God, it felt like we were playing twenty questions. But this wasn't a game, and I had to get as much information out of him as I could while I was still trapped, because there wasn't going to be any talking once I was free. Not by me, anyway.
Amaya, on the other hand, was a whole different story.
"I believe that might also be correct." The amusement got stronger. "You will never guess their identity, Risa, but you are most welcome to try for as long as you like. However, it will not get us that key back."
"Is it even possible to get the key back, given what happened to the first one?"
"The difference that time and this," he said, "is that it wasn't only the key stolen, but rather a whole bunch of weapons in which the key is just one. Our thief has not the capability to find it himself and will need our help."
Relief slipped through me. We may have momentarily lost the key, but it still was within the realms of possibility that it could be retrieved. That was something, at least.
"Our help, or yours? You can sense the key when you're close, can't you?"
"Yes, but I need you to pin down its location. Which is why I suggest an agreement would be in order—"
I snorted. "The only agreement you're going to get from me is one at the end of a sword."
He tsked again. "Now, let's not forget Ilianna here. I would hate to have to kill her after all the effort I've put into snatching and seeding her."
Amaya—
Close, she growled. Close.
"What sort of agreement?" I spat. "And why the hell would you even expect me to believe you'd actually uphold your end of it?"
"I don't expect trust," he said. "But I do expect that you'll remember I hold your friend's life in my hands and that you'll control not only your own need to kill me, but that of your reaper's."
"In exchange for what?" I spat.