She paused, looking down as the child got a little mouthy. Still a little confused, it took her a moment to formulate a response.
It's...Gray's, then?
She knew they'd...but didn't want to count out some tryst with an otherworldly thing while Cel had been away. Or maybe it didn't work that way for elder things on this side of the mortal whatever-it-was.
"She is... well, I don't know. Gray's the only thing remotely resembling the little abomination, and I honestly don't think Enda's his. I mean, she's rather... homely, with only two eyes, but all in all, very human but for the- Enda, dear, let's show Margrett your little trick." With that, Celephai locked stares with the little girl for a moment. "Okay, three, two, one..." And then Cel closed her eyes, and Enda briefly vanashed.
"Wh-WAAAAH-Foof! Hee hee!" Enda appeared up, about five feet, and promptly let gravity take over while Celephai leaned to one side, deftly catching the girl with a tentacle.
"She does... that. Now," Cel raised her daughter to eye level, "Go calm yourself for a moment while mommy talks with the nice guard-lady." And then Enda was flung into the bedding, which promptly began giggling.
"...She's usually much better about meeting people, but... I don't know. So, how are things... topside?"
Margrett stared at the giggling bed. The teleport thing was...interesting. Was that coming from Gray, or ...and if Cel herself wasn't sure...
If he's not, then... She let out a sigh and wiped her eyes, looking back to Cel.
Nevermind. Elder things are complicated.
In answer, she looked around at the room. If it were just Cel, it wouldn't have mattered, but throwing a kid into the mix made her feel a little weird about the two of them living in a sewer.
Good enough that we could find some place for you up there. Or at least her. We've got trade lines going, factories up and running, bit of government set up. Courthouses. Schools. She emphasized the last word with a smile.
Celephai seemed disconcerted by Margrett's interest in their living arrangements, but what really got her attention was the emphasis on the final word.
"Oh no. I am not sending her to one of those madhouses. She's learned quite enough from me... and frighteningly fast... but no. I'm not putting her around those other monsters. Have you seen those kids? And mine is apparently the abomination. Besides, she can't make eye contact, else she does the warping thing, and I assure you that shall not go down well." Celephai crossed her arms. Schools always seemed a horrific thing to her: Children are sat down, forced to do menial problems with no bearing on the real world, and are constantly bullied if they are weak or frail.
Hmm. Cel wouldn't have noted the concern before, probably.
There are mage schools. Could figure out the...blinking thing there. But I get you. If you're good down here, I can't hold it against you. But like I said, we're getting things together up there. Got almost a whole army. She seemed to be bragging a little.
You need anything, I'm sure you can find me. And, uh... Her gaze went to Enda again, then back.
Celephai gave a snort. "I stand by my words, all those years ago. Besides, now I have more motivation to help you purge the world of its greedy and malicious..." She looked to Enda, who was quite nearly looking like she was about to go back to sleep.
The elder thing rolled her eyes at Margrett, obviously annoyed. "It was never about bringing about the end of days for your world. It was about bringing about the end of civilization as you know it, by bringing my former masters here. They obviously are pretty big about themselves, you know. Utterly alien forms of life, completely beyond human comprehension..." Celephai closed her eyes, looking nostalgic.
"...Not that anyone's trying to kill each other on this planet, oh no... I'm sure your, ah, army won't be doing anything seemingly for their own gain, right?"
She laughed at that, knowing better than anyone the danger of that.
I'm trying to keep it from getting to that. Trust me. As long as I'm around, we're not going to be killing each other without reason. After I'm gone, well... She shrugged.
Celephai shook her head. "This world is ruled by the almighty coin: If you have enough of it, there are no taboos, no laws, and no one to accuse. I've seen it before, on Commorragh, a city steeped in such gluttony and twisted ambition... But now you know why I'm here." She gestured to the slightly twitching body amid the pillows.
"I wanted her to be safe. Here, with you, Gray, and the others... I can think of no one else whom I'd rather have to watch over her when I cannot."
Yeah. Hopefully it doesn't end that way. She was troubled by that, but a little flattered that she would trust them, of all worlds and places. When she cannot, though?
"Well, I'm not exactly sure on my life expectancy. I could live forever, or I could die tomorrow. It didn't really seem a large complication before... her, but now, I've got someone to care for and watch over."
Celephai shrugged, seemingly untroubled by this. Enda was now snoring, quite loudly for something her age.
"...I'm just- At least- Aaah... I think the world is: Uncertain."
She nodded, and clapped the elder thing on the shoulder.
Welcome to mortality, Cel. Uncertainty is what we do. That and kill each over over money. It's...good that you have some sort of insurance, though. Has Gray seen her yet?
"Maybe. I don't think he knows yet, though. Enda makes pretty regular trips to the surface, and she's fairly easy to pick out in a crowd... I'm not sure."
Celephai gave a slight shrug.
"You think... she can be trained? Her, uh... talent, that is. You think she can be taught to control that? Mind, I'm not especially fond of wizards, especially since some of them were responsible for my being here in the first place, but I'm not seeing many other options."
She smiled, still a little concerned with how Gray would take the news.
Of course. I know Alec just opened a local chapter of the big mage....guild or whatever. Noctis Venator, I think. We had a few of their officials come down here and get it all set up, left one of theirs behind to investigate some dark magic. Alec, or the other guy...might be someone to talk to about that. Training, that is.