’Damn it!’
Vale gritted his teeth as he stared at the stupefied scholar.
Yet as much as he wanted to punish the "dumbass," as Awilix would say, they were still in the midst of a siege.
While it seed logical that if Mias had been setting them up for failure, they should retreat, he’d only set them up for failure under the guise that Ophelia would be part of the defense.
Now that she was injured and comatose for possible weeks, there was no internal factor stopping Vale in his conquest.
Except...
Salo and this Mias would have to be left out.
aning, it was up to his warriors and Awilix, once healed, plus himself if he felt daring.
While Vale’s anger was muddled, and his only true way to deal with his throes was by way of lust, he’d figured out he had a minor lust for battle.
So perhaps joining this fight would be good for him. A way to relieve pent-up stress.
Then again, Vale wouldn’t feel particularly happy about fighting humans, and he had to be sparing in his direct involvent when the situation actually arose.
Vale sighed as he rubbed his arm wound, waiting for Salo to recover enough vitality to heal him.
’This sucks...’
Because now that half of Mias was marked, that half was ostensibly banished as if it ca back, the oracle would have dominion over all he’d see and hear, exposing everything about the dungeon.
Not to ntion...
Vale had a feeling that they’d only scratched the surface of the oracle’s plot.
As Mias had said, Ophelia could have fled before anything happened.
So, that ant either Ophelia was too righteous and wanted to stand by and defend her people, which didn’t seem to be the case, as the maniac used the villagers as weapons, or the oracle wanted Mias to go with Ophelia.
’And it’s probably the latter...’
Plus, their plot had probably started all the way back when Laertes wandered into the dungeon.
’Hell, most likely before then...’
Vale winced as he looked up.
’Just what are you planning?’
’And what have you already done?’
***
The warriors, who’d made a scene to aid in Mias’s and Salo’s undetected escape, had been able to retreat themselves, though a few were lost in the process — a necessary sacrifice.
After things cald down and it got later into the night, when the humans would need to rest, the warriors reassud their blockades while Vale and Awilix were making great progress in their recovery.
Due to Salo, of course. And Mias, who’d allowed Salo to siphon Aether from him.
Though Vale was still too peeved to admit anything helpful the scholar did was... helpful.
Vale sighed as he had his legs wrapped around Awilix’s waist and his arms tucked under her shoulders.
The feline scread:
"Let go! I need to tear that little fucker limb from limb! I’ll feast on his flesh!"
Vale shouted back while reinforcing his limbs with the small amount of Aether he had.
"He doesn’t even have flesh!"
Awilix didn’t care for rationality.
"Then I’ll eat his damned smoke! Vale! Let go! Why are you protecting that dumbass from ?!"
’Because you need to conserve your strength!’
As much as Vale would have loved to beat the shit out of Mias as well, neither of them could even touch the Reaper of Knowledge.
It would also be a waste of the limited Aether they had.
Aether which had only been gifted by Salo, who was now passed out in her room.
"C’re, glorified chimney formless filthy ashen cur piece of charred shit! I’m hungry!"
Awilix chomped her teeth together, letting the clatter ring through the cavern.
Mias’s head slowly swiveled around until he looked down at Awilix and Vale.
"While your anger is most certainly justified, at least postpone it, Awilix. There is still the matter at hand to take care of."
Awilix scread back while thrashing around in Vale’s lock.
"Oh, there’s a matter I want taken care of! You—"
Vale grunted as he shoved his forearm in Awilix’s mouth to shut her up, then said:
"Awilix! Please calm down! I’m pissed at tiny too, but his intentions weren’t all bad!"
Awilix clamped down, biting into Vale’s arm with ease, causing a fountain of blood and for Vale to reflexively tear his arm away.
"Intentions don’t fucking matter! He almost got killed!"
Mias wryly smiled, then said:
"That is true... for once, you used logic in reasoning."
’Seriosuly? Haven’t you done enough at this point?!’
’Don’t rage bait the spiteful cat!’
Vale grumbled as he shook out his arm:
"Not helping, Mias!"
Awilix hissed and clawed, scratching Vale all over. Then, in a sudden mont, Awilix stopped her fit and tilted her head back at Vale, a pleading look in her golden eyes.
"Vaaale. Can you pleaaase let gooo. I only want to check what’s inside of hiiiim."
Awilix pouted while opening her eyes as wide as possible.
’Cute... but not working.’
Vale sighed.
The explanation for why Mias did what he did was sothing that Awilix would probably never fully comprehend, and even if she did, Awilix wouldn’t care.
After all, Mias had truly betrayed them in every sense of the word. He was still actively doing so by not killing Ophelia.
Her anger was undoubtedly grounded.
Yet Vale needed Mias still, especially at this juncture.
A fitting punishnt could co later, but for now, Mias needed to help organize the attack on the village. He was their entire communication line, after all.
Whether he could be fully trusted or not was up for debate, but Vale wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt.
However, Vale would keep in mind that a part of him didn’t believe Mias would overlook sothing so simple...
He didn’t want to entertain the notion that Mias and the oracle were working together, but Mias did possess the intelligence for this revelation to be a part of his plan as well.
If such a plan existed.
’Where do the lies end and truths begin?’
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