“Did I spare the nymph sisters?”
“You continue to regret killing them. So excuse me if I believe you are incapable of taking a life unless it’s a cyber monster.”
I snatched my halberd from him and placed it back in my inventory. “You know, I’m beginning to think peeking at the spellbook wasn’t the only crime you committed against your people.”
He grinned. “Our people.”
“You seem to enjoy killing natives.”
“When necessary, I do not falter. The same with my sister. But I believe you didn’t give her as much grief about it as you’re giving me, right hero?”
I choked.
“She seems sweet, but she isn’t. I’ve seen my sister scramble. It isn’t pretty.”
“I know that.”
“But you enjoyed the company of a killer. How about you show me the same respect.”
I rolled my eyes.
“And do your job. You must remove this sympathy before it becomes the death of you. Or else, you’ll have me second guessing your alliance.”
I snapped my head at him coldly. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing. Let’s keep moving.” I went over to grab my glob of goo before walking toward Rufian again, his eyes surveying the area. “I believe we aren’t out of the woods just yet. I sensed people in the back end when I first entered. Although, I couldn’t see them.”
“They are the couple I saved from the guild.”
“Couple?” Just as he said that, I heard shuffling in front of us. It was Maxi and her husband, and they looked as good as new.
I smiled at the sight of them, while Rufian gave them the opposite treatment.
When I stepped in front of Rufian ready to burn and ice them, they shirked back. “Hey, cool it off with the offense. They went through it enough already.”
Maxi bowed respectfully. “Thank you for protecting us. That was truly brave of you to go head to head with the Deo Guild like that. It was selfless and admirable. And for that, we are in your debt.”
“No problem. I am glad to see the both of you on your feet!”
The husband scratched the back of his head sheepishly. “How embarrassing. We are usually pretty good at avoiding unwelcome guests. We use an illusion spell to protect our location, but they must have had something that negated the warding. Whatever it was, it’s gone now.”
Rufian raised a brow. “How do you figure?”
“Well, I didn’t see it in their inventory.”
I gasped. “Huh? You’re not part of the guild, so how could you—”
“Oh, my husband has a rare gift!” Maxi tweeted. “He can snatch items in anyone’s inventory!”
“A rare gift indeed. I haven’t even heard of anything like this before…” Rufian said. “But wouldn’t the target know you took something from them?”
“Not if there’s a fake placeholder in the same spot,” Tienus chuckled. “Although it doesn’t work for secret boxes. It’s a pretty silly gift but it does come in useful. It also helps that my wife is a healer.”
“Two offensive fae. I must say, the both of you are brave to live here like this.”
“We prefer living in isolation, away from the corruptness of fae and of war. It’s… a stressful lifestyle we want no part of.”
“Ether is pretty segregated already,” Rufian defended.
“But they are still under the High Order’s boot.”
Rufian grinned. “Do you honestly believe by living here you can escape their wrath?”
“We have been for a few years now,” Tienus said. “If word of our location spreads, we will move.”
“Well, I’d consider packing your bags. Because the Deo will strike again.”
“We believe it, and we are already considering moving,” Maxi said, leading Tienus to grunt. She turned over to her husband and reeled his arm into her lovingly. “I know it’s hard to leave the home we created, but we must. If we are to raise a family, their safety comes first, my love.”
“I know Deo, so I understand they can be savage and unreasonable. But they seem pretty far from home being somewhere as excluded as this. They had to have a reason,” Rufian persisted.
“Right. They were looking for the codex,” Maxi’s husband said, and Rufian’s stare went cold. “But, we do not have it. I don’t know why they thought we would.”
Rufian squared his eyes. “They were following a trail. You must have something…”
“Go on, honey. Give them what you stole from those crooks,” Maxi begged, and Tienus handed me a note.
“They are locations all around Mavriel. I couldn’t make any sense of it.”
