The wizard nods and turns to examine the rest of us like he's on a safari and we're wild animals.
“Well, of course, I rememberyou,” he says to Everett. “The only Frost who has ever dared to haggle with me. Pray, what were you then—a mere eighteen? Quite the brass neck.”
Everett ignores our curious frowns at him as the wizard leans a little too close to examine my eyes. “Hmm. Brigid Decimus’s son…every bit as scaly and proud as she is, I can see.” He tips his head at Crypt, who's smoking without a care in the world. “Ah, and the current steward of Limbo—evident, of course, by those eyes. That's always a clear marker.”
I frown. “I thought his ink marked him as the steward.”
“I am not tattooed,” Crypt says on an exhale of smoke, but the wizard talks over him.
“Yes, indeed, those as well. However, each steward throughout history has had exceedingly different markings, so much so that one cannot determine by the markings alone whether they have been gods-given. The eyes, however, are always unmistakable. After all, purple is the chosen color of the gods. And last but assuredly not least…”
The Garnet Wizard leans down to meet Maven's gaze better. She stares back at him with that ironclad poker face she’s perfected.
I don't like this legacy studying my mate like she's some fascinating rare creature, so I pull her closer to me.
“My keeper,” Silas says with a cutting edge to his tone like he's also wary of how the powerful caster will react.
The wizard smiles, not looking away from her. I randomly note that his hair has a lot more gray than I noticed earlier.
“Your true name,telum?”he asks.
“Maven.”
“Maven, what?”
“Just Maven.”
I frown. Wait, is Oakley not her last name?
Hetskslike that wasn't the correct answer. “Your parents. Go on and tell me their names. Surely you know by now. Or don’t you?”
She pins him with a look, her tone even and firm.
“Cut the shit. Based on that little smirk, you believe you already know who my parents were. But if you think I'm interested in pandering to you for that useless information, you're wrong. We're only here for etherium. If you're open to striking a deal, we'll stay. If not, don't waste my time.”
I fucking love how blunt she is, but I’m a bit worried this highly revered legacy is about to try killing her for her boldness. Instead, a smile scrawls over his face, stretching wider until he starts to laugh.
“Etherium, you say?”
“Yes.”
“You,” he gestures meaningfully at Maven as he keeps laughing. None of us get why, but he's clearly enjoying the hell out of his own inside joke. “Youwant etherium? Great gods, this is just too interesting.”
He circles us, tapping his walking stick thoughtfully. “You know, despite my fondness for Silas, I still had my mind set on having you all skinned alive and doused in liquid copper or silveror what have you until it hardened just below your neck. Then I’d have watched you all slowly devoured by a clan of golems for trespassing in my Sanctuary.”
“Creative,” my mate acknowledges.
“I certainly thought so. But now…well, how can I resist? Of course, we shall discuss a deal,Maven. Let us get you five settled in for now, as I can see you’ve just left a fight. Come.”
The wizard turns and strides away, whistling cheerfully as he steps over one of the corpses Maven left behind. I shoot Silas a look.
“I don’t trust your crazy-ass mentor.”
“Neither do I.”
“He’s always been bright like that,” the Garnet Wizard calls over his shoulder. He’s rubbing his lower back like it’s suddenly giving him trouble. And his hair isdefinitelylighter than it was before.
We follow the wizard as he leads us through the green field, all of us keeping close to Maven in case more trouble fucking pops up out of nowhere. It’s like walking through a warm park at night, except hints of the Northern Lights are beginning to snake very slowly into the dark sky overhead.
