“Oh, lighten up, it was funny. Ok, fine. I’m sorry to interrupt whatever it is that you do here, but I need your help.”
“No.”
“Okay, but seriously—”
“Definitely not. There’s a clear reason why cats shouldn’t talk,” Dorian turned his nose in distaste. “Go away”—he held his hand out to the empty courtyard, its flowerbeds frosted over with piles of snow—“I’m busy.”
“Wait, but Dorian—”
“Get. Out. Or I will pick you up and throw you.” He lightly tapped the back of his glove to the cat’s side. Corvo swatted his hand away, fur standing up on the back of his neck.
“Fine. It’s only your king that I’m trying to help, but by all means, sit here and stare at your dumb, dead bushes.”
He could save Vareck and the others without that jerk. He plopped down from the bench, jumping back out into the shadows in the hallway, the sound of Dorian voicing his sudden concern dying away now that he was back in the castle. No way was he about to let that horrible snow touch his precious toe beans any longer than it had to.
“Kaia. Kaia . . . if I were a strong, independent woman leading the search on the missing prince I would be . . . right . . . ” Corvo plopped down to think, tail flicking in time to each thought that passed. The baths? No, not at this time of day. Sun spots? Wait, no . . . that’s where I would be. These were both useless cat locations. Kaia. Focus. Training grounds, war room, library . . .
The training grounds were back outside. Maybe I will check there last . . . The war room and the library were cozy. They had fireplaces to lay next to . . . He shook his head, trying to redirect his thoughts and formulate a plan that didn’t prioritize the needs of an unavoidably lazy feline that just wanted to be warm. He still could feel the pricks of icy water gathered on the edges of his fur where a few snowflakes had melted. It was terrible. So, where to first? The war room? It didn’t seem as likely, he thought. Knowing Kaia the way he did, she was more likely to feel out of place without the king commanding the table. To the library, then.
Corvo crawled down into his own shadow, plopping down atop one of the bookshelves lining the library. A vase on the other side of the shelving wobbled precariously on the edge, teetering back and forth. It was mesmerizing the way it taunted Corvo. The gold leaf etching along the perimeter glimmered against the candlelight. He trotted over, eyes gleaming as he placed a paw up to the side of the vase.
“Corvo?” A familiar female voice called out, book in hand as she turned down the aisle of the archives. He heard Kaia gasp as she saw him ready to push the priceless piece overboard. “Corvo, no. Get down!”
What was that? Corvo, yes? Do it? If she insisted. His paw pushed it forward, flicking his tail as he watched it fall. He couldn’t help it. The guard dropped the book in hand, diving forward to catch it in her fingertips. She pressed her lips together as she quirked a brow at him.
“Nice catch, Lady Kaia.”
“What are you doing here, Corvo?” Kaia sighed, her voice heavy with exhaustion. The slight bags under her eyes were noticeable against her pale complexion.
“I need to find a portal and some stuff. Help meowt?” He dared to try the same joke twice.
The guard let out a small snort of a laugh, covering her mouth. She shook her head. Ha! Success.
“Corvo, why in the world do you need a portal? You’re a demon god. You can just . . . go wherever you please. Unfortunately.”
“See? This is why you are better than Dorian. It’s not for me. It’s for V. He’s with Sebastian—which sort of solves your problem, now that I think about it—some chick I don’t know, and Mara—who we all know is really just a pain in the ass that gets into the worst situations—”
“Corvo! Focus.”
“Right. They somehow ended up in my realm. If any of them are virgins, they’re dead by nightfall. Just saying.”
“Oh boy,” Kaia said and rubbed the back of her neck. “Come with me. We need to get Hilde.”
Corvo hopped down onto Kaia’s shoulder, oddly dexterous for his size. Kaia reached over to scratch behind his ears as he purred. “Onward, steed,” he said.
“If you call me that again, I will skin you and wear you as a hat.”
“Well now you just sound like Dorian.”
Corvo jumped down from her shoulder and trotted behind her as they navigated the halls on their way to the witch’s chambers.
“How did Sebastian end up with Vareck?” Kaia asked, walking briskly and turning a corner.
“I have no idea. I didn’t really stick around to get the details. The creatures of my realm are keeping them captive—”
“Captive? What the hell, Corvo? Did you tell them to let them go?”
“No, I didn’t, thank you very much. Why do you people keep assuming that I have any sway in my realm as a cat. A cat, Kaia. Would you take orders from a cat?”
“You mean besides what I am doing right now?” Kaia mumbled.
“It’s not the same. And you’re smart enough to know I am helping V,” he said, swishing his tail and running ahead of her to stop at the door. “The creatures of my realm don’t know I am me.”
Kaia frowned as she looked down at him. She knocked twice on the door in front of them. “Hilde, it’s Kaia,” she called.
The door opened slightly, and Corvo darted through before Kaia could enter. Hilde was sitting at a large table, pouring through old parchments. Her room was filled with bottles and books, jars, and candles. The smell of potions tickled his whiskers, and he found a nice chair to jump on, far away from anything smoky and questionable.
“Kaia. Demon cat,” the witch said by way of greeting. She eyed Corvo with suspicion, which probably had something to do with the last time they saw each other, and he knocked one of her pretty bottles off the table. “What can I help you with today?”
“I’m sorry to barge in on you, Hilde. It’s urgent. Corvo says that he found King Vareck and Prince Sebastian. They somehow ended up trapped together in another realm, but they can’t get out. I need you to make a portal so we can reach them,” Kaia said.
“Well, that’s not too bad now, is it?” she said, looking back to Corvo. “Where did you find them?”
He sat with his tail wrapped around himself, twitching his nose and flicking his ear when one of the strange scents wafted his way. “In my realm,” he answered.
“Your realm? You mean the hell realm you inhabited before you graced us with your presence?”
He squinted his eyes at her. “Yes, that’s the one.” You knock one bottle over, and they think you’re a monster. Seriously . . .
“Well, that’s a problem,” Hilde said. She propped her elbows on the table, steepling her fingers and pursing her lips as she thought about something.
“Why?” Corvo and Kaia said in unison. He looked at her and nodded his head. Better let Kaia do the work here, he thought. Hilde had last threatened to feed him one of her potions and turn him into a mouse if he didn’t mind himself in her presence.
“Because I can’t portal to a hell realm,” she said simply.
Corvo looked to Kaia. She looked as confused as he felt. “But . . . you’re a witch, Hilde. Witches make portals. You’ve done it countless times. I don’t understand, why can’t you make one now?”