Sure enough, he was in a much better mood upon arrival. “Thank you, Prince Shadow,” he said, bowing low. Not in a mocking way, but in a respectful one that displayed his appreciation of my generosity.
Seriously, gargoyles were the easiest damn creatures to please.
If only certain fae could be as amenable.
I added a few more coins for fun, causing Ajax to roll his eyes.
Then we took our shakes, bid Anrika goodbye, and ventured out onto the cobblestone streets of the village.
“I hope you don’t expect me to bow, Prince Shadow,” he drawled.
“I don’t think you’d look all that great on your knees, Ajax,” I said, eyeing his tall, muscular body. “Not my type either.” However, Aflora could kneel for me any day, any time. And I’d do the same for her as well.
Ajax grunted. “Like I’d ever offer.”
“I recall you saying that about a certain Elite Blood recently,” I replied as I led the way back to the cloakroom. “Pretty sure you fall at her feet now.” It was a baited phrase, one I hoped he would pick up and give me the update I desperately craved.
“Yeah, well, I did. Then you recommended I tell her to play it cool, and now she’s not speaking to me.”
“Oh?” I tried not to sound too interested, but my heart skipped a beat at his words. “She doesn’t want to lie low?” I knew she wouldn’t. Which was entirely the point.
“No, jackass, she doesn’t. So thanks for that solid recommendation.”
“You know it’s best for right now,” I said, trying to make him feel a little better. If it all played out as expected, I’d thank him later. And then I would allow him to punch me in the face. Because, yeah, if this plan came to fruition, I’d earn his wrath and worse.
“Try telling her that.”
“I would, but I’m reasonably sure she hates me.” And rightly so.
“Well, she hates me, too, now.”
“She’ll forgive you,” I said as I stepped through the threshold to retrieve my cloak. “Trying bowing. I’m sure that’ll work.”
He grunted. “I hate you sometimes.”
No, you don’t, but you will, I thought grimly as I used a spell to adorn my cloak. It was hard to click the clasp one-handed, and I actually did want my shake. “I need to run an errand.”
“An errand that I assume you’re not going to explain,” Ajax replied as he engaged a similar enchantment to put on his cloak.
“You really do know me well,” I drawled.
“Yeah, yeah.” He waved me off. “I have homework to do anyway. As do you, but I have a feeling you’ve forgotten all about our coursework lately.”
“We have coursework?” I asked, feigning surprise. “I thought we graduated.”
He just shook his head. “I’ll see you when I see you, I guess.”
“Soon,” I promised. “Maybe I’ll show up at the Blood Gala.”
He snorted. “Now that’d be an entertaining surprise.”
“You think so?” I pretended to consider it. “Perhaps I really should go just to shock the shit out of everyone.”
“Do you even own a suit?”
“I might,” I replied, smirking. “But why would I wear one?”
He huffed an amused laugh and stepped through the glass to use the portal. “Later, Shade,” he said over his shoulder, disappearing from view.