121 Where the Truth Lies (1/2)

\”You look like an elf who's lost his wooden bow, Dean,\” Aura whispered, glancing over at me from the opposite couch with concern on her face.

\”You realize I have no idea what that reference means,\” I answered wryly.

I leaned back on the lavish couch trying to feel comfortable, but my mind just wouldn't let me forget the stress that's been hounding me for days.

\”Um, ancient elves love their bows, you see, so when they lose it—\”

\”—They also lose their shit,\” I finished for her. \”I get it… and I'm fine, Aura. Really.\”

\”Right,\” she said, picking up a satin pillow on her couch and throwing it at me. \”You realize I feel your emotions through our bond, right?\”

I caught the pillow and squeezed it between my arms and chest.

\”I've never asked you how that works… do you actually sense the emotions or just pick up a vibe\” I mused.

\”The latter,\” Aura answered. She raised a finger to her lips in that way she sometimes did when she was thinking of an answer to my questions. 'Yours is like the weather. Sometimes, when you're feeling proud about something, often Luca, you're a warm summer's day. When you're sad… it's like a heavy downpour of rain. More often than not it's cloudy, that's when I know you've got your thinking cap on.\”

\”The weather, huh,\” I repeated. It was an interesting way to describe emotions. \”What's the weather in me like now?\”

\”Black clouds and thunderstorms,\” she said quickly. \”Is it just about Ty?\”

My eyes took in the view of the room the auction's staff had asked us to wait in. It was so similar to the first time we'd visited, the same atmosphere of wealth and indulgence. It didn't feel like the kind of place that would trade in slaves.

\”Yeah… and no.\” I sighed. \”Did I tell you that Arah and I went to see his parents today?\”

Aura shook her head. \”That bad, huh?\”

\”His mom was understandably upset… but it was really his dad who… well, he was always the loud one in the room, you know? Always the first one to crack a joke and invite us to a smash Bros bout,\” I locked my fingers together as if in prayer. \”Today the man barely spoke… he was like my mom.\”

As my eyes were turned downward, I didn't see Aura get up, but I felt it when she sat next to me on that soft cushioned couch. I felt her arm wrap around my shoulder, and suddenly, I found myself feeling even more emotional.

\”Arah blames me, you know,\” I whispered. \”She doesn't say it out loud but I can feel it…\”

\”She's just lost too, you know,\” Aura said, placating. \”You and her, you're both just desperate to find Ty... and when you do, I bet you'll be right as rain again.\”

After what felt like an embarrassingly long time, I pulled away from Aura's half-embrace and recomposed myself. Then I glanced sideways at her.

\”You think Ashley and Luca are in yet?\” I asked.

Aura shrugged. \”I'm honestly not sure. They're not exactly the stealthy types, are they? It would be better if we'd brought Thom or Qwipps along instead.\”

I scratched my head. The task I'd set for Luca and Ashley to infiltrate the auction house and search Kallista's office for clues while we kept her distracted was a long shot at best. Aura was right; the current team wasn't exactly suited for that particular kind of stealth mission.

But no alarms had rung yet so the pair of them might just pull it off. Maybe.

Kallista arrived while I contemplated bringing more suitable troops the next time, greeting me and Aura with a big smile plastered on her face.

\”I expected you sooner, Dean,\” she said, sitting on the couch opposite ours and crossing her legs, making her rather short dress ride up an inch higher.

I gulped and forced myself to look away. It seemed the game was already afoot.

\”You already knew we were in the canyon,\” I guessed, thinking that things had changed and it was now time for a more direct tactic than we'd initially planned.

\”Not when you arrived,\” her eyes twinkled with impish delight. \”You've made a capable new friend.\”

\”When, then?\” Aura asked.