Running her thumb over the grooves of the talisman for what felt like the hundredth time Marlena idly thought it was a miracle she hadn't managed to rub away the pattern. Not that it would make much difference - the pattern was as mystifying as everything else about this artefact, the secrets unyielding no matter what she tried. It had occurred to her around four o'clock yesterday that she might need to consult somebody whose experience outstripped her own but Lena was nothing if not stubborn.

She had to understand it; last year she had missed out on the adventure of a lifetime in Irvingly through sheer ill-timing and she refused to be thwarted again. There was only one thing for it - Marlena pocketed the talisman, deciding she would take it out of the vault where the charms might be hindering her progress.

If anything happened she would bring it back immediately. What was the worst that could happen?

A lesser woman might have jumped at the appearance of their superior when they were doing something they really oughtn’t be, but Lena was no such coward and had not been reared in the den of lions for nothing. Slipping the talisman seamlessly into her pocket Marlena thanked Merlin for the eternally dim light in their office – the Unspeakables were, as a bunch, rather inclined towards their secrets and shady corners were a necessity.

“I hope that’s alright?” She asked, doubting he was about to send her back to it at this late hour. If anything she was slightly surprised to find him here at all, though since he had taken over the Department he had proven as adept and dedicated a boss as he had been a Minister. She had even told him at the staff part she would have voted for him given half the chance: hopefully he didn’t remember that too clearly.

"Of course," Marlena replied brightly. Surely if anything untoward was to happen without the dampening spell that enclosed the vault then it would have happened the moment she left it's confines - yet here she was with the artefact in her pocket and the sky had not fallen. Perhaps it really was just a symbolic talisman after all?

"All ship-shape and sealed away for the night."

For the merest of moments Lena hesitated; she had no qualms about her decision to take the artefact but if he went into the vault to check for himself he would surely notice that it was not where it ought to be. She had never given him any reason to doubt her word and if she went back now it seemed to Marlena that it would be entirely obvious what she had done.

"See you in the morning sir," she replied with a polite smile, heading straight to the exit.