He carried a throbbing ache where his head should have been. At least, that was what a headache of this severity felt like. It was the sort of migraine that only came to the stressed and sleep deprived. For hours Nikolaos had chased rest, tossing on the narrow bed in his new trailer. He could now claim that he knew the exact count of his ceiling tiles, and every crack and smudge therein. When sleep had come, it had been tormented. Three figures loomed over him. They threatened the few he loved, and he was helpless to respond. Magic burned at his seams, searing his muscles and mind.
It was unsurprising then that he was not in the mood for neither unfamiliar faces nor magics as he made his way to Virtue and Vice for an early afternoon drink. The apathetic world had little care of his preference.
He felt the other presence before he heard the girl. It was small, close to the ground and invisible, but distinct and curious. Nik watched the empty space he felt the presence occupy as it circled his legs before he lifted his head, eyes narrowed at the new speaker. She apologized. He grunted an affirmative.
"What is it?" Gravelly on even a typical day, his tone was short and thin on patience. "Where is it?" He waved an open palm at the ground around his legs.