Page 7 of Celestial Shadows

“I’m sure they’re glad to be alive as much as we are glad they are.”

I nod. “Death isn’t the end, but it hurts like a son of a bitch.”

Dragan laughs and waves to Myerdoth. “This is where I leave you, my friend. I hope you find the answers you seek on this wall.” He claps me on the shoulder and I’m stunned for a moment by the comradery in our exchange. It’s as though none of the animosity that separated us before remains, that we’re free to act as though we have no past hanging over our heads.

Myerdoth and Dragan take to the sky and I watch them.

I look up to the tower where Variant is being held and will myself to remain impassive. The bloodlust within my veins is frightening. Pyre is right. I must control my anger. Getting lost in my rage would be much too easy now that the false king is within reach...

I must show restraint.

***

FLUMPH

Mortal Ruins

“Fuckin’ hell! If I gots to serve one more bowl o’ soup or pass out another damn blanket, I’m blowin’ this place up.” My poor little wings drag behind me as I enter the room for the little fae to sleep in. Noni on her bed sewin’ some shit. I hops up to see what that all about. She lookin’ real focused-like with her tongue hangin’ out the side o’ her mouth. “What the hell you makin’?”

“Noni make a dress.”

“Who fer?”

“The queen, silly!” She roll her big, freaky eyes at me.

“Ain’t she doin’ just fine with her giant clothes? Why she need a dress?”

“Because,” Noni say. “All queens need a dress. They goes to big parties and fancy suppers all the time. Noni want our queen to look real pretty when she do.”

I damn near fall on my ass when she say that. My hairy belly bouncin’ up an’ down ‘cause I laughin’ so hard. “She ain’t goin’to no suppers! We in the middle o’ a war, for fuck’s sake! Unless she plan on havin’ a fuckin’ picnic on the battle fields, she’ll ain’t gonna be needin’ no dress.”

Noni pout with her bottom lip out. “But... Pretty need a dress.”

“Fine. Waste yer time with that dumb shit. I puttin’ my time to good use.”

“How, Mr. Flumph?” she ask.

“Well, I ain’t sure yet. But I gonna be real fuckin’ important when I figures it out.”

She tilt her head to the side, blinkin’ them big ol’ eyes. “You don’t know, do you, Mr. Flumph?”

“Knows what?” I pickin’ my teef with one o’ my nubly little fingernails, lookin’ over at the other little fae. They ain’t as important as I is. All they do all day is help the giants. Well, I gots quests of my own now. I’m a fuckin’ warrior…

“Noni thought Mr. Flumph would be upset because the naughty king is here.”

“The naughty... WHY THE FUCKS IS VARIANT HERE?!” I storm outta the room an’ fly over to where Theren is. He a dick, but he ain’t as big a dick as Variant. Nobody as big a dick as Variant. “Where he at?” I yell real loud.

“Who?”

“You know who!”

Theren laugh at me and point up to the tower. With all my strengths, I fly right up there and pops my little head in through the window. Sure enough, I find King Dick of all Dicks chained to the bed. He look over at me an’ I lose my shit. Next thing I knows, my fists punchin’ him in the face. He don’t seem to be gettin’ very hurt by it, but I can see the guilt in him’s eyes. He lookin’ real sad-like.

I don’t fuckin’ care.

The door open an’ Cambion come in with Pretty on him’s heels. She toss me off the bed but I be right back in Variant’s fuckin’ face for more. Cambion grab me by the wings an’ I don’t like that one bit.

“Enough, Flumph. Variant must be judged for his actions before he’s punished.”

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