“Try as you might, human, your mind cannot possibly comprehend the infinite.”
“I don’t think you’re really all that complex of creatures,” I chimed in. “Yeah, yeah, you want to take over our world and kick off some kind of mass-level extinction of humans, but can’t you do that without leaking all over the place? Always with the oozing.”
A rumbling growl emanated from Vengeance, but Bastien was faster.
“Shut your mouth, Cirian. As always, your crass nature shows your lack of decorum,” Bastien interjected, turning to scold me with a certain amusement in his eyes. “I’ve simply reached my limits on your vulgarity. Perhaps I should reconsider my stance against the Hallowed, and the pain they’ve wreaked upon my people.”
Ah, so that was his game. Get the Enduring to think they’re on the same side. Clever, Bast.
“Come now, Bastien. Surely you cannot expect me to hold myself accountable for the actions of my ancestors? Truly, it wasn’tthathard for the Reviled. Look at this beautiful community, they were only able to build because they were chased from the Church under the threat of execution.”
Vengeance watched us, remaining silent as we continued the hyperbolic argument.
“That does it. Cirian Findlay, I will stand for your slander of the Reviled no longer. We will settle this in the most human way of all.”
“Surely these fine people don’t want to watch us fuck, Bastien. That would be uncouth.”
“I mean a fight to the death,” Bastien corrected me, doing well to keep his reaction to my absurdity at a twitch of the mouth. “Vengeance, I would ask that before we continue our discussion, you allow me the chance to extract my own retribution against the man who has caused me nothing but suffering.”
My chest twinged at that, but I reminded myself that this was nothing more than a ruse. A distraction that would allow us a chance at escape, of that I was certain.
Vengeance didn’t respond right away, the ichor from its face receding back into the familiar shape of Wilhelm, and her golden eyes on display once more.
“You are bound to this man,” Vengeance said slowly, their voice receding back into Wilhelm’s dulcet tones. “Yet you say you wish to kill him?”
“The line between love and hate is fine and fragile. Welcome to humanity.”
Vengeance smiled at that, a throaty laugh bubbling up. “Pour out your retribution, Bastien. I wish to see it flow.”
Bastien nodded, turning back to face me. The tether between remained as visible as ever, and as he squared up a few feet away, I mirrored his stance.
“What now?”I asked down the line.
“Make it look real. I have a plan.”
Wilhelm motioned for the guard to encircle us, lining the edges of the room and blocking any easy access to the exit. Once their heavy steps had fallen silent, Bastien sprang into action.
Having sparred with Bastien on several occasions, it was not exactly an easy task to pretend I found his combat skills anything other than adorable. He swung blindly at me, and I ducked out of the way with ease, shuffling around him and giving him a shove to throw him off balance. He crashed into the countertop, sending a cluster of phials rolling across the surface. As he recovered, I caught a quick glimpse of him pocketing one of the ingredients before he turned on me again.
That was his plan. He was going to cook something up with the time that we’d allotted ourselves. I had to hand it to him—it was a bold idea. Whether or not it would work depended entirely on our ability to sell it.
So, I needed to sell it.
Rushing him in a blur of motion, I held my arm out straight at my side, colliding with his gut and lifting him off the ground before slamming him back onto the countertop. Glass rattled as ingredients went flying in different directions.
“Too convincing,”he whinged in my head.
“Sorry, love. You can hit me next if you’d like.”
He returned the blow with an uppercut to my jaw that barely connected, but I reeled like I’d been struck by a prizefighter, stumbling back and clutching my jaw. Bastien heaved himself off the countertop, running at me headfirst and tackling me to the ground. We rolled over one another, hands grabbing for purchase, feet digging into tender flesh, till finally we rolled under the counter, obscuring us from half of the onlookers.
Grunting and dodging each other’s haymakers, Bastien quickly combined a handful of ingredients into a glass bottle, shaking it vigorously as he chanted under his breath. The contents began to expand, turning a bright orange. He handed itto me, eyes of gold locked onto me with a determination I knew would see us through.
“You’re the better actor. We’ve got about thirty seconds. Aim for the wall.”
He rolled out into the open then, clambering to his feet. I tucked the bottle into my pocket, pulling myself free of the cover.
It was time to give them a show.
