Blueprint

6: Bandages

Amari was in pain. Not because of the thin cut along the front of his neck, but because of the force with which he'd been shoved against the wall and muted with that same gloved hand.

"You," the high elf breathed, shakily, "have cost me so, so much."

Amari wanted to protest, but he couldn't find the words. Really, the high elf had just cost Amari an immense amount, especially considering the amount of laboratory equipment that had been destroyed by his ice stunt. But Amari was in no place to contest the elf.

The hand was removed from his mouth, and the knife was removed from his neck, and the high elf was pacing back and forth beside his wall of ice. He was stressed.

"Leave," Amari hissed. "Now."

The high elf scoffed, sheathing his dagger and throwing his arms in the air. "Leave? You want me to leave, with the entirety of the Royal Guard looking for me down there? No, Alantar, I will not be leaving. In fact, I'm going to be staying, and you are going to help me hide, understand?"

Then it was Amari's time to scoff. The action hurt his neck. "Why would I help you? You've threatened to kill me multiple times-"

"Oh, you knew I wouldn't!" The high elf snapped, desperation seeping into his voice, "you knew, that whole time, that I was too fucking chicken to kill you, Alantar!" The high elf crouched in front of him, "but the King isn't like that. He's not too scared to kill a man. Alantar, if I'm found, I will die. I will be killed. Are you really going to do that to me?"

Amari wasn't sure how he felt about that. Sure, he vehemently disliked the high elf, but his words sounded true. Amari knew that the high elf never intended to kill him, and he also knew that for breaking into the castle and holding Amari hostage he would be executed. He, of course, wanted the man arrested - but killed?

Amari wouldn't go that far.

"...I'm keeping the blueprints," Amari mumbled.

The high elf frowned, but didn't speak.

"Get rid of that ice. And put everything you stole back," Amari demanded. With a flick of the high elf's wrist, the ice began to melt into the floor. Amari hoped it wouldn't mold.

The high elf emptied his bags onto the floor. Multiple trinkets and smaller projects of Amari's filtered out, and Amari wondered why the high elf even wanted half of those things. They wouldn't sell. Amari knew from experience.

"Keep your head down. I'm going to check for guards." Amari mumbled, going up to the walnut doors and pushing them open. The hall was not quite teeming with guards, but there were certainly more than Amari was used to.

"Inventor Alantar!" One yelled, startling Amari quite a bit. "We thought you were kidnapped! Captain Vuric had the city locked down."

"I'm quite alright," Amari muttered, lifting his hand to hide his bloodied neck, "just startled by a break in, that's all. And if it's alright with all of you, I'd prefer a more peaceful night. Could you stop swarming the Western Wing?"

The guard blinked before shrugging, calling his companions off and evacuating the hall. Amari was surprised by how easy it was.

When he reentered his lab, he found the high elf pacing frantically about, keeping his head down like Amari had asked and holding his hair with his hands.

"What's your name?" Amari asked.

"Why?" The high elf retorted, his chest rising and falling rapidly. He was scared - perhaps more scared than Amari had been earlier.

"If I'm to be stuck hiding you from the law, I at least want to know what to call you."

The man stared for a moment, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes as if to calm himself. "Synelis. My name is Synelis."