Dabi frowned.
"Answer the question," Tomura said.
"I have a contact in the Capital," Dabi said. "Well, not in the Capital exactly, but...someone like us kind of. Kind of not. An odd bird, but he knows stuff about the king. I just met up with him, and he told me his precious, little prince is back--with some girl who was in warrior tribe gear. Sounds like the Paladin from before. It has to be tied to the Holder...happy?"
"You have a connection who told you all this?" Rumi said. "That was fast. But old news. Better give me more than that."
"Dabi..." Tomura said.
"The king knows about the Holder being new," Dabi said icily. "Someone spilled the beans. But it wasn't the prince."
"Why not the prince?" Rumi said.
"I've heard he hates his father like poison," Dabi said. "Some family drama is there. I can't see him telling him about it. The king is no friend to the Holders. I think there's another rat."
"But I was the only one at court who'd have known that," Tomura said. "And I didn't tell him.... Do you think the truth serum-ed him?"
"The king doesn't use truth serum," Dabi said. "That I know of.... That's a difficult serum to get. But it wouldn't work on his son--too much magical protection from things like that, just in case something like this happened. That's all I know."
Tomura frowned. "What does this contact of yours look like, Dabi?"
"You want me to say that?" Dabi said.
"I'd like to hear it," Rumi frowned.
Dabi winced. "I don't know...like anyone, except for the wings."
"Wings?!" Tomura said.
Rumi lowered the knife without realizing it. "Did you say wings?"
"Yes...so?" Dabi said.
"Does he go by the name Hawks by any chance?" Tomura scowled.
"That is one of his aliases.... Wait, do you know him?" Dabi siad.
"I do now," Tomura said. "But I think his friends don't as well as they thought."
"I don't understand that," Rumi said. "Once we learned the king was in cahoots with the Dark Lord, Hawks should never have told him anything important about the Holder."
"Wait, she knows this man?" Dabi said.
"Knows him? They're friends," Tomura said.
"Wait...so he's playing both sides?" Dabi said. "What? It's his fault she's here then." He frowned.
"And it's his fault that the king will now be expecting trouble," Rumi said, putting her ears back. "He might even know I'm coming. I can't go there..."
Jin suddenly grabbed the knife that she'd lowered and twisted it.
Doubles of Dabi appeared next to him, all holding fire in their hands.
Rumi looked surprised. "Hey--"
They nearly roasted her alive, but she jumped into a tree.
"Quick, call Kurogiri." Dabi began to yank the binding cord off Tomura. "Get us out of here."
"No, you don't!" Rumi sprang on top of him.
Dabi started to smoke. "I wouldn't get this close, witch!"
The dragon began to blaze up and surround them.
Rumi looked up and then looked nervous.
Tomura pulled the cords off himself and rubbed his wrists.
