spoken to me.
“Oh, so tis a negotiation noo, fur a moment ago it looked lik' a kidnapping 'n' ransom, as ye threatened a Princess by ripping her throat out… or am ah mistaken, yer Majesty?” Trice said mocking his royal title.
“Trice! Gods, just stop, okay! Because you making digs at the guy who can help us is not going to get us any closer to getting back to Hell and getting out of here!” Thankfully, he didn't respond to this, so I took it upon myself to turn to the King and ask,
“What is it you want?”
“Simply put, I want to bargain you in exchange for my brother’s return,” he replied honestly and in a tone that didn’t exactly say he felt any guilt about this. This made me wonder then what did he feel guilty for, as I had definitely picked up on it when first walking in the room.
“Your brother?” I asked in surprise.
“Your vampire King has him, or so I am told,” Auberon replied making me close my eyes and want to groan as I rubbed my forehead as if a headache was coming on. Because this was obviously where things were about to get way more complicated. This is when I told him the truth,
“So, about this bargain you made with the witch, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but you should know that she was trying to kidnap me herself, meaning you wouldn't have had…?” He stopped me by holding up a hand and said,
“The witch’s deal I had was not for you, for I didn't even know you existed.” At this my eyes grew wide in surprise and what it now meant. This was confirmed as the King looked towards the McBain brothers, making them laugh and Trice said,
“Yer deal wis fur us?!”
“Your deal was for them?!” I asked the same, only screeching a little in shock.
“I believe now that the witch’s plan was to use me in aiding to rid you of your bodyguards so she could take you with ease. However, that was naturally not how the deal was sold to me,” he admitted with a small gesture of his hand as if this was obviously an inconvenience for him.
“What do you mean, just what was this deal you made?” I asked.
“I was told that these three men were part of the King’s council and that this King of the Dead would trade anything or more to the point, anyone, to get them back.” At this all three brothers suddenly burst into laughter, with Gryph slapping a beefy hand on his leg. I shot them a look telling him without words that it wasn't a good idea to laugh at the King.
“Well, ye wur fucked over that one!”
“Aye, as let’s just say th' King dinnae give two shits stains aboot us vagabonds, 'n' we are nothing mair than a useful tool fur him tae use!” Trice informed him making me frown because that sounded bad and I hated believing that this was true. However, Lucius hadn’t exactly given them any other reason to believe otherwise and that thought pained me.
“I'm afraid what my brother is saying is correct, for we are the last three the King would be interested in saving, of that I can assure you,” Vern said, being a little more eloquent at it too.
“Yes, I am seeing that now. Lucky for me then that something far more important to the King made it through that portal and into my Kingdom, for I suggest we focus on that element of current events and move on negotiation… wouldn't you agree, gentlemen?”
“Well, it's nice to be considered as a gentleman for once,” Vern said making his brothers roll their eyes, but Vern just shrugged his shoulders and merely said in his defence,
“I fear it cannot be helped, chaps.”
This was when the King, who was sat on my right, leant close to me and said,
“Are we sure that he is related to the other two.” I smirked and said a whispered,
“Looks can be deceiving.” He smiled at this before nodding his head slightly before continuing,
“In the end it matters little, for I see a way for us to all get what we desire.”
Aye, an hoo is tha’ then?” Trice snapped with a fold of his arms making the leather across his chest groan against the simple dark green tunic he wore underneath.
“Well, you wish to go home, back to this realm in Hell ruled by your King and I