Exton

Chloe touches her mother's cheek, eyes wide and tearful. Absynthe dips down to curl around her little mistress' shoulder. Ob flips open his cell, dialing Ramji's number. It rings and the Rider answers it, handing it to Laila after a moment.

"Obsidian wants to talk to you."

Ob waits, listening to the quiet that greets him. A moment later he hears a soft "Yes?"

"Mi amiga... is it true you wish to leave us all?"

Instead of a yes or no, Laila tells him that Tomas was hurt because of her. It surprises her that the Gargoyle laughs.

"No, he got hurt because he did NOT heed you. He is, after all, a hard headed little gargoyle. What Tomas did, is instinct. We are proud of him, and he knows it. If you leave because he got hurt, it will tear him apart. He will think he scared you by what he became.

Tori told me what was done for his injuries, and that he sleeps the Stone Sleep. I have sent a message to Maarteen, he will tell us if anything else needs to be done."

There is a moment of silence.

"Please, think of what I said Laila. Don't make a rash decision. You have a home with Our Kin. We will all feel your loss, the children most of all. You accept their differences Laila. Trust me when I say, as a child that is something that is muy importante. I wish I had someone like you when I was Tomas' age. I know I would not have felt so alone. Please stay Laila. I ask on behalf of the people who have come to love you as familia."

That said, Ob closes his phone, tucking it in his pocket. "I have pleaded our case *mis amores. Now we wait."

He wipes a tear from Pandora's cheek, raising his thumb to his lips to kiss the wetness. He lays his cheek to his daughters and strokes Absynthe's scaley hide. Stoney touches his his mind, opening for the small family to hear what transpires.