Lumina

6 ~ Bad Night

Alexis

By the time his partner found Alexis, his wine had been long finished. Refilled. And then finished again. He was about to waive over a particularly beautiful raven-haired servant again when Lona approached, saw the blonde across his lap, and scowled.

A lazy grin was the insurgent's response before he pulled his arm away from the woman he had been otherwise indulging. With a huff she looked to Lona and muttered in one breathy slur, "You cou'join'us."

Without a word the spymaster lashed her arm across the woman's neck and watched, amused, as Alexis scrambled to catch the limp body.

A smile that promised violence pulled across her regal features and Lona demanded tightly, "Now go seduce the right one."

"Honestly, I tried." Alexis muttered. Had even risked using his magic on her this close to the Queen. Replacing the unconscious woman in his chair, he nodded out to the crowd, "Let her tire herself out with the over-decorated poodles first."

"How convenient," Lona spoke and pointed, "she's leaving."

At this Alexis straightened and eyed the dark beauty's path towards a set of doors that led out to a garden. He scanned the room once the princess left. There was only one thing out of place-

"Where's Liz?"

The two stopped and Lona looked around the room, exasperation rising underneath that calm mask. Neither his sister nor the escort could be found. Alexis grabbed her shoulders hard, "I thought you said you could trust him," he hissed.

Onlookers slid curious eyes to them.

Ever the professional, Lona slithered up to his body, her hand tracing his arm with razor sharp nails. "Patience, Lord James," she reminded him of his role very sweetly- an undertone of warning only Alexis recognized- and swayed her hips against him.

It took a breath's pause but he registered the directions in her eyes and dragged his hands down her corset, moving away from the crowd as the over passionate couple.

Once backed into a solitary corner the act dropped and the spymaster stepped back to snap, "Don't blow this. If he left with your sister it was because he thought it necessary."

Alexis spread his hands expectantly.

Lona's hesitation was brief, but it was enough to let him know she was as much at a loss as he was to the whereabouts of her spy. Before the topic could be argued further, a chill ran through his spine.

Magic. Different, unlike anything he had ever sensed before, but- unmistakably strong.

The blood left his face, "Outside."

Where the princess had just gone.

One glance to the queen moving up the stairs had Alexis pushing through the crowd, Lona directly on his tail. Queen Vita was flanked by guards, but the 'special' one they had noted earlier was nowhere to be found.

The world began to tilt with every twist the bodies around them made and Alexis remembered why he had originally preferred ale. At least ale was up front about its brute force. He stumbled around a group of nobles and snatched one of their glasses of water, finishing it with a glare when the noble attempted to protest.

"That guard is gone," he explained once Lona caught up to him. Her eyes widened.

In a low voice she grabbed the cup from him and whispered, "I'll find Elizabeth, you go." Shattering glass bellowed across the room and Lona stumbled backwards into a nearby onlooker with a yelp, "Oh forgive me, my Lord, I've had too much!"