Cerberus Rex, Nameless

Disguise & Freedom, 10

"Winny!" A low voice and pounding on Mr. Noarwin's apartment door rattled through Feri's bones. She had ducked in a corner of the three-room home he left her and Asinis in. Asinis pressed among some satin drapes separating the hall and main room. Mr. Noarwin had left them promising to return with Tree Keeper, but then a soldier appeared.

A peek out the window showed Feri a brown-skinned man with manicured eyebrows and cocoa hair. A gold clasp kept half of it out of his face as the rest spilled over golden armor. Black lashes framed his handsome eyes, one silver and the other amber. He was clean-shaven and beautiful. She'd never seen anyone so exotic, and he had to be important if he was so ornamentally dressed. It would be prudent for her to stay away from a human that stunning. Otherwise, her current form would elicit scorn that might make her lash out like it did the last time a human mocked her looks. A sick bubble rose from her stomach and into her throat. Remembering her moiety appearance kept making her sick.

"Noarwin! You don't belong sneaking around the jail. Get out here!"

Feri whimpered as she covered her gnomish hair with her hands.

"Sir Sefu, what brings me the honor?" A muffled, familiar voice made Feri peek up and Asinis stir in the middle of the purple curtains he hid among.

"I was told you were sneaking around the jail, Winny. You've already received numerous warnings to stay out. Your contacts are in there for a reason."

"I wasn't visiting a contact, only looking for an unjustly imprisoned young man whom Captain Fairwind has turned over into my care." Mr. Noarwin gestured to a person beside him.

Feri gasped and exchange glances with Asinis, but she couldn't tell if he looked relieved or upset.

"Is that all, sir?" Mr. Noarwin asked with a smile in his voice.

"Had you gone there under the captain's order?" Sir Sefu asked.

"Dear me. I should have thought to bring a note. You are quite the dutiful nursemaid, Sir Sefu."

"I don't like it any more than you do, Winny. But you've ruffled too many feathers with your way of doing things."

"So long as the captain doesn't complain, I am inclined to continue relying on my methods. You are welcome to join me next time," Mr. Noarwin offered, adding a flirtatious stroke over Sir Sefu's bracers.

Sir Sefu batted him off in an automatic gesture that suggested he'd done it a thousand thoughtless times. "I'm too busy for this," he sighed. "Just stay home tonight. I don't want to get fetched to replay this charade."

"Ah, but you do love it, don't you, Seffy. Why else would you come running to see me every day?"

Feri dared to readjust her squint through the window. She gasped. Tree Keeper stood near Mr. Noarwin leaning over the stair railing. Mr. Noarwin's golden armored friend paused in descending.

"Winny. I run after you every day because some noble is scared you're going to implicate him in whatever business you're investigating."

"Ah," Mr. Noarwin held his own chin, "these poor nobles. They have nothing to worry about. So long as he isn't dealing in anything shady, he has no need to fear me. Ah, that reminds me. How fairs your sister?"

"Don't bring Manjeet into this, Winny. She has enough on her plate placating the council members on your behalf."

"Give her a kiss for me, Sefu, and tell her I'll drop by for a chat later. We have some interesting topics to discuss."

Sir Sefu, seeming to decide Mr. Noarwin would keep him there all day with his roundabout conversation, disappeared down the gray stairs. Mr. Noarwin chuckled, pleased with himself as he whirled around and held out an arm toward the door to his current lodging.