ink vivid against his golden skin. "Thank you very much."
"You haven't seen it yet. For all you know, I could have inked 'jackass' back here."
"Nah. I never doubt you," Qhuinn said, grinning up at the Brother.
Vishous smiled a little, his hard face with its tattoos showing approval. "Yeah, well, you aren't a flincher. Flinchers get fucked. The steady ones get the goods."
V clapped palms with the guy, then packed up and took off while Qhuinn went into the bathroom and used the hand mirror to see the work.
It's beautiful, John signed from behind him. Really beautiful.
"It's exactly what I wanted," Qhuinn murmured as he looked at the ink that covered the whole back of his neck.
When the two of them returned to the bedroom, Wrath put his hand in his back pocket, took out a set of car keys, and gave them to Qhuinn. "These are to the Mercedes. You go anywhere with him, you take that car until we can get you other wheels. The thing's bulletproof, and faster than anything else on the road."
"Can I still take him to ZeroSum?"
"He's not a prisoner."
John stamped his foot and signed, I'm also not a pussy.
Wrath barked a laugh. "Never said you were. John, give him the passwords to all the doors and the tunnel and the gates."
"What about classes?" Qhuinn asked. "When they start up again, do I stay with John then, even though I'm kicked out?"
Wrath went over to the door and paused. "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Future's kind of unclear. As fucking usual."
After the king left, John thought about Blay. The guy really should have been with them for all of this.
I'd like to go to ZeroSum, he signed.
"Why? 'Cause you think it's going to get Blay out?" Qhuinn went over to the briefcase and loaded the other gun, the clip sliding into place with a whisper and a click.
You need to tell me what's doing. Now.
Qhuinn put on the holster and plugged the weapons in under his armpits. He looked... powerful. Deadly. With his cropped dark hair and those piercings in his ear and that tat underneath his blue eye, if John hadn't known the guy, he would have sworn he was looking at a Brother.
What happened between you and Blay?
"I cut him loose, and I was cruel about it."
Good God... Why?
"I was on the way to jail for murder, remember? He'd have eaten himself alive worrying about me. It would have ruined his life. Better that he hate me than be lonely for the rest of his days."
No offense, but are you really that important to him?
Qhuinn's mismatched eyes drilled into John's. "Yes. I am. And don't ask any questions about that."
John knew a boundary when he saw it: Conversationally speaking, he'd just run into a concrete wall with barbed wire around it.
I still want to go to ZeroSum, and I still want to give him a chance to meet us out.
Qhuinn pulled a light jacket from his bag and seemed to gather himself as he put it on. When he turned back around, his characteristic smart-ass smile was back in place. "Your wish is my command, prince of mine."
Don't call me that.
As John headed for the exit, he texted Blay, hoping the guy would show eventually. Maybe if he was bugged enough he'd relent?
"So what should I call you?" Qhuinn said as he leaped ahead to open the door with a flourish. "Would you prefer 'my liege'?"
Give it a rest, would you.
"How about good ol'-fashioned 'master'?" When John just glared over his shoulder, Qhuinn shrugged. "Fine. I'll go with fathead then. But that's your damage, I gave you options."
Chapter Thirty-one
There were two things the glymera liked above all else: a good party and a good funeral.
With the slaughter of Lash's parents, they had both.
Phury sat in front of the computer in the training center's office, a headache directly behind his left eyeball. He felt like the wizard was taking an ice pick to his optic nerve.
Actually, it's a drill, mate, the wizard said.
Right, Phury thought. Of course it is.
Is that sarcasm? the wizard said. Ah, right. You'd planned to be a washed-up junkie and a disappointment to your brothers, and now that you've succeeded you're getting cheeky. You know, perhaps you should start a seminar for others. Phury, son of Ahgony's ten steps to success at being an utter, irredeemable failure.
Shall I get the ball rolling? Let's start with the basics: being born.