“Are those mirror trout?” Lori gasped, sitting forwards on her knees.
The annoyance melted from Faye’s face instantly and she smiled. “You really got them? How?”
“It wasn't easy,” Raxx muttered, looking across at Lephas to explain. “Faye was telling me a story about a species of fish the faeries cook for banquets and special occasions. I was curious.”
“Where did you get them from?” Lephas asked, raising a brow.
“There's a small lake, hidden in the mountains just south of Awrelwood. That's the only place they breed. You went all that way?” Faye gaped.
Raxx shrugged and sat himself down in the snow. “It's not that far. Not for me, anyway.”
“And you've already gutted them too?” Lephas asked.
“It made sense to do it some place where there were less sensitive female constitutions to upset,” Raxx replied.
Lori scowled. “Hey – I may be a tad sensitive when it comes to small, fluffy things but seeing a fish gutted is no issue for me.”
“Well, I've saved you the trouble anyway, princess. The only disappointing thing is I've been unable to find much in the way of vegetables. I did have a look around and gathered together some wild garlic and tubers, but that was about all I could find.”
Lephas got to his feet and hunted through the snow for some suitable sticks to use as a spit whilst Raxx stuffed the fish with the sparse array of vegetables he had collected. The demons expertly speared all four fish, two on each stick, and held them out over the flames. Raxx sat beside Lephas at the edge of the fire, turning the fish over every few minutes to ensure they cooked evenly.
“So, trekking for miles to gather a specific kind of fish? That's unlike you to go to so much effort,” Lephas probed, keeping his voice low so as not to be overheard by the faeries.
“Like I said – I was curious,” Raxx replied tightly, not taking his eyes from the fire. There was a lengthy pause, Lephas clearly waiting for him to elaborate. Met with stony silence, his commander changed the subject.
“I suppose we'll need to take the pair of them back to Banesteppe with us now.”
“Faye looks happier now she is with Lori. I doubt they'll want to separate again.” Raxx glanced across the fire towards the two faeries. They were giggling and whispering like a pair of teenagers, but it was strangely endearing to see Faye relaxed with her sister. He thought he sensed some bad feeling between them earlier in the day, but it appeared they had managed to patch things up.
Lephas nodded. “Zelrus will be interested in meeting them. I think it would be in our best interest to return with them both.”
“Have you given much thought to what you're going to do when you get back to Banesteppe?” Raxx asked curiously. “What are you going to tell our esteemed leader?”
Lephas grimaced. “The truth, I guess, and hope that he understands.”
“He definitely won't, you realise that? The king isn't known for being understanding when it comes to matters like these.” Raxx had never once doubted King Zelrus. He was fair, just and exceedingly level-headed but the shadow demon had his doubts about how well the king was going to take this particular situation. Raxx feared it was going to go poorly; for everyone.
“No, but when have we ever had to deal with matters quite like this before?” the commander replied defensively. “I know the king gives Oriel a hard time about his, uh,activities,but it's not like I've ever done something like this before, or ever will again.”
“True. In all honesty I'mstillquite surprised. I would have put my money on Haros getting the princess into bed, not you.” Raxx stared thoughtfully into the flames.
“Fuck you,” Lephas laughed.
“How much longer will it be? I'm starving.” Faye called out.
“A little while yet,” Raxx replied.
Lephas and Lori looked at one another with doe-eyed expressions, the faerie twirling a strand of hair flirtatiously around her finger. Raxx barely resisted rolling his eyes and turned his attention back to the fish on the spit.
“Are you hungry?” Lephas asked her.
Lori nodded and got to her feet, skipping around the fire to sit beside him. She wrapped her arms around his chest and snuggled against him. Lephas draped an arm over her affectionately.
A deep sigh from the tent opposite drew Raxx’s attention. Faye was gazing at her sister and Lephas with a small smile. “You pair...”
Raxx turned to look at the couple, curled up together. He felt a small stab of envy – how easy that side of Lephas’s relationship with Lori must be.
“I think they're done.” Raxx cleared his throat and reached out to gently prod at one of the fish on his spit. The flesh flaked away, a sure sign it was cooked.
