(Skeleton Key) Game Master (5 page)

No further explanation exited his mouth.

Lucifer tapped his fingers on my shoulders. “Why are you here then, General?” His tone was so innocent even I would have been fooled if I didn’t know him.

The General sat down his mug of steaming brew. “Have you two ever heard of the Game?”

I kept quiet, scanning his face. I hadn’t heard of it, but that wasn’t a surprise. But I wouldn’t let on I hadn’t if it was well known.

Lucifer snorted and massaged my shoulders. “Are you referencing the Game the Guard used to select their newest recruits for the Terlant Royal Guard?”

General Finley’s eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled, his teeth nice and straight. “That would be the one.” He toyed with his mug on the table. “I would like to sponsor you two in the Game.”

My brows furrowed, real curiosity peaking. “Why would you want to do that?”

He rested back on his chair and spread his legs, his civilian clothing not hiding the fact he was built like a soldier. “A man named Kingsley contacted me a few months ago. He stated there were two individuals who I just had to check out for the Game.”

I stared. “Do you check out every solicitation you receive?” That motherfucking traitor.

Frog legs for dinner were tempting.

He shook his head and shrugged. “This one was special.”

Lucifer continued to knead his fingers into my muscles. “How so?”

“Well…” The General peered directly over my head at Lucifer. “I was informed you are the missing heir to the Haswell kingdom.” My eyes narrowed, and he looked down, straight into my gaze. “And you are not of this realm. You are an illegal unknown.”

No wonder the frog was nowhere to be seen.

Definite frog legs. Add a little sauce.

Bon appetit.

Lucifer removed his hands from my neck and casually walked to rest his right hip against the table next to me. “That is ludicrous.”

The General smiled again. “Perhaps it would be if I hadn’t spied on you for the past month. The conversations people have when they think no one is listening can be enlightening.” His gray brows rose. “But I believe you two chameleons already know that. It is extremely remarkable you’ve been able to keep yourselves hidden. That takes a certain intellect the Guard is in need of.”

His brows now furrowed, deep in thought. “Not to mention, your sparring sessions are beautiful to behold. The way you two move together…” He blinked and glanced back and forth between us, his voice rising in pitch. “Are you a couple? Or married? Because that is the one part of your lives I couldn’t decipher.”

“We love each other, but we’re not together romantically.” The man deserved to know his much-wanted answer since he had managed to slip by us. I scowled as I stood from my chair. “Why would you come here alone and spout what you have? You would have known we wouldn’t let you leave here. So what have you done? Who have you told?”

With us towering over him, he was still relaxed on his chair. “Oh, the usual. If I don’t return by a certain day and time, a file will be sent to all the Generals of the Guard—with all the information I have obtained in the last month.”

Lucifer’s lips pinched, his first real sign of emotion. “You’re blackmailing us.”

“That’s such a harsh word.” The General waved his right hand in the air. “Why don’t you tell me this, instead? Is there a reason why you would not want to be in the Guard? No one in the Guard is highbred enough to know what the former prince looked like, and as far as Ms. Creed is concerned, no one could tell by looking at her that she’s not from this realm. The Guard is serving the kingdom you live in. The kingdom that has protected you. By all accounts, you both enjoy assisting the helpless. This would be a perfect fit for you.”

He cleared his throat, and added, “And the schools the Guards’ children attend are the best in Terlant. Your money cannot buy your adopted children into this school. It is dedicated solely to the Guard families.”

Brown eyes captured mine. “Don’t you want a purpose in this realm? A reason to feel good about yourself? A reason to…,” his gaze flicked over my puffy features,“…let go of whatever haunts you? To move on and accept life here could be just as wonderful?”

Lucifer and I stayed mute.

Neither of us moved.

This person was fucking good.

His gray brows lifted once more. “Do you have any questions?”

Lucifer ground his teeth together. “Would you be able to obtain citizenship papers for Arizona?”

My eyes snapped on him. “Do not do this for me. We could run.” I flapped my left arm at the General. “He would never find us again.”

The man in question stayed quiet, observing silently.

“He’s right. That school is amazing. The girls would benefit from attending.” Lucifer’s blue eyes held mine, his tone softening. “And I would do anything for you. You know that.”

I heaved a heavy sigh but never looked away. “And I would do the same for you.” With my eyes firmly locked on my soul partner, I stated clearly, “General Finley, meet the newest participants in the Game.”

Kingsley’s red head popped up out of the sugar jar. “I knew it was a superb idea. Sometimes, people just need a shove in the arse to get them moving.”

My nostrils flared. “I’m so upset with you, Kingsley.”

“But you
want
to join the Guard, don’t you?”

My left eye twitched. The frog had a point.

I needed purpose in my life.

General Finley muttered, “Is that a talking frog? I haven’t seen one of those in years.”

Our transportation arrived.

I grinned from ear-to-ear. “This will be fun.”

Kingsley peered out of the pocket on my shirt. His groan was painful to listen to. He grumbled, “This will not be fun, dear. Wind transports rarely are.”

I snorted. It was a yellow hot air balloon.

Lucifer stepped next to me, our bags over each of his shoulders. “Have you been on one of these before?”

“No, but I always wanted to.”

“You’re not afraid of heights?”

I shook my head. There was no way to explain I had been on a plane before. No one on this realm would understand it, and I didn’t technically know how to explain the mechanics of how a plane flew. To me, it was just another way to travel on Earth.

His blue eyes skimmed my features. “You’re thinking about there, aren’t you?”

My lips pinched. “How did you know?”

Lucifer looked away from me and at the hot air balloon, grabbing the straps of our bags. He shrugged his shoulders. “You always get a certain look on your face when you do.”

My brows puckered, sensing it hurt him. I rested the side of my head against his shoulder and surveyed our transportation, too. “I’m here. I always will be.”

He sighed quietly, his words just as soft. “Will this world ever be enough for you?”

I quickly linked my arm with his, pressing my body closer against his side. I stated clearly with passion, “I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather be.”

His chest heaved, and he turned his head. He pressed his lips to my forehead. “I had a moment of weakness. Excuse my stupidity.” He kissed my skin again.

“Do you worry that I’ll leave you?”

His brows puckered. “Actually…no.”

“Good. Because if a skeleton key ever appears again, I’m not touching it.” My eyes narrowed, and I lightly shook his arm. “And if you ever touch one, I’ll find a way to hunt you down and drag you back. We’re partners.”

His lips twitched, his blue eyes running over my serious gaze. “I wouldn’t touch a skeleton key, even if my life were in danger. I’ll never leave you.”

I nodded. “Damn straight.”

General Finley marched straight toward us, his regard too perceptive as he evaluated us. When he stopped a few feet away, he asked, “Everything all right? One of you isn’t afraid of the wind transport, are you?”

Lucifer and I shook our heads no.

Kingsley raised his right front arm. “I am.”

“You can stay behind then,” I offered.

His forehead crinkled, worry etching his tiny features. “Where you go, I go—for now.” He narrowed his beady eyes. “You’re my friend.”

My lips curved into an honest smile. Most days, Kingsley did something to annoy me. But when he was like this—sweet and vulnerable—I absolutely adored the frog.

“You’re my friend, too.” I stared down at him and lifted a red brow. “As long as you don’t tell anyone else who Lucifer and I really are.”

He pinched his little mouth together and tried speaking through his lips—his voice terribly muffled. “My lips are sealed.”

Lucifer chuckled, but his eyes narrowed. “Keep it that way, Kingsley.”

I was certain he only put up with the frog because I cared for the little guy. There had been plenty of times where Lucifer had been so furious with Kingsley. I was honestly surprised he hadn’t yet booted him across the room with a heavy kick. Especially, when Kingsley decided that Lucifer’s shed was the perfect spot for parties—lots of
loud
animals everywhere.

And the frog knew how to throw a party.

Kingsley stopped goofing around and nodded his head in a stoic tilt. “Of course. Though I won’t apologize for this time. It’ll be good for the both of you.”

Lucifer’s head teetered back and forth. “Perhaps.”

“It will,” General Finley promised. “The Guard will be a good fit for the both of you. As long as you win your two tests in the Game.”

We started walking toward the ‘wind transport.’

Lucifer asked candidly, “Can you tell us anything about the two tests we’ll have to pass?”

“No.”

He hummed, his eyes sliding the General. There was a sly look in his gaze. “If we do win, will we get wings?”

I blinked. “Wings?”

I didn’t have to play it cool.

The General already knew about me.

General Finley snickered at my expression. “All the members of the Guard have wings. But we only let them free and use them in dire situations.”

“Why?”

“Honestly? Because they irritate our back.” He winked. “I didn’t tell you that, though. Wings are a precious gift to have.”

I moved behind him and peered at his back. There was nothing abnormal under his clothing. “I don’t see anything.”

“They aren’t there unless I
wish
them there.”

My brows lifted. That was interesting.

“You still didn’t answer my question.” Lucifer placed our bags inside the capsule. “Will we receive them or not?”

“If you win your tests, then you will receive them.”

I climbed inside the capsule, and questioned, “How many candidates do you have trying the Game?”

Lucifer was the person who answered, his lips grinning in arrogance. He slipped inside with me, sitting directly on my left. “There are only ever two candidates. They work as a pair, even when they’re in the Guard—usually on special missions. And they only allow the Game once a year. The rest of the time, the recruits have to go through two years of training before they’re allowed in the Guard.”

My mouth dropped open. “This is prestigious?”

“Very,” General Finley drawled. He stepped inside the capsule and shut the door, locking it. “People are normally watched for years before they’re invited to the Game. If you pass, it’s an immediate position in the elite.”

I couldn’t stop staring. “Outside of who we are or where we came from, why would you choose us?”

His answer was simple. “Because you two are that good. I wouldn’t have chosen you otherwise.”

The General lifted a small, round bottle from his pocket and uncorked it. He tipped the glass into his waiting palm. Red glitter landed in his hand, and he raised it to his mouth. He blew out hard, and the red glitter flew out from his palm.

I jerked back in my seat and squinted my eyes, fully prepared to be sprayed with glitter. Except gravity had no meaning for the sparkles. They hovered in the air between the three of us. My jaw gaped in awe, and my voice was breathless. “Oh, my God.”

Lucifer placed his arm over my shoulder. “Just keep watching.”

The red glitter started spinning in a circle as one unit, completely uniform in structure. It spun faster and faster until it glowed as one. Then our transportation suddenly rose from the ground, climbing high into the sky.

I blinked. “Wind transport.” Not a hot air balloon.

“Magic,” Kingsley clarified, his voice grumpy.

I petted the top of his head with one finger. “Just close your eyes. It’ll all be over soon.”