Family Affairs [Rhys]

[Deleted]

November 7, 2025
**Touch of TW/CW, just for violent and injuries**
rhys alexander greyback

Betrayed. Ani shouldn't be surprised. Shouldn't have been so hurt by it. But she was. Her sister had come for her in France. She'd thought to rescue her. And she did. Sort of. But then... she'd tried to kill Ani. She'd always been the best at killing of the four girls. Of course her father had sent his best assassin to kill one of his own girls. Ani had survived. Barely.

Ani had gone to Egypt. An unusual choice, but she had a contact there. Not exactly a friend, but he owed her a favor. She planned on just staying a few days, gather some intel on her father and treat her injuries. HEr sister had gotten a good spell off and almost ripped out Ani's side. That was the thing with the dark arts, they weren't forgiving. Even with it just being a graze the injury was horrific, and she should be in a hospital, seeking trained medical aid. But that wasn't an option. Her contact patched her up as best he could and she left, favoring her left side as she flung a hood up over her head and stuck to the shadows of the darkening street. Night had fallen and most people were home or heading there. 

Ani skulked through the shadows slowly, keeping an eye on her surroundings. She wasn't going to let anyone, or anything get the jump on her. That's why she'd almost been killed the first time. She hadn't thought her sister would attack her. That wasn't going to happen again. Her sister might be stronger then her, more experienced, better skilled. But Ani knew she was coming. Eventually. Tomorrow. Next week. A month. sooner or later, they'd find her, and she'd be ready. 

Ani leaned against an alley wall, taking a few breaths and wincing as she touched her side. This would take a while to heal. She'd have to find someone medically trained at some point as well, this sort of dark art wouldn't close on it's own. She ointment she'd used would slow the bleeding, but it eventually she'd have to get it properly taken care of. But that would have to wait until she knew she was at least somewhat safe. She touched her forehead, testing her temperature. Slight fever. But, not bad. 

She glanced around the corner, assessing the area, before stepping out once more and walking. Her dark cloak hide her figure from anyone else on the streets and her hood hiding her face. If it weren't for her already being in a sketchy part of town she might have stood out. But, no one batted an eye in her direction. It also helped that the cloak was spelled to divert attention. Not quite invisibility, but to at least make it difficult to focus on if you weren't actually trying to see her. Almost like a fly on the wall. 

Ani passed one of the local bars. IT was known for it's magical crowd, and particularly the curse breakers. It was their main go to when working in the country. Ani ignored it and kept walking. Several paces in front of her was a man, probably similar in age but she didn't pay him too close attention after assessing that he wasn't a threat. Instead, her gaze kept on the move.

Then movement. Too quick and just out of the corner of her eye, Ani froze, following the movement, and soon recognized the blonde hair that matched the woman that appeared in the middle of the street. Her sister wasn't trying to be subtle. It was intentional though, because killing someone subtly on the street was too difficult. Too many things could go wrong. No, she was going to go straight for Ani without any hesitation.

"Goodbye, sister," her sister spoke her Armenian, a wild smile on her face as she pointed her wand at the blonde. Ani was already diving out of the way. "Confringo!"

Ani dived at the right moment, and the wall behind her exploded, stone and glass shattering and flying through the air.  Ani rolled into a crouch, her hood falling off as she flinched and reached for her own wand. "Protego!" Her own spell got off just in the nick of time as another blasting curse was fired at her. The spells were coming quickly. Her sister had always been a terrifyingly good dueler. Ani rolled out of the way again, and the bench that had been near her dissolved into dust. Then a burst of flames just barely missing her foot. Any of the spells being flung would kill her on contact. 

Patrons of the bar came running out, wands drawn. There was yelling and screaming as people tried to figure out exactly what was happening. It didn't matter to the woman attacking Ani, though. With just a flicked she flung another explosion spell at the bar, and scattering the crowd. Ani, wincing, stumbled to her feet and ran. There were too many people here. Too crowded. Her sister would hurt others to get to her, given a chance. 

There was that man again, the one she'd spotted by the bar when she'd first passed it. Like everyone else, he probably hadn't had time to react to the situation. Only Ani's quick reflexes and her own readiness for a situation like this had helped her process the last couple of seconds. A blasting curse hit the wall by the man, blasting him in Ani's direction. Ani's eyes' widened as the moment seemed to slow. She felt his body collide with her own, breaking her run and knocking her to the ground. The exact opening her sister needed. Of course it had been intentional. Her sister would have just cut the man down in this situation. But Ani didn't kill innocents of bystanders. 

Ani twisted in the air, pushing the man away and putting herself between him and her sister. The next spell hit her square in the back, right between the shoulders and blasted her, and the man, into a house wall. There was a sickening spray of blood, and Ani lay motionless for several moments. The spells stopped and the only sound on the street was the footsteps of the attacker moving closer. "Are you dead yet?" She spoke again, this time in English. 

Ani didn't move.

Her sister moved a few steps forward, and raised her wand again, pointing at the man that Ani had shielded now. She wouldn't leave any witnesses. 

Ani rolled over faster then the eye could follow, wand in hand. "Baubillious!" Lightning streaked out of the end of her wand and hit her sister square in the chest, sending her flying back. She twitched a few seconds before starting to struggle to her feet. Ani didn't wait for her to recover though, she grabbed the man's arm, and with the last of her strength apparated, dragging him with her. It'd be uncomfortable for him, no doubt, but her sister would have killed him otherwise.

THey reappeared many miles away, in an abandoned warehouse Ani had found some years ago. Ani released the man's arm... and collapsed to the ground. Blood started to pool around her. She let out a shaky breath, closing her eyes. Shit.... She'd never really thought much about dying, even though it was a constant hazard in her life. She'd never messed up so badly that she had to think about it. But today... Well... Who would have thought that her own sister would be the one to kill her?

Ani wasn't really surprised. HEr father had made the girls who they were. she knew what he was capable of. 

[rhys alexander greyback]

i am little pieces
pieces that we picked up on the way

---

November 7, 2025

---

Rhys had arrived in Egypt the previous day, preferring to get an early start on his work. This was a job he had accepted in an attempt to escape some matters at hand and try to push them away without interference and what better way than to do what he loved most--to work. He didn't have a partner and since the job was not urgent he could take his time and used the space to clear his head and get certain thing sorted out before he returned home. When he had arrived he had been not surprised to find his faithful Owl waiting for him at his lodgings and even before unpacking he scribbled a note to his sister letting him know he was here for a job and to let the others know. With that she flew off in to the distance and Rhys unpacked some of his items and gather a few basics and went to work. It wasn't Rhys' first time in Egypt and really it was a very common place to come and work so he wouldn't be surprised if he saw familiar faces. Tombs seemed to be uncovered quite often whether or not they were reported in the Muggle world versus the Magical world as some contained many dark artifacts and unknown traps and curses. When Rhys had been new he had almost received a dark curse to the face as he had focused on the magnificence of the tomb versus his surroundings.

There wasn't exactly a training regimen for this field and a lot was learned on the job. It made Rhys adaptable and quick on his feet though he doubted he stood a chance against a professionally trained Auror or any of the like. Standing at the bar he was surrounded by the familiar buzz of talking and laughter, the few he had been conversing with earlier had turned in for the night as they were heading back to London the following day to return what they had found in a tomb to Gringotts. Rhys finished the whiskey that was in front of him and debated having another. That had been the difficulty with getting back into work and into the swing of things, since he'd been home for an extended period his free time had been spent reading, drinking and engaging in said other bad habits. The focus required of him when he worked required a clear and unfortunately, sober , head. At least the focus and shift in mindset when he was exploring kept his mind off topics he was trying very hard to push to the side. He clenched his jaw again, standing up straight from where he had been leaning on the bar. The bartender walked over and Rhys signaled he was done and he nodded and walked again.

Grabbing his jacked from the back of the chair he slipped it on and reached into his pants pocket to pull out a selection of shiny coins and leaving them on the counter to pay for his drinks. Another look around the establishment reminded Rhys how much older he was of the recent graduates of the school. It reminded him of his brother and their own age gap, and he was reminded of how young and ambitious and naïve he was at that age. Older curse breakers had lifted their eyebrow at him and watched the young werewolf with curiosity but he found that his name wasn't what they judged of him but instead his abilities. Wasn't that what he always wanted? Absolutely. Rhys put his hands in the pockets of his coat and walked outside, it was a bit chilly but not terribly uncomfortable though Rhys had lost track of time being inside. He was deciding on apparating back to his lodgings or walking to enjoy the fresh air and clear his head when heard someone walk by but he didn't really glance at them--figuring it was a local.

Then suddenly a loud noise and Rhys turned and instinctively put his arms over his head to protect himself. The dust cloud that formed made it hard to see what had happened or why but the patrons in the bar were similarly dazed and he only seemed to hear ringing in his ears for a second. When his hearing faded back he heard voices yelling, familiar spells and faded bright lights through the dust cloud until it too began to fade and Rhys drew his wand. Most Curse Breakers could duel just fine, but it wasn't the focus of their training off or on the job and while Rhys knew he could defend himself he didn't feel the urge to intervene between whomever was fighting who. Another blast seemed to hit the bar and while Rhys again attempted to block debris flying around glass still seemed to fly toward him, but better that than the entire wall. Rhys went to stand up but a third blast connected with the wall next to him and while his ears were ringing he felt as if he had been shoved in a direction and then suddenly his movement stopped when he collided with something, but he didn't see what.

Rhys' ears were still ringing and he was trying to gather his bearings, he was slightly disoriented but he tried to blink through the dust when he felt his arm being grabbed and he looked up to see who had grabbed him when suddenly he felt the familiar pull. They were apparating and when they reappeared Rhys dropped to a knee, catching his breath as he felt he had been kicked in the stomach and had the wind knocked out of him. His hearing was fading back as the ringing slowly went away and he tried to see where he was now and who had transported him out of that battlefield. He stood and grabbing his side where he felt a slight pain he looked around, he didn't know where they were but he did notice that whomever had brought him here was now laying on the ground, motionless. A warehouse was nearby and he knelt down, moving blonde hair to see the still face of a woman and his heart sunk when he started to see blood.

Luckily, Rhys had not lost his wand in the commotion and while he didn't quite have the healing talent that his sister did he still tried what he could to stop the bleeding. "Hey, stay with me." Rhys had no idea where he was, who this woman was but like hell if he was going to let her bleed out. "C'mon, keep your eyes open." He instructed her. Blood and injuries had never bothered him, especially considering the things he had seen as a child and injuries during work had taught him some basic things. Rhys looked up at the warehouse, there had to be something in there he could use. He muttered a few spells but they didn't seem to stick, his instinct was to try something he'd only used on the job as dark magic and curses never responded to basic healing spells. He ignored whatever small aches and pains he was feeling and tried a different spell, one that he'd been taught when it had to be used on himself at one point and he'd had to use it on another as well. He concentrated, closing his eyes for a moment and speaking counter-curse. Opening his eyes he tried to check if it had worked and he had to assume it had as the pool of blood stopped crawling at its edges.

With that immediate danger gone he looked around again, the warehouse was the only building nearby so that would be where they would go. He looked at her face again, "Hey, wake up." Having lost blood and not being visibly conscious was concerning.

[Deleted]

November 7, 2025
**Touch of TW/CW, just for violent and injuries**
rhys alexander greyback

Ani could feel the strength leaving her body, and felt the tips of her fingers starting to go cold. It really would be today, wouldn't it? After surviving everything her father had but her through, he would be the one to finally take her life. Indirectly, of course. Her sister had been the one to commit the act but there was no doubt the orders came from him. He always called the shots and her sister would never go rogue like that. No, this was his doing. And her sister would find her here eventually, once she got that tracking spell up. That had been her sister's only flaw. Fine tuned and precise spells, like aparration tracking. She had half an hour, an hour if she was lucky, before her sister would find her and finish the job... if she didn't bleed out first.

The man was speaking. She'd almost forgotten he was there as she pondered her impending death. He urged her to stay with him, and keep her eyes open. She just let out another shaky breath. He needed to leave. Before her sister showed up. Otherwise her dragging him here would be for nothing. Her sister would kill him. He was in the way. And her sister was the sort that took out everything in her path.

Ani didn't respond though, because maybe that would prompt him to just leave. But it didn't. Instead, she listened as he started to cast spells, as if trying to stop the bleeding. Cute. Then, the counter-curse. Interesting. Not many would know that. Curses were particularly difficult to heal, especially the dark arts. But there were counter curses that would help. And he somehow knew one that would help stop the bleeding. Buying her some time, but it wouldn't make much difference. She didn't have the strength to keep going...

"You should go," she breathed. She opened her eyes a crack and stared up at him. While most people would look scared, or even desperate in her place, Ani's eyes just looked tired. No surprise. No fear. "She'll kill you when she comes." Ani didn't say who "she" was, but the context would be clear. Whoever had attacked them. And clearly from the explosions on the street, whoever was after Ani didn't care about being subtle.

Ani's eyes just felt so tired... She closed them slowly, her breathing slowing. It didn't hurt. She'd always thought dying would hurt, but she didn't feel anything.

[rhys alexander greyback]

i am little pieces
pieces that we picked up on the way

---

November 7, 2025

---

Counter-curses were something he had begun to learn mostly, and unfortunately, on the job. The training at Hogwarts was sufficient for most careers but the curses of the ancient past were either rare or often lost to history and were so obscure that they typically weren't part of any curriculum Hogwarts could ever offer. His job was dangerous and he was glad to learn what he needed to defend himself and others against whatever forms of Dark Arts existed but there was so much to learn and realistically he hoped he'd never have the chance to use that knowledge. Rhys had suspected correctly that a curse had caused this blood loss and he could only feel lucky he had known it or this stranger would have died in his arms. Finally, she responded to him. Her voice was quiet and weak and she insisted that he leave her. Rhys didn't have any obligation to stay, she had pulled him from whatever chaos had been occurring in front of that bar and only him despite the number of bystanders that had been present at the time. Was it proximity? His ears had been ringing badly when that last explosion occurred near him, perhaps he had been in the way.

Finally, she appeared conscious though her eyes were barely open. She warned him that he would likely die if he stuck around and by 'she' he surmised that the person that had almost blown the bar into pieces was said 'she'. He let out a frustrated sigh, he had left London to avoid dealing with the turmoil that had begun brewing there but he managed to stumble into some kind of small war. "You'll die if I leave you here." Rhys muttered, whatever adrenaline that was coursing through his system was helping with his anxiety but the apprehension still broke through. Looking d down again, he let out another sigh and then clenched his jaw. He couldn't just leave her, she'd obviously pulled him out of some kind of danger though he didn't know the extent. "Is this place safe?" He asked, looking around. It wasn't much and seemed to only have basic furniture and items.

Rhys didn't see any other obvious injuries and he hoped there weren't more curses or such things to deal with, at least in the moment. So he stood slowly, now noticing the blood that had gotten on him and was covering his hands. Blood never bothered him, he'd seen enough for a lifetime and not all belonging to him but he wanted to look around for supplies or anything really. "Do you have any medical supplies here?" He asked, though she had closed her eyes he kept speaking to her. When he had been injured himself he remembered his partner constantly asking him questions to the point it was making him angry but he had realized later it was some attempt to keep him conscious. "Why did you bring me here?" His demeanor was as calm as he could make it, all things considered and panicking was not going to do anybody any good.

[Deleted]

November 7, 2025
**Touch of TW/CW, just for violent and injuries**
rhys alexander greyback

This nameless made mentioned her dying if he left her. Well, obviously. But what exactly did he expect to do about that? She couldn't go to a hospital. While her family knew she wasn't stupid enough to go to one that didn't mean they weren't still watching. Any option, no matter how unlikely, was still weighed and measured. No, her sister knew that the spell she'd hit Ani with would kill her, without medical aid, but Ani had no friends in this country to offer that sort of aid. No one that would risk it for someone being hunted by Titidates Davtyan. Ani opened her eyes again to stare at this nameless man. For a few silent moments she just stared, trying to read him. To understand why he was concerned with her dying. He spoke again, asking if this place was safe and it offered her a distraction from the truth, that yes. She would die. "For now." Now being half an hour... maybe an hour.

Ani closed her eyes again and tried to focus on breath. She listened, to him stand and to her own heart beat. It was weak. She'd lost a lot of blood... No doubt the commotion had aggravated her side injury, but his counter curse at least kept it from bleeding. She felt herself drift, as if being lulled to sleep by the soft thump of her heart beat... But he was speaking once more, drawing her attention back to him and back to consciousness. She opened her eyes again, trying to focus on him. Here? Where was here? Ugh, focusing was difficult. Right, the warehouse. She'd spent the night here, just because it was out of the way. "... bag. By couch." She'd stashed her travel bag there. There were a few medical supplies she'd swiped, but nothing really extensive. Just somethings for quick patch jobs.

Then, the question that she really didn't know how to answer. Why had she brought him here? He had been a liability. Almost gotten her killed (well.. that was still up for debate). But yet she'd brought him here. To save him. But why? Why did she save him? Ani didn't answer, not yet. Inhaling, she tried to move, rolling to her side and lifting her head off the cold cement floor. Her arms shook as they tried to support her. "Because.... You would've died if I didn't..." She muttered, her voice strained as she kept trying to move, to get her arms underneath her.

[rhys alexander greyback]

i am little pieces
pieces that we picked up on the way

---

November 7, 2025

---

'For now'. The answer seemed to echo in his head, what had he gotten into? And while this stranger seemed to push for him to leave it left him wondering if he was now involved in something he couldn't hide from. Regardless, Rhys could be cold but leaving someone to possibly die just seemed like crossing a line even with his own morals. As he stood and tried to familiarize himself with his surroundings, a habit really of his profession. You entered a new place and oriented yourself, found the exits in case you needed to escape quickly from a threat. A Curse Breaker wasn't any good to Gringotts if they had gotten themselves cornered by a dragon or some other threat because they took a wrong turn. When she spoke he looked for a bag and saw it sitting where she mentioned it would be, it wasn't large but he hoped he would find something useful in there.

When he'd asked his next question he didn't receive an answer right away but he set the pack down as he heard her struggle to move, it probably wasn't the best idea in her current condition. Rhys walked over to where she was struggling to move but stopped almost immediately when she spoke. He what? "What do you..." He trailed off not really how or what to ask what she meant and then he wondered if he even wanted to know. He resumed and moved around the couch and knelt down where she was struggling. The loss of blood and other unseen injuries would have made it hard to function, let alone move. It made him more curious about this stranger but for now he figured he could at least help her out of the pool of her own blood since she'd apparently saved his life.

"Here, lets move you to the couch." Rhys moved his arm under shoulder blades to help lift her up and he figured it would be easier if he just helped her move altogether so his other arm went under her legs. His arm felt a big drenched from the pooled blood that had settled there but he found it was easy to lift her as she had a small frame. The last person he had lifted like this was a lot taller than she was but he shoved that thought aside for more pressing matters. The couch wasn't far and he sat her down on it, the pack nearby with the medical supplies. One of his arms or his jacket sleeve rather had quite a bit of blood on it so he slipped it off and threw it aside.

"Thanks....I guess." Really from the time the first shot had exploded nearby to that last one that had knocked him back might have been minutes and in those minutes he might have suffered some gruesome ending in his typical fashion of being in the wrong place in the wrong time. That pattern seemed more apparent to him the old he got and the situations he found himself in. "Where else are you hurt?" He asked, kneeling again and dragging the pack toward them. She was still a stranger and the thought of even introducing himself hadn't even crossed his mind. There were so many questions beginning with why was he still even here, who was she and where the hell were they? Whey weren't they safe? What did he do now?

[Deleted]

November 7, 2025
**Touch of TW/CW, just for violent and injuries**
rhys alexander greyback

The man started to speak, but didn't finish the thought. 'What do you' could mean a variety of things, and Ani wasn't feeling in a guessing mood. Depending on what he even wanted to ask, she might not even answer to be honest. Knowledge was a cruel thing, at times. Worth killing for, as her father had often taken hits for someone that had simply known too much. Knowledge was powerful, but also dangerous. Even already he knew too much, whether he knew it or not. He knew she was still alive. That her sister's spell hadn't killed her. That alone would put a target on his back. Ani's stomach sank at the thought. The Davtyan girls obviously couldn't remember everything, and Ani knew her sister wouldn't remember his face. But their father utilized pensieves. To review memories for the smallest of details that he might have missed the first time. If her sister used it, she could go back and look specifically for him. The man that Ani had saved, thinking he might be able to lead him to Ani. For the moment though... that threat was still a distant possibility. Her sister would follow her here first. She'd only give the man a second thought if she lost Ani's trail.

Ani breathed heavily as she tried to move. To get on her side first with her arms underneath her to support her. The goal was to, eventually, get to her feet, though that seemed farfetched. The more she moved the more the pain started. It'd been almost numb before but now, with the bleeding stopped, it seemed her body was trying to adjust. Realizing that she wasn't dead yet, and trying to function once more. Aside from her breath and her arms shaking to support her, she showed no signs of the pain.

At his words she almost scowled. She didn't need the couch. They needed to get out of here. They had some time, not not forever. The sooner they left, the sooner the trail would go cold. It would be harder to track. She didn't have time to protest though, as he picked her up as if she were nothing. Ani had always been on the smaller side, only reaching 5'3. The man... He must be close to 6 feet, had over half a foot on her. She hissed as his arm touched her back, her eyes almost watering at the searing pain, but she didn't speak.

He set her on the couch, as gently as he probably could, but it still brought more searing pain. As much as she hated the pain it was a good sign. It meant her sense of feeling was coming back. Though, not necessarily a good thing. She was cold. God, how could you be cold in Egypt? She felt like all the heat had been sapped from her body. The beginning of dizziness, from blood lose. She raised her hand a bit as she lay on the couch, flexing her hands to test her growing suspicions. Shock. At least the early onset. She'd lost more blood then she'd thought. Between yesterday and today. She dropped her hand to the couch and let out a shaky breath, eyes closing once again. That wasn't good.

The man was full of questions today, now asking if she was hurt anywhere else. Without thinking her hand moved to her left side, the one she'd been favoring... then moved away. "It's fine..." She forced herself to say through almost gritted teeth. It wasn't. She'd been grazed by a similar spell that had hit her in the back the night before, but it was only a graze. It had almost ripped out her side, but she'd been able to keep moving. She'd gotten it bandaged, as best she could, and just kept moving. A spell directly to the back wouldn't be as easy to walk off however.

It really seemed like he wasn't going to go. She opened her eyes and met his own. "If you won't go.... I need my wand," She said, voice still strained. She could try to hide their presence, for when her sister arrived. To buy some time. To hopefully at least get her off their trail. when she arrived. Ani had dropped her wand after bringing him here. It lay near the puddle of blood, having rolled a few feet away when she collapsed. It was a plain thing. Simple, and sleek. While some wands might have fancy engravings hers bore none.

[rhys alexander greyback]

i am little pieces
pieces that we picked up on the way

---

November 7, 2025

---

Rhys was still comprehending what she had said or more or less implied. Everything had happened pretty quickly so he was still trying to piece it together in his mind. At first glance it was really a situation of wrong place and wrong time, if that woman had been after this stranger then wouldn't he just have been collateral damage at that point? He didn't know and he didn't dwell a ton at the thought because it made him feel a little bit sick, but that could have also been the intense amount of adrenaline and whatever unknown injuries he might have had himself. At the moment he felt fine, but Rhys wasn't naïve and knew that even if he was injured he would feel it tomorrow or at least be sore. The last time something had exploded near him his ears had run for a few days after though not incredibly loud but enough to be distracting. She winced and made a noise in physical pain as he carried her so he tried to be quick, there must have been more injuries he hadn't seen right away or they weren't as obvious as bleeding out.

She seemed weak and he glanced again at he pool of blood left behind nearby. It was hard to gauge how much was there but it seemed significant enough to warrant an issue. Though Rhys couldn't say he had ever been attacked with a curse by an individual he'd certainly been injured badly enough to warrant Owls to his siblings back home and fortunately he recovered and got back to work. It wasn't fun, it was a bit scary and it was painful. She denied further injuries but her body language told him otherwise. "Right." He commented, a hint of slight sarcasm. She was stubborn and trying to push him away either in some sense of pride or who knew what reason. Safety seemed to be an issue, but he still didn't know what that meant for them in this location. Rhys pulled the pack closer to where he knelt near the couch, and looked at her. "Let me see it." He wasn't asking, her obvious physical pain and motion near her side told him something was bothering her there and he didn't need her bleeding out here in front of him.

She looked at him, asking for her wand. There was an obvious annoyance in her voice and he really wasn't going to fight with her on whether or not he was going to leave. It wasn't even instinct, it seemed like a basic response in his mind. Someone so injured you couldn't just leave them alone. He thought about the times he had been injured and the outcome of working that job solitarily versus with a partner--it wasn't something he thought about often but it did cross his mind. He stood up and looked around, looking to where they had apparated to and he almost didn't see it at first but he saw a wand in the direction of the pool of blood. Rhys walked over and picked it up, it was smooth unlike his own or any wand he'd ever seen from Ollivander's or from Nell's shop. Walking back he knelt down again and held out the wand, but with a firm grip. "You mind telling me what's going on?" Rhys felt lost. She apparently brought him here to save his life and she was more injured than he'd ever seen somebody conscious for and yet she told him to run away, why? "That's not the kind of curse you see everyday." He added, and really it was his Curse Breaking experience that had tipped him off. It wasn't something he ever expected to deal with, he wasn't an Auror.

[Deleted]

November 7, 2025
**Touch of TW/CW, just for violent and injuries**
rhys alexander greyback

Injuries or not, Ani was scheming. Her mind trying to formulate a plan to escape this. If he was so determined to stay then she'd have to make sure he didn't get killed in the cross fire. Thought, Ani wasn't much up for dueling at the moment. No, she'd have to lay a trap to lead her sister away. To ensure that this place would be safe.... ish. Until she could move. But to do that she would need her wand... and his help.

This man demanded to "see it", meaning her other injuries and she sighed. That injury wasn't the priority now. But.. fine if it would satisfy him. She took a deep breath, then winced as she moved her hand to the bottom of her shirt, pulling it up to reveal the heavy bandaging at her left side. It wasn't perfect, and it had started to bleed through a bit before he'd cast the counter curse but... Well, at least it covered the injury. "It's fine," she repeated, this time hoping her meaning was more clear. She wasn't denying she had another injury, just that she'd already taken care of it to the best of her abilities. And would at least hide the rather gruesome injury from squeamish eyes. But by the size and extensiveness of the bandaging... IT must have been quite the wound. And quite recent, from the freshness of the bandages.

She dropped her shirt and reached for her wand, but he was hold it firmly, and demanding answers. Ani sighed. Of course. She closed her eyes, swallowing hard as if to swallow the growing lightheadedness. "Not really the time for questions," she started, pausing to catch her breath a bit. IT was getting harder to breath, and when she opened her eyes she had to blink a few spots away. "All you need to know now.... Is it won't be safe long.... She'll come and if we're not ready... We're both dead." She had to stop periodically, to catch her breath. As much as she was willing to resign herself to her fate of dying that didn't mean she'd make it easy on her sister. Especially when there was an innocent involved.

"I don't... know how long I can.... remain conscious." She hated to admit that, but it was the truth. "Trust me... Before it's too late." Trust was a hard thing to ask for, Ani knew this well. But unfortunately her sister would cut through a regular civilian down like he was nothing. His only change would be to trust Ani while she could still do something.

[rhys alexander greyback]

i am little pieces
pieces that we picked up on the way

---

November 7, 2025

---

Her side seemed to be covered in a gigantic bandage and he would have offered to help further but his healing skills were limited and with the size of the wound he wasn't risking doing anything without a proper healer nearby. The stranger insisted she was fine but he couldn't argue with her unless he could do anything about it and he was woefully unqualified. Rhys wasn't bothered by blood and the gore, the reality of existing as a werewolf exposed one to more blood and gore than the average person. He didn't speak but he nodded to acknowledge her and move past this. She was having a hard time speaking and Rhys knew she wasn't in the best shape right now and if that woman did show up again they would be at a great disadvantage. Rhys knew how to duel but this was not a level he was trained to nor he'd ever really seen before, if he was being totally honest. Her annoyance was hardly hidden with him but he did have questions, a lot of questions and he'd already pushed down his urge to ask the twenty more that had been spinning in his head.

She did have a point, with that much blood loss he was surprised she was even able to keep her eyes open let alone answer his questions--even if that was clearly a struggled as well. Rhys loosened his grip on her wand so she could regain control of it. "Fine." He responded, a bit of annoyance in his own voice. The target of that he wasn't sure, if his head was in a complex place prior to arriving at this unknown place or even arriving in Egypt it had gotten almost exponentially worse. "I'll trust you." What other choice did he have? If he really was in that much danger and she had already saved his life he supposed she was his only chance then to get out of here unscathed. The level of danger that had become apparent to him after her explanation was something he'd never encountered, even in the most dangerous tomb he'd entered. He felt out of his league and that feeling made him more annoyed than scared or any other feeling. That feeling was always uncomfortable for him and he avoided that in general. "Well, what do you want me to do then?" If this warehouse wasn't safe then what was? His lodgings back in that town or even back in London? It was a far way to apparate in one trip and her physical state he wasn't sure if that was advisable.

[Deleted]

November 7, 2025
**Touch of TW/CW, just for violent and injuries**
rhys alexander greyback

Ani just wished he'd make up his mind, give her goddamn wand, and let her work before she couldn't. The spots in her eyes were growing, and she could feel the shock setting in. After a tense moment, he finally gave up her wand to her and agreed. Depending on how things went... She'd tell him what she could. After. She, wincing all the way, kicked her shoes off at the same time he asked her what to do. "Take off your shoes." It would sound like a strange request but there would be a purpose, and he'd understand when she was done. "And get your jacket over here." She hadn't missed him tossing it aside. She couldn't let it stay there, or it would ruin the whole plan.

Now, with her wand in hand, she forced herself to sit up a bit. Her arm, that was supporting her as she sat up, shook violently and she saw stars from the motion. It didn't stop her. She pointed her wand into space. "Avis." A flock of conjured birds appeared. She commanded them with her wand, leading them to the puddle of blood. Two of the birds landed in the blood, soaking their bellies, then flew into the air again. Now, was the trick. They flew off, leaving a small trail of blood as they went, in the opposite direction. Flying farther and farther, until they were out of sight. Next, Ani turned to their shoes, hoping he had his off by that point. "Wingardium Leviosa." Her shoes (and his if he had them off at that point) lifted into the air, and like the birds, she navigated them to the blood, then, meticulously raised and lowered them, as if the shoes were worn by an invisible being, leaving bloody foot prints in the same direction as the blood droplets of the birds. When she was done, it looked just two people had walked through, one clearly injured. Eventually, she brought the shoes back to them, and lowered them gently on the floor by the couch.

Ani collapsed back onto the couch, a breathing weak as her eyes closed. Shit. She had to remain conscious. Had to finish.... But.. "Cave inimicum." she breathed, focusing hard on just getting the protective charms up now. With all luck, when her sister appeared she wouldn't see them, and instead follow the false trail Ani had created. Her hand and wand dropped to the couch, finally giving up. But it should be enough.... She hoped. "Don't move... too far... and stay quiet.... In.. case..." she voice started to trail off as she felt her mind drifting... Immediately she opened her eyes, trying to force herself to stay awake.

[rhys alexander greyback]

i am little pieces
pieces that we picked up on the way

---

November 7, 2025

---

Her annoyance with him was growing to a point where Rhys could absolutely feel it but he didn't care at the moment about her feelings versus their physical safety, chiefly his own. However, for now he had to agree that she was more suited to handle this currently situation than he was so he relented and released her wand. He moved from a crouching position to that of one sitting down and removed his shoes, not saying anything though his jaw was so tense from whatever he was feeling that he doubted he could speak for the moment. He stood and walked over to where his jacket lay, mostly covered with blood--on the front hers from her sustainable injury and he wasn't sure if the wet stains on the back were from either him or her. He hadn't had a chance to inspect if he'd had any injuries but for the moment he felt fine and at least was in better shape than she seemed to be.

Rhys watched as she sat up in preparation for her next steps but she struggled to do it. His instinct was her help her but she had her wand now and he felt it was better to be cautious in that case. The stranger conjured birds and the birds seemed to go into action, while he was familiar with the spell it wasn't an application he had ever really encountered. So while he was feeling a bit on edge he also couldn't help but watch with a bit of fascination, the intellectual side of him was trying to recall all of this for later. The birds mocked a blood trail beginning at the large pool they had left behind and foot steps in blood were created in the same direction. It felt all a bit morbid watching this, the manipulation of all that blood in such a way--it might as well have been paint.

She lied back down on the couch in obvious pain and exhaustion, there were spells for these sorts of things that Rhys didn't know. Internally he kicked himself for not knowing, he didn't like to ever be in that position even if it wasn't his place to know such spells and knowledge in his career necessarily. Though the risk of injury was high it was a generally low occurrence for anything particularly serious. Then, the last spell. Cave imimicum, he did know that one but only from his reading and not because he'd come across a time to use it. She gave him some instructions, her voice was weak and he could only nod in response. There were so many questions in his mind that he wanted to ask but even Rhys could recognize it wasn't the time or place. Even if he had been tempted to whisper another question he stopped and his body tensed when he heard a noise.

[Deleted]

November 7, 2025
**Touch of TW/CW, just for violent and injuries**
rhys alexander greyback

While Ani had never created a false trail like this before, she'd always known how. it was something her father had taught her, among many other skills. If you ever had to shake someone off your trail. She'd run through the scenario many times in her head, what she would do in this situation. Make it so they wouldn't see/hear/smell her. Then make a false trail. When the trail ended they would assumed she'd apparated again, but by that time the trail would have gone too cold to magically trace her. Especially in her sister's case. It took her too long to trace apparating to begin with. By the time she would have done it once, a second apparation would be almost cold, and she wasn't quick enough to track a second.

Ani could feel herself fading, as if being lulled to sleep by the shadows. The dark spots in her eyes were growing and her eyelids felt heavy. She tried to focus on breath but it almost felt like she wasn't, her breath shallow and weak. He didn't speak, but thankfully he nodded his understanding. Only then did she left her eyes close. The numbness was coming back. As the adrenalin wore off and the shock fully settled over her like a heavy blanket. She never thought she would die like this. With some kind stranger that refused to leave her be for his own safety. His self sacrifice was admirable. Stupid, but admirable. At least she wouldn't be alone. Being alone was a normal feeling for Ani. But it was nice, in this single moment...

There was crack and her sister appeared several feet away, right by the puddle of blood. There was no family resemblance between the two. While Ani may refer to her as a sister they were not blood related. Her father had bought all of his children. Magical children with no magical family. It made them perfect tools for him, because they had no familiar ties to the magical world before he claimed them. Her sister was clearly older, though perhaps only by a few years.

Ani opened her eyes, trying to focus on her sister. Her sister had her wand out, and Ani tried to grip her own, though she couldn't tell if it was in her hand anymore. Her sister's eyes quickly scanned the area, glancing over the pair as if she didn't see them, then knelt down by the blood pool. She was smirking, as her gaze then moved to follow the trail. "Still alive, are you..?" her sister said, before eyeing the puddle again. "Not for long." Her sister knew that Ani had lost a dangerous amount of blood between the two attacks. Her sister stood and swiftly followed the trail, disappearing from sight....

Ani let out a breath of relief. It had worked. Wasn't perfect, but it had worked. Her eyes fluttered shut. Now... now she could let the shadows take her. Her breathing slowed even more, almost into non existence, as her consciousness drifted away.

(Do what you will with her! hahah, can time jump if you want.)

[rhys alexander greyback]

i am little pieces
pieces that we picked up on the way

---

November 7, 2025

---

The noise Rhys heard was accompanied by the familiar ‘crack’ of apparition. But he remained still as instructed. He hadn’t noticed that he was almost holding his breath despite the spells that she had cast that were hiding them, it was odd seeing the other woman but her not seeing them. The woman inspected the large blood pool and had an expression that Rhys had never seen on another human being, instead of being horrified by the amount, concerned or even neutral she seemed to delight in it. It was sinister and frightening if Rhys was being honest, and the smirk she had on her face was as if she was enjoying this chase. Whoever she was she seemed dangerous, but she disappeared almost as soon as she had left following the false trail. Rhys let out a shaky exhale after what felt like the longest few minutes of his life and he was now aware of how fast his own heart was beating. His line of work was full of danger and risks, but this was completely different.

When Rhys looked back at her on the couch, he saw that she had her eyes closed, but she was still breathing at least. With that amount of blood loss, he was surprised she had kept conscious for that long. Then again her would, while very intense was smaller than he one he had himself received once. Glancing back at the pool of blood he wondered if his own had looked like that on that day. Rhys double checked her pulse on her wrist, he knew some rudimentary first aid as they all did but nothing terribly advanced, but he at least could make up for it with his knowledge of curses. Looking back, the silence was unnerving but if someone was going to show up, he would at least now quickly. Turning around he pulled out his wand and began to repeat the counter-curses he knew for similar, if not the same but at least he could take his time. It wasn’t anything that would heal her but at least would help contain it until she could see someone with that level of healing magic.

That gave him another thought, he didn’t know of any healers with that advanced training here in Egypt, though he knew she was in condition to travel whether it was walking, portkey or apparating. She’d have to sit tight here for a while. When he finished, her pulse wasn’t the strongest but was stable and he stood up, figuring he would search this place now for anything he could use in terms of first aid—if he was lucky some blood replenishing potions.

[ time lapse ]

Rhys had found a single potion, which was better than nothing, but she wasn’t awake to take it, so in the meantime he’d found a chair and some other first aid supplies such as gauze that he could apply with magic regardless of her being awake or not. He didn’t know what time it was, where he was or when she would wake up, but he’d found a chair to sit in that was more comfortable than the floor but had dozed off at some point his elbow on the armrest holding his head up while the other arm was across his middle. It might have looked uncomfortable, but he’d learned to sleep in caves and other places with work and could fall asleep just about anywhere.