Chapter 276: Pinky Promises, Stolen Shadows, and a Child Delivered by Darkness
Chapter 276: Pinky Promises, Stolen Shadows, and a Child Delivered by Darkness
Elyn’s POV
Zorathys grumbled.
It wasn’t loud, but it was very deliberate, like he wanted the sound itself to carry offence.
"I am not finding anything funny about what I just said," he muttered.
I looked at him.
Then I laughed again.
Not because I was trying to.
It just... happened.
His expression tightened slightly, like my laughter was physically offensive to him.
"That’s exactly why it’s funny," I said.
"It is not funny," he insisted.
"You’re jealous of a child."
His eyes narrowed immediately.
"I am not jealous."
"You are," I said simply.
"I am not," he repeated, slower this time, like repetition alone could change reality.
"You are," I said again.
He exhaled sharply.
"I do not understand why you insist on interpreting it that way, Firefly," he said. "I simply do not like that Ignivar’s spawn made a pinky promise with you when you haven’t even made one with me."
I laughed again because this whole thing was ridiculous.
"That is jealousy," I said.
"It is not jealousy," he replied. "It is logic."
"Explain the logic then."
His shadows shifted slightly behind him, like they were in agreement with him.
"Ignivar’s spawn," he said carefully, "should not be making a pinky promise with you."
I stared at him.
Then I laughed harder.
That was not an explanation.
That was just a different version of the same problem wearing a serious face.
"Oh, Zorathys," I said, shaking my head, still smiling, "you are absolutely jealous."
"I am not."
"You are."
"I am not."
"You are," I told him, and he stopped speaking then.
But his brows were furrowed, and he still had that pout on his face.
I finally exhaled and looked at him properly again.
He was still watching me.
Completely serious.
Completely convinced he was correct.
And um... that was wrong too.
I let the silence sit for a moment.
Then I tilted my head.
"Alright," I said.
That made him pause.
His eyes flickered slightly.
"Alright?" he repeated.
"Yes," I said. "Alright."
I stepped a little closer.
His shadows shifted instantly, like they were reacting before he did.
"If you’re so hell-bent on pinky promises," I continued, "then I’m going to make one with you."
That got his attention. His eyes lifted slightly.
And something in his expression changed.
His shadows stirred behind him, curling upward with interest like they had just been told something important.
His voice dropped a little.
"A pinky promise?" he asked.
I smirked faintly.
"Yes."
His gaze held mine.
And so I raised my hand slowly and held out my pinky.
His eyes followed the movement like it mattered more than it should have.
"Come on," I said softly. "If you want it so badly."
There was a pause.
Then he lifted his hand.
His movements were slower than usual. More careful... like he was bracing himself for disappointment from me.
His pinky hooked around mine.
"Now listen," I said, leaning slightly, "this is how it works."
His eyes stayed on me, and I continued.
"You bring the children back to the palace."
His shadows flickered once.
"And then," I said, "we go on a tour of the demon realm. All of them together."
He didn’t speak.
I tightened the pinky link slightly.
"And if you behave," I added lightly, "I might actually have that picnic with you."
"That’s the promise?" he asked.
I nodded, a smile on my face.
"Yes." I gently adjusted our linked hands. "A pinky promise means you keep your word, and you can never back down from it."
"In other words, I can’t break my promise," he said.
"Did you plan on it before?" I asked him.
Zorathys’s lips tilted up in a smile and then he shook his head.
I released his pinky then, breaking contact.
I stepped back, putting space between us because there was something intoxicating about being in the same space with him, so close.
"Also," I added casually, turning toward the door, "pinky promises are for children."
I glanced back at him over my shoulder.
"We don’t need to do it again."
His gaze stayed on me.
He didn’t respond immediately.
Just a small, almost absent sound left him.
"Hm."
That was all.
I stared at him for half a second longer.
Then I smiled faintly. And I turned away.
"Firefly," he called after me.
I paused at the door.
"Yes?"
There was a short silence.
"I will return the pests," he said.
I smirked.
"I expect nothing less."
Then I lifted a hand.
And without looking back, I blew him a kiss.
His shadows twitched, and his gaze softened as the smirk widened on his face.
"I expect to see Azerion before nightfall," I added.
A very clear, very pointed pause followed.
Then a disgusted sound left him, and the smirk fell from his face.
I chuckled softly to myself and walked out.
The corridor felt quieter than before.
Or maybe I was just imagining it. Either way, I didn’t stop walking.
I didn’t look back.
I just made my way toward my room, still faintly amused, still mildly suspicious, and increasingly aware that Zorathys and "pinky promises" were now officially a problem I had created.
The moment I opened my bedroom door, I stopped in shock.
Azerion was folded on the floor, asleep, and I noticed the shadows swirling around like they had just dropped him there. They disappeared though, leaving only Azerion, and I smiled as I picked him up.
As if he knew it was me, he wrapped his hands around me, exhaling deeply, and I chuckled. He smelled faintly of sweets, making me wonder where exactly Zorathys had left him.
Well, at least he kept to his promise.
I walked out of my room then and walked toward Azerion’s room so I could place him on his bed.
If Rin or...
"My lady," I heard Rin call out.
I turned just in time to see her rush forward, Vaelory not far behind, though she was breathing heavily.
"What are you guys doing here?" I asked in shock just as Rin took Azerion from my hands, a disgusted look on her face.