Page 35 of Bound By Darkness

“And, how do you propose we do that?” Dragan rolls his eyes.

“Flumph will reveal the entrance to Earlann. The gateway is somewhere along the river. Find the gate, and we find Raflamir.”

The feral curse that drifts from Dragan’s lips causes a smile to appear on my face. I love being the one to call the shots. If the shadow-dweller had his way, the entire mission would be one big ‘fuck you’ to Variant, and we’d most likely storm the palace and die trying to exact our revenge. Dragan’s heavy-handed ways would almost certainly get us killed. This mission takes stealth and precision, something of which the hamfisted oaf isn’t capable, even with his magic.

“Just take the left and cover my advances,” I say before glancing back at the vampire. “Baron still isn’t in any shape to fight. I’ll have him watch the demon.”

The Succubus shifts her weight and shakes her head at my term for her; Dragan’s jaw tightens, but he doesn’t say anything. I can tell the appellation bothers him all the same. And, of course, it should—he’s had his way with her, and she entrapped him just as easily as Lamia did. I’m sure that fact burns him more than any flames of hell could.

I grab her rope, and move away from Dragan, approaching the vampire with an impassive shield over my expression. Eilish blinks up at me, like an owl. Dark circles appear beneath her enchanting eyes, and I force myself to look away.

“Watch her,” I order Baron. “Dragan and I will find the gateway. Wait until Flumph lowers the stone, before you follow.We should assume there are sentries all over the region, thus we’ll need to move quickly.”

“This isn’t my first trip to the Fae Realm,” Baron hisses through tightly clenched teeth. Sweat beads on his brow as he takes the rope, and the demoness looks on with worry etched on her lovely features. She’s so weak and naïve, yet she remains the most treacherous creature in our midsts.

“And hopefully it won’t be your last,” I say to him with a quick smile.

“Just know that if the odds are no longer in our favor, Iwillleave you all to die,” Baron responds, his eyes narrowed and angry. “My memories may be returning one brutal fucking headache at a time, but that doesn’t change the fact that I’m not your friend.”

“I believe you should have already left us,” Dragan barks back at him. Baron doesn’t respond.

I step away from the surly vampire and slither into position. My senses prickle with an eerie awareness of my surroundings. A flicker catches my eye as a ray of pure moonlight refracts off theRiverinestone. Flumph holds it steady while fractals of color bathe the river in a muted rainbow. The colors flow with the rushing current, but in the water’s surface I see the reflection of a door that rests on the other side of the river. It’s a door hidden behind a veil of magic. Standing beside that door is Raflamir.

I walk towards the water with Dragan covering my advances, as we planned. He clenches his jaw so tightly, I wonder if his teeth might crack. Would serve the asshole barbarian right if they did.

As I wade into the water, the reflection reverses. Magic tickles the scarce hair on my arms and, suddenly, I’m standing in the waters of a glittering pool of ethereal energy. Dragan appears at my side and we caution a step toward the door to Earlann.

Raflamir spots us immediately, and his eyes widen with recognition. He lifts his arms and, in an arch of power, creates a dome over the three of us.

“Cambion?” he says in dour surprise. “What brings you here?” His voice is rough, and I notice a horizontal scar across his throat that wasn’t there the last time I saw him.

The years have not been kind to my old friend. “Easy, Raflamir. We aren’t here to cause trouble. I just need a moment to explain.”

“Explain?” he repeats, shaking his head. “It’s quite well known, brother, that you and the Shadow King are the most wanted men in the realms.”

“I’m well aware,” I answer quickly. “But, still, I ask you to listen to me.”

Raflamir points to the scar on his neck. “This is what happens to those who fought beside you in the Great War. I was tortured and sliced open, just for Variant’s entertainment.”

I swallow hard. Perhaps this visit will be more difficult than I’d imagined. “I’m relying upon our kinship, as Fae, Raflimir. Otherwise I would not have come.”

The elf waves his hand again and removes a glamour that conceals the true extent of what he endured at Variant’s hands. Scars litter the Steward’s face. One of his eyes is milky and sightless, with a large slash running through it from the top of his hairline to the underside of his chin.

“I’m sorry to see the extent of the pain you suffered, old friend,” I offer.

“There are rumors you and the Shadow King have gone mad in your banishment,” Raflamir continues, his good eye shifting from me to Dragan, as though he’s trying to decide if he should put credence into such rumors.

“If you believe gossip, then why the fuck did you shield us from the sentries?” Dragan demands. Clearly, he doesn’tunderstand the art of subtlety. But, why would he? He’s an artless barbarian through and through. I don’t understand how I ever considered him a friend. Truly, we have nothing in common and never did.

As the gargoyle speaks, Raflamir’s gaze never leaves mine. He moves a step forward until the three of us stand only a few inches apart. As an elf, he is smart not to trust shadow creatures or angels after the war. Far too many betrayals against our people have left us paranoid when it comes to outsiders.

“Because, despite it all, my allegiance is still to the True King.”

A sigh of relief escapes me as Dragan frowns. Clearly, he doesn’t appreciate Raflamir referring to me as the “True King.” I’m quite certain Dragan thinks of himself as the only True King, and I thrill over his upset.

I walk back to the water and toss a stone into the pool. On the other side, it should cause an unnatural ripple in the river’s current to signal Baron and the demon. As I watch, the two of them make their way into the pool. The Succubus’ eyes dart about as though she’s a frightened, little mouse. I can practically taste the bitterness of her fear on my tongue.

She’s a good actress, I’ll say that much for her.

---