He headed for Eriana, but as he closed in, a familiar figure intercepted him.
“Cirion,” began Lorian smoothly, offering a goblet of red wine. “I know your love of elven wines and have brought you a glass of our finest. You must try it.”
The dashing man looked at him first in annoyance, then impatience, feigned cordiality, and finally resignation. “You’re too kind,” he replied politely, taking the glass and casting a regretful glance at Eriana. Elves were famous for subtlety, but he saw the knowing smirk on the elf’s face and made a note to watch out for this one. How much did he know? He didn’t have long to wonder. From the corner of Cirion’s eye, he saw two elves moving quickly through the crowd, then take off running in the same direction Korrin and then Andier had gone. Cirion silently cursed and returned his gaze to Lorian, finding a look of barely hidden steel in the eyes.
Chapter 6 – Lorian
It wasn’t until he reached the door to Nola’s suite that Ryan realized he was lost. He hadn’t been paying attention, his mind a swirl of death and affection, blood and caresses, remorse and hope. Nola looked up at him suggestively as she aligned the gold key with the lock on her suite’s door and slipped it inside. Her lips brushed against his so that he hardly noticed being drawn into her scented room, an odd mixture of steel and roses in the air.
Suddenly two hands yanked him backwards, breaking contact with her so fast that it startled him. He blinked in surprise and turned to see a short figure with black hair glaring at him. A moment passed before he recognized Eric.
“Didn’t you hear me?” Eric snapped, pulling him further into the hall. “I must’ve called your name four times.”
Ryan heard himself mutter something even he didn’t comprehend.
“C’mon,” said Eric the rogue, “we have a big day ahead of us tomorrow and don’t have time for this.”
“But–”
“No buts. Let’s go.” Eric pulled him by the arm and Ryan followed, still off guard and confused. “Goodbye, my lady,” the rogue called to Nola. “He’s not the sort to call the next day anyway.”
As Eric led Ryan down the hall, two elves appeared out of the shadows ahead, looking alert until seeing them. They slowed, stopped, and became far more casual in demeanor. Ryan realized that not only had Eric come after him, but the elves, too, possibly at Lorian’s suggestion. Suddenly he remembered the pledge to stay together, but even now, he saw no harm in going with Nola. He sighed in frustration, which worsened when Eric spoke again.
“What did you think you were doing?” Eric asked. The elves waited until they passed before trailing along at a discreet distance.
Offended, Ryan replied irritably, “You wouldn’t understand.”
“Try me.”
“Bug me about it tomorrow. I’m not in the mood.”
“But you were in the mood to get laid.”
Ryan shoved him away with one hand and kept walking. “Asshole. That’s not what this was about.”
“Well, what then?” Eric asked, following.
“I told you later. Just leave me the fuck alone.” He sped up to put distance between them, relieved that Eric seemed to let him go on ahead. He followed the noise toward the banquet hall and then wandered off toward their suite, fairly certain he could find it. Not until reaching the door and opening it did he look at his pursuers, seeing only the two elves. He sighed and closed the door, feeling lonely. Would they stand guard outside to keep other people out or him in? He didn’t think it mattered as long as he got to be alone – and no one snuck in to try killing him.
Once inside, Ryan struggled for some way to calm down, but the lack of modern entertainments like television or the internet left no room for distraction. He stood alone with his dark thoughts, eyes moving from silken pillows to ornate, mahogany furniture and rich rugs. The lavishness seemed somehow shallow and empty, matching his outfit style for style so that he tore at the tunic to get it off. He soon found himself on his bare knees beside his bed, head bowed, hands clasped before him, smoke from the snuffed out candles curling through the dark room. He hadn’t done this in a long time and didn’t question whether the God of his Earth could hear him here or not. It didn’t really matter, for the forgiveness he sought for killing someone had to come from within and he doubted that would happen anytime soon, if ever.
He wondered how Daniel was doing and if he’d ever see his brother again. In the strangeness of the arrival here, the attack, and the man he’d killed by accident, he’d hardly had time to wonder about Daniel. All these years of worrying about his brother and now it was his own life that might suddenly end. That was always true in a sense, but courting danger like this raised it to a whole new level. There was no easy way out of this. He went to bed and suffered through a restless night that left him tired in the morning, and the last to rise despite being the first to bed.
The next morning, Ryan entered the sitting room to find the others, dressed for the quest, talking quietly. From their glances and the
