Chapter 39, For a prince 5

Reskeme swept the workshop floor while Micheal placed a seemingly useless grate over the front of the forge. Judging from the small holes and how it covered the entire entrance, they meant the steel grate to keep sparks from leaving the forge.

" Lets go back to my house. Its getting late, we can finish the sword tomorrow." said Micheal walking across the room to the exit door and reaching down his hand grasping at air. Micheal reached down once again, his hand clasping the air in front of the flat wooden door. Reskeme cocked his head in confusion. He then remembered he had hidden the doorknob with an illusion. Reskeme grinned as Micheal swayed on his feet, grasping at the air as though he was drunk.

Micheal turned to Reskeme, who was grinning like an idiot doing his best not to burst out laughing. Reskeme strode over to the door beside Micheal and grasped an empty place on the other side of the door. Micheal face scrunched up in confusion as the door swung open. Reskeme pretended like nothing was wrong as he strode into the shadowy courtyard.

He paused, waiting for Michael as the man look at him, then the door, and then back to the Reskeme. Michael's face scrunched up in confusion? Gazing towards the vast and empty sky, his vision only partially blocked by the thick clouds, Reskeme took in a deep breath of refreshing cool night air.

Reskeme's hair stood on end as he felt Michael channel mana. The man was leaned over, peering closely at the door for nearly twenty seconds before his eyes went wide.

Micheal glared at Reskeme and then stepped outside, trying to hide the smirk on his face.

"Clever, I don't think I would have noticed the illusion if I wasn't looking for it."said Micheal.

Reskeme flushed at the unexpected compliment.

" Well, I have been practicing whenever I can. There is not much opportunity to play harmless pranks when we are working with dangerous magic and hot metal." Said Reskeme.

Michael slapped Reskeme on the back as he strode past towards the courtyard. Reskeme was exited and proud of what he had done, he must be really improving with his illusions to fool Micheal for so long. Reskeme and Micheal had been coming every day and working from sunrise to sunset. Micheal reached the exit to the guild, glancing over his shoulder at Reskeme curiously. For convenience sake there was a door that lead to the street and another that led deeper inside the building.

" Are you coming?" asked Micheal.

Nodding his head, Reskeme followed Micheal out of the guild, past the front guards. Reskeme and Micheal were strolling down the street five minutes later when a figure stepped out into the street. The figure waved, the torchlight of the street revealing a man in a plain but well made, bright blue cloak and yellow vest.

" Hello! I don't mean to bother you two young gentlemen, but do any of you have a copper coin?" asked the man. Reskeme furrowed his brow.

" I have a copper crown you can have." said Michael reaching into his scorched leather apron and pulling out a thick copper crown. Reskeme cocked his head. Wait, a minute! The mans clothes were not that of a beggar's. Not to mention the man was rather pudgy around the edges, with his round face and thick fingers.

" If one of you would give me a copper coin, I will give you the blessing of Lytheria." replied the man, glancing at both of them as though unsure.

"Are you a priest or something?" asked Micheal curiously.

" Leave this to me I think I still have a copper crown. Go Micheal, I will meet you back at the house." said Reskeme waving Micheal away. Micheal shrugged his shoulders, his muscles rippling where his leather apron didn't cover.

" All right, don't be too long or you won't get any food." said Micheal. Reskeme nodded, waiting for the man to get out of range of hearing.

" What do you really want?" asked Reskeme, crossing his arms.

" Our mutual friend wants to know if you have discovered anything." Asked the man, his tone immediately changing to that of a stern financier.

" What friend?" asked Reskeme, wanting to make sure.

" Our good friend the high priest." Replied the man. Ahh, this must be the man they intended him to report to.

" I have found something. From what I can tell there is some malicious essence leaking from the room." said Reskeme unsure of how much to tell. The man grimace and paced in the street, glancing around fervently.

" You need to get in there and check. Our friend is getting anxious." said the man sweat beading on the man's forehead.

" What do you mean, he is getting anxious? I will not risk my life because he is anxious." said Reskeme, frowning at the man and glancing around the shadowy road. Reskeme was confident he could catch someone hiding in the dark, but he was still weary of the conversation.

" I am going to the guild auction in four days. Our mutual friend said he is going to terminate your agreement if you don't have either a confirmation or a denial." said the man seriously.

" Thats not near enough time, there are guards and I haven't had time to search the whole place." said Reskeme, anger welling in his chest.

" I'm just the messenger, and remember, I will come to the auction. The best I can do is to wait until the auction, but that is all the time you get." said the man seriously, his face cold and dispassionate.

" Fine!" said Reskeme, feeling a desire to punch the man or hit him with the useless, rusty sabre tied to his hip. Furious, Reskeme whirled around, stroking away before he did something stupid. Reskeme's mind whirled as he contemplated ways to get into that guarded room. Head down, he walked down the street, deep in thought. Wait a minute! Didn't he just make a sword that could help him blend in with his surroundings?

The idea struck him like a runaway carriage. Reskeme slapped his palm to his forehead. The shadowy alleys and flickering torches were his only company as Reskeme strolled down the street towards Michael's house. If Reskeme stayed late after Micheal left next time, then he could attempt to sneak into the room using the ability on their new sword.

Reskeme sighed as he stretched his tired arms, running his hands through his silky hair. His hands paused as they roved over the two bumps now sticking out from the side of his head. Reskeme shivered. The bumps were oddly smooth and cone shaped. Reskeme frowned, the objects on his head seemed to still be growing. He wanted to get someone to look at them to see what they really were, but was afraid they would realize what he was.

Reskeme let out a sigh. Things could never just be easy. At least his damned familiar wasn't here to cause him problems. Lytheria take him, where was that troublesome demon? Reskeme kicked some filthy trash down the cobblestone street and turned up the street towards Michael's two-story house. A torch was burning on a lamppost outside the two story building. Reskeme glanced around, making sure no one was watching him before he enters the building.

Immediately Reskeme halted, nearly running into a wide eyed, inquisitive Rory. Her hair was twisted down her back into a braid over her bright blue dress.

" Where have you been?" asked, Rory accusingly.

" I was walking home from the guild." replied Reskeme.

" Oh, do you like my dress? Grandma Clair gave it to me." said Rory, twirling the wavy fabric around her.

" I like it, the dress is nice." said Reskeme confused why she was calling Clair her grandmother.

" Thank you. Have you seen mom today?" asked Rory for the second day in a row.

" Not today, it might take her a week to get here." said Reskeme feeling bad about the lie. He did not know if she would come at all or if she was even alive.

" Are you lying to me?" asked Rory, cocking her head as though she could hear his thoughts. Reskeme swallowed her accusing gaze, making him extremely nervous.

" I'm sorry Rory, I dont know when your mother will be here but I will keep checking every day." Replied Reskeme. Feeling extremely awkward and unsure of what to do, Reskeme leaned down and wrapped his arms around Rory, hugging her. Rory wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him, her hands running through his hair. An odd sensation tickled at his senses but Reskeme passed it off as being exhausted and ignored it.

" Ouch! What is that? Something is in your hair." said Rory. Reskeme quickly set her down feeling her small hands running through his hair.

" Nothing, lets get some food." said Reskeme just now noticing the fresh scent of bread drifting to his nose. Rory took his hand and reached up for his head, hopping, using his arm to gain height, trying to touch his head. Reskeme batted her hand away, smirking as she stuck her tongue out at him as though he were denying her a cookie. Reskeme's shoulders relaxed and his lips turned up into a smile.

" Lift me again I want to feel." said Rory.

" Feel what?" asked a deep, masculine voice.

" Reskeme has something on the side of his head that feels really weird." said Rory excitedly, jumping and clinging to Reskeme's arm.

" I got hit on the head, its nothing to worry about." deflected Reskeme sweat rising on his forehead as he grinned feigning embarrassment.

Setting Rory on the chair beside him, Reskeme sat down well out of reach of the pest, trying to oust him as a demon. He feigned nonchalance, but his heart was racing as he sat down, setting a loaf of steaming bread on his plate. Reskeme rapidly knocked away Rory's probing hand as he stuffed his face.

Rory pouted, stirring her food and eying his head with the utmost fascination. Reskeme grumbled, wondering what she would think if she knew what he really looked like. A vision filled his mind, himself standing in a looking glass. Shoulder length silky white hair, rough red skin and flickering dark green eyes. Rory's eyes went wide as she opened her mouth to speak. Reskeme once again felt a very faint pull on his senses, unnoticed unless he really was paying attention. Reskeme leaned over quickly and covered Rory's mouth, stopping her comment.

" Hush Rory, say nothing. We will talk about it later." said Reskeme unsure of what was going on. Rory nodded as Reskeme had covered her mouth.

" What shouldn't she tell us?" asked Micheal, sounding curious.

" Nothing, I just said I would help her buy throwing knives." said Reskeme staring at Rory, his eyes pleading.