I Can't Speak Silver-tongue

Red was appalled with what she saw when the door disintegrated. She staggered and hid behind Archer as she caught a glimpse of his brother sprawled in the makeshift bed of dried leaves and sweet flowers.

Ari had been stripped down naked and bounded with what looked like shimmering magic infused vines. It was like a scene from an X rated BDSM film but didn't spark erotic pleasure to the viewers.

Her heart ached when she saw Ari's condition – he clearly wasn't in his right state of mind as his eyes darted from one place to another then finally rolled.

His handsome face was pale and he was sweating profusely.

The daemon on top of him, hissed and bared her long fangs. If she hadn't done that, Red would have sworn she looked like a goddess with voluptuous proportions worthy of being worshipped.

Only she wasn't a goddess and reality was that she's monster.

Archer on the other hand might have been joking with his words, but his fists told another story. They were clenched so tightly his nails dug into his skin, causing his palm to bleed, blood ran down his saber's handle.

Ari had always been the stronger, wiser brother. But these manipulating daemons besmirched his entire being.

For an Elfen warrior, his pride will always lie in his integrity and moral standing. These were the very reason the elfen race had always been the favored warriors of the Faey Militia, light faeys and the shapeshifters coming after.

Trustworthy, undaunted, and selfless – things that Archer himself wasn't.

He swore they will pay for what they have done to Ari.

There were two other small daemons lingering near the entrance where Red and Archer had been, and they immediately transformed from beautiful tiny tots into dreadful creatures with blood shot eyes.

Their faces reminded Red of the overcooked smushed wrinkly potatoes they left behind the coast, dried up and dreadful.

Before turning, they had looked like innocent children which to her horror, seemed to be so wrong. Observing their leader do what looked like sexual assault towards Ari.

"You idiot." She heard Ari call out to his brother's quips and then he suddenly started to gasp and made choking sounds.

What was that lady monster doing to him? She was tall and her legs wrapped around the sides of Ari, the color of tanned red oak.

"Mo introzua!" she susurrated at them. She crouched lower, as if like a hungry lioness protecting her prey from other predators who would attempt to rob her catch. A low growling sound coming out of her throat, her back arched in defense.

Archer moved forward and spoke to her in their language.

"Razhyese ye elfhein, mo daemon vayi!" he said, pointing one of his sabers towards her and the other blade in the direction of the hissing little monsters at the corner.

"Yooo... Mor elfhein kuo, yaflunt uf shilvah tohnga." She responded, clearly amused by Archer's knowledge of their language. She turned her ringed golden eyes to Red and smiled wickedly, licking her lips imagining how they would taste in her mouth. "Yakf faey…"

The daemon slid her body off of Ari and he huffed, struggling to catch his breath, clearly delirious and in much need of medical attention. Red noticed his wrists and ankles had blood dripping while some old droplets dried up and caked on the ties.

Red stood behind Archer keeping vigilant and anticipating every inch of body movement by the enemy. She prepared to call out her magic, keeping at bay the tiny fireworks that threatened to explode any time.

"Razhyese ye elfhein Arikyer!" Archer spoke again, this time with more conviction. If this fucking lady won't let Ari go, then there is only one way they can rescue him from her clutches.

Burn her tree down to the ground.

Vativaths' life is tied down to the tree they are dwelling in. To escape her clutches, they would need to destroy her abode and with it she will die as well.

"Em Morgianna, Makrunai Vayii uf Kroshante Vulan Aira." She waved her hands and did a quick curtsy as if introducing herself to the royal thrones of the Faeys.

"You know what, fuck you both. I can't understand a thing you are saying." Red interrupted, feeling left out and oblivious to the things that were spoken between the two.

Ari who was in and out of the spell that was casted by Morgianna to keep him submissive, registered what Red had said and faintly chortled in amusement. He wasn't expecting her to say it out loud.

Even he was frustrated that Archer and Morgianna had started to speak fluently in silver-tongue.

It was amazing.

He couldn't believe that Archer had been able to master the dead language where he had struggled to even speak a few phrases. He was both envious and proud at what his younger brother had actually achieved.

It made him believe in his brother's capabilities more and convinced him that Archer's vagrant years had actually done him good despite their family's certainty that he was no more than just a good for nothing son without an ounce of faey magic in him.

A talentless black sheep disgracing the Squall family.

Ari had been the only one to believe in him.

Even at the time Archer had shunned everyone away including him. It took hundreds of years to get Archer to warm up to Ari and it wasn't until recently that he chanced upon the young faey staying at the same apartment as the last Cane – Dorothy.

At first, he had just been observing from afar, watching how Archie's daily life as a flower shop owner unfolds. His relationship with Dorothy and how his eccentric disguise changed day after day just to stalk her grand-daughter.

After he was appointed by Queen Tiana as the warrior of a part-faey queen candidate, he had set out to the human realm to search for his future queen and await her awakening. It was by chance that he discovered the candidate was actually the descendant of the banished noble family.

When he learned of the uncanny twist of fates, he revealed himself to Archie and painstakingly explained the details of his mission.

And now, look at how they all ended up.