"Ungh," she picked herself off the ground slowly, glaring over her shoulder at the bouncer who had "escorted" her out of the fight club. The establishment apparently frowned on people who came too close to breaking rule number three: No fighting to the death.

Jewell was pretty sure she wouldn't have really killed the guy even if they hadn't pulled her off him. And doused her with a bucket of water. That had seemed really unnecessary.

She pushed her soaked blue hair off her face and, incredibly disgruntled, turned for home. Ishmerai was waiting for her across the street, wearing a look of tired resignation. Jewell limped his way, "How'd you find me?"

"Instinct."

"You're supposed to be with Sapphire."

"She is home safe."

"How'd you know I wasn't with Kal?"

"A hunch."

"Whatever." She rolled her eyes and shoved past him.

He easily caught up and offered his arm to her, but she proudly rebuffed the gesture. They left Dockside behind in silence and were approaching Old Market before he ventured to re-open the conversation. "I thought you had agreed to limit your visits to these establishments."

"Yeah well, things change."

"What happened?"

Her brows knit together. "Harris kicked a kid. I didn't stop him. Lir tried to stab him. I stopped her."

"I do not see?"

"The kid had blue hair."

"Oh."

"Mmhm."

"Did you panic again?"

"Yep."

When he offered his arm out to her again, she took it gratefully.

Jewell finished tying her hair back, fidgeted with the buttons on her dress, and then stepped into the reception area for both The House of Summer and the Kids of Summer Foundation. "Afternoon Margo."

The half-elf teen smiled at The Empress. "Greetings Lady Jewell. Still recovering from Beltane?"

"Something like that," the Faerie laughed. She hadn't really slept much in the last two days, but it was worth it. "Is Lirssa here by any chance?"

"Yep. She should be in her office unless she snuck out past me. Girl is smooth."

"Thanks." Jewell took a deep breath as she moved past the reception desk and down the hall, pausing outside the open door of Lir's office before knocking on the frame. "Hey Lir, I got some great news!" She injected all sorts of ease and excitement into her tone.

Lirssa looked up from the medical files she was reviewing. She knew Jewell's voice as well as her own, particularly when she was being all easy-breezy. The woman had a gift for that, no doubt. Lirssa knew where she was, at the offices — the work attire reinforcing that feeling —, and she could play the role. Jewell was her boss. She had, in fact, two of them now — three if you counted Inferno. So, Lirssa managed a smile, closing the folder on the file, and said, "Oh?" Nothing said Lirssa had to be particularly verbose in her response.

Her nose wrinkled slightly. The response was just a setback. She smoothed the expression over with another smile as she stepped into the office and took a seat, her posture casual and relaxed. "I wanted to come tell you in person. We made more than double what we expected with the Kissing Booth yesterday."

Both brows rose, and the smile took a tone of amusement. "I'm truly amazed. I never thought you'd sell yourself short." With a nod, her fingers resting on the files of her desk. "That's wonderful news! I'm very glad of it and for you."

It was easier to grin at the show of amusement. There was also the slightest hint of a blush across her cheeks. "I may have stayed longer than planned to make a bit extra." Jewell paused and now she was really grinning. "And charged Kal double."

"Mmm, I'm sure he earned his payments back later — after the lantern lighting?" With a shake of her head, she held up one hand, palm out. "I actually shouldn't ask that. Not my business." Business. That's what they were here for. "But that is good news. Thank you for telling me."

Laughter was on her lips, born of the easy camaraderie between them, but it died as quickly as it sprang up when that wall rose between them again. Jewell sighed. "Lirssa...I don't want things to go on this way between us. Strained like this. It's not.." She frowned. "It's not right."

The tension became alive in her shoulders, spreading down her arms until it manifested in the slow curl of her fingers. "It's. Not. Right?" She leaned forward, one hand lifted to press a single finger on the folders beneath it. "You know what?s not right' I have children with broken arms, legs, ribs finally— finally free of the people who hurt them, able to get somewhere safe because of your foundation, and you let him kick a child. You were right there. You turned aside. THAT..." she realized she was starting to shout, and her voice cooled, lowering, "is not right."

It was as much as she expected, but she still flinched. "You're right. And I deserve that." Jewell forced herself to remain calm, swallowing back the defenses that were screaming inside her head. "Is there anything else you'd like to say?"

Jewell took what she had to say unusually calm. Maybe what Lirssa thought didn't really matter, but why should it' She had her way of seeing the world, and Jewell had hers. They had been living a fantasy of friendship before those world views collided. "Say?" She shook her head. "Nothing more than a warning. Don't ever stay my hand from justice again." She looked down to the file, opening it, "That person' He is dead to me."

Her teeth worked at the inside of her cheek. It was a bad habit she had picked up again in RhyDin. "Well if you don't have anything else to say, then I do. So I'm afraid I'm going to have to impose upon your time a little more even though you are clearly very busy." She added that last part a bit archly since Lir had returned so quickly to the file in front of her.

She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry I disappointed you that evening, Lirssa. I truly am. And if you don't want to hear my reasons for why I didn't do what you clearly feel I should have.." The Empress hesitated, features twisting in pain, "well, I can understand that. But I'd rather you listen if you are willing to."