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THE NEXT MORNING, ERRANDS were assigned.
“I’ll gather information about Medea’s whereabouts,” Noxor elected himself.
“Do you really think that’s a good idea, Necksore? You have a talent for drawing unwanted attention to yourself.”
“His name is NOXOR,” Aurora corrected him with a sigh.
“Oh, yeah? You mean I’ve been saying it wrong all this time?”
“It’s alright. I’m not particularly attached to my name. At any rate, you’d be surprised at how willingly information is given to someone in a black hood.” Noxor turned his head toward Aurora, but it was impossible to tell who he was looking at, as his face was permanently hidden from view. “More specifically, Aurora, I need to gather information about Meg and Mary. I’m going to try to find out where Medea is keeping them.”
Aurora smiled. “That sounds like a good idea. I wish you luck.”
“And I’ll go hire a carriage,” Lyric offered. He reached into his pocket and pulled out Noxor’s bag of coins. “I’ll pay you back as soon as I get back to my palace.”
Noxor shook his head, as if to say it wasn’t necessary. “Remember, we need two carriages. One to take Aurora to Avalon, and one to take Greta and Her Highness back to their respective destinations.”
Lyric returned the pouch to his pocket. “Right. Okay.”
Rachelle, who had been uncharacteristically quiet during breakfast, raised her hand. “Ooo! I’ll go with Lyric!”
“No need,” Lyric said. “It doesn’t take two people to hire a carriage. I’ve got the easy job.”
“Then... I’ll go with Noxor!”
“That won’t be necessary either. Considering the nature of my task, I think you’d be more of a hindrance than a—”
“I’m coming with you!” Rachelle insisted. “I don’t want to spend the whole day with Aurora. I already spent the entire night with her!” She briefly turned her attention to Aurora. “No offense.”
“None taken,” Aurora said with a sigh. She was getting used to Rachelle’s inadvertent insults. “Anyway, what am I supposed to do while everyone’s gone? Shouldn’t I have some kind of task, too?”
“I think you should stay put,” Noxor recommended. “Medea might be looking for you. If you wander off on your own, I won’t be there to protect you.”
“Well, maybe I don’t need protecting?” Aurora suggested with a frown.
“Let’s not take any chances. Please stay here with Greta. I’ll be back within the hour.” Noxor motioned for Rachelle to follow him. “Let’s go.”
When Rachelle followed Noxor out of the inn, she was as inquisitive as ever. “Why couldn’t Aurora come with us? If you want to protect her so badly, wouldn’t it be better if she went with us?”
“I’d prefer if neither of you went with me.”
“Well, that’s not very nice!” Rachelle crossed her arms over her chest as she walked along. “You’re not much of a team player, are you?”
Noxor grumbled something inaudible.
“Why ARE you so determined to protect Aurora, anyway? Is it because you’re hoping she’ll fall in love with you? I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you might be too late. I think she’s in love with Lyric.”
“Really?”
“Uh-huh. So you’re out of luck. And he might be in love with her too, for all I know. Lyric seems determined to protect her too, don’t ask me why. You’re both trying so hard to take her back home. Maybe you’re both in love with her?”
“It isn’t love,” Noxor objected. “It’s... atonement.”
“Atonement? What do you have to atone for?”
Noxor clenched a skeletal fist. He wasn’t in the mood to answer any of Rachelle’s questions. “I did terrible things while I was working for Medea.”
“Terrible things like... what?”
“Espionage, kidnapping, torture... murder.” He didn’t hear Rachelle’s footsteps anymore, so he turned around. She was frozen in the middle of the road. “Have I frightened you?”
“N-no...” Rachelle cautiously stepped toward him. “I mean, you’re a changed man, right?”
Noxor nodded solemnly. “But my change was a recent revelation. If Aurora knew how recently I was under Medea’s control, I’m certain she wouldn’t be traveling with me.“ Noxor’s shoulders fell. “I was there when Adlai dealt the killing blow to Aurora’s aunt.”
“Oh.” Rachelle paused to scratch her head. “Who’s Adlai?”
“One of my brethren. One of Medea’s men.”
“Oh.”
“And I was there when you were taken prisoner.”
“Oh!” Rachelle swore she could feel the blood in her body go cold.
“But I regret it. I regret all of it... all of the terrible things I’ve done.” Noxor gripped the handle of his sword, wishing he could use it on himself. But it would be no use. “You have nothing to fear from me, Your Highness. Now I just want atonement... and relief.”
“And you think helping Aurora will help you atone?”
Noxor nodded.
“And you think death would give you relief?”
Noxor nodded again, surprised at how well the princess understood him.
“Well, that still doesn’t explain why Lyric’s been following her halfway across the world,” Rachelle said with a sigh. “He can’t be in love with her... right? As a couple, the two of them would make very little sense. He’s handsome and distinguished, and she’s mousey and unrefined.”
“But she’s a very nice girl,” Noxor said. “Unlike some women.”
Rachelle crossed her arms again. “Are you trying to say I’m not nice?!”
“No,” Noxor lied. “That wasn’t a reference to you, Your Highness.”
“I can be nice!”
“I’m sure you can, Your Highness.”
Rachelle pouted. “Why do I feel like I’m being mocked every time you call me Your Highness?”
“I believe you told me to address you as Your Highness, Your Highness.”
A tiny growl rumbled up from Rachelle’s throat. “Alright, fine! You don’t have to address me like that anymore!” Rachelle was quiet for a few seconds after announcing her new edict, but a few seconds was all she could manage. “Do you really want to die?”
“Yes.”
“Really and truly?”
“Yes.”
“It can’t be that bad, can it?” Rachelle leaned toward him, hoping to catch a glimpse of the face beneath the hood. “Life can’t be that bad!”
“Yes, it can.”
“I bet it’s not as bad as you think it is.” She gave him a few seconds to object, but he didn’t say anything. “Why don’t you pull back your hood for a moment? I’d really like to see your face.”
Noxor was silent.
“Please?” Rachelle begged. “Please? Just a little glimpse! That’s all I ask!”
“No!” Noxor turned and headed down an abandoned alleyway. “Absolutely not!”
“If we’re going into this alley together, no one will see you. Well... aside from me, of course. We’re all our own worst critics, aren’t we? I bet you don’t look half as bad as you think you do.”
“Yes, I do. And no, I won’t take it off.” When they were halfway down the alley, he held out his arm to halt her. “Don’t follow me.”
“What?”
“I’m meeting someone at the end of the alley, and I don’t want you to follow me.”
“What? Who?” Rachelle scowled at him. “You’re not going to resort to dirty tactics, are you? You’re not going to torture some information out of someone, are you?!”
“No. But I’m meeting an informant whose identity cannot be revealed,” Noxor told her. “Go.”
“Is there someone down there?” Rachelle stood on her tiptoes and tried to see over Noxor’s shoulder. “But I’m—”
“Go!”
Rachelle kicked some dirt in Noxor’s direction, stuck out her tongue, and turned away from him. Not phased by her brazen behavior, Noxor continued down the alley to meet with his “informant,” whose face was also hidden beneath a dark hood. After a brief handshake, they quickly got down to business.
“So we meet again,” spoke the hooded figure. His voice was a bit gruff, but there was nothing hostile about his manner of speaking. “And this time, we’re on the same side.”
“Indeed,” Noxor quietly agreed. “I hope you don’t hold any grudges.”
“Not at all,” said the cloaked stranger. “If you don’t mind, I’d rather not waste any time with small talk. I have some important information for you, but the question is... do you have any information to give me in return?”
“As a matter of fact, I do. I think you‘ll be very interested to hear what I’m about you tell you,” Noxor promised. “But I’m sure you won’t believe it.”