Not that we should need a guard in Soulguider Territory—they were our allies—but with everything stacked against us lately and how the pleasure house ended, it unwound a knot in my gut to stay close.
“So, who’s going to explain what happened last night?” CK asked, taking a long sip from his canteen.
Malakai and I exchanged a look, both waiting for the other to continue.
I sighed, cracking first, and explained the cryptic hint the Storyteller shared about the Soulguider emblem and that she was someone both Ophelia and I had seen before. “That’s not even half of it,” I added. “Aimee told Ophelia some interesting things about where she and Jezebel ended up during the battle. About different realms and bridges between them and thefel strella mythos.”
I recounted the details quickly, and when I was done, Cypherion crossed his arms. “You think Ophelia and Jezebel are these sisters from the myth, somehow returned again?”
“I don’t know if I believe in all that.” I shook my head. “Perhaps it’s a continuation of the story.”
“It would make sense why the pegasus and khrysaor flocked to them,” CK reasoned.
“I don’t like any of it,” Malakai said.
“I’m not sure I do either.” I loved that Sapphire had this newfound power and that Jezebel had her khrysaor, but fear wrapped around my chest at what it meant.
“It’s a lot more intense than what I learned,” Mali added. Cyph and I gave him a look with raised brows. “After I was done beating up a man who deigned to touch Mila?—”
“What?” Cyph sneered.
Malakai grumbled, “That fucker is lucky all I did was hit him.”
I looked to his wrapped knuckles. “Good job.”
Malakai nodded. “After that, we found a Storyteller, but she knew nothing of the Angelcurse.”
“How is that possible? Aimee knew,” I said. “She didn’t reveal much about it, but she’d heard of it. Enough to tell us to gowhere all dead and riddled secrets lie.”
A confused silence settled over us, the call of desert birds cracking the morning air.
“I also asked about Lucidius,” Malakai offered.
Cyph and I exchanged a glance. “And?” he asked.
“And she confirmed Lucidius knew about the magic the Angels left behind—likely from Kakias herself—but she couldn’t tell me why or what he wanted them for.”
“Why not?” I asked.
“Because Lucidius never told anyone, and she can only deal in concrete historical fact.” Bitterness twisted his words.
There was clearly more he wasn’t saying—little details that rattled him. Last night had done a number on all of us. When we returned, Jezebel was still trembling from…whatever had happened.
It was all cryptic. Truthfully, it felt like a pile of lies.
“Did Lyria say anything when you guys met in the pleasure house?” I asked Malakai.
“Like what?” he asked, wiping a cloth over his face.
“She was quiet on the walk home.” It wasn’t entirely unusual lately, but there had been a haunted look in her eye.
Malakai rubbed the back of his neck. “She was jumpy. Mila was worried about her, too.”
I nodded, re-buckling my vambrace. Something had shaken my sister, Jezebel had possibly killed someone, Rina had felt followed, and we received a pile of confusing information from the Storytellers. Excellent.
At least we had a hint for the emblems. For right now, that needed to be our priority.
Or…in a few hours, once we all worked off a bit more frustration.
