(Orilis)

Veron poured himself a tankard of aged mead, he had always been one for a good drink. Sighing contentedly, he settled into one of the comfortable wooden chairs in my personal library. One would assume we were getting to know each other if they happened to chance upon us, they would never assume that we were old friends and comrades that would go to the gallows for each other if need be. Granted I was expected to have a cordial relationship with my Vixen counterpart but still better to play it safe in case my brothers or anyone within their circles had sent unwanted eyes and ears. 

Veron took the letter and read it, face furrowing into a frown before he passed it to me.

“So, assassin kidnappers, eh? You’ve really got it all going for you huh?” 

I sighed, putting down the old leatherbound book that held the building plans of the castle which I had been looking over for forgotten passages and what not that could be used to enter and exit the castle unnoticed. 

“Why is that sexy to you? I’d genuinely like to know, I’d love to pass it on to a certain brother so he can get kidnapping assassins up his ass.” I said casually.

Veron scowled and I smirked. One point for me, old friend, I thought, along with Liv, Veron was one of the few people who I trusted enough to joke with. Warmth I rarely felt spread through my veins, warming my all too cold heart. 

Liv, who had been watching this with a look of absolute boredom of a woman with zero interest in male bullshit, leaned against one of the bookshelves. 

“Are you two done yet? Because if not I’d be happy to tie the both of you up and burn you alive.” She said playfully, devil's smile replacing her normally calm unreadable expression. She was joking but I could tell the situation was not to her liking. Her father found her, and while Liv would never say it the situation scared her, her father had left wounds on her soul that had yet to heal. 

And I really did have to remember she had lost sleep with me trying to figure out who was coming from the guild and their means of kidnapping a prince in the dead of night without anyone noticing. Whilst being the youngest meant I was mostly ignored by my father, my brothers made it their business to know my every move were bound to notice a sudden disappearance. I sighed, doing anything fun was excruciatingly hard these days. 

“I miss Vix, things were so much easier there!” I complained. 

Veron chuckled, obviously catching my meaning, “That it was,”  he said, smiling at the fond memories. 

“Yes, yes, continue talking after I’ve told you I will burn you alive. You people make so much sense” Liv gave us a death glare, and wisely, we shut up.

“Here is the exact message I received from my ‘friends’” Liv said, pulling a piece of parchment out of her pocket. Right work time. 

“That drunk bastard shouldn't have been able to find you, you’re literally the ace in your field.” Veron said in an annoyed tone, as I read the letter's contents. I pursed my lips, he was right, looking at how this all played out it just didn't make sense. My eyes took in the information scribbled onto the page. It basically gave us the same information Liv had, that assassins had been hired by her father to take me to him, and a brief warning to stay safe. I raised an eyebrow at that one, normally informants were the cutthroat selfish type, not prone to caring about people. I glanced over at Liv, reminding myself how cold I came off ninety nine percent of the time, I suppose can’t really talk.