His muffled woof rang out, cut off before the air pulsed with silence.
As I strode back toward him, I gave him a slice of a smile and released him, allowing him to fall to the ground once more. He landed squarely on his feet. I could feel the snarl hurtling up his throat, but he bit it back, muffling it with a gurgle.
“You expect me,” he wheezed, “to deliver now, yet I only have your word you’ll complete your end of the deal?”
“My word was good enough for you earlier.” My threads stroked up the back of his spine to the nape of his neck, tugging his hood back to reveal his skeletal face.
“Things have changed.”
“What things?”
He said nothing.
It never paid to trust a Liege, and I didn’t, but he was the only one who could deliver what I needed. With the time running short, I wasn’t above allowing him to believe he’dgotten the best of me. Oh, how he’d brag about doing such a thing if he could.
Oh, how wrong he’d be.
“One taste,” I finally said.
He chortled, the sound gasping up his bony throat.
I pulled a blade from the sheath on my right thigh. With a hiss, the Liege melted around the tree. As if that would protect him if I slashed out?
“Come now,” I sneered. “You said you wanted this and now you’re afraid?”
“I fear nothing.” He floated back to stand a short distance away from me.
He could flee if he wanted. My threads could grab him before he could get away. Lieges couldn’t flit. Whatever magic they controlled had been borrowed, though, like everyone else, they wanted more.
I lifted my hand and held up my fingers, picking the blunted tip of my pinky. Rather ironic to use that digit, though I was the only person who’d understand why it was so morbidly funny.
“This shows I will deliver,” I said softly, stretching my threads around him to hold him away. Hunger had a way of making a person go feral, assuming a Liege was what one might call a person.
The poke drew what he needed.
Using magic, I lifted the drop and gently ferried it over to his gaping maw. Like an infant bird of prey, he crouched with his head tipped back and his mouth wide open to feed. Unlikean infant bird, ecstasy consumed his face, and he hadn’t even tasted it yet.
Only as the drop drifted closer to his open mouth did I reconsider. Once I gave him even this tiny bit, he’d be able to track me no matter where I went.
But in a few days, it would no longer matter.
After all, I was the shield.
I released the drop and it plunged down, falling into the Liege’s mouth. His jaws snapped shut. He fell to his knees. He contorted, his limbs snapping out then back in again while he moaned.
Finally, he stilled and rose to his feet. “Your deal is worthy.”
Yes, I could do nothing less.
I held out my hand.
He reached within the folds of his soiled, tattered robe and drew out a rough brown sack, stretching it forward with his bony hand.
Taking it, I loosened the tie and peered inside. “There are only four.”
“I couldn’t get more than that.”
“I don’t believe you.”
