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“How?”
“We have been trying to track you down for a long time. That meant following rumors and gossip and various reports of your whereabouts.”
Levet blinked. “Like a stalker?”
Odige ground his teeth. “Like those who have a wish to find you.”
“Hmm.” Levet wasn’t convinced. “Seems suspicious tomoi.”
“There is nothing suspicious,” the male growled. “I was sent to retrieve you and that is what I have done.”
Levet narrowed his eyes. “And if I do not wish to be retrieved?”
“I do not understand why you are being so stubborn.”
“I am not stubborn, I am firm in my resolve,” Levet protested. “And my resolve warns me that it is dangerous to travel to unknown destinations with strangers.”
“There is no danger to you,” the male insisted.
“Well, you would say that, would you not?” Levet flapped his wings. “Especially if you intended to do me harm.”
The male lifted his hands toward the heavens. “Why me?”
Levet scrunched his snout. “Demons say that a lot around me. I am not entirely sure what it means.”
They exchanged fierce glares, both refusing to be the one to back down. The stare-off might have lasted the rest of the night if Levet hadn’t gotten a cramp in his foot.
“Enough.” Levet flexed his toe claws, attempting to ease the knot.
Odige muttered a curse, holding up one large hand. “What if I swear on my goddess that no minotaur will offer you violence?”
Levet shook his head. “It does not matter. I will have to meet the minotaurs another time. Tonight, I must discover a means to open a portal to the merfolk castle.”
There was a heavy silence, as if Odige was debating whether to squash Levet beneath his massive foot, or perhaps see how far he could toss him across the field.
Instead, he shrugged. “I can do that.”
Levet blinked in confusion. “You can do what?”
“Open a portal.”
“Not to the merfolk castle. It is protected by layers of magic. Only a creature with the ability to create portals and permission from the queen can penetrate the illusions without a formal invitation. That is why I was in need of Troy.” Levet wrinkled his snout. “The horse-patootie.”
The minotaur shrugged. “It’s no problem for me. I can walk through any shield, no matter what the source of the magic.”
“Truly?” Levet was genuinely shocked. “I did not know that minotaurs possessed that particular talent.”
“We prefer to keep our magical abilities a secret.”
Levet tapped a claw against the side of his snout. “Ah. It is wise to remain secretive. Mystery is also a part of my unique charm.”
“Allow me.”
Levet stepped back as the male waved his arm in a dramatic gesture. There was the crackle of power before a shimmer rippled around him. Leaning forward, Levet studied the unfamiliar magic. The opening looked more like a gateway than a portal, and there was a distinct scent of ripe wheat and ale. Where was the salty tang and soft ocean breeze?
“Wait.” Levet took another step backward. “This does not smell right.” He was on the point of turning away when a large hand reached down to grab him by the horn. Before he could react he felt himself being hoisted off the ground, and with one mighty swing he was being tossed into the gateway like a Frisbee. Or perhaps it was more like a sack of potatoes, he conceded as he flapped his wings and windmilled his arms in a futile attempt to avoid landing on his derrière. “Help!”
Chapter 2
