“I don’t get it, what’s so special about Snowdog’s kid?”
The massive tankard the tavern owner had handed over to Kida was still too small for his hand, and he felt a bit guilty constantly asking for refills. That being said, it wasn’t on his bill, it was courtesy of the Gold Master and his underlings. Two of those underlings, the BIG two, sat across from him at the large oak table. Logan and Preston kept close, but the two had long since wandered off to play darts and drink more. The thieves wanted information, and the demons didn’t really want to give it. Only Kida had stuck around at the negotiations this late, and all the questions they were peppering him with about Lady Parhelion had not gone unnoticed.
“You drag me here asking if I could share some information on the Blue Chaotic’s movements, already a bold move considering I am within his sanctuary. Then you go skirting about questions regarding the kid. Why.” Kida pressed.
Yez slid back in her chair, leaning it back onto two feet. “Oh boy, you really haven’t seen her then, huh?”
“On the contrair,” Kida growled. “I’ve studied alongside her for the better part of two months now. She’s just a kid.”
“You’ve gotta be dense if you think-“
Sawyer cut his sister off with a snap of his fingers, leaning forward against the table, “What she means to say is… the Chaotics were once kids too. The Gold Master, By-Tor, the whole lot… they were just ordinary folks at one point in their lives. They were average joes, with some average jobs. But no one remembers that now.”
“And so-?” Kida said. “Your point muddles things! The next Chaotic could come out of anywhere then. If that’s the case, what does it matter if you share blood with the Gold Master, or if I’m the spawn of By-Tor, or if Miss Parhelion is the sole child of Snowdog.”
“Three things! Three points! Let me share,” Yez cackled, leaning forward to match her brother.
“One! We aren’t the Gold Master’s kids, let’s get that out of the way. We were made for him. No flesh and blood here, so don’t go playing that card.”
“Two!” Yez continued, pointing at her second finger being held up. “Lady Parhelion is the SOLE child of Snowdog, like you said. My brother and I? We have to duke it out for who gets the disgraced blade from our old man-“
Even from behind the mask, Kida could tell that Sawyer’s face had fallen. By this point, everyone knew about the games that the Gold Master played with his kids. The man was not kind, and he made them play for his attention.
“-and the daughters? Red Monk may think he’s got one kid, but he’s still got three. Only one of them gets the disgraced blade. As for you and the clowns back there,” she said, pointing at Preston and Logan playing darts, “I’m sure one of you will wind up with the green blade, but as for Lady Parhelion? Her fate’s sealed. She’s getting the blue disgraced blade.”
“I don’t think anyone’s fate is sealed at the age of twelve,” Kida grumbled.
“THREE!” Yez said, throwing her hand with outstretched fingers in his face. “No one will dare defy her.”
A moment of silence hung between them as Yez continued to smirk, but Kida’s grimace deepened.
“Is that it, then?”
“Huh? Didn’t you hear me?”
“I heard you. I don’t know where you’re coming from though. Even if she makes no enemies, why’s that important.”
Yez slammed her palm against the table. “Why’s that so important? Why’s that so important?! Come on, are you actually dense? It’s the dream! Can you imagine going through this world being so powerful that no one dares look you in the eye? Never having to worry about turncoats or assassins?”
“Powerful?” Kida scoffed. “She’s hardly a good mage.”
“Mage? Who the hell are we even talking to, brother.”
Sawyer tipped his head to the side. “At this point, I’ll admit even I’m surprised. Have you really never seen Lady Parhelion fight before? Never even heard of it?”
“Heard of it?”
“She’s a living weapon, a dog of war,” Sawyer said. Through the eyeholes of his mask, Kida saw his eyes narrow into slits. “Raised from birth by the Snowdog, the only heir to his throne. The daughter of the undisputed king of the north, and the queen sorceress. Even I haven’t been able to scrounge up all the details of her childhood, but it wasn’t normal, I’ll tell you that. Snowdog wanted his daughter to fear no one, so he trained her to be feared”
“Trained her how.”
“Like I said, dog of war. She was born and bred for fighting. She grew up more in the wilds and the military then in her homeland. When she did return home, they’d doll her up and asked her to act civil. She talks all cordial and sweet, but there’s something feral beneath that skin.”
“I still don’t see why this concerns me,” Kida growled.
“Good,” Sawyer said, flexing his hand on the table. “Then we have nothing to worry about.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“We were worried that perhaps By-Tor’s demon kids joining up with Lady Parhelion may tip the balance of the North. If you’re truly stupid enough to still remain oblivious to her, though, then I need’t worry.”
“Excuse me?!” Kida said, standing up abruptly.
But in an instant, the thief had vanished, leaving his sister and his voice behind, “I don’t need to fear a demon like you. Keep living in your heroic fantasy, serving your sweet lady.”
Kida looked around for the missing thief, but no trace remained. As he became more flustered, Preston and Logan began to notice as well, looking over with curious and concerned glances.
Yez leaned across the table, clearly relishing the demons’ confusion.
“Enjoy your stay at the Northern Keep, Mr. Bytorson. Let the Lady know I said hello. “
And the cat thief melted into the floorboards in an array of shadows. Kida watched as the last of her slipped through the cracks, like an ill omen of some sort.