Page 50 of The Night Prince 2

“It’s not that kind of game!” Finley flapped his arms wildly at his sides. Both Rhalyf and Gemma looked disappointed. Finley sighed. “Well, I just don’t know if I could respectfully roleplay Vex like that.”

“Vex would find it disrespectful for you not to have people fall at his feet and shed their clothes for him!” Rhalyf countered. “He’s quite beautiful. Or said to be.” The last was added quickly as if Rhalyf realized just how odd it was that he was speaking with such certainty.

“Really?” Gemma blinked huge eyes at him.

But Gemma’s enthusiasm had Rhalyf evidently forgetting his qualms and going on, “Oh, yes, silvery hair like captured starlight that falls in soft waves to his waist. A lean yet muscular physique honed by millennia of sword practice. Large eyes like pools of crimson fire. Skin as white as bone covering delicate yet masculine features–”

“And his voice? His voice is really low and sexy?” Gemma clasped her hands in front of her.

“Melodious. Heart stealing.” Rhalyf nodded sagely. “Skates up your spine like a caress.”

How would he know that?! Finley internally shouted.

But even as he did so, he knew that it felt right. Vex would have a voice just like that. But how could he ever achieve such a sound? And he would have to physically embody the Night King. Sensual, dark, ruthless… the opposite of him. And would anyone truly think of a human as attractive in any way? Or would it seem like he was putting lipstick on a pig? Maybe it was a mistake to add Vex to his game. A bridge too far…

“Oh, wow! He sounds dreamy!” Gemma admitted, but then she shook himself. “But he’s the villain! He’s bad and mad and–”

“You would forget all of that in his presence,” Rhalyf told her. His voice became softer and his expression distant for a moment as he added, “You’d forget everything and everyone else really. When he focuses on you it’s like…”

Gemma leaned forward as if she feared to miss a word. “Like?”

Rhalyf gave a strange, uncertain smile. “You forget everything you’ve been warned about him. Everything you’ve trained to withstand. Because you know you are in the presence of someone quite extraordinary. And everything you are… is meaningless.”

Finley felt a momentary pang of despair. How was he going to get all of that across in tonight’s game? He was hardly in the same league as Vex looks-wise and he was never very sensual, sexual or darkly foreboding.

Less is more. I should just introduce him and then end it. But that will disappoint people and I never know how my player characters will react!

Gemma blinked and looked thoughtful. “Mom and Dad said that King Aquilan was like that, too. I don’t mean evil or anything! Or that they feel like they had to protect themselves just–”

“Someone completely beyond one. Yes,” Rhalyf smiled and nodded. “The opposite side of the coin to Vex really. In every way imaginable.”

“He is remarkable,” Finley agreed. “When he sang last night–”

“I can’t believe I missed him singing!” Gemma wailed, throwing her head back.

“He’ll sing again. Don’t you worry. I’ll make sure of it,” Rhalyf assured her. “I can always get him to.”

“He must like you very much then,” Gemma said.

Rhalyf actually blushed. It wasn’t a romantic response, just a completely happy, pleased one. And it was quite a humble reaction really. “Well, we have gone to war together. Once you do that, you are bonded.” He bit his lower lip and said, “I’m sure you must feel that way about Finley and Declan.”

Finley quickly opened his mouth to intercede. Being outside of the dome and talking about the beginning of the war would freak Gemma out. But he was surprised by how she nodded slowly.

“I don’t remember a lot of what happened. My aunt…” Here, she let out a breath between her teeth, “died in front of me.”

“I am so sorry,” Rhalyf said softly.

“Finley and Declan got there just in time to save me, but she… she was gone,” Gemma answered and wrapped her arms around her chest.

He likely thinks we couldn’t have saved her aunt even if we did get there sooner. But he’s wrong!

Yet when he glanced over at Rhalyf, he saw nothing like that in the Aravae’s handsome face. Nor did Rhalyf say anything at all like that. Finley frowned.

Something has changed his mind since yesterday, Finley realized. It must be what he knows about Declan. He believes that Declan saved us and could have saved Gemma’s aunt!

He felt a thrill of electricity almost run up and down his spine. Leviathan could only be killed with magic. So Rhalyf must believe that Declan wielded magic to defeat them. But Rhalyf was still of the definite opinion that humans could not wield magic.

Ipso facto, he thinks…

---