“Us, like,everyone?”
“Yes, Errsheken.”
“Kalia and Runeak and Alu—”
“Everyone.”
Envy scoffed and shook his head.“You can’t be...we haven’t all...in one place?”
“Am I going to have to keep repeating myself?”
“How?”He threw his hands out dramatically.“We’re all scattered to the four winds andyou”—Errshek gestured at him with another pronounced flair—“apparently aren’t getting aroundthe fast wayanymore.How in the Hells do you suggest we accomplish this?”
Saer answered with calm to match Errshek’s angst.“You’re going to get them, Errsheken.”
“Get them?!”Envy’s border-nasal voice raised so much, it almost squeaked.“No one listens to me, Saer!Why would they?Even if I could find them, getting them to all, what, come here?”Errshek snapped his fingers, pointing at their imaginary kin.“Hey kids, have no fear, hop on that firemodus itinerantur.The eldest amongst us—who cankillus all—just wants to have a chat.”
If he weren’t so aggravating, Saer might have chuckled.
“Runeak hates me, the Twins barely tolerate me, and Kalia...she might come if I could convince her tomove,but have you ever—”
Saer crossed his arms and cleared his throat loud enough that Errshek faltered and halted in the middle of his rant.
The younger demon’s mouth trembled.“Do they know they would have died with Neyu?If, you hadn’t…you know…”
The corner of Saer’s mouth flinched.He shook his head.
“Why not?”Errshek whispered the question like he feared the answer.
Running his tongue along his teeth, Saer considered.“Does it matter?”
“Will you tell them?”
“I’m not sure.”
Errshek’s lips thinned, but he fell silent.
“Start with Arek and Alus,” Saer said.“I’ll wait at the camp for you to return.”
Hands limp at his sides, Errshek sighed and bowed his head.When he didn’t move or speak in response, Saer lifted a brow.“Well?”
Errshek raised his eyes with a resigned, perplexed expression.“I’m waiting for the true-name command.”
“Errsheken.”
Errshek flinched, and Saer offered him a cynical half-smile.“Can I not simply ask this as a favor?”
Errshek sputtered, then cleared his throat.“If I do this, will you…could you not tell them I asked you to…?”
“You’d rather I keep your death wish between the two of us?”
Envy nodded.“I don’t feel it all the time.”He wouldn’t meet Pride’s gaze.
It explained some, but not all, of what Errshek struggled with on any given day.For Saer, that was enough.“I won’t say anything.”
A shaking sigh left the younger demon, and he nodded.“Thank you.”Fumbling for more, he finally settled upon, “And what do I tell them?”
Saer turned his focus back to the lake.“Tell them it’s for Neyu.”
