed at the weapons the Summers openly displayed. The hostess looked to then with relief as she tapped a pen dismissively against the list before moving aside for them to do their job. A baseball bat and a department store hunting knife were already left on the counter. Rook went though the basic questions, Fawkes prodding at the pair and pointedly ignoring the faun stare at his emotionless face. Brand spanking new. A couple of weeks. They couldn't miss the power of Mantles swirling around the building and the obvious clientele handing keys to valets. "This is incredible," the Darkling whispered, smiling as Rook waved him aside. They would have to escort them to one of the Knights and out of their hair. Fawkes motioned for the purse, and the girl pursed her lips. The Elemental exhaled. He didn't have time for this: he didn't care if she had feminine products or a pocket vibrator.

"Just a sec," she muttered, delicate and equally scabbed fingers slipping into the navy and white-striped accessory. Fawkes tensed. A teacup? He cocked his head with a click as she clutched the object, cracked and threaded with red string. He raised his hand to tug the token from her with a Contract, and the shot was heard before he felt it.

Rook was yelling, grappling the Darkling as he tried to wrestle his pistol.

Fawkes noted the blood pooling on his side.

His face snapped from his grimaced, knees buckling while the faun stared at him in shock, tugging at the string on her trinket. Boots thundered from behind him, but his gaze didn't leave that fucking cup as the girl was enveloped in erupting steam.

It was like a geyser, bursting from the scene and spreading through the entrance as a roiling fog. Rook was dragging him back, soaked in the life of the shooter. Fawkes focused his own innate talents to shift the sand and vital pieces around to buy him some staying power, hands shaking as he held the exit wound. He fell to the floor with the sudden absence of his partner. Screaming was erupting all over gathering as the panic set, the building being smoked out in hot steam that zigzagged in thick ropes. Fawkes saw hooves rippling beneath, eyes widening in his own terror as scattering Courtiers started vanishing left and right in the procession.

He cried out as he processed, slapping a hand over his mouth as a crawling Autumn locked eyes, holding a shaking finger to her lips. She ducked her head as the mist passed over her. Silence fell, shouts and movement snuffed as soon as the air rippled with the signal. The Elemental vibrated as the breath of hounds and a soundless trot crept behind, invisible tongues lapping at the thick red sand that pooled around him. He curled reflexively, like a child hoping the monster wouldn't notice if he became smaller.

The moment passed with the fog; the room much bigger than before with the absence and half the Freehold. A simple Favour had been called.

Five minutes.

The wails of the Lost began filling the silence.