“No,” I said, shaking my head.

  “No?” Zog asked, obviously confused.

  “I’d rather not.”

  “Cyrus,” Teddy started.

  “No. I’m serious. Why? I don’t need this right now.”

  “You would deny Sereza this information? Truly?”

  I clicked my fangs in frustration. I glared his way but the damn unflapplable man smiled softly.

  “Damn you and sensibility.” I turned to Zog. “Alright, spill it. What do I need to know.”

  “Yes,” he said slowly. He glanced toward the others but they offered nothing other than encouraging nods. He cleared his throat and turned serious. “This is information from a trusted source. It's in regards to your entry of the underground as well as your encounter inside the Pit.”

  “How do you know about that…”

  “From my god,” he replied.

  Every new second was building the headache but I pressed on.

  “Continue.”

  He nodded. “It’s not much information but I’ve been told that it's relevant.”

  Isaac’s dagger pressed even further, not drawing blood but allowing more of the blade to near his meaty throat. “Too much yapping. Get on with it.”

  “Very well. Then you should know that the felkin named Lezka is no longer inside the city. Nor is he in Solunaria.”

  There was a pause, and I waited for him to continue but it seemed that he was waiting for a response.

  “That’s it?” I asked.

  “No. There’s more.”

  “Then what are you waiting for?”

  “For the arrival of this one’s parents,” he said, glancing toward Teddy.

  Teddy frowned and nodded to Walter who raised his hand. From his gloved palm, a bright green orb appeared that thrummed to life as it released a pulsing wave of mana. It filled the room and retracted, activating an unrecognizable rune at the base of the sphere.

  Walter shook his head. “The room is clear, sir. Whatever method he is using to scry is not from inside this room.”

  Teddy signaled with his fingers and the others closed in. Isaac’s blades neared as did Igas’ with Celenae conjuring another barrier below Zog’s chin, forcing him to look forward.

  “How do you know my parents are coming?” Teddy demanded.

  Zog continued to look unperturbed by the confinement and simply smiled. “From my god.”

  I wracked my brain for names from the book Brelten gave me long ago. Several of the gods of Inoria flashed through my mind. Galarion, pushed mana into a limb and helped pull up a memory. His mana reinforced the mental image.

  Unfortunately the page containing the name Mulshagaragura was incredibly short. Outside of being one of the four patron gods of the Orucan, not much was known. But what was known was that Mulshagaragura was a god of battle and fire.

  Doesn’t sound like the god’s domains involve scrying in any way but then again, if he’s anything like Cal he should be able to watch over his scion. Damn. Should have asked Cal how divinity works, for all we know he’s watching us right now.

  Being scryed on was a nightmare, but Zog never explicitly said he was, just that he knew Teddy’s parents were rushing over.

  Whatever, Cyrus. Focus on getting the information first.

  “Walter, do you know how much longer till they arrive?” I asked.

  “Of course, sir. They will crash through the front door in the next five seconds,” Walter said, bowing.

  “Five seconds?”

  “Excuse me sir, I have a door to open.”

  Walter disappeared with a blink and I heard the click of a doorknob. Before I could process the butler’s words, there was a shrill wine followed by an earthshaking crash that shook the walls. I turned in time to get flashed by a barrage of light that zipped into the room followed by a swirling mass of water.

  “Never fear!” Nathan’s voice boomed from behind the wave.

  “For we have arrived!” Anastasia finished.

  The lightrays turned solid as they pushed me to the side into the extending hands made of water. They swept me and Broken Tower into its weirdly warm embrace and lifted us into the air away from Zog.

  Wide-eyed, I watched Walter nod to me as he floated upside down in his own separate elemental appendage before disappearing behind a panel of sunlight.

  “Now who dares to hurt my children? Face me coward! And prepare to suffer my wrath!” Anastasia shouted, her words turning into fireworks of golden sparkles.

  We were deposited under Nathan's pseudo arms and faced toward Zog who remained encased in Celenae’s barriers. He stared slack-jawed at Anastasia’s sword only a couple of inches away from his eye.

  “Well monster? What do you have to say for yourself?”

  “I-” The blade inched closer and Zog cleared his throat with an awkward cough. “Forgive me, lady Lightcrest. I have no intention of bringing harm to what’s yours.”

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  I’m swimming right here, bub!

  “Is that so?” Anastasia scoffed. With a flourish the blade lowered but she moved closer, staring upward at the looming figure. With a glance to her husband a platform of water rose beneath her feet and propped her up so that she was now a foot above his ears. “Then why are you in this room, providing stress when it is unwanted? If that is not fiendish behavior then I shall eat my sword!”

  It was like a fever dream. The cartoonish heroes came in and baffled the mighty villain through sheer bullshit. Honestly? I was all the more happy for it.

  I think I owe these two a gift basket.

  “I’m sorry, madam,” Zog continued, sounding nearly civil in comparison to his madness from earlier. “I’ve err’ed in my judgment. As recompense I’ve been provided with information to pass off to you in hopes of showing my sincerity.”

  If Anastasia felt the whiplash of having the big brute sound distinguished and speak with utter seriousness, she didn’t show it. Instead, she slid her blade into her scabbard and turned around with a harumph.

  Nathan caught my eye and winked. At once, the water-limbs retreated into his robes and we dropped to the floor. I braced at the last second and managed to roll onto my back but the others weren’t so lucky. Three faces smashed into the tile while a cloud of wind prevented the fourth from joining the ‘smooshed-face’ club.

  Isaac cheated by falling through the floor and reappearing with a shit-eating grin to my left, and Walter somehow teleported despite having felt no mana from the man.

  “Your apology is accepted only if, Mordred here deems it so.”

  Anastasia crouched and patted my head while rubbing it gently. She gestured to Zog before thumbing her blade from her sheath. The threat was clear and I found myself chuckling despite the exhaustion in my bones.

  “If it lets me take a damn nap; then apology accepted. Can we get on with whatever world-ending information you're about to drop on our laps?”

  “You heard the man,” Nathan barked. “What information is so important that you dragged us back here? We could have stopped for scones, and now I’m mighty hungry. It better be worth making us hungry, young fellow!”

  Beside me, Teddy groaned.

  Zog nodded. “Whether the information is important or not, I am unable to judge. But it is information provided by my god. It can be trusted as surely as I am an orucan.”

  Teddy’s parents exchanged devious smirks before shrugging.

  “While you could be a shapeshifter in disguise, I doubt it. But no matter, even if you are using an illusion such information will be verified. Now spill, before I let my husband take a bite,” Anastasia replied.

  Nathan chomped his teeth.

  “The information is in regards to the incident involving the blood rituals and mass sacrifices in the underground a few weeks back. I’ve already told the… Mordred, about Lezka the felkin. This next set of information I was told to wait for your arrival. It is a matter of kingdom security.”

  The casual mood the two projected withdrew and the pair turned serious. A glance to Walter summoned another magical device that deployed a blanketing aura that encased the room. A second one appeared in his other hand in the shape of a cube made of black crystal. A rune on its top activated and cold mana filled the air, drawing in the shadows around us. It blocked out the sunlight from the window and created a thick haze that swirled steadily.

  “Continue,” Nathan ordered.

  “While this Lezka is no longer in the city, his benefactor continues to haunt the underground. It is unknown where they keep their base of operations, but my god has confirmed that they appear in and out throughout the area known as the Pit. You’ll find one of the ritual circles fairly easily, hidden underneath the waste-block inside the arena.”

  Isaac growled. “That’s ridiculous. The royal guards should have combed through the area. There’s no way they missed something that highly concentrated with blood mana!”

  Nathan extended his arm, and shook his head. Isaac backed away, but glared daggers at Zog.

  “While I’m inclined to trust information from a god, what Isaac said is true. Four hands were deployed. Each hand has at least three pairs of trackers highly trained and equipped with enchanted devices designed to scan and find specific mana signatures. Are you certain what your god said is correct?”

  The subdued amber of Zog’s eyes turned bright red. The flames returned at the edges and he wiggled his fingers as smoke drifted upward. “He would not lie.”

  “I see. Then would you be willing to prove the validity of your claims?”

  “Yes.”

  “Galarion. Is he telling the truth?” I asked.

  “Yes. Resignation. Sincerity. Determination,” he replied.

  I tossed a mental tether toward Nathan. It was accepted without resistance and I conveyed Galarions’ words along with the emotions he managed to skim from Zog’s surface thoughts.

  Nathan subtly tapped the back of his wife’s foot as he adjusted and moved to stand by her side.

  “If what you claim is true, we will check ourselves. Once the ritual circle is found and we can confirm it with our own eyes, you will be released. We won’t force you to stick around and answer to the guards.”

  Zog nodded, but Isaac interrupted.

  “Why not? If he knows where the ritual is, then he should be questioned. Thoroughly! And I still don’t believe his story. You said it's in the waste-block? That would be one of the first places they look. How do you know it's there? What were you doing in the Pit?! Huh?”

  “Isaac…”

  Celenae placed a hand on his shoulder as he shrugged it off. She sighed and snapped her fingers, shattering the barriers keeping Zog trapped.

  “Let them handle it.”

  “No. Answer my question, first,” Isaac demanded.

  “I was in the Pit for two reasons. To fight, and to confirm the information from my god. He needed eyes inside the city and I provided them.”

  As Zog shook his arms and flexed his fingers, his words brought up a faint memory that Galarion grabbed hold and dragged into clarity. Things clicked in place, and a faint itch of recognition settled.

  “You were the brawler. The one at the underground arena. You spared the elf. That’s why that robe looks familiar. You were there that day,” I cut in.

  Zog gave a restrained smile. “Indeed. I was guided to your location, but I was unable to approach. My apologies, if I had, I might have been able to aid you in your fight. Your friend, the one you were carrying in your arms, is she okay?”

  My grip tightened, but I was too exhausted to feel angry.

  “She’s fine. Does that mean you were there for more than just stalking me?”

  “I was searching for the source of the blood mana. The arena was a prime candidate. The blood soaked into the sands is hefty, it would make an easy source if harvested. Does that answer your question?” Zog said, turning to Isaac.

  Isaac restrained a snarl but said nothing.

  Anastasia gestured to Walter and the enchanted devices deactivated. He slipped them into his sleeve and bowed.

  “Do you require equipment from the armory, my lady?”

  “Not for now, Walter. But please send word to Orstat. Have him send two hands to the southern entrance. We will rendezvous after confirming the information,” Anastasia said.

  “Right away.”

  Walter took a step back and disappeared. Nathan rolled his shoulders and headed for the door with Anastasia placing herself behind Zog as they moved toward the door. Before they could reach the entrance hallway, Isaac appeared in their path.

  “I’m going with you,” he said.

  Nathan smiled and reached for his head. Isaac attempted to dodge but Teddy’s father managed to ruffle Isaac’s hair before patting him on the shoulder. “You can be our guide.”

  Isaac looked conflicted but ultimately pulled his mask over his nose and dropped into the floor. His shadow stretched across the ground and joined Nathan’s.

  Before Zog exited the room he pivoted and bowed in my direction. “My apologies again, chosen one. May we have a glorious fight in the arena.”

  He turned and left, leaving me staring at their exit with weary eyes.

  Teddy sighed and stowed his equipment while Celenae gestured at me. I raised my hand and summoned the book from Brelten and dropped it into her eager fingers.

  “Should we have followed them?. "

  "No. Let the idiot get his anger out. Teddy's parents don't need more of us to complicate things. They'll keep him safe and we'll know in a couple of hours if what the scion said was true," Igas grunted.

  "Aight. Well I'm taking my leave. See you guys in the morning."

  “Cyrus,” Teddy interrupted.

  “What now?” I sighed.

  He looked ready to say something but shook his head. “It can wait until tomorrow. Have a good rest.”

  I gave a thumbs-up and slinked away. By the time I flopped onto my bed and rolled underneath the sheets, I found my eyes heavy. A slow scratching pain erupted in the back of my head but Galarion sucked it away and settled into his own cocoon of tangled limbs.

  "Goodnight, Galarion" I mumbled. "Eat the bad dreams, please..."

  He squelched in my head and I drifted off into a dreamless sleep.