Page 34 of The Pactbound Angel (The Soul Mirror Duet #1)

A King’s Request

Beep. “AM I PRETTY?”

Georgina stared at M.A.L.C.O.L.M. with glazed eyes, then turned her eyes slowly to Raewyn, speaking with a mixture of awe and confusion, “Where in the Grand Tinkerer’s swinging ballsack did you get a giant, pink bowtie at this hour of the morning?”

Raewyn grinned at Georgina, her good mood completely impervious to the gnome’s glare. “I have my ways. What do you think? Doesn’t he look splendid?”

I pinched the bridge of my nose while Ramiren chuckled.

Georgina boggled. “Splendid? He looks like a joke, dummy!”

A young clerk came out of the room behind the double doors in front of us and joined his hands together in front of him. “Ladies and gentlemen, His Majesty is ready to see you now.”

Georgina poked her finger at Raewyn as she began to walk. “If this gets us in trouble, it’s your fault.”

Raewyn shrugged at the accusation. “Don’t gamble if you can’t afford to lose.”

We entered the throne room behind the court clerk.

It was a smaller room than I imagined it would be, perhaps fifteen feet from one end to the other.

There was dark wood everywhere. Wooden panels on the walls.

The floor was shiny hardwood. Wooden chairs, with mirrors behind them, lined the walls.

With the mirrors everywhere, the room only needed a few lit sconces to make it bright.

The king sat in a carved throne on a dais just big enough for his seat and a smaller, empty one beside him.

We walked halfway, and I stopped to curtsy, glad I thought to wear my green dress instead of my traveling clothes.

The king was whispering to someone at his side.

Based upon his clothing, I guessed an advisor.

The advisor’s eyes turned to us, and the king shifted in his chair to acknowledge our presence.

“Ah, yes. Lord Dalson told me he met a group of fellows who were interested in the mischief hag in the area. You must be them.”

Ramiren replied, “Yes, Your Majesty. We intend to face this mischief hag and retrieve that which was taken.”

The king leaned forward in his chair. “And if you succeed, do you know what to do next?”

I replied this time, “Yes, break the vials.”

The king leaned back again. “Yes, good. That is correct. There is a particular vial this mischief hag possesses. That of my girl, Sornya. My heir. My precious daughter.” The king glanced at the small chair next to his and stood from his throne.

“She had the most beautiful voice, and she loved to sing. But that was taken from her when the mischief hag came to our court and demanded tribute.”

The king’s face scrunched in pain, but he went on, “I would give you a great deal, a boon, your heart’s greatest desire, if this vial were broken at your triumphant feet.”

“I believe we can manage that, Your Majesty,” Ramiren said behind me.

Raewyn agreed. “You have two singers in the group who would also mourn their voices. Consider it done, assuming we don’t die, of course.” She shifted on her feet. “What if it is impossible to receive our heart’s greatest desire? What should we ask for then?”

The king pondered, then shrugged as though he cared not. “Then take money. Or a favor.”

Raewyn grinned at me when I eyed her with furrowed eyebrows.

I murmured at her, “What’s your heart’s greatest desire?”

Raewyn looked mischievous. “Oh, that’s kinda like revealing a birthday wish, isn’t it? If I tell, it won’t come true.”

What a superstitious bit of fluff.

We curtsied and bowed after the king wished us good fortune and dismissed us.

Outside, we were greeted by a nervously pacing Lord Dalson. “So, you go after the mischief hag, then?”

I gave another curtsy because being in a pretty dress just made me want to. “We do, with the king’s blessing. He had a special request for us to break a particular vial.”

He blurted out, as though he could not contain himself, “Will you, after, go to Wistran to defeat the mischief hag there?”

Ah, that’s what he wanted.

I replied , “That is our plan, Lord Dalson.”

“Excellent. Most excellent. I fear the King and Queen of Wistran have both fallen prey to her spells, but there’s no one who will take up the call.

The prince himself has tried, to no avail.

The army he brought to defeat her simply stood there until they dropped from exhaustion.

Everyone is afraid.” If that’s the case, this might take far more stealth than I’d like.

“Can you help us get into the castle?” Ramiren asked.

Lord Dalson fidgeted with his gold chain. “Oh, that would be quite impossible. You understand. ”

“What will you give if we do this?” Raewyn asked, ever the mercenary.

Dalson’s hands stopped fidgeting. “I beg your pardon, Lady Raewyn?”

She shrugged with one shoulder. “What? It’s a fair question. You obviously get something from this, and everyone’s giving out prizes.”

A look of outrage passed over the earl’s face. “Why, I get the return of my sovereigns, of course! And I already gave y-”

Ramiren eyed the earl with a critical stare.

“No, Raewyn is right. There is something else. I recall that pact we struck years ago, Lord Dalson. You paid me in raw gold. Freshly mined gold. Perhaps from mines that are now under the mischief hag’s control, no?

” He smiled placidly. “Speaking of pacts, you really should have thought about putting a better privacy clause in our contract, because, though I cannot speak a word of its contents, I can write about it.”

Dalson sputtered. “You wouldn’t dare, devil!”

Ramiren stepped forward slowly, and Lord Dalson reflexively backed up. When Ramiren spoke, I detected a hint of umbrage, “What did you call me?”

Lord Dalson’s face turned dark pink. “You heard me! Devil! Fiend! Infernal!”

Ramiren fixed his hard stare on the earl and replied quietly, “Here’s how this will work, Dalson. You will sneak us into the castle when the time comes. We will defeat the mischief hag. And then you will quietly retire into the countryside, never to be seen or heard from again. Is that clear?”

Dalson’s mouth opened and closed, giving a wonderful impression of a red guppie.

Ramiren went on, “Clear, Dalson? Or the newly-freed king and queen, along with the entire Wistran court, will receive a very interesting letter about your… peculiar tastes, in excruciating detail.”

Dalson blubbered, “Damned bastard you are, Ramiren! Fine, I’ll get you in.” The earl approached Ramiren with a raised finger in the broodling’s face. “But, be warned. If you ever darken my doorstep again, you’ll regret it.”

After Dalson stalked off, Raewyn spun on Ramiren. Grinning madly, she took his arms in her hands to make him face her. “So, what were the terms? Because now I have to know.”

Ramiren exhaled his anger and managed a chuckle. “He enjoys certain embarrassing sexual quirks. Nothing illegal or immoral. Merely embarrassing.”

Raewyn hopped on her toes excitedly. “Oh, please. Please please please.”

“Alas, I cannot speak of it, specifically. But if I must write down the details, you can read the letter. Agreed?”

Raewyn clapped her hands together like a child.

I was grateful I had stipulated a full privacy clause in our pact. Not that he would tell.