“Hello, Kimu,” Cyn said.
“Holy fuck,” Kimu replied.
“I prefer 'Your Majesty.' Although, Ru says I don't have a title here.”
I snorted a laugh, but Kimu just continued to stare at the King.
“Kimu?” I snapped my fingers in front of his face.
He flinched, then focused on me. “Ru'din, why is the King in your shitty apartment in the fucking Forgotten? What the fuck is going on? Someone tried to put an arrow in him last night. Right the fuck out there.” He waved toward the front of the building. “And you bring him back?”
“I snuck him back,” I amended.
“You snuck him back?”
“Someone is trying to kill him.”
“Yeah, I got that.”
“That wasn't the first attempt.”
“That wasn't the first attempt?”
“Kimu, are you going to keep repeating what I say?”
“I wasn't repeating you. I made them into questions.”
Cyn chuckled. “I like him.”
“Yeah, he's all right,” I said with a smirk at my best friend.
“Did you get paid for that job?” Kimu asked. “How much did you get?”
“I guess you're over meeting the King,” I muttered
“You didn't collect your payment yet?” Kimu correctly interpreted my evasion.
“I'm still on the job.”
“Oh. Right. You're still on the job. Sure.”
And I correctly interpreted his sarcasm as scorn.
“I have your payment,” Cyn said and tossed me a pouch.
I caught it and gaped at him. “When did you have time to fetch this?”
I had it prepared for you after you left to collect the mueyaru fur.”
“You knew I'd return?”
“Yes.”
“Mueyaru fur?” Kimu interrupted. “That was the job? Getting some mueyaru fur?”
“Yes. Without killing the beast,” I said as I surreptitiously peeked into the bag. Gold. It was full of gold. “Holy fuck.”
“You were told you'd be compensated well.” Cyn forgot my warning and sat down on the chair. “And that's just for saving my life the first time. You'll get more when you find the person who's trying to kill me.”
