Page 55 of The Night Prince

He will regret doing that!

“You know that he couldn’t hurt me,” Aquilan reminded him with a wave of his hand.

But that was only true if Declan had been human.But he was not.

“It was a kitchen knife.One with a broken point of all things.I believe it's the one he had on the day the Leviathan came,” Aquilan murmured.

Rhalyf saw Helgrom stiffen at the description of the knife.It was hardly prepossessing so why was Helgrom reacting in that way?

“What is it, Helgrom?”Aquilan had noticed it, too.“Is it… am I right?Does he keep it with him out of fear that the Leviathan might come back and harm him and those he cares for?”

Aquilan’s blue eyes were huge.He had one hand clenched in front of his chest.Rhalyf had never seen him so passionate about anyone like this before.

“I… I think it may be the very weapon,” Helgrom finally said.“But you mustn’t worry that Declan lives his life in fear.The boy is quite the opposite.Takes down orcs, goblins, the whole bunch.Fearless, I would call him.”

Now you speak about Declan,Rhalyf thought darkly.Good.Answer all the king’s questions and mine, too.

Aquilan smiled.“The General did tell us this rather remarkable story about Declan fightingsixorcs–”

“It happened.It cost me a pretty penny in carpentry to fix all the tables, chairs and the door that he destroyed in the process, but it was worth it,” Helgrom chortled.“Now the orcs behave themselves and I could retire on Snaglak’s bar tab alone.”

“So he does not live in fear?”Aquilan looked hopeful.

“No, not in the least.”Helgrom patted the king’s nearest forearm.“So put your heart at ease, King Aquilan.Declan Wilde is not afraid.”

Put your heart… No, no, no, Aquilan’s heart is secure in his chest!Rhalyf thought.It is not in that bartender’s hands!

And yet, Rhalyf wondered if that was simply a comforting lie he was telling himself.

Glances

Rhalyf waslookingat him.Rhalyf was looking athim.No, Rhalyf was looking at his journal.Or where his journal washiddenin his robes.Finley put a protective hand over it just to make sure that it was still there.He wouldn’t put it past the Sun Elf to teleport it away from him without his knowledge.

How rude and nosey he is!Finley thought.If he’d just asked nicely, I would have shown him the sketches of Illithor.But no!He took my journal without a thank-you-very-much.Paged through it.Read my notes. He has no scholarly integrity!

Finley scowled.

Declan blinked.

“What did I do to earn that look?”Declan asked as he polished some glasses behind the bar.

Finley started.“What?I’m not–”

“The death glare, Finley.You are giving me a death glare,” Declan insisted.

“Oh, am I?”He felt the shape his face was in.He was, indeed, giving Declan a death glare.“I’m sorry!It’s not at you!I’m not at all angry at you!”

Finley assured him, wanting to touch his best friend’s shoulder again to prove that Declan was all right.He certainly seemed all right.His green eyes were bright.His black hair was glossy.His skin was pale, but in that incandescent way that screamed health.And he showed absolutely no sign of weakness or sickness. Just like earlier that afternoon, Declan seemed completely well.

Now that he’s out of the Sun.

“So who are you angry at?And I do pity them.Whoever they are,” Declan smiled as his green eyes darted along the onyx bar, making sure no one needed anything.

The inn was so crowded.Every seat at the bar was taken with people sneaking in between the stools.If Snaglak hadn’t been there, making room for him, Finley would have been pressed into someone’s armpit.But the orc was like an immovable object, which people gave a respectful distance. So Finley even had elbow room with Snaglak to his left and Michael to his right. They were seated at the end of the bar by the fairy cage that was now empty.But from the amount of zipping and zapping he was hearing from the fairy folk around the room, Finley was sure that it would soon have some more occupants.

“It’s the Sun King’s best friend.That Rhalyf person.”Finley tipped his head slightly towards the table where Rhalyf sat.He wasnotgoing to look over there again and give that vain Sun Elf any reason to think he was gazing at him.

“Lord Rhalyf Neres,” Declan murmured the name, his eyes unfocused.“The Sun King seems quite fond of him.”

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