Beneath the Sunless Sky

Chapter Twenty

—Khae Falairas, Velara—

"This is so boring. I'm actually starting to think about dragging Taffa behind the nearest pile of rubble..." Lulu mumbled as she leaned her head back against the ruined section of wall. From their vantage point on one of the higher floors of a dilapidated building, she and Duncan watched Le'Mon allow another one of his resurrections to be dissolved by whatever security measure the Aegis had in place. The Necromancer didn't seem to care even a little bit as the man's screams filled the air. Once gone, he set about conjuring another servant.

The Aegis was near the heart of the city, only a few streets removed from the main square. It was the largest building they had seen, sprawling for over two blocks, the main building connecting to others across streets through glass bridges. It wasn't the ugliest she had ever seen, but it was exceedingly close.

A big gray monstrosity, it was rather plain, save for the giant shield statue plastered to the front of it. The years of neglect had gotten to it, eroding away large sections of walls that left gaps for Lemon and his henchmen to exploit. He had sent several guard rotations to poke around, likely searching for another entrance into the desired section of the Aegis, but it appeared there were no alternative routes. The way before him was the only one to his goal. And, though the building was wearing away, it would seem its defenses were not. It made her curious as to the secrets hidden away inside. Such security measures would not be there without reason.

Beside her, Duncan let out a sarcastic snort that made her turn her head. He wasn't looking at her, eyes fixated on their targets below, but she could see something she had said bothered him from the tense line of his jaw.

"What? Don't think I can sleep with one that beefy?" Lulu began to joke, but Duncan was quick to cut her off.

"You can't be this stupid."

Lulu blinked. Duncan was certainly known to banter with her when the occasion called for it, but he had never been downright mean about it. He shook his head as soon as the words were out of his mouth.

"Shit. That's not what I meant," he mumbled. "I'm just tired. This world's got my insides twisted. Too many dead people floatin' around."

"'sokay," Lulu muttered in return. He wasn't wrong. Even now, they were sitting next to a pair of wraiths hovering nearby, seeming to have an inaudible conversation.

"What I wanted to say was, why have a tryst with that angry bitch when you have the sweetest woman in the world hanging on your every word?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. Oh, look, Lemon killed another one..."

Duncan let out a knowing chuckle. "Right. 'Cause you don't leer at Idelle when you think she isn't looking."

"I'll have you know, sir, I've never leered in my life."

Duncan gave her a withering look. "You stare at her mouth. It's plain as day you want to kiss her again. I don't see why you don't just do it. That girl ain't gonna turn you down."

Lulu kept her thoughts to herself. This was not something she would discuss with anyone. The only person she trusted with her innermost thoughts was the one person she absolutely could not talk to about this. So, she would maintain her silence on the subject instead.

"Look, you don't gotta say anythin'," Duncan said to her gently. "I know you hate those pesky things called feelin's, but...if you're holdin' back because you think Idelle might reject you...I just gotta say that's not gonna happen. It's been clear to me since day one that that girl loves you."