"Fae, I can't-"
"Get off my throne."
The Prince leapt towards the Queen with a worried look as she sauntered towards the double doors. "I couldn't- I can't say my name."
"That's ridiculous."
"Well, yeah, but-"
Fae strode into the hall, her head held high. "Say it."
Leif sighed, exasperated, "I just told you I-"
Fae stopped, closing her eyes and biting her tongue. "Say. It."
"It."
"Oh, MY word, I am so done with you." Fae started again, quickening her pace.
"No- wait," Leif half begged, trying not to grin, "this is serious."
"That is was I was led to believe."
"No one can enchant me, right? Other animus spells cannot work on me?" Leif trotted closely beside his sister.
"If you worded your spell correctly, then yes." Fae took a sharp turn, heading down a set of stairs.
"Then why... Leif." He whispered. "Leif." He said a bit louder. "LIEF." He practically shouted.
Fae's head snapped towards the IceWing, her jaw jumping. "I hate you. I hate you so much."
The Prince shrugged with a smile. "I swear I couldn't say it earlier."
"Why- Why are you like this."
"Like, whenever I tried, my stomach would just-"
Fae growled, stopping beside the library, gripping the door frame, her eyes shut tightly. "Leif, shut up."
He shut up.
A few seconds past, Fae's expression somewhat relaxing.
Leif poked her shoulder.
"Nuh," She snatched his wrist in her talon, turning and grabbing his neck, shoving him into the library.
Leif let her push him against one of the shelves as she repositioned her talon around his mouth.
"We are going to the third continent," she hissed in his ear, "and we are going to speak with Venom."
Leif tried to nod, but her grip tightened, her claws pressing hard against his mouth. He winced but stopped moving.
"You are going to listen to me and quit playing the part of a fool. You will stop being an idiot, or I will-" She stopped, her gaze moving towards the doorway. Voices echoed through the library, and Fae jerked her talons away from Leif.
The Prince winced, wiping blood off his mouth where Fae's talons had cut into his scales. He glanced at the small blue streaks, keeping his gaze down as Fae retrieved the gold chain.
She jostled his shoulder as the guards walked past, and Leif slowly stumbled further into the library, feeling rather strange.
"Are you ready to go?" She whispered gently.
There was a moment of silence before Leif spoke softly, "You should keep the chain somewhere safer."
Fae smiled, waiting for Leif to meet her gaze. "Trust me," she said quietly, "there is nowhere safer."
She reached for his talon, and they reappeared in the third continent.