Laurent hesitated when he was given the name, ending up staring for a moment before he repeated it. "Gansey," in an elegant voice utterly at odds with his apparel.
His blue eyes were striking, almost supernatural, against the red of his mask, and Laurent regretted his choice of costume when he saw how Gansey reacted. It hadn't occurred to him. He'd always worn an array of costumes, because they added to his Opera Ghost legend, just like it had for his predecessor, and that kept him safe. He hadn't meant to spook Gansey, and he felt guilty for it.
"This way," Laurent said. He led the way through the lair, which was a sort of underground mansion, and picked up a lantern near one of the outer doors. "Follow my path precisely," he warned, and led the way out into the underground tunnels.
It wasn't far, though the tunnels twisted and forked, inherently mazelike. There was a distant smell of rotted food, and somewhere a high rodent shrieking, like a wounded rat. Laurent ignored it.
The tunnel that had collapsed was one of the ones he used most frequently. He thought that it would be safe, if they could clear the blockages, since it was the side of the tunnel that had blown out, and not the roof. But several of the blocks were too heavy for him to clear easily, even with the help of tools, and he hadn't managed to clear the way enough to make a path.
He hung the lantern on a hook above a little platform where some tools had been laid. A crowbar, some rope and leather straps, and several wooden rods that he'd used to roll some of the rocks. Laurent, however, had only moderate physical strength, and that only from the basic amount of physical exertion--lifting gates and manipulating levers--that was required to maintain and navigate the lair and the opera house.
"Can you do this?" Laurent asked, because he needed it done, and he was very nearly at the end of his rope for getting it done.
no subject
His blue eyes were striking, almost supernatural, against the red of his mask, and Laurent regretted his choice of costume when he saw how Gansey reacted. It hadn't occurred to him. He'd always worn an array of costumes, because they added to his Opera Ghost legend, just like it had for his predecessor, and that kept him safe. He hadn't meant to spook Gansey, and he felt guilty for it.
"This way," Laurent said. He led the way through the lair, which was a sort of underground mansion, and picked up a lantern near one of the outer doors. "Follow my path precisely," he warned, and led the way out into the underground tunnels.
It wasn't far, though the tunnels twisted and forked, inherently mazelike. There was a distant smell of rotted food, and somewhere a high rodent shrieking, like a wounded rat. Laurent ignored it.
The tunnel that had collapsed was one of the ones he used most frequently. He thought that it would be safe, if they could clear the blockages, since it was the side of the tunnel that had blown out, and not the roof. But several of the blocks were too heavy for him to clear easily, even with the help of tools, and he hadn't managed to clear the way enough to make a path.
He hung the lantern on a hook above a little platform where some tools had been laid. A crowbar, some rope and leather straps, and several wooden rods that he'd used to roll some of the rocks. Laurent, however, had only moderate physical strength, and that only from the basic amount of physical exertion--lifting gates and manipulating levers--that was required to maintain and navigate the lair and the opera house.
"Can you do this?" Laurent asked, because he needed it done, and he was very nearly at the end of his rope for getting it done.