Trillian rubbed his chin. “Right. I almost forgot. Sorry.”
“I think I was just insulted,” the man said.
“It wouldn’t be the first time. Camille, this is Darynal, my blood-oath brother,” Trillian said, laughing. “Darynal, meet Camille.” He sobered. “I’m calling on our oath here. If this woman needs help, she may ask you for your assistance—in my name.”
The smile faded from Darynal’s face. He bowed to me. “Camille, consider me in your service. Whatever aid you need, I will do my best to provide. Whatever information you require, I will do my best to tell you.”
Feeling like I’d just been made an honorary Svartan, I cleared my throat. I wanted nothing more than to forget about Roche and the astral and the Lady of the Mists, and go fuck Trillian’s brains out. But I managed to gather my wits and get back to the problem at hand.
I curtsied back. “Thank you. I won’t abuse the honor.” Turning to Trillian, I asked, “What happened after Roche dragged me onto the astral?”
His eyes took on a dangerous glow. “When I heard the commotion, I broke into the room. Roche had vanished and you were nowhere in sight. I searched everywhere. In the room, outside the building…but I couldn’t find you. I did, however, pick up on the fact that he’d kidnapped you into a different realm. So I sent a message back to my hotel asking Darynal to meet me here.”
“You’re just lucky I’m in the city this month. I don’t usually trade here in Y’Elestrial,” Darynal interjected.
Trillian gave him a short nod, then turned back to me. “I had no intention of leaving this area. If Roche came back without you and I managed to catch him, I would have taken a very dull knife and cut him over every inch of his body until he led me to you.”
I swallowed. I thought I could be ruthless, but the look on Trillian’s face was cruel enough to slice rock. He’d make one hell of a nasty enemy.
Darynal just laughed. “Trust him, he’d do it.”
I filled them in on my adventures in astral-land, including my encounter with the copse of trees and how the brambles had hid me from Roche’s sight and sense of smell. I didn’t give them the rundown on meeting the Lady of the Mists. That little tea party I needed to think over for a while before I said anything to anyone. Of course, Trillian noticed the oversight.
“How did you get back here?” he asked.
“I found someone to help me,” I said, sidestepping the issue. “Some astral spirit who was in a good mood. So did Roche show up?”
“You don’t see any blood, do you?” Trillian shook his head. “No, but trust me. He’ll be back later, when he thinks we’ve given up. He’s not going to want to leave this behind.” He hoisted a valise holding a number of magical scrolls, as well as several questionable objects. “I found it in the closet. Locked, but most locks can’t hold me out for long.”
“We need to keep watch so we can catch him when he shows up,” I said. “But he can’t know I’m back. If he thinks I’m still stuck over there on the astral, then he’ll assume it’s safe. And you’d better put in an appearance of leaving because ten to one, he’s watching the building right now.” I frowned, digging through the items. Spell scrolls, potions, a few charms—all stuff that I could happily make use of.
Grabbing my bag from where I’d left it on the chair, I upended the valise into it, swiping the scrolls along with everything else that he’d squirreled away. Then, I closed the trunk and set it back in place.
Glancing up, I said, “I lost my iron handcuffs along the way, but I can find another pair in the markets. The scrolls are magical. Roche probably bought a butt load of magic to help with his little hack-up-the-women art project.”
I looked up to find Trillian and Darynal watching me. They were both grinning. “What? What did I do now?”
Trillian shook his head, laughing gently. “Oh, Camille, you’re truly a woman after my heart.” When I gave him a quizzical look, he just smiled.
“Okay,” I said. “How are we going to work this?”
Darynal shrugged. “I suggest that Trillian leave rather noticeably via the front door. You sneak out the back—if you’re around, chances are Roche will be able to sense your energy signature. I’ll stay here and hide.”
“Sounds good to me,” I said.
“Both of you get a move on, then. He doesn’t know I’m with you since I didn’t enter the building with you. I’ll hide in the closet. If I can trip him up, I will.” Darynal replaced the valise where it had been and opened the closet door, grimacing when he saw the cobwebs strung through the space. “Honestly, don’t they have any maids around here?”
“We’ll return after we’ve found disguises,” Trillian said. “I wish we had cell phones over here.”
I stared at him. “What the hell is a cell phone? My mother taught me about something called a telephone over Earthside. Any relation?”
Trillian nodded. “Yes. Cell phones are portable communication devices.”
“Wait!” I stared at him. He’d spoken far too calmly for what he just said. “You’ve been Earthside, haven’t you? You’ve used these cell phones before!”
He raised one eyebrow. “I’m not at liberty to discuss it.”
“Just you wait,” I said. “When we have more time, we’re going to sit down and have a good, long talk.”
Trillian grabbed me and gave me a quick kiss. “Not before we have a good, long fuck.”
Once again, my libido kicked in as I flashed on the image of Trillian driving himself into me. I let out an involuntary moan. Darynal chuckled. I scowled at him.
“Wipe the smile off your face, beard boy.” Turning back to Trillian, I added, “Disguises aren’t enough. We’d better cloak our magical signatures, too. There’s more to Roche than meets the eye.” I paused. “Darynal, what about you? Won’t Roche be able to sense you hiding in here?”
He shook his head and held up a silver pendant. “This will take care of that little problem.”
I recognized the design. Sorcerers used the amulets to hide their activities.
“Hey,” he added at my look. “I’m a damned good hunter, but what do you think gives me the edge on some of the elk and deer I go after?”
“So you don’t play fair,” I said, a faint grin on my face. I was beginning to get a feel for him, and I’d bet anything he and Trillian were one hell of a pair of troublemakers when they went out on the prowl together.
Darynal snorted. “I play to win. That’s something you’d better remember about your opponents, Camille. Most of them aren’t going to abide by the rule books. If you’re smart, you won’t either.”
Trillian wrapped his arm around my waist. “I have a feeling she learned that lesson a long time ago. Come on, love. Let’s get moving.”
As Trillian and I left the building, Trillian loudly via the front door and me sneaking out the back, I checked out the surrounding area, paying close attention to any niches or cubbyholes in which Roche could hide. If he was waiting for us to leave so he could return, he wouldn’t be standing out in plain sight. He might be a psychopath, but he wasn’t stupid.
The alleys and walkways were shrouded in gloom. The sky was covered by thick clouds that obscured the moon, and the air smelled like warm summer lightning was on the way. I smiled, feeling the surge of energy that welled within me, calling to the forks of lightning that were biding their time, waiting for the storm to break.
Lightning and I had a special affinity—part of a Moon witch’s powers included the ability to harness the lightning and other aerial weather. I wasn’t so hot with rain, though I managed. Snow was far more difficult for me to get a handle on. But lightning and I? We had an understanding. Of course, every time I called down the jagged branches of fire, I was terrified they would backlash and fry me to a crisp.
“What if he comes back before we return? What if he gets away from Darynal?” I asked as Trillian and I joined up a block later, once we were out of the sight line of the building. I had the nasty feeling Roche was going to hunt me down and try to kill me, even if I walked away and left him alone.