He looks over his shoulder, then back at me, blinking slowly. “I take the dagger and I can take you too.”
Fuck, I want out of this place so badly it’s an ache in my bones. “I gots to stay here. Keep the evil bastard’s attention on me, ya know. So he don’t suspect something is up.”
Comprehension lights up the creature’s eyes. “You are smart.”
“Thanks.”
“And you are brave.”
Brave? Nah, I just love Leela, and this…this gives her time to get back to me and stop this evil fecker. Still, my heart sinks as Iwalk back into the cage. “Lock me in, would ya? Then put the key outta reach.”
The brown-eyed little man reaches up with his spindly fingers and turns the key, locking me in. A lump forms in me throat, but I swallow it down. He places the key outta reach, and then he pushes his finger into the lock.
“What ya doin?”
There’s a soft sizzle and a click. “Will seem locked but willnotlock. You run when you ready,” he says.
Knowing I can escape whenever, regardless of the key, unravels the knots in my belly a little. “I’m not running till I know Chandra’s managed to get his ass to Leela.”
“Then I will find you and tell you when that time comes.”
I nod. “You best get that dagger and get outta here. The evil fucker will be back soon. He usually comes to see me after sundown.”
“I know. I watch.”
Creepy, but whatever. “Go.”
The air shimmers, and he vanishes, but if I look real careful, I can see his silhouette moving across the room to the study. He slips through the door and is gone, but the air still feels charged. His magic maybe? Long moments pass, and the air shifts, the strange pulse and crackle vanishing. My fur settles. The brown-eyed little man is gone.
The plan will go on. And me? I’ll stay put till the time is right. I’ll know when. I’ll feel it. I always do, and if the right time don’t come, then Leela will.
She’ll come fer me.
She always does.
I’m startingto feel sorry fer meself, wondering why the heck I didn’t just go with Brown Eyes instead of deciding ta be smart, when the evil bastard wearing Wonder Pecs returns.
“Hello, Blue,” he croons, taking his usual seat at the table, opposite my cage. His gaze drops ta the key and then lifts to me, and the corner of his mouth kicks up.
I ain’t playing games today. “Yeah, I tried ta reach it. Ha ha. Ya happy now?”
His eyes narrow. “Happy? I haven’t been happy in a long time, but yes, it gave me a spike of satisfaction to taunt you.”
At least he’s honest. Maybe I can get him to be honest about other things. Maybe I can find out a little more about this control he has over everyone. Maybe I can get ta me anchor buddies. A fresh bubble of hope fills my chest.
“You know what makesmehappy?”
He arches a brow. “Do tell, little rodent.”
“Making other people happy. Gives me this warm glow, ya know. You should try it sometime.”
“Oh really?”
That smile again. I want ta smack it off his face.
“Yeah. You could makemehappy.”
He leans in. His topaz eyes, once warm and accepting when Araz was behind them, are now filled with cold fire. “I’m not letting you go, Blue.”
