This…this she didn’t like in the least. How Xaydin could stand it, she had no idea.
As they left the building, a group ofaþaswerefollowed them outside to watch them make their way across the street.
None of them spoke as they drew near the stable. Instead, they kept their attention on the group gathered to wish them dead and be prepared in case they decided to act on that impulse.
Only when they opened the stable door and stepped inside it did Xaydin take his hand off the hilt of his sword and let go of Gisela.
Masakage gave him a grim smile. “Well, that was fun. What should we try next? Diving into a piranha-infested stream?”
“I’m up for it. But only if you go in first.”
Masakage shook his head.
Gisela snickered. At least someone appreciated his humor.
“How do we find theaþaswerenow?” she asked.
“I still have my ways, but first I need to deal with an annoyance…”
“Athgar?”
Xaydin nodded at her. “I’m not real happy with the beast who has a big mouth.” Those words were barely spoken before he found said beast with the big mouth in the stable where they’d left him.
As soon as Athgar saw them, his eyes widened and he began to sweat. “I didn’t do anything wrong.” He spoke hastily before Xaydin said or did anything to wring them from theaþaswere, which told him just how guilty Athgar was.
And theaþaswereknew it.
“Athgar… Athgar… Athgar…Why don’t I believe you?”
“Because he’s lying. I don’t even need my powers to know that.” Masakage manifested his staff out of thin air. The stone at the tip of it shone a deep, dark purple that lit up the stable and bathed them in a soft amethyst glow.
“I didn’t know what they had planned or what the contract on your life said. I was told to notify Sigurd whenever you showed up again. I had no idea they were going to attack you.”
Xaydin rolled his eyes. “What did you think he planned? A birthday celebration?”
Masakage tsked. “He knew what they would most likely do.”
Athgar glared at him. “What are you? A fucking mind reader?”
“Yes.”
That made theaþaswerego pale as he turned toward Gisela.
But she wasn’t swayed by his pleas any more than the men were. “I don’t have to read your mind. Guilt is written on your face more plainly than the contracts on your body.” She met Xaydin’s gaze. “You don’t really have to kill him to break the contract, do you? Can’t you just cut off the limb where it’s written?”
“Never considered that before. Killing them was just too much fun. Guess we could start dissecting Athgar and see what happens.”
Athgar turned to run, then froze as if an invisible hand had caught him and held him in place.
Gisela arched a brow as she looked at Masakage. “You?”
He smiled. “One of my more favorite abilities.”
“I have the best friends.” Xaydin narrowed the distance between him and Athgar who kept struggling against Masakage’s powers. “You’re wasting your time. I’ve been where you are, and it’s annoying as shit. That being said, I do know theone and only way to break free of that unholy grasp. Bet you wish I’d share it.”
That only made Athgar more nervous. “What are you going to do with me?”
Xaydin met his brother’s gaze. “What do you think?”
