Chapter 65: The Water in the Walls And The Lazy King
Chapter 65: The Water in the Walls And The Lazy King
Elyn’s POV
Immediately Zorathys settled back into sleep, I moved closer to the walls. They were intriguing and I did not understand how the water was flowing like it was real.
Or maybe it was real after all?
Curiosity won me over and I moved closer to the walls.
I took a step forward and pressed my hand against the cool surface.
The moment my fingertips brushed the surface, a ripple moved through the water. Slowly, beautifully, the way a lake responds to a falling leaf. The temperature seeped through my skin—cold, yes, but comforting too.
"This is... this is beautiful," I whispered to myself.
The water flowed through my fingers and it sparkled also. I had never seen anything like this when I was in Aelthryn. Every day, I came to the realization that perhaps the demon realm was even more beautiful than Aelthryn.
"What," a deep tenor grumbled behind me, "are you doing?"
I knew that voice. I would recognize it anywhere, and not just because it was a very beautiful voice... I’m sure I’ve said this before and I’m just repeating myself at this moment but Zorathys had a beautiful voice.
It was a deep tenor that washed over me like I was taking a shower.
I turned and saw him in the air. He was running one hand aggressively across his eyes while also yawning. His wings drooped behind him and his other hand was still over that massive body pillow he refused to put down.
Again, I wondered how he was still handsome and put together even after sleeping. If I was the one in his position now, my hair would be sticking up in different directions and I’d look like the second coming of the banshee.
But anyways, I pulled myself together. I wasn’t here to admire how handsome this lazy piece of demon was.
"You’re awake," I said to him calmly because yes, I was the epitome of calm.
He finished rubbing his eyes and blinked at me. His eyes were sleepy and those red orbs focused on me like he was seeing me but at the same time, he wasn’t seeing me. He blinked sleepily.
"Yes. Unfortunately."
I frowned. "Unfortunately?"
"If you’re here," he said, stretching one wing with a wince, "to remind me about work, or to pester me about work, or to place any form of responsibility in my general vicinity... let me warn you now: think twice. I am extremely tired after the work you just put me through. I have no energy in me to do anything more today."
I stared.
Then I scoffed loudly. "Work that I put you through? That wasn’t work!"
"I went through paperwork, I was hunched over the table for hours..." He paused then tilted his head. "...yes, seems like work to me."
"You were not hunched over the table for hours," I told him flatly.
"It felt like hours to me," he grumbled out.
"It was mere minutes. And the work you claimed to have done wasn’t even work. That thing you think you did isn’t work."
"My wings aren’t even out like I would like them to be because they are tired from the work you put me through. Once more, it’s work," Zorathys told me.
"Work that I’ll have to go through everything again. Work that I’ll have to do by myself," I told him.
"Maybe you like working. But I’ve already done it so there’s no need for you to do it again," he said, already half-leaning toward his pillow again.
I snapped, stepping closer. "I am supposed to be your assistant. Assistants are not supposed to do the work for their bosses."
He gave me a lazy, pointed look. "Assistants are supposed to help."
I gave him a glare sharp enough to cut through reality.
He blinked once. Twice.
"...I’m sensing hostility," he murmured.
Good.
"It’s more of murderous intent. Do you sense that too?" I asked him.
Zorathys shuffled then gave a small imperceptible nod.
I took in a long breath and sighed. "Since I’m apparently doing the work alone, you need to help me."
His face did the slow-motion version of a frown. "I’m too tired to work."
"That’s not what I mean." I crossed my arms. "I’m not trying to make you work like you did earlier even if we all know that wasn’t worth calling work. But if anything, you working makes the work harder for me."
His brow rose slightly and then he shrugged. "At least I tried."
I didn’t even have the energy to argue with him at this point.
"I heard," I said, ignoring his statement, "that for me to freely do my work, you have to introduce me to the nobles."
He stared at me with those half-lidded eyes, then like he just realized what I said, his eyes widened a bit—at least as much as they could with how sleepy he was.
"Oh," he said to me.
"’Oh’?" I repeated, incredulous.
He nodded slowly. "Yes. Oh."
I stared at him harder.
Then harder.
"...What do you mean, ’oh’?"
"I forgot," he admitted shamelessly.
"You—forgot?" I asked him incredulously.
"Yes."
I dragged a hand across my face. "Now that you remember, are you going to do it?"
He waved a dismissive hand in my direction. "Later."
"Zorathys."
"If that is all," he yawned, "you may leave."
"I’m not leaving." I planted myself exactly where I stood. "Not until we agree on how you’re going to introduce me to the nobles."
He blinked at me with the slow, tragic expression of a cat being forced out of a warm blanket.
"...Can we not do this later?" he asked.
"No."
"But—"
"No."
He sighed deeply, wings drooping even more. "You know... my later could be... five minutes."
"No, it’s not," I said immediately. "From what I’ve learnt when it comes to you, your later means a hundred years later. Absolutely not. I’m not waiting until later."
He didn’t even try to deny it.
I continued, relentless: "Ignivar and Naviel already told me that you were supposed to do it yesterday, and you told them you were tired."
"I was tired," he said, yawning again. "Still am."
His eyes were barely open—thin slits of ruby glowing faintly. His entire posture screamed, I want to sleep and the universe is personally stopping me.
I cleared my throat.
His eyes snapped open instantly.
He sighed deeply like I was troubling him. "Do you already have a plan in mind?" he asked me.