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Izban shrugged. "I inherited him, he's been with my family for a long time. I gave him the chance to leave when I got him, but he decided to stay. He comes in handy, and all I have to give him to make him happy is milk and bread."
The aos sìth turned to Izban and swung his tiny fist while continuing to chirp.
"He wants me to tell you that he's also the main source of my magic," Izban translated. "And that I'm honoured to have him. And that I can be a right bast... No, stop it."
Amber laughed brightly and Macey smiled at seeing the beithir so cheery. This was the first true laugh she'd heard from her. Hopefully, everything was going to be okay with her and Izban.
"You don't have your own magic?" Macey blurted out, instantly regretting it. That had been rude of her.
"I do," Izban replied calmly, in a way that suggested it wasn't the first time he'd had to answer that question. "But it's limited to certain things. For others, I rely on my aos sìth. It's the same for other mages too."
"And is he the reason your hair is..." she trailed off, not believing how rude she was being. This wasn't the diplomacy she'd been brought up to exhibit.
Izban just laughed. "No, he's nothing to do with my hair. That was one of my cousins when we were younger. She got a little carried away, and it's been blue ever since. I tried to dye it once, but trust me, it's not something you want me to ever repeat again."
Macey smiled at the mage, noting he was already more relaxed than he had been. And far less aggressive. Even less so than when the Voice had given her and Amber the horrible vision.
The aos sìth's head had been turning back and forth as they spoke, but now, he looked towards the palace in front of them.
"Go," Izban commanded.
The little blue creature gave him a look that Macey could only describe as sassy, before leaping into the air, and floating off towards the drawbridge.
"Why do we need to send him?" Macey asked.
"The sìth tend to be a little more receptive if it's one of their own kind knocking on the door. With Cat-Man still missing, the aos sìth is pretty much what we have," Cam explained.
"What happened to Cat-Man?" Macey asked. She hadn't really expected the cat-sìth to still be with her men, but she was still sad not to see him. They'd become friends of a fashion, at least, she wanted to think so. His sister did make a prophecy about her after all.
"We're not sure. When we left the warehouse, he was gone. I think he'll be back if you ever need him," Cam replied.
"You do?" She frowned, not sure where the thoughts were coming from.
"Yes. You made an impression on him, whether he wanted to admit it or not. I don't think he'll show up for just anything, but if you need him, he'll be there."
"I hope you're right," Macey answered, a sense of dread filling her. She wasn't sure how this was all going to end. But she hadn't ruled out some kind of battle. Against what, she wasn't sure. But the Voice could control people, it wasn't inconceivable that he would take over the minds of an army.
Which would leave them completely screwed. Seven Wardens standing against an army of warriors with no minds of their own. It didn't sound like a very even match to her. Or to anyone.
She was pulled from her thoughts by the loud clanking of the drawbridge lowering. Everyone's attention was drawn that way. The aos sìth chirped again as it landed back on Izban's hand, before disappearing as quickly as it came.
"We're going to have to find some really good bread and milk before he'll do anything for us again," Izban muttered.
"What counts as really good?" Amber asked, leaning on his shoulder.
"Some kind of fancy sweetened bread, I'd guess? I'm not really sure, he's never told me what he likes and what he doesn't."
"Typical man then," the beithir teased.
Macey laughed as the men began to mumble.
"Oh shh, let's just get going," she ordered them.
"Do we have a plan?" Amber asked softly.
"I think it's basically, they say nothing, us three do all the talking." Macey shrugged. That was in line with everything they'd said so far.
"Oh no, not me. I'm waiting here for you all." Luch shook her head wildly and took a step back. "No chance. No."
