Harem System In A fantasy World

"And after discovering this place, you simply decided to enter?"

"We found someone who offered to guide us." Elion spread his hands slightly. "Would you have expected us to assume that following a hungry little girl would land us in trouble?"

The man’s grin widened at the mention of Eva, and Elion found himself wishing he had left her out of the conversation.

There was something unpleasantly knowing about that expression that made his earlier suspicion about the child being bait feel considerably less like a suspicion.

Nevertheless, he had already said too much to withdraw the remark.

"Our people are waiting for us," he continued. "If we fail to return, they’ll come looking. I doubt either of us wants that to become necessary."

The man inclined his head, considering the possibility.

Elion could almost hear his own heartbeat in the ensuing silence, each heavy thud making him wonder whether the bastard standing before him could hear it too.

"Perhaps," the man said at last. "Though you seem very certain that their arrival would end badly for us."

Elion’s smile thinned.

"I’m certain it would end badly for someone. I would rather make sure that someone isn’t me."

Behind him, the others stood carefully composed, giving the man no hint of what they thought about Elion’s rapidly expanding collection of lies.

He was grateful for that. The last thing he needed was someone looking at him as though he had suddenly grown a second head.

The eyeless man lowered his arms.

"Well, this does complicate matters," he said, though there was little concern in his voice. "The master was rather looking forward to meeting you."

"I’m sure she’ll recover from the disappointment," Elion replied before he could stop himself.

For a moment, the man’s smile disappeared, and the silence around them became distinctly uncomfortable.

Elion felt Mayumi’s fingers brush the back of his arm, a brief, unobtrusive warning that he hardly needed.

’Right. Less talking would probably help.’

The man chuckled.

"You are either very confident in these protectors of yours, or remarkably foolish."

"I’ve been called both."

"Yes," the man said softly. "I can imagine."

He turned his head toward the sealed entrance, studying the broad expanse of stone.

Elion’s gaze followed the movement despite himself, searching for the slightest shimmer, or even the faintest indication that the passage might be opening.

But nothing changed.

The pale veins remained motionless beneath the rock’s surface, and the wall continued to look as solid as the mountain surrounding it.

"Still," the man continued, "there is no reason for this to become unpleasant. If your companions are truly waiting nearby, perhaps we should invite them to join you."

"That won’t be necessary."

"Why not? Surely they would prefer to hear what became of their people from the master herself."

"I can deliver the message."

"And deprive them of the opportunity to meet her?" The man smiled again, his delicate features arranging themselves into an expression of almost convincing hospitality. "That seems rather inconsiderate."

Elion said nothing. He could feel the conversation slipping away from him, each seemingly courteous suggestion weaving around the lie he had used to try and construct.

The man turned back toward the cohort, allowing his face to linger on each of them in turn.

"We can open the passage for one of you," he said. "That person can return to your saints and explain that the master would be delighted to receive them. The rest of you may remain here as our honoured guests."

Elion’s earlier sense of triumph withered so swiftly that it almost made him dizzy.

He had wanted the man to worry about powerful figures waiting outside; instead, the bastard had found a way to ask for proof while keeping most of the cohort in his grasp.

And there was no proof to give.

Maya moved closer, stopping beside Elion without taking her eyes off the man.

"We came together," she said evenly. "We intend to leave together."

"Of course." The man’s reply was perfectly pleasant. "Once your companions arrive, you will be free to discuss your departure with the master."

Elion drew in a slow breath, forcing the growing frustration out of his expression.

"And if we decline?"

The man’s lips curved, but this time, he made no effort to disguise the malice in his smile.

"Then I will have to wonder whether anyone is waiting for you at all."

Elion kept the panic off his face, though inwardly, every curse he knew seemed to rush through his mind at once.

’Well, shit.’

The man extended one slender hand toward the sealed passage, as though inviting them to admire a door he had no intention of opening without payment.

"So," he said, "which one of you would like to go?"

Elion glanced toward the sealed passage, then back at the man’s outstretched hand, considering whether there was anything left to gain by prolonging this conversation.

He had managed to make the bastard hesitate, but hesitation was a far cry from opening the entrance.

He lowered his hands and sighed.

"No one," he said. "We aren’t splitting up."

The man slowly withdrew his hand, his expression becoming almost sympathetic. "Then I’m afraid we have reached something of an impasse. You wish to leave, but you refuse the opportunity I’ve offered."

"You offered to keep most of us here while one person goes outside," Elion replied. "That isn’t quite the same thing."

"Surely you don’t think we would mistreat your companions?"

Elion gave him a long, unimpressed look.

Beside him, Maya’s shoulder brushed his arm as she moved closer, and when he glanced down at her, she gave him a small nod.

The nod was an acknowledgement of how poorly his attempt at fooling the man had ended, but she was also telling him that she trusted him.

Whatever he decided, they would follow.

"In that case," Elion said, turning back toward the man, "we’ll meet your master."

A faint, amused laugh escaped the man’s throat.

"Another change of heart?"

"I’m rather fond of having options."

"And yet you keep arriving at the one I suggested." The man tilted his head, his empty sockets resting on Elion’s face. "How fortunate."

Elion ignored the remark, though it took considerably more effort than he would have liked.

"We keep our weapons, and we stay together. If she wants to speak with us, she can speak with all of us."

"Bring whatever makes you comfortable," he said. "The master is hardly so timid that she would begrudge her guests their belongings."

That answer was considerably worse than a demand to surrender them would have been. He was basically saying, try what you will, but all your resistance is futile.

The man stepped aside and gestured toward the passage leading back into town.

"This way."

Elion looked over his shoulder at the others. They were not looking so optimistic, quite reasonably, and they couldn’t speak about what to do either.

The situation was getting dicey.