Chapter 16 #2
A few steps away, Fellisse turned out of Hove’s embrace and joined our group. “Ideally, no one will die. Maybe some of the humans.” He showed his teeth in a comically wide grin and straightened to look even taller.
I cleared my throat. “We’re all in agreement that the veils are first though, right?”
Fellisse clicked. “Of course veils first. But the humans want you, and they want to tear you apart and have plotted with the cola assholes to do so.” He shrugged. “Like Hove said, if we can accomplish it, we kill them.”
For a healer, Fellisse could be…unhealerlike. This was the same guy who constantly worried about me getting sunstroke. I was never going to get on his bad side.
I took Inkiri’s hand; a very human gesture he readily accepted. “Hey, do we think Zeddira will be angry that he’s not here when we close the veils?”
Fellisse sighed. “Zeddira can be glad he is alive. Truly.”
“Oh!” Nokim rocked back and forth on his paws. “I know! Our pretty human koa is a pancake against death!”
Vergis let out a barking laugh. “Oh fuck! So close, but so much more hilarious for the miss. Princess is a panacea, although I might start calling him pancake. Princess Pancake.”
Inkiri clicked. “He is fluffy. And also sweet.”
I patted the hand my mate had on my breastbone. “I agree. Our massa bun can absolutely call me a pancake.”
Vergis’s giggles ebbed away, and he glared at me as if he meant to get my bladder to submit, but I was on a quest to become a trophy mate, and I would not pee for anyone. Which, I had no idea if that had to be a rule for a trophy mate, but at a minimum, it was common sense.
Fellisse chuckled. “I wonder if our two hangua know how humorous they are. I think they’re even more humorous if you keep in mind that Rory doesn’t like massa buns, but they clearly do like one another.”
Inkiri growled. “Yes, my mate is sweet and cares for others a great deal. Still, I’m the more humorous of the two of us.”
Fellisse waved his hand dismissively. “Pah! Out of all the sentenmen, I am the most humorous.”
Vergis rolled his eyes, wordlessly pulled a set of earplugs from his pack, and handed them to me.
“Ignore them. Let’s hope no one has to fire a shot, but if I see someone marked for death on the other side, I’ll shoot first. Put these in, just in case.”
I took the earplugs from him. The sound of people carrying heavy things echoed from the other side of the path.
I could also hear pigeons calling out in terror.
Despite everyone being here, my heart was starting to beat faster in my chest, and the hairs at the back of my neck were standing up.
We were moments away from starting our attack.
From out of the shadows, Lissir came toward us, his horns catching the light only a second before the rifles he’d slung over his shoulder did.
“Have you ever not shot first, Vergis?” He put a bag on the ground, then flung it open with a flourish to reveal weapons and ammunition.
He handed out the rifles he had over his shoulder.
Behind Lissir, Sonyo stepped into the light as well. The young bagu was carrying the pigeon bag, and he was being much more careful with it than Vergis usually was. He’d taken off the jacket he’d had on earlier, and when he saw me, he grinned and pointed at the bag. “Rory! Pigeon!”
Well, he’d learned a new word. Progress. There was still time to make sure he wasn’t too badly corrupted.
“Awesome.” I gave him a thumbs-up. He returned the gesture with a lot of gravitas.
“If nothing else, the child can take care of the next rooftop infestation back home.” Unless I was mistaken, Vergis sounded proud. That was new and different.
I shook my head. “Oh, no. Sonyo still goes to school, and besides, I’m pretty sure you shouldn’t send small children up on roofs, especially not to murder wildlife.”
Vergis snorted. “My dads made me kill things while doing school stuff at the same time, and I turned out fabulously. I’m a fucking delight. It’s going to help with character building or whatever the buzzword is.”
Lissir hummed. “Buzzword. Hmm. That sounds funny. Funny as you being a delight when shooting Koa Esher who are death marked. Say, isn’t that a little bit like cheating?”
Vergis’s jaw tensed, and he crossed his arms. “I don’t need to cheat to kill people.”
Yup, Vergis was a fudging delight. Bit murderous, but otherwise, truly delightful.
Inkiri and Fellisse clicked. “It would appear we have three humorous hangua,” Fellisse said.
“But I’m still the most humorous.” He leaned toward Sonyo and said something in Lugarra to the little bagu, who looked at all of us and then nodded.
“See? The child agrees. I am the most humorous. Everyone else is just trying to be me.”
Vergis snorted. “You’re so full of yourself you’re about to burst out of your skin, is what you are.
Enough with your weird version of warm-up battle talk.
Check your guns, grab some extra ammo, and get in the circle.
Princess, remember to stick with Kinnek.
None of your falling over bullshit. I mean it, no screaming, and—I cannot stress this enough—please stay out of trouble this once. ”
I frowned at him. “It’s not like I’m doing anything. Trouble just happened to cross my path, and none of it was my fault.”
Vergis jabbed at my chest. “You dragged me into that clothing store in Esaka, and you made me wear white and have my horns wrapped. That was your fault.” He paused. “Good luck out there.”
Oh em gee, Vergis and I were having a buddy moment. I froze, unsure whether I should go hug him—platonically, but like a friend you love and care about—but the moment passed when he straightened and walked past me.
Nokim followed him, and as if to himself, I heard him say, “You were very pretty in white.”
Lissir looked like he’d caught that, the way he narrowed his eyes at the two of them.
There was no time for this though, because Kinnek called everyone into the circle—us and the other protectors who wore black with their own weapons.
All the weight I’d forgotten thanks to my guys was right back there when Inkiri took my wrist and led me into the ko circle.
I put my earplugs in, hoping they’d be superfluous.
“Rory!” Sonyo pushed the damn bagful of pigeons at me. He took a step back once I had them and waved, giving me a big smile. “Happy luck, Rory!”
Yup, happy luck was exactly what we needed.