Equilibrium

Chapter 28 - The path closes

Sion slid his eyes to Reno. "It is you who will regret his actions," the General said with cold menace. He pivoted and stepped back and out of range, dragging Chay with him by the neck and putting him in a headlock. Chay gasped, trying to pull Sion's arm off, his face turning pink, then red. The veins on his neck bulged.

This was a disaster. Zen needed to get Chay and Reno out of here. There was no way Zen's group was going home tonight. Zen's Frog buzzed Sion's head, butting him in the temple and startling him. He cried out and loosened his grip, allowing Chay to break free of his hold. Chay immediately took to the air and out of Sion's reach. The Frog did the same.

Sion examined the flying frog. "What is that?" he demanded. "It looks human-made." When no one answered, he said, "Brock."

Bid to answer, Brock said, "It is human-made, yes."

"And what does it do?"

"It's a kind of versatile drone that blends into the outdoor environment. It has a camera."

"Who is controlling this drone?" Sion asked. Brock pressed his lips together. Sion looked to Zen next, and Zen stared back with possibly a little too much defiance. Understanding dawned on Sion's face. "Ironcroft. Would you kindly assist me with apprehending these two trespassers, while I punish my subordinates?"

"My pleasure," the Night Fairy said, stepping forward. One of his eyes was brown, the other amber. He had white and straw-colored moth wings, and a fine tunic of deep brown, green, and white. And the full bearing of a Lord that Chay never possessed. He took to the air and made straight for Chay. Chay was prepared with an arrow already knocked in his bow. Reno grunted his frustration at being unable to take to the air himself.

"We have no quarrel with one another," Chay said.

"You're impersonating one of my people, so I very much disagree," he replied. "In fact, I may take this as an act of aggression from your Queen." Chay's disguise wavered for a moment, then Chay grit his teeth and forced it back into place.

"She's your Queen too," Chay reminded him. The other shrugged.

Sion bore down on Zen with five quick strides, knocking him to the ground, and Zen cracked his head despite his best efforts. Zen was shocked into immobility by the veracity of his attack and the forbidding look in Sion's eyes as he leaned over him possessively. Kevyn bent low and tackled Sion off of Zen.

Ironcroft banked hard and got inside Chay's defense, too close for him to use his bow. He hammer-fisted him down to the ground, an iron glove now on his right hand. Reno ran underneath Chay, only just catching him, and the two of them hit the ground hard. Chay got up first, rubbing the welt on the back of his neck that the iron glove left behind.

"You're Ironblooded," the night fairy observed. "You'd still be down if you weren't."

~

Yuki came back out to the garden, champagne glass in hand. She'd waited long enough to speak to Zen and had every intention of saying so. This was the most ungrateful rescue she'd ever heard of. She scanned the garden and saw two fairies in the air at the back. One of them was the web-winged one Zen had been talking to. When the unknown fairy swatted him down like a fly, she walked quickly in that direction.

"That part of the garden is closed for the moment, ma'am," a guard said.

"Too bad," she replied mildly, though she seethed. "Oh, is that a croquette?" she asked looking at his hand.

"Curry puff," he replied, his face softening. "Want to taste?"

"Oh, no, I shouldn't," she replied, poking the flaking crust with the tip of her finger. "I'm watching my figure." Yuki cringed internally. She hated playing up sexist ideals. On the other hand, she loved using preconceptions against others, and so she still relished the deception. "Savor it for me, will you?"