lupei
What the truth is, I can't say anymore
Sometimes, when he sleeps near the heart of the chamber, he dreams of fire. Writhing, licking against his skin until it consumes him and renders him into nothingness. What is left behind is a hard, mottled lump of coal-like substance. He knows what the dreams are about when he wakes; knows what the pitted, ebony rock is. They would too. Anyone could. It’s written in his eyes and the subtle curve of his lips when the pale white stallion takes a step forward. Lupei is a cocky bastard, but that inbred monster of an ego hasn’t come from nothing. He tilts his head at the last question, blinking softly against the glare of those unmistakeable golden markings - the same color he’d only seen one other time in his life. “I think I’d remember someone like you.” The hairless oddity comments carefully.
The games begun and his audience isn’t even aware of it yet. Here they are - murderer and perhaps distant relation, brought together by circumstance. Lupei wonders how he’ll take the news. The lion tattoo on his shoulder itches uncontrollably and the brightly colored stallion makes as if to open his lips, but he’s interrupted. Who else but Talulah would interject? She’s struggling for air and the wolf of the Chamber looks her over as she speaks, smiling easily when she introduces him to Tiphon as the loser. She hides her own injuries well behind that proud statement, doesn’t she? If she likes, he’d be more than happy to let her have another dance with the flame.
Yet she just can’t keep her mouth shut.
When the last question slips from her lips and hangs between the three of them, Lupei’s smile fades into a hard line. So … they were going to sacrifice the queen early on into the battle, it would seem. Bold move, metal girl. “Oh yes.” Lupei purrs, the words coming as naturally as conversation about the weather, or the scenery. “Many times over.” He chuckles, wondering how she’ll swallow that pill. He’d been the harbinger of death on several occasions outside of the hunt. In wolf form? The bodies lose count. There was always a wandering soul or elderly, forgotten creature somewhere here that Beqanna had let fall between the cracks who served their purpose for him adequately. It’s one thing to kill an animal - another to take a sentient being’s life. Horses here just tended to linger on the one’s who seemed to matter to them, that’s all.
“I wasn’t aware that I’d come to stand trial for something …” Lupei says, challenging her as the acid leaks into his tone. Even if he was guilty of some transgression against these two, it was far beyond their reach to do something about it. It had been years since the shifter had thought of that day on the beach and nothing (not even magic) could bring that flayed horse back now. His eyes slide carefully to the porcelain male, waiting quietly for the next turn. “Do it.” He thinks, nerves standing on end, “I’ll burn this whole damn kingdom and no one will be left to sift through the ashes.”
