"I can't believe it." Cellemin leaned against the bar, his chin resting on both palms. "I can't fucking believe it."
"Believe it," Snatch said. He was trying not to sound too impatient, but damn it, he
was
impatient.
I don't have time for all this drama bullshit.
"She's as smoked as salmon out there."
The elf glared back at him. "She
promised
me she'd stop hanging out with those two. I knew they had it in for her! How could she be so stupid?"
"C'mon, you're a Celestial," Snatch said, rolling his eyes. "Quit talking like some starstruck. You know how it works."
"You grimy little—"
"Easy," Cellemist said, patting Cellemin's arm in the awkward, half-hearted way of someone not used to comforting people. "They're p-predators, like you said, Minnie. Isamine's a sw-sweetheart, but mark it, she's just a t-t-
terrible
judge of character."
Cellemin was silent. Snatch crossed his arms, counting down the seconds. How long did he have to wait before he could 'politely' push Cellemin on holding up his end of the bargain? Would the gangster even keep his word?
But Cellemin finally looked up and met Snatch's gaze. His eyes were clear, and Snatch found himself avoiding the eye contact. "You want those three to back off on you? I can get Isamine out of your hair, and I can tell Pellesise to clear you. I'm Cellesixe's son. That's got some pull."
"What about Illetrys?" Snatch asked. His heart fluttered slightly—with fear, he hoped—as he said the name.
"She's..." Cellemin made a face like someone had just pulled a splinter from under his fingernail. "Illetrys is
very
favored by Cellesixe. They say she's Cellesixe's latest 'younger friend', read?" He shrugged. "I can distract her, at least. She'll be busy trying to keep me from getting 'Mine away from her. You can sneak out the back while that happens."
Snatch boggled. "There's a back entrance?"
"Sure." Cellemiste stood up. Snatch noticed she wavered slightly before straightening. "Only for elves, though. Min seems to have forgotten that." She eyed Snatch levelly. "I'll show you out. Min, go deal with the Ilestial's little harem."
Cellemin was already getting up, though it seemed to be half to help Cellemiste stand. He frowned at Snatch. "If she falls or something, you'd better catch her."
Snatch rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Go save your girlfriend." He was gratified by Cellemin turning a slight shade of red. Perhaps 'Min' and 'Mine' hadn't tied that knot just yet.
"Careful, Min," Cellemiste said, as she started to hobble toward another door. Snatch followed her. "Remember, Ilestials are born visual hypnotists. Don't get caught looking at her boobs again."
"Ha! Been there, seen that."
"Seen a bit too
much
of that," Cellemiste said, rolling her eyes. "Seriously, be
c-careful
. Illetrys wants too much. S-such elves are dangerous. Come on, Mister."
Snatch followed her into a hallway. He was slightly relieved that they weren't in another den like the one he and Larya had been ambushed in before. Cellemiste started walking down the hall, edging around ajar doors and abandoned chairs. Snatch grimaced. The place was a mess. "Not much for tidiness, are they?" he asked.
"I should really know your name," Cellemiste said, barely clearing a chair that caught her knee as she stepped around it. "You know mine."
Snatch crossed his arms. "Call me Snatch. It's not my name, but it'll do."
"Isn't that a slang term for a vagina?"
"Isn't your name basically the same as your brother's and mom's?" Snatch gritted his teeth. He hated when people brought that up.
Cellemist laughed. She had a weak, raspy laugh. "We're of the Celestial clan, strongest elf family in the continent. You're just complaining about elf naming conventions."
Snatch considered this a moment. "Never liked surnames," he said at last. "Never liked the idea of wearing my da's name."
"So wear your mother's name."
"Never—" Snatch stopped himself. "Never liked her, either," he revised quickly.
"Hm. I used to like mine." Cellemist edged around a cushion stained with multiple suspect colors. "Now I don't know anymore. Can you like someone you know is a bad person?"
Snatch bit his upper lip. "...Hell, I don't even like good people."
"She told you what she's planning to do." Cellemiste glanced back at him and held his gaze. "Is that why you're staying in town instead of helping your partner?"
"What? Nah." Snatch gave an uncomfortable half-shrug. "She's not my partner. I just want the antitoxin so we can be on our way. If that means we gotta ..." The shrug went on longer and switched to the other shoulder. "... well, then, that means we gotta." He paused. "Hey, I can't help but notice it looks like we're coming to the end of the hall and there ain't any doors."
"Yes." Cellesixe turned back ahead. "We're—ah!"
She tripped on a chair leg. Snatch reached out, but too slow to stop her hitting the ground.
A moment later, he was beside her, helping her up. As he did, he noticed something. "Holy shit," he muttered. "You're a fucking
skeleton
. Is that muse even gonna have anything to feed on? What
do
you eat, morning dew?"
Cellesixe leaned on his shoulder for a moment, taking in deep breaths. Her eyes were unfocused. "I ... I think I forgot to eat today."
"What?"
"I
need
her, Snatch." Cellemiste stared at him with wide, pale eyes. "That's the thing. Only my mother understands. I ... I can't stop thinking about her. I need to finish what I've started. Build
beautiful
things. But..." Her hands were shaking as she pulled away from him. She reached up toward the fibrous opposite wall. "...she won't come to me, because Mother plans to kill her. And I can't make Mother not kill her. The magic holds us both, now, and I think I might die first. I
need to finish something
."
Her fingers stretched out into the fibrous material, and Snatch watched as it seemed to part for her bony hands. The fibers reworked and shifted, changing texture and color until they resembled a wooden door. She turned the doorknob and swung the door open.
Snatch hesitantly stepped through. He glanced back at Cellemiste, feeling queasy. "Go ... eat something, elf."
"Mm." Cellemiste managed a slight smile. "I'll try." She closed the door.
Snatch grimaced. That had
not
been a conversation he'd been qualified to handle.
Well, what was done was done. He took a deep breath. The door had opened in another part of the town of Celestia. He'd have to be sneaky about this, if he wanted to avoid being caught by that elven—
"Snatch!" He spun, scythe half-drawn, before he realized it was Larya shouting. The druidess looked infuriated as she rushed toward him "You'll never believe what I just found out!"
"Shush!" Snatch hissed, casting a nervous glance about him. "You'll get us both—quiet, druidess!"
"Do you know why Cellesixe needed us for this?" Larya asked, not very quietly at all. She beat her staff against the ground with a godless curse. "It's not because her daughter