Woven in Shadows (agatha x rio)

A Fragile Trust

Chapter Seven: A Fragile Trust

Rio paced the length of Agatha's living room, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. Her black boots thudded softly against the hardwood floor, but her movements were distracted, her thoughts somewhere far away. She glanced at Agatha from the corner of her eye, watching her as she perched on the edge of the couch, still in her bathrobe, her legs crossed and her demeanor sharp as ever despite the lateness of the hour.

God, she hasn't changed a bit Rio thought, her gaze lingering for a moment too long. The faint lavender scent she remembered from their past still clung to Agatha, filling the room and making it harder for Rio to keep her focus. Agatha tilted her head, eyeing Rio with a mixture of curiosity and impatience.

"Are you going to speak, or are you just here to wear a hole in my floor?" Agatha quipped, her tone dry but laced with a flicker of genuine interest.

Rio stopped pacing, exhaling sharply as she rubbed the back of her neck. "You know me, Harkness," she began, her voice low and hesitant. "Talking isn't exactly my strong suit."

Agatha raised an eyebrow, leaning back slightly and folding her arms. "And yet here you are, summoning me into this little late-night heart-to-heart. You must have something to say, or you wouldn't be here." forgetting that she was the one to summon Rio and not the other way around.

Rio smirked faintly, a flash of amusement breaking through her unease. "Still sharp," she muttered. "Fine. I'll talk."

She took a deep breath, forcing herself to meet Agatha's gaze. "Yesterday, someone entered town," she started slowly. "A girl. She... had energy unlike anything I've ever felt before. It was chaotic, powerful, and—" Rio paused, her words catching in her throat as she thought about the girl's locket. She shook her head slightly, deciding against mentioning it. "—it's not like anything I've encountered."

Agatha's eyes narrowed, her curiosity piqued. "A girl?" she echoed. "And you've been watching her, I assume."

Rio nodded. "I've been trailing her since she got here. She hasn't done anything yet, but after tonight..." She gestured toward the window, where the crack in the street was barely visible under the dim moonlight. "Her energy is all over the place now. I can't even pin down her location anymore it's like it's radiating through the entire town."

Agatha frowned, her fingers tapping against the arm of the couch as she considered Rio's words. "And you're sure it's her? This... girl you've been following?"

"Positive," Rio said firmly. "Whatever happened tonight started with her. I felt it, Agatha. It's her energy. I don't know what she is, or how she's doing it, but it's her."

Agatha studied Rio carefully, her sharp gaze lingering on her face. "And you've been following her this whole time without telling me?" she asked, her voice carrying a hint of accusation.

Rio shrugged, her expression guarded. "I wasn't sure if I could trust you," she admitted. "But..." Her voice trailed off as she glanced at Agatha again, the memories of their past flickering in her mind. "...I guess I still do. Even after everything."

Agatha's expression softened for a brief moment, a flicker of something unspoken passing between them before she quickly masked it with her usual sharpness. "Well," she said briskly, standing up and tightening the tie on her robe, "if we're going to deal with this, we need a plan. You said you can't track her anymore?"

Rio shook her head. "Not directly. Her energy is too scattered now. It's everywhere, like it's bouncing off the entire town."

Agatha sighed, running a hand through her hair as she began pacing the room herself. "Then we'll have to get creative," she murmured. "If we can't track her directly, we'll find another way. Maybe a spell? something that can narrow down her location by filtering out the excess energy."

Rio frowned slightly, watching Agatha as she paced. "A spell like that would take time," she pointed out. "And precision. If she moves while we're casting it..."

Agatha stopped, turning to face her. "Then we'll have to be quick," she said firmly. "You said it yourself her energy is chaotic. If we don't figure out who she is and what she wants, it's only going to get worse. And judging by what happened tonight, worse could mean the whole town splitting apart."

Rio hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Alright," she said quietly. "We'll do it your way. But Agatha..." She paused, her voice softening. "Be careful. I don't know what she is, but I don't think she even knows what she's capable of."

Agatha nodded slowly, her expression unusually serious. "Noted," she said. "Let's get to work."