The Cinders of Dezu

7th: Firas (2)

"Oh! Harper, huh? He took'em right from under you? That guy is a legend! By my count, once I get these two, I still have two more marks for you. But the offer's still good to get on official payroll for just him, right?"

Orion smirked.

"It definitely couldn't hurt the prospect. But an invisible man and his telepath protector might be a bit much, even for you."

Firas grin grew wider.

"I see you, Ori. Gunning for the ego. Keep it up. It's working."

The king gave a knowing grin.

"Focus on the boys. You can fry bigger fish later."

Firas stood up with a bit of a bounce.

"Alright, last seen?"

"They crossed over in Tareen. He couldn't have taken them too far on foot at night. Plus, I think he drugged them."

"Consider it done. I'll call you at the nearest crossover."

"And alive, " Orion said, "Don't give me a repeat of the last one."

"It got done, didn't it?"

"You know the rules. I see to it-"

"'That it's done' I know. You'll live longer if you stop micromanaging. Don't do it for me. Do it for you."

Orion turned around and began to walk away from the warm glow of the tree trunk house. Firas saw him become a shadow that began fading into the dark before he stopped in its tracks. The king flipped back around.

"Why aren't you painting inside? It's peak hunting hours!"

Firas shrugged.

"Nothing out here but us monsters."

The king scoffed. Firas heard as his footsteps resumed travel deep into the woods.

****

Orion prepared himself for the night and put on his evening clothes. It was far too late to do anything but sleep and yet he found himself in his study trying to wind down with a book from his library. It was one on tactics that he found particularly boring but occasionally had its useful tidbits. It was the perfect thing to combat his insomnia.

A knock on the large wooden doors of his study wasn't common, especially because most of his servants were sleeping. They also knew that if he was in his study during the wee hours of the morning he was trying to relax. But the knock came all the same.

"Come in, " he said.

The large deep auburn doors swung open gently to reveal a light purple face.

"Your highness, I'm so sorry to disturb."

"Caddock, please, you of all people know not to call me that."

Caddock nodded.

"I know but it's late and-"

"You never disturb me for nothing. What is it?"

"Thank you, sir," he said, "It's just... I caught her in the mural hall. She escaped her room."

Orion's eye brow went up.

"How? Can she walk through walls?"

"No, sir," Caddock replied.

He gave a heavy sigh before continuing.

"She said... she said a rat in her room showed her the way out."

Orion closed his book and laid it on his desk. He raised both his eyebrows now.

"Come again?"

"A rat. She said a rat helped her."

Orion stared at him, his face frozen for a moment.

"Let me speak to her."