Page 48 of The Night Prince 2

“Thank you, Elen,” Aquilan said, turning away, breaking this strange moment. “I have him. We’ll be right there.”

“I’m fine.” Declan backed away, breaking the hold Aquilan had on him. “I don’t need to rest. I should… go.”

“Declan–”

“I don’t… I’m sorry,” Declan got out. “This should have been a happy day for you. I didn’t mean to ruin it.”

“You didn’t!” Aquilan stepped towards him.

Declan stepped back. “You should… should move your rooms to the east, Aquilan. The morning light. I… I need to go.”

Declan spun on his heels and ran. He expected the voice to laugh or make some comment about leaving what was his. But it was silent. Instead, Declan asked them a question, Who am I?

But the voice did not answer.

Skin

The Night King Xelroth Vex swept out of the darkness of the cavern. He was covered in black armor from head to toe that gleamed like an oil slick as the magic within it flowed over its surface. His beautiful face was completely obscured by a helmet that left only a slit for his red eyes. Vex’s laughter was low yet caused the hair on the neck of all who heard him to rise.

“You think your adventure is over? You think the fight is won? And victory is within your grasp?” Vex asked. “No. You are just at the beginning–”

“No, no, that’s not right! Not right at all!” Rhalyf shook his head violently.

“Not right? This is my game! My story!” Finley protested, annoyance flickering over his face as he, Gemma and Rhalyf walked back to Tyrael. “I’m just giving you a preview! Not looking for feedback–”

“I thought you wanted your game to be accurate?” Rhalyf lifted an elegant eyebrow at him.

“He’s got you there, Finley!” Gemma laughed.

Finley’s mouth opened and shut with an audible click. He did. He prided himself on his accuracy. He could have pointed out that Rhalyf was using second-hand sources to understand Vex and Kindreth society just like he was. They both were making educated guesses. No one had seen Vex in millennia. And the ins and outs of Kindreth society were being viewed through a negative lens by most of the chroniclers. None of them were Kindreth. There were no primary sources.

Yet when Rhalyf spoke about the Kindreth and the Night King he did so with authority. In fact, the more Rhalyf opened up about these things, the more authority he exuded about them. If it were someone else, Finley would have suspected they were simply being a blaggard, wanting to appear an expert, but Rhalyf… he was arrogant. He liked to hear the sound of his own voice. He thought himself very intelligent and likely far more than most people in whatever room he was in. Yet… Yet…

There’s the ring of truth in what he says. And the more he talks, it’s like the more he wants to talk. It’s as if he’s been holding back all this discussion about the Kindreth and Vex for ages and I’ve finally allowed him to release it, Finley thought. I kind of understand the feeling. While Declan, Gemma, Shonda and Michael have always been supportive of my interests in Kindreth history, they don’t have a passion for it like I do. And like Rhalyf seems to.

Finley pushed his glasses up his noses. “Well, it’s not as if anyone present will have ever seen Vex or have heard him speak so I’m using creative license to–to make it–”

“Dramatic?” Gemma offered.

“Yes.” Finley nodded. “Exactly. Dramatic.”

“It’s not what he said that’s the problem though I’m not quite sure if you have the vocal range to–but obviously you must work with what you have!” That last part was added when Finley narrowed his eyes dangerously at Rhalyf.

“I don’t know, you managed to sound like a hungry caterpillar, Rhalyf,” Gemma teased.

Rhalyf lifted his chin. “Yes, well, of course. Magic, you know.” That had Rhalyf looking at Finley out of the corner of his eye. “I could offer to add some effects to your voice, Finley, if you wanted. To make it more authentic and spine chilling. Only if you desired it, of course.”

Finley stood up straighter. He remembered how jealous he’d been of Rhalyf’s effortless use of magic earlier in the day. He was still a little jealous, but he was starting to see the Aravae as something other than the two-dimensional being he had before. He had been genuinely kind to the Hope children. It had warned Finley’s heart and made him reward Rhalyf with some of the information he’d wanted.

“You mean you’d assist me with magic?” Finley asked.

“Yes. Why not? I’ll be there after all. Why not make it more exciting?” Rhalyf shrugged his shoulders.

Rhalyf had shed the Gran transformation once they’d left Hope and were far enough down the white stone road to Tyrael that no one could see them from its walls. He was once more his Aravae self. In fact, he looked more elfy than ever. Finley could swear that his pointed ears were more prominent and more… well, pointy.

Rhalyf tossed his dark bronze hair over his shoulders, shaking it like an actor in an old Pantene commercial. It was lustrous and soft looking. Finley had to admit that. And as seemed to be Rhalyf’s wont, his clothing seemed to want to slide right off his lithe yet muscular frame. His green tunic was pushed so far off his shoulders that it showed more of his chest than it hid.

“I think that Vex sweeping out of the darkness in like–like Sauron armor in The Lord of the Rings sounds awesome, Finley!” Gemma said loyally.

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