“You got that pack second hand from the barrack’s market twenty years ago.”
“What can I say? I buy good quality shit.”Merrick rolled his eyes, scratching his beard as he nodded admirably to his pack by the door.
Laurent chuckled, turning from the portal to the window, gazing out to the cobblestone streets that held the night’s bustle. Across the row, a fae female with beautiful tawny skin and flowing skirts of deep red watered pots full of plants outside her front door.
Her magic poured from her hands, watering each stalk of multicolored flowers gently. She flicked her wrist, and the stream ebbed before she moved to the next pot filled with bright orange peonies, conjuring water to trickle from her fingers to the blooms, smiling serenely the entire time.
Another lifetime,Laurent thought to himself, he would have gone over to her, complimented her hard work, inhaled the sweet smells of flora. And fae. Maybe asked her to grab a drink with him down the street. Behind him, Merrick started loudly counting off on the packs and supplies they gathered, accentuating the counts with a deep burp every few seconds, causing Laurent to sigh audibly.
Just a little longer, and the portal would transport them to the entrance of the Obsidian Palace, where they’d request a meeting with the Regent, and Lenna would reveal herself as the new Oracle to secure the Prism.
Where they would stay was still up in the air, but with both Merrick’s and Laurent’s past training in the Obsidian Palace, he hoped Lord Magnamus would allow their stay as guests of the Queen Absolute. Without actuallyhavingthe Queen Absolute’s expressed approval, of course.
Lost in thought, Laurent felt the portal tug at him again, and he fed it another morsel of magic. The power in the room turned into a thrum,mirroring his heartbeat. Just a few more hours. Then, they could begin clearing Keerian’s name to Queen Adara, and petition for Esmeray to be locked up instead of killed for her numerous crimes.
“I think we are all packed.” Merrick surveyed the bags, patting his waist and the weapons attached. Laurent turned from watching the beautiful stranger to check their belongings.
A loudboomshook the house.
Laurent whirled back to the window, seeing the fae female’s face whip up from her flowers and look down the street. She gasped, and in a flash of blue light, waned away.
Laurent had his short sword out in the span between seconds, bright sparks of blue and white flames flickering down the length. Behind him, he heard Merrick also draw, palming the newly sharpened dagger, and crouching into a defensive stance in front of Lenna. The Oracle whimpered and shrunk behind the grey wings Merrick flared out.
“Stay behind Merrick,” Laurent hissed to Lenna. She visibly began trembling. Laurent slowly slid towards the window and peered out the side of the curtain. “Fuck,” he cursed under his breath as the chaos unfolding in the narrow street came into view.
Outside, screams of fear began, the beings on the street flying, waning, and running away. The cacophony of wings and running footsteps faded a beat later–and an unnerving silence filled the air.
“What’s going on?” Merrick hadn’t moved from his defensive position in front of Lenna. He was perfectly still, living stone made flesh.
“Go through the portal. Now,” Laurent breathed. His green eyes flashed with power, and the portal pulsed harder. He poured every remaining ounce of his magic at it, getting them as much distance as possible from the dark silhouette of thewinged figure now standing alone in the middle of the cobblestone street, mere feet from their front door.
Chapter sixteen
Lenna
Lennafeltfear–trueundulatingfear–as Laurent’s magic filled the portal, the whine of power making her ears pop with the renewed rush of pressure.
She was tucked behind Merrick’s outstretched wings, struggling to see what was happening outside the window. She knew without a shadow of a doubt that this had something to do with her. The thought terrified her, and Lenna’s body reacted accordingly, her shaking increasing, her palms slick with sweat.
“Esmeray found us,” Laurent rasped, slowly backing away from the window. Lenna’s heart slammed into her throat. Her trembling was getting worse by the second. With a sweep of Laurent’s hand, the candles and fireplace extinguished.
The only light in the house emitted from the portal behind her, illuminating the outlines of the fae and gargoyle standing between her and the killer of her predecessor.
With Laurent out of the way of the window, Lenna was able to catch a quick glimpse of the figure now pacing slowly outside the doorway. Black wings, black curled horns. Her breath caught. Thefear of what Esmeray would do to her if she made it past Merrick and Laurent made Lenna’s stomach roil.
“Oh, come on, Laurent. Wards…really?” The strangely familiar female voice purred. Laurent reported quietly that Esmeray was stopped at the threshold of wards, testing for weak spots. Merrick shifted his weight, keeping Lenna behind him. “You really thinktheseare going to keepmeout?”
Lenna shot a panicked glance at Merrick and Laurent. They were both touching their rings in a silent conversation that Lenna wished she was privy to.
Would they give her up in exchange for their own freedom?
Without a word, Laurent backed towards Merrick and Lenna, snagging their three packs as he went–never taking his eyes off the door.
Crack.
Wide eyed, Lenna startled and winced.
“Esmeray broke through the first ward,” Merrick mumbled as he tucked his wings in, blindly reaching his tattooed arm out to Lenna.
