Radiance and Shadows

Twenty Seven

Synika rematerialized at Knox's outdoor desk, startling the man, who was digging through his desk drawers for something.

"Synika! Pleasure." He said gruffly, wiping his nose and clearing his throat.

"Knox." She said, nodding. "I just thought I'd let you know that Zina and I cleaned up Blackdagger."

The Sergeant sat back. "Really? All of them?"

Synika slid some papers over, sitting on his desk crossed legged. "Yes and no. Most of the forces there we managed to wipe out without a chance of resurrection, however not all. Traven will not be returning, but Tam will."

"He fled, I presume?" Knox asked.

"No. I killed him, but I left his body for Valindra in my cockiness, not realizing she'll just resurrect his corpse."

Knox nodded. "Aye.. well, I'd say that if you beat him once, you can do it again. I wouldn't worry about it. With little bodies in Blackdagger, there's no reason for him to stay anymore."

"I hope so."

"Mm. Well, I'm proud of you. But, ah, where's the other girl?"

"Sleeping at home. She's exhausted."

Knox looked up to the castle, at Synika's tower. "I suppose so.. I often forget you don't tire like normal people."

Synika narrowed her eyes. "Indeed."

Knox pulled at his armor's collar. "Anyways, I'll pass the message on to the Lord Protector. In the meantime, was there anything you needed? I'm sure Neverember will see to it that you are paid."

"We are paid, Knox. Zina helped, and she gets paid too. She took down Traven. And I want compensated for the near death of my tiger."

Knox scoffed. "No one asked you to bring the cat. That's on you."

"Fine, then tell Manycoins Bank to tighten security, because I'll be over to see them shortly."

The Seargeant cursed. "Fine, fine. I'll make sure you're compensated. Now, anything else?"

"I need a better place to stay. Zina can't do this tower, and though it's probably safest up there, I need something different."

"There is no available housing in the city, I'm sorry. We've been full for weeks."

"Plots of land, perhaps?"

Knox shrugged, yanking a folder out from his desk drawer. "Here's a few maps and the land plots. We keep record for safety and number counts."

Synika looked over the maps. There was an available spot in the River District. She looked at the listing, realizing with stark shock that it was where the home her parents had been in was. She set the folder back down.

"What about outside the walls?"

"You can't be serious. We can't offer any protection out there."

"I'll be fine. Find me a small island off the coast. I'll make it work."

"Neverember isn't going to give you an island." Knox said.

"Then my new title across the land will be Synika Kingslayer." Synika said, dazzling Knox with a fanged smile. "Has a strong ring to it, I like it. And you can tell him I said that, too."

"Right.. Will do." the man replied.

"Make sure it's at least four square acres, pretty flat too."

Knox rolled his eyes. "Sure."

"Thanks, Knox." Synika said, fading from his desk and flying up to her tower. She reformed to find Zina still sleeping heavily, barely having moved from where she'd been left. Synika sidled up beside her on the bed, letting her body relax.