The commander heaved himself up off the floor and joined his friend in the kitchen.
“So...”Haros hedged.
“Oh, no,” Lephas groaned, recognising his friend's tone immediately. “What have you done?”
“I may have healed our new companion last night.” He paused. “Don't be angry.”
Lephas sighed heavily. “Don't you know what a risk that is? If she gets free from us somehow and that gets back to her father–”
“It won't,” Haros replied, self-assuredly. “I made her promise she wouldn't.”
“Because faeries are known for keeping their word?” Lephas cocked an eyebrow.
“I know, I know. The poor little dove's head had started bleeding again in the night. I can't sit idly by whilst there's a damsel in distress.” Haros shrugged with a grin.
“Well, it's your neck on the line – quite literally – if she breaks her promise to you. What else did you two talk about whilst you were making pacts with one another?” Lephas eyed his friend.
“Not an awful lot – y'know, banter,” Haros said, but the small smirk he couldn't hide betrayed him.
“Oh, Haros. What did you tell her?”
“Nothing! I swear.” He laughed, eating a small chunk of berry. “She didn't want to talk about why she was running, so we just chatted for a bit until one of the boys relieved me. Nothing serious.”
“Hm,” Lephas grunted, unconvinced. He grabbed a strip of dried boar meat and took a vicious bite out of it.
“She's only twenty-six, can you believe that?” Haros continued casually.
Lephas felt a lump of meat lodge in his throat. He coughed and spluttered.
Twenty-six?Not quite half his age, but not far enough from it! As if he needed further confirmation that the girl would never be interested in him.
He coughed. “How exactly did that come up? ‘Banter’? Sounds more like an interrogation to me.”
“Not at all. She asked me a few things too.”
Lephas didn't respond immediately, alarmed by the sudden flare of jealousy that overcame him.
He didn't know much about what women looked for in men, but he supposed Haros would be considered an attractive demon – and there was no getting away from the fact that he was a more suitable age for the girl. Plus, Haros, like Oriel, was good at talking to women.
Lephas frowned. He often felt like a fish out of water around the opposite sex. Whilst Haros and Oriel chased women down almost nightly when they weren't occupied with war efforts, Lephas preferred to take a back seat.He was happy to go home alone if no one caught his eye.
He had always supposed it was because he was a good few years older than the others, and it never really bothered him much, but this? This bothered him greatly. It was unnerving.
“Did you learn anything of interest?” Lephas asked tightly, trying to feign indifference.
“She's single, so no prince charming to contend with,” Haros replied, glancing across at him.
Now that was surprising.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Just thought you might be interested.”
“Why would I be interested?” Lephas snapped, trying to keep his ire under control. “You're the one who's been sat up having a heart-to-heart with her all night.”
“I haven't ever had a faerie in bed. I am curious what that would be like.” Harosresponded thoughtfully.
Fuck knows I am too...
