“Algea, please. I am a man of my word. Your friends will be well taken care of. If anything, you were the one who broke their word, and that was something, admittedly, I didn't see coming. Considering, you are known for your promesses.” Aurelio spoke nonchalantly as he sat in his auburn leather chair, sipping on some whisky. The only thing that spoke of his nerves was the slight fidgeting of a pen on his desk.

I was pacing the room worrying about my friends. Shortly after finding us, Aurelio sent my injured friends away to get tended to, while he and I went immediately to his study. On the way Aurelio had ordered for a shirt of some kind for me. Apparently, my dress had torn down the front when Nox had yanked me up. It was that exact shirt I was clutching together now as I stopped my pacing.

“Aurelio, I saw a chance and took it. You would have done the same.” I replied. A look of shock briefly played across his face. Placing down his pen, he gave me his full attention as he laced his fingers together.

“I’ve only known you for only a few hundred years, old friend, but in all that time I have never seen you so, for a lack of a better word, perturbed.” I laughed darkly at this. It’s easy to forget that Aurelio was only two hundred years old. His knowledge of my abilities were only from legends whispered hesitantly in the back of taverns and bars or told to scare new recruits back in line. Essentially, I was an unproven boogeyman.

“Friend, this is far from perturbed. I have done things and have had things done to me that would have you slicing your hands open on what’s left of your shattered sanity. Believe me when I tell you the only obstacle here is the friendships I wish to preserve.” I could feel my frustration boiling under the layer of icy discipline years of practice had developed. My face must have shown more than I wanted because Aurelio was looking quite pale. I was about to continue my ranting when there came a knock at the door. We both froze. “Were you expecting anyone?” I hissed to Aurelio.

“No.” He looked nervous. “Alec! Take Algea back to her room for the time being. Oh, and take the passage behind you so no one sees you.” The boy in the corner squeaked in response before quickly grabbing my elbow and leading me to a bookcase in the farthest right corner of the room. Reaching back, I saw Alec brush against a dark spot on the wood grain. A small symbol flashed quickly with a click and the bookcase slid to the side. “How cliche.” I thought as I was shoved in.

The hall was dark and musty. Turning around I watched as the only light was closed off with a click. Switching my eyepatch over, I slipped over to the door and pressed my ear against the smooth wooden backing. Straining, I could just pick up two voices on the other side.

“Aurelio, you knew the price for this game you played. You risked everything, everyone, you risked me!” It was Rani, and she sounded pissed. “Why, is all I can ask. Why play with our lives? We have everything: food, shelter, money, we even have power, and you bet it all. You played poker in a chess game!” This statement was followed by a shatter and a short pause “My love, we have been together for almost one hundred years. In all this time you have always sought my advice on these types of matters. Why was Enyo’s so different? You didn’t even tell me when Algea showed up. I could have helped.” My gut twisted in shame and guilt at her tone. I counted Rani as a good friend, and the fact that my presence caused so much trouble made hurt.

“Love, when Enyo approached me years ago with a half conscious boy and a proposition I knew I was in over my head, but I had to accept. If I told you, you would have had to deal with these people, if you even could call them that. Hearing the rumors and tales is one thing, seeing them, even being in the same room is terrifying. They radiate death. I didn’t want to expose you to that, but could you see how I couldn’t say no.”

“I am aware of how Algea seams to give off an air of danger, but I’m not as familiar to the tales as you are. All I have to go on was my meeting with her nearly seventy years ago. As I am sure you are aware, I don’t get out much.” Knowing Rani was friends with me without having heard my story felt wonderful. This feeling was quickly lost as I felt a tap on my shoulder. Turning around I came face to face with a distressed Alec.

“Excuse me, I really need to take you to your room.” He was shifting nervously. His hand was shaking violently causing hot wax to splash on my strappy shoe, burning me. As the wax dripped on my skin the faint scent of honey grew as my skin burned. Beeswax, one of the few candle waxes that melts at a high enough temperature that it burns skin. I was about to snap at him for being so careless when I thought about what Rani had just said. Taking a deep breath I tried to take on a calm air before replying.

“I’m staying right here. After I am done I will follow you with no resistance.”

“But, Aurelio.” He was close to dropping the candle at this point, and I unconsciously steadied his hand, causing more wax to spill all over my wrist and arm.“Aurelio won’t even know I was late.” I forced out through tight teeth. “You’ll be fine.” Flashing what I hoped was a reassuring grin, I returned to listening against the wooden case.

“So, do you agree, Aurelio? This way we will not spiss off any of the higher powers, and we can wash our hands of this whole mess.” Whatever Rani had suggested must have been as good as she was saying because I heard Aurelio’s relieved agreement shortly afterwards. This was followed by the sound of a chair scooting back and footsteps.

“This is why I love you. You’re just as cunning and mesmerizing as a pit viper, love. I should have come to you sooner.” A trilling laugh followed his statement.

“Yes you should have, but don’t sell yourself short. You were the one to deal with the Commander and live to tell the tale. That is no small feat in anyone’s records.” I could hear a deep chuckle as Aurelio’s response. “We should go make preparations, love. You have a Commander to double-cross.” Rani spoke of such matters as if she isn’t tempting fate.

Stepping away from my listening, I nodded to Alec and followed him out of what later I knew to be a maze of servants tunnels. We crossed a few here and there, but only a few stopped to chat with Alec. Tuning them out I mulled over what I had just heard. If Aurelio is really going to double-cross Enyo, he would need some help. Even if I think Aurelio is the scum of the earth, they both do not deserve Enyo’s wrath. No matter how clever the plan Rani and Aurelio came up with, Enyo would be able to see it coming. The only way they stood a chance is if someone intervened in an unforeseen way.

It took a while, but when we finally made it to my room, I had had enough time to come up with an idea. It would take a little finesse, but it wouldn’t take anymore than that time Enyo sent me to infiltrate an enemy camp to steal some confidential letters back during the Second Civil War. This could actually prove to be fun.