Page 12 of The Night Prince 3
As the uncomfortable silence lengthened, Helgrom broke it with a hearty, “How will you carry them all, Snaglak? I’m counting on your fortune here.”
“Not me carry. Glom!” Snaglak explained.
“I don’t think there will be room in your saddlebags,” Finley frowned as he compared the amount of fangs in the hallway and the saddlebags on either side of the reptile's scaly back. “And Glom will clank. The Leviathan will know we’re coming.”
“Glom not carry fangs in saddlebags. Glom carry fangs in belly!” Snaglak patted the naki’s head to get his attention and pointed to the nearest fang. “Eat, Glom!”
“Eat? Oh, good gods, he really is eating them,” Rhalyf remarked.
“He poop out when we in Tyrael! Much money! Much beer and food!” Snaglak rubbed his rock hard stomach.
The naki snarfled up the fangs as it moved down the hallway towards Declan and Aquilan who were now holding hands while they were pretending to be exchanging the sunglasses.
This cannot be. None of this can be. Aquilan’s heart is going to shatter…
His gaze shifted to Finley, who was also looking at the Sun King and Declan with obvious affection and fondness. Finley seemed to sense Rhalyf looking at him and turned towards him. The smile Finley threw his way was warm and welcoming. Shared secrets. Intimacy.
If only Aquilan would react the same to finding a Kindreth in his midst. But he will not. He cannot… Everything is lost.
“They are such a handsome couple,” Elasha enthused. “I really do hope that his family is appropriate.”
“Before you start picking out their wedding colors, we have to rescue your damned brother!” Rhalyf snarled at her.
Elasha jerked back at his cutting tone and blinked rapidly. He wanted to scream at her then. Why did that damned Darcassan have to do this? If they weren’t here then… then what? It would just be another way that Declan’s identity and his secret were revealed.
Vex was on Earth.
Vex was here.
All was lost.
He shoved past her with Finley on his heels as he headed down the hallway towards Declan and Aquilan. The happy couple to be!
“Rhalyf, what’s wrong?” Finley whispered fiercely.
“He’s here,” Rhalyf growled.
“What? Who?” Finley asked.
He spun around, eyes blazing. He knew they were from the way that Finley drew back slightly, but then leaned towards him. Determined not to be frightened away.
“Vex.” The word felt ripped from his body. He was bleeding having said it.
“I would ask you how you know this, why you think this, but that doesn’t matter. You do and I believe you, but what do we do?” Finley asked.
“I… I don’t know.” That was the truth. “I need to tell Aquilan. We need to get–get out of here. As fast as possible. Return to Tyrael where defenses can be… be set up and–”
“Do you really think he’s here with an army?” Finley protested.
“He doesn’t need an army! He’s enough all by himself! Finley, in all of your research have you not understood just what he is?” Rhalyf heard the hysteria in his own voice and tried to swallow it down. “He’s a bloody god.”
“I–I realize that.” Finley grasped his hands.
“No, no, you don’t! You can’t! You just think he’s a powerful mage, but he’s nothing like that and–”
“What I do know about him is that he is clever. Yes, he has power and can be ruthless and violent when it suits his purposes. But everything I’ve read about him indicates that he enjoys finding ways to trick his opponents into making what he’s doing just even if it isn’t,” Finley interrupted and squeezed his hands to stop them shaking.
“Meaning?” Rhalyf found himself clinging to whatever hope Finley was offering him about Vex’s motives. That the Night King wouldn’t simply slaughter them all down here in the dark.
