Page 54 of Bound By Darkness

“It is,” Raflamir agrees.

“Why is it that Earlann has managed to draw so much attention recently?” I flip through to the beginning of the book and take note of the entrances that occurred within that month. “Thirty…” Then I skip back to the middle of the book. “Ten, twelve…”

“Since your escape from your… banishment,” Raflamir begins, keeping his gaze glued to his plate, “Variant’s men are searching for you high and low. They’ve repeatedly visited Earlann, most probably because—”

“Variant knows you were loyal to our side during the war,” I finish for him.

He nods. “Anona and her men are the most frequent visitors.”

“Anona’s name isn’t listed in the book,” I point out as I study the entries.

The accusation in my tone doesn’t go unnoticed by my companions. Baron and Dragan are alert, watching me with inquisitive expressions.

“Variant t…told me n…not to put Anona’s name in the logs,” stammers Raflamir, wiping the sweat off his brow.

“Why?” Dragan asks.

Raflamir faces Dragan for a second before dropping his attention back down to his untouched plate. “Variant said if Anona failed him again, he would kill her.”

“What does that have to do with Anona not appearing in your book?” Dragan presses.

“Variant didn’t want any official record of Anona’s visits here, in case someone came asking.”

“Why?” I cut in.

“Variant’s c…convinced the precinct l…leaders are trying to b…band against him and start their own rebellion,” Raflamir starts. He takes a deep breath.

“Why would he think that?” I ask.

Raflamir shakes his head as if to say he doesn’t know. “There’s been no…no sign of s…such activities, but Variant refuses to see…r…reason. He thinks his enemies are lurking around…around every corner.” Raflamir swallows noisily, and a knock on the door causes him to jump.

Baron and Dragan immediately stand up and Dragan faces Eilish.

“Hide her,” he says before he and Baron seep into the shadows of the darkest corners of the room, remaining unseen. Flumph leads Eilish to the staircase and she climbs up the stairs with him at her heels. I watch as the trap door of the staircase closes into the ceiling, presumably at the hands of Baron or Dragan although I can’t see either one. The floor above my head creaks before going startlingly silent.

I hide behind a corner of the living room leading into the kitchen and instruct Raflamir to open the door. When he does, he lets out a long sigh of relief and opens it wider. Three people enter the room. I recognize one of them immediately and step out from my hiding place.

When she sees me, Aima gasps.

“Cambion…” she says. “So, it’s true.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

FLUMPH

Earlann

“Flumph!” King Shadow Taint yells up the stairs. “You both can come down!”

My ears are ringin’ from how loud that fuckin’ cock shouts my name.

Pretty walks beside me as my tiny little wings carry me towards the staircase that lead back down to the shitty floor level.

Thunder buttercup! There be three newbies sittin’ ‘round the table. One o’ ‘em’s a girl. Or least she look like one. I’m even more convinced she be a girl when we takes our places at the table. Her ears are pointy, like the fancy elf’s, but she got these big-ass fangs that be flashin’ each time she talk.

Speakin’ o’ the fancy elf, I can’t fer the life o’ me figure out what be wrong with his sense o’ fashion. I get that he ain’t been out o’ Geldingstock for like ever, but he dressed like they used ta dress back in the long-ago times, with them poofy pants—and I’m pretty sure he got on a pirate shirt. He look right stupid.

But back to the three newbies we find waitin’ fer us at the table…

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