Bastion of Sun

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Plots of Seduction

"Will it even listen to you?" Darius asked as they moved.

Gray led Darius down the halls, listening and following the faint threads of ancient air that would lead them to Evangeline's rooms to find the beast. Each thread was like another strand of rope, pulling him from his dark quagmire into the light. "I think you can make it listen," Gray answered Darius. "You seem to have an affinity towards animals. First the spooked horses way back when, then with the Matriarch and the gryphon."

Darius grunted. "Don't forget Mirkal who Faye stole."

Mirkal was Darius' cormac that Gray had promised the unpredictable woman in return for helping them to Farbs. It'd been part of their bloodpact. As he glanced over at Darius, the rogue's face contorted, his mouth forming silent curse words—still obviously a little bitter about the woman stealing his mount. Gray couldn't remember if he'd told Darius that he was responsible for brokering the deal that took his cormac. He felt a stab of guilt for that, but it had been a necessary price for Faye to help escort them through Farhaven's deadly deserts. Their lives in exchange for one beast? A worthy trade and one he would do again. Besides, if they saw Faye again, maybe he could bargain the mount back... if he lived long enough. "See? More things than I can remember. You and animals are meant to be."

"Maybe it's the elf in me," Darius joked. Then he blanched, his face turning pale as an underground dweller of Narim. It sounded closer to truth than jest. "Right then," he said, changing the subject. "I can help. What's your plan to steal this noble beast? You could just ask her, seeing as you are..." he left the rest unsaid, but Gray knew he wanted to say dying.

Gray rubbed his jaw. He'd considered that option, but then shook his head. "I doubt that she'd hand over a mount that's rarer than a golden sunpike. It's probably worth fifteen Ester Perfect Gems and a pile of armor and weapons from the Hall of Winds."

At his side, Darius groaned. "You're doing it again."

He looked up, caught in his thoughts. "Huh? Doing what?"

"That thing where you name mythical places that I know nothing about. It's kind of creepy, you know? Like talking to two different people."

Gray shrugged. "Sorry. But to answer your question, I don't think that asking is the smart choice. It's too risky. She could say yes, but she could say no, and then what? She'll suspect we want it, and then taking the mount will be all the more difficult. And that archwolf is our only chance."

"Right," Darius said, looking up, eyes lighting. "Seduce her?"

Gray rolled his eyes with a sigh. "No."

"What? I'm just throwing out ideas! You're being awfully unhelpful, being contrary to my suggestions. Granted, they're still a little rough around the edges—"

Gray shot him a withering look. "Seducing a princess of a Great Kingdom in my state is not one of your best ideas. I'd consider it more of a brain fart than a real suggestion."

"So you are considering it?"

"Darius," Gray growled, growing serious.

Darius nodded. "Sorry. She's not my type anyway. So just an old-fashioned smash and grab?"

"We'll have to be a little more clandestine than that. I believe I have an idea."

They crept through the mostly empty halls. He wondered about the strange absence of activity. He attributed it to the time of night, but the more they walked, the stranger the absence seemed. Perhaps being this high up in the Apex had weeded out the more common folk he'd seen upon entering? His guess seemed accurate as they passed royal looking quarters—rooms furnished with rich rugs, mirrored candle sconces of Esterian silver, golden lacquered tables and plush chairs, all well-lit despite the time of night. He wondered why a city this impressive would have so many empty rooms, but he hadn't thought on it too long when he came face-to-face with a wall of muscle.