Chapter 91: Number two
Outside Seven’s Chamber
A stinging slap connected with the back of Kiran’s head, causing her to stumble forward with a surprised yelp. She whirled around, mismatched eyes wide with indignation, to find a small elven girl glaring up at her with arms crossed.
"What are you LOOKING at, you deranged squirrel?" the girl demanded, her pointed ears twitching with irritation. Despite her diminutive stature, her presence commanded attention. Her moss-green hair was cropped short around a heart-shaped face, and the ritual markings on her skin seemed to shimmer with an inner light, even in the dim palace corridor.
"LILY!" Kiran squealed, rubbing the back of her head dramatically. "SO RUDE! So VIOLENT! Did you bring me a PRESENT to make up for your TERRIBLE manners? A finger? A toe? A SHINY ROCK?" Her voice echoed off the stone walls as she bounced on her heels, seemingly unperturbed by the assault.
"Lily," Kiran corrected herself, suddenly adopting an exaggerated formal tone, "our Number Two." She executed a deep bow that verged on mockery, her gangly limbs flopping about in chaotic motion. "To what do I owe the EXTRAORDINARY pleasure of your TEENSY-TINY presence?"
Lily’s expression remained unamused as she placed a finger to her lips. "Master requires absolute silence in this vicinity," she said, her voice quiet but sharp. Despite her youthful appearance, her eyes held the weight of centuries. "The vibrations of your incessant chattering disturb the elemental balance during the TUNA."
Kiran immediately pressed both hands over her mouth, though her eyes continued to dance with manic energy above her fingers. After a moment, she lowered her hands to whisper—though her whisper was hardly quieter than her normal voice.
"Seven’s doing the TUNA with our bird-boy! Isn’t it EXCITING?" She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. "Do you think she’ll MELT his insides? Or turn his blood to MUSHROOMS? She did that once, you know. To an intruder. I helped CLEAN UP!"
Lily sighed, the sound ancient with weariness. "I sincerely hope she doesn’t mess up the process. The Veilwalker is crucial for Master’s plans." She leaned against the wall, studying the ornate door with critical eyes. "The transfer must be precise. Too much decay essence would corrupt his channels before Master can complete the final ritual."