.:Les Trois Hors-la-Loi Rouges:.

[Kirien Melantha]

As soon as Kirien saw Karmine draw his sword, she rushed to deter it's course, hands outstretched to catch the blade, but she was too late. By the time she closed the rest of the distance between herself and Karmine, her hands moved through the air but grasped nothing; his weapon had already been lowered. Her thoughts darkened, and she looked troubled, frowning, eyes downcast. If Karmine didn't back down, he could have easily slipped past her...who was she kidding? She was powerless to stop them unless they let her.

Her stomach gave an unpleasant lurch. She didn't like the idea that the three of them might have to fight, seriously fight. She didn't like chosing one of them over the other, even if she already had, and she couldn't imagine a world where one of them didn't exist. Thinking about it was doing a number on her, and her small hands shook as she backed away from Karmine, glaring.

He was right, but she didn't like his harshness, how he was judging Cylo, or his threats, and she'd make that quite clear, no matter how under the weather she was feeling. "I know what I'm doing." She said to them both, firmly, and left it at that, feeling that no explanation was necessary.

She swiftly returned to Cylo's side, holding her head high, but she couldn't keep her hands from shaking. More than anything, she wanted to get out of there, and fast, but she couldn't be hasty. There was too much at stake for that. So, quietly, she asked of Cylo "Do we have a way to contact them?" In a situation as grave as theirs, they had to keep touch with the rest of their group, and work together even though they were apart.

[Ϛ Cylo]

"Telepaths aren't omniscient," Cylo said with a shrug. They'd still have to find one of them first if they wanted to read their minds. He knew most of his family could fight that sort of thing by habit, having a telepath in the family, but he didn't doubt that the Academy had more powerful ones around, so once again, remaining hidden was their first and best choice. What Karmine said was more of less reasonable; he was just glad the man didn't feel like fighting them.

Of course, it was then that Karmine's steel was drawn. Cylo saw it coming, maybe could have even reacted, but he decided to give Karmine the benefit of the doubt. Cylo knew if he started a fight, it could get ugly quick, and they were all more useful alive and well. Kirien, though, seemed to think otherwise. Cylo reached a hand out after her but she was slow in her movements compared to the fae, and Karmine was finished before she got there.

"I had my reasons. I'm going to take a wild guess and say you don't give a crap about them, but know that I didn't kill the guy for the heck of if. I don't like what I did either, but the alternative was much worse, so I'm pretty much at peace with it."

He wrapped one arm around Kirien, his hand holding steady her shaking ones. He appreciated her concern, but he didn't like what the whole ordeal was doing to her. She was so on edge. If it wasn't for the fact that Kirien had kept him level-headed this whole time, he would have wished she hadn't come. Even if it meant not getting to kiss her, he didn't like seeing her upset.

He had no idea what Karmine meant by 'a more sturdy companion', since as far as he was concerned, Kirien was as sturdy as they came, so he instead addressed her concern. "Nothing planned as of yet, no." He looked at Karmine. Did the fae even want to stay in touch? He didn't know where the other group was, except that they were probably with the Cavans' family, by what he'd heard in conversation at the lab. Hadn't they said something about Illinois back at the Academy? That didn't exactly narrow down the targets if he wanted to send a letter or something, though.

He almost laughed. A letter. That would work.

[Karmine de Arcadia]

Karmine listened to Cylo's response, and slowed as if to talk to him. He turned his head and said simply.

"There is always another way, always a choice. I agree the bastard had ta die, and I won't lose a second thought over him...but...you may have splintered a pure creation. And anything, once splintered, can only crumbled to dust. If you can't think of another way, then make one. It's what separates men from boys. Saying 'I had no choice' is just a way to help you combat your conscience."

Karmine stopped, as if debating something in his mind.

"I've heard...that Raelena St. John, infamous Scottish Rockstar has been seen in a small town named Cairo in Illinois. Rumor has it she even bought a fairly large plot of land there. People suppose she is building a house away from the city, I dunno anything about that though." Karmine said, tipping his hat towards the pair. Only tragedy now, their lives weren't going to be easy the path they'd chosen, but then again his rarely was either.

"Keep yourself out of trouble until this wraps up, and keep an eye out for those thugs we wrecked up, I doubt this is the end of em."

And with that, and a nod, he took to the sky.

[Kirien Melantha]

Kirien relaxed to Cylo's touch, and her shaking stopped almost immediately. She wore a coy smile when she wiggled her hands out of Cylo's grasp, only to gently lace their fingers together.

"We should go home?" She commented offhandedly, almost dreading the words as she said them. It was a nice day to be out, and she liked how they were; it was a picture she would prefer to keep unbroken. But despite her demeanor, Karmine's warnings didn't escape her, and she knew they'd be safer among more people.

She sighed softly as she toyed with their linked hands, and many times it seemed that she would pull away, only to brush his knuckles with her thumb, and return to their former position. She was slightly preoccupied with the fear that Cylo might take Karmine's judgment as harshly as anyone else. If that was to happen...what could she do? He was always the one pulling her back to her feet.

He's so much stronger than me.

[Ϛ Cylo]

Cylo could have said something, could have explained himself further, but on top of the fact that he knew he would get nowhere trying to reason with a man whose mind was already quite made up, he knew that Karmine was trying to leave, which was alright with him, so he held his tongue and simply nodded when Karmine dropped his not-so-subtle hint. He watched for a moment as Karmine flew away, looking away only when Kirien suggested they leave.

"You're probably right," he said, and the red and black bandana that had served as a blindfold felt like it was burning a hole through the back pocket of his pants. Sighing, he pulled it out and tossed it up and down in his hands once, before reaching behind his head and tying it loosely around his neck.

"I'll let you choose whether or not you see where we're going." he said by way of an explanation. He didn't like it, but there was no way he could tie the thing around her eyes again after all of that. He leaned over slightly and kissed her forehead before turning around so his back was to her.

"Wanna hop on my back and we'll get going?"