Seventh Seal - Jacquelyn Faye Page 0,2

want you to go home, find a nice spidery princess, get married and have lots of dark elf spider thingies." I shuddered at the thought.

"Had I known before I made the pledge, I would have been happy with that. But, alas, that is not what the stars have written for me now."

"Whatchu talkin bout, Ellis?" I squinted in confusion.

"An Aiqua without a Varni has no purpose. My life is forfeit."

"Say that again? Slowly."

"If you will not have me, I have no purpose. I shall go. I am sorry for the subterfuge on part of my mother. Lord Delron is his own creature and I make no apologies for him. As for me, I am sorry to have troubled you, Lady. I shall take my leave." He turned and headed back toward Delron's study.

"Master?" Yuki hissed.

"Don't look at me. I didn't fucking know." I turned and looked at the broad shoulders slumped in defeat as he trudged away. "Ellis, come on. We'll figure it out. Later. Away from here."

He stopped walking but didn't turn back toward us. "You will have me?"

"Just come on. Let's go. This place gives me the willies."

He nodded and turned back toward us. His expression unchanging. "There is no later, Lady. Either you will have me or not. Do you accept my oath?"

"We'll discuss it back at my house."

"Lady…"

"Master." Yuki actually sounded worried.

"What?" I glanced down at her.

"Say yes. Or he's going to off himself."

"What? How do you know?"

"Because I can feel it coming off of him. He's already resigned himself to his fate. It's like a vampire swearing fealty to a lord. Fuck, it's like being a familiar. If the master doesn't want you, you die. Say yes!"

I looked up at Ellis who seemed a little shocked to have an ally in my court. Shocked but hopeful. He tore his eyes from Yuki and slowly lifted them up until his met mine.

You already have a Jaeren. He's in the same boat as Ellesyn. What's one more? Yuki's pleading argument in my head was worse than her words.

I found myself nodding at Ellis. "Fine. I accept your oath. Now can we go home?"

"Yes, my Varni." He practically skipped in excitement to me and got down on one knee, bowing his head.

"Oh, get the fuck up. Come on. I need a drink."

Turning, I strode back the way we came and didn't stop until we exited the temple and found Delanir milling about the entrance majestically, as only a unicorn could. Even an evil one.

You seem distraught. His mindspeech made me wince. Out of all of the ones who could talk to me in my head, he was by far the loudest. Kind of like a deaf uncle who spoke at thirty-times the normal volume because he spent too much time around exploding ordinance in the military. Only it wasn't because Delanir wasn't deaf, it was because he was a friggin' unicorn. It was like asking a dragon to whisper.

I am distraught. Could you take us home, please?

As you wish, Master. Though, I do not think I can carry three.

Take them, then. I can find my own way home.

Through the shadows?

I nodded. I might as well. Please take them home. I think I need a drink.

And when the vampire has a fit of shits when she realizes you will be alone as you drown your sorrows, what excuse should I give her?

None. Just stop her from looking for me. Not kidding, I need some me time here. And it's a shit fit, not a fit of shits. That's what happens when you get bad tacos.

He bowed his head.

"Get on Delanir. I'll shadow walk home."

"Yes, Master," Yuki answered and gingerly stepped on the bicorn's offered foreleg, settling herself neatly behind his neck and gently running her fingers through his silky mane.

"Be careful, my lady," Ellis answered and deftly hopped up behind her.

"What does he mean be careful?" Yuki shifted, intent on getting off the bicorn just as he slashed a portal home through the air with his horns and stepped through.

Maste–

Her mindspeech was cutoff as the portal closed behind them.

I lifted my hand to take myself back to Cedar Falls, but I knew if I did, I'd just end up sulking at the diner. I needed something way stronger than that, and I knew just where to find it. Which worked out perfectly with my mother still in Cedar falls. The chances of running into her were nil. Maybe not nil, but certainly greatly reduced.

Calling the shadows to my hand,