Seconds after Leo left, Livie asked as she stuffed clothes into a bag, "Why are you doing this?"
"What do you mean?"
"Why help us at all? You don't know us, you don't know why we're doing this, and you're not even from here, so why care?"
"Because I want to"
Lyla stashed two daggers at her waist, then a smaller one on her boot and thigh, before lastly strapping her made sword, which Lucien had let her keep, to her back. Lifting the bag off the bed, she turned to the doe-eyed female now staring curiously at her.
"Because I need to protect this world," she said, smiling.
Livie did not understand what that meant, but long after Lyla had left, she couldn't help but think of that small smile that portrayed so much.
Lyla didn't know what to say as she rode on Maximilian. Lucien had sent Leo with the horse because… because she would be more comfortable, he said, and she really didn't know what to say or do with that information, why he assumed that was beyond her, but… he was right.
The trip to the city had taken them two and a half days with little rest, and by the time they arrived at the inn, she knocked out cold on the bed.
She didn't know what time it was when she woke up, only that she felt so much better, and Lucien was in the chair to her left, staring at her. She sat up, almost falling off the bed, and he not so expertly hid his laugh with a cough.
"And how long have you been there?" she asked, straightening
"Not long." Why didn't she believe that
"And why are you here?"
"Not even a hello?" he asked, tilting his head, amusement dancing in his eyes.
"You didn't seem to bother with one, creep."
"Should I have woken you?"
"Yes"
"Next time"
She did not even want to get into what that suggested.
"Get out, I need to shower."
"Go ahead, I don't mind," he said, smirking, and just for emphasis, he settled further into the chair.
This fuc…. "Get the hel out, pervert," she shouted, dragging him out the door, grinning as he went. He had been teasing her.
Later, when she was sure she no longer reeked of sweat, she joined them in their shared room, where the two quickly briefed her on their findings. They had spotted someone of interest from the 'rescue' house and had followed them here to the city, to be precise, to the den.
"I assume you want me to project and survey the place."
"Yes"
"I'll need to get a scope of the area first."
"Of course, let's head out."
*
"You've got to be kidding me," she said, squatting between the two males with her.
"What?" Leo asked on her left
"I thought the place would be big, but this…this is bigger than a stadium"
"A what?"
"A… never mind. Giving you a good layout will take too much time and power. I can only stay so long in my conscious state."
"Can't you just go back and forth?" Leo suggested
"Like I said, too much power is needed to support me maintaining that state, and it's risky to do what you suggest; I could get stuck."
"What do you suggest?" Lucien inquired from her other side
From where they squatted at the top of a building, she had a good view of the den and the small buildings surrounding it; most were businesses that attracted excited spectators for food, drinks, souvenirs, and merchandise.
She turned to Lucien, "What does it take to get in there?"
It was simply paying at the front, getting a ticket, and finding your seat. Most of the time, one would need a reservation, but they were lucky to get empty seats. The fights were separated into different sections, and your experience depended on how much you were willing to pay. Lucien —whom she was yet to find out how he acquired his money— spared no expense getting them the most expensive fight with the most expensive seats.
Of course, they had done it for a reason. Leo had heard rumour that sometimes, alleged beneficiaries would join this specific viewing area, and these seats gave them the privilege to enter important rooms.
Lyla had felt the brown haired man's eyes on her ever since she stepped into the booth. His eyes trailed down her length, taking in every dip and curve, the dress she now wore giving him a good view of what he wanted to see. She had planned to use male lust to get her better access to the secrets hidden here. A dangerous game that Lucien had cautioned her from, he knew the kind of beings these people had to be
Taking her seat, she didn't bother to hide the slit that exposed her thigh; she just leisurely sipped on her drink, feigning excitement for the fight that was minutes away.
Lucien, sitting beside her, stole glances her way just like he had been doing since he saw her in that damned dress. It was nothing fancy or exceptional, but her wearing it made it look worth thousands.
The male behind them, who didn't bother hiding his lust even with a female beside him, focused on her exposed thigh.
She hated it; her hand, clenched slightly too tightly on the glass, was an indication enough if one didn't note the breath she seemed to hold
He felt the urge to say something, to reassure her in some way, but his thoughts were cut short when the lights dimmed and then focused on the two opposite doors below.
Ladies and gentlemen, our most pristine guests. Welcome to the best night of your lives, a voice boomed. I'm sure you are curious why tonight's tickets are more pricey than usual… Leo had shared the sentiment earlier,
Well, in a few minutes you'll understand why, because tonight, you, our most important guests, will bear witness to something no one else has seen, something I'm sure you'll enjoy. As always, we are here to please you, and tonight we've gone the extra mile.
Well, that was a lot of ass licking.
The sound of metal groaning rang through the section as the gates opened. The anticipation was palpable if the eager faces didn't give away enough, and she had to admit that even she was curious as to what the MC promised.
Heavy footsteps thundered below as two forms emerged from either side. Her breath hitched from what she beheld; there was no way. Her hand, which had been resting on her chair, subconsciously reached for Lucien, and he turned from his own shock to look at her.
There was fear, clear and shining in her eyes, her hand clenched tighter on his arm as she stared and stared not at the obvious horror straight from hel in the form of a three-headed dog but at the ten-foot green-furred beast. Yes, it was scary and intimidating, but nothing compared to its opponent, yet her eyes focused only on it as if her worst nightmare had been given life and displayed right in front of her.
He knew what genuine fear looked like, and right now she was petrified