Kait was working on closing the wound. She was trying to stop the bleeding, but Bloom wouldn't be able to get his finger back. Opal was still reeling from the interaction between her and the stranger. Proga now sat between the two of them, watching. Proga had nearly yanked the other demon's arm off when he returned to find him leaning over her like that. Opal knew she should have been afraid; he was probably lying about recognizing her after all. But what if he wasn't?

"That's the best I can do." Kait hopped down off the stool, frowning and drying her hands on a clean towel.

The demon watched her. "Very impressive... healer? You own there." Opal realized he was directing the statement at her but after watching his eyes sweep over Kait's body it made her feel itchy to look at him, or his half smile.

"I don't belong to any demon." Kait crossed her arms. "Now, I understand you have terms for letting Yue go. Let's hear them."

His gaze shifted back and forth between her and Opal. "I don't recall saying I had him."

"Do you?" Opal stood up now.

"I don't have him. I might know where he is, however."

"Might or do? I'm getting sick of this." Proga half stood as well.

"Calm down, shifter. I know where he is. I might consider taking you to him if you can tell me something."

"What?"

"Where has he been for the last three years?"

The group exchanged looks.

"Ah. I'm guessing you do know then. Let's see... a shifter, a gray fox. You must be Proga and Kait. And Opal was kind enough to introduce herself. I don't know you, though."

"I'm not telling you shit."

"Not a Royal then I take it." He snorted. "Ok, I'll give you my friend's name in exchange for yours, fire-demon."

Spark glared at him.

"How do you know our names?" Kait asked, leaning away.

"I knew a friend of yours."

"Lor." Proga's eyes gleamed. "So you are the ones that brought him here?"

He shook his head. "I know he's been back though. Against his will."

"Why do you care where we've been?"

"We? Now that is interesting, fire-demon. I care because I am also looking for someone. I thought Yue could tell me, but if any of you are willing to give me the information I want I might be able to let him go."

"I thought you said you didn't have him?"

The smirk slipped a little. "I don't. As I said, I know where to find him. I can be incredibly persuasive."

"We were trapped. In a human prison." Opal's eyes widened. Why did she tell him that?

Proga stared at her.

The demon narrowed his eyes. "If you won't be truthful-"

"She's not lying." Bloom spoke up, his voice was hoarse. "She told me the story of it. The boy is not with their prince. It must be the younger one who has him."

"Who are you looking for?" Proga interrupted.

The demon gave him a bored look. "My brother was taken a few suns back. I don't know why but I doubt it's for anything good."

"You seem real upset about it."

His chuckle was eerie. He locked eyes with Spark. "I can show you how upset I am, if you don't believe me."

Opal's skin prickled. "No. We believe you. But if you want our help-"

"Your help? I'm pretty sure you just let me know you can't help me."

"But we are looking for the younger prince too. We could work with you."

"Opal." Kait shook her head.

"Work with me...? I think you are the only one among your friends who wants to."

"But if we work with you, you'll help us get Yue, right?"

"Sounds like I'd be doing more for you than you would for me."

"What?" Spark laughed. "You asked for our help two seconds ago, dumbass."

The demon glanced at him.

"Are you gonna help us find Yue or do we need to force the location out of you?" Smoke was starting to pour out from his teeth again.

The shifter laughed. "You're threatening us?"

"Yeah."

"Reugu, I don't recall telling you to fight. Did I miss something?"

The shifter gritted his teeth. He halted. "No."

"Good. Then we agree to show you where your prince is in exchange for your assistance finding my brother."

Reugu's expression was stunned. "Don't tell me you're scared of him."

"Not at all. I'm tired of you as my only companion. Also I don't appreciate their prince's current captors lying to me."

"What do you mean?"

"I was told the prince was with my brother. This might be true, but they neglected to mention which prince. I'm starting to think they know where both my brother and the younger prince are."

Reugu narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth but apparently decided against whatever he was considering saying.

"We need to discuss this amongst ourselves." Kait was glaring at Opal now. The demon waved a dismissive hand and took another drink from his cup.

She slunk over to where her friends had gathered.

"Opal- are you completely insane? He clearly was one of the demons who kidnapped Yue!"

"It sounds like he was manipulated to by whoever it was that took Lor. They made it sound like Yue took his brother. He might actually be on our side."

"He could be lying."

"Why would he lie about it though? The demons with Lor already got Bloom to tell them how to get into Tixe so if this demon was with them why didn't he just go days ago if he was after Ren?"

"I don't trust him." Proga's voice was low. "He's with a shifter."

"How can you judge him without knowing anything- you're a shifter too, right?"

Proga stood up like Opal had slapped him.

Kait held her hands up. "Opal, I'm not saying you're wrong, but you have to understand you don't just offer to work with strange demons even in the best of circumstances."

"Like you guys wanted me to do with you? He knows where Yue is and he said he'd show us!"

"If he shows us to Yue, and Yue is unharmed then we can consider traveling with him. Consider, Opal. Don't go promising things to demons you barely met. I trust Proga's instinct. If he thinks there is something wrong with that demon we need to be cautious. Agreed?"

Kait's expression was unyielding. Opal nodded.

Proga gave Opal a sideways glance but did not speak. Opal felt a little sting of guilt over how pale his eyes were.

"We know everyone's names but yours, now." Kait walked directly to him. "What do you call yourself?"

His smile was faint and even as he spoke, he looked past Kait. Opal tried to hold his gaze. "I'm called Gabbro."

Spark spit on the ground. It sizzled.

"I'll take you to the last place I know your prince was at, but first, barkeep if you'd be so kind. I want to make a pact. For some reason I feel like you still do not trust me."

Opal heard Kait mumble something to herself and shake her head.

Bloom disappeared below the bar.

"Opal-"

"You'll make your pact with me." Proga crossed the room.

"I'd prefer to make it with the demon who promised to assist me."

"You make the pact with me or there will be none."

Gabbro shrugged and waited for Bloom to pour what appeared to be water into two large goblets. They each raised a glass.

"I'll bring you to your Prince and assist to help him escape."

"Unharmed."

"To escape unharmed."

"I'll assist you in finding your brother and aid in his escape, unharmed."

They traded glasses and after finishing each set them upside down on the counter. When both glasses touched the polished stone, Opal felt the brief sensation of electricity.

Gabbro shouldered a bag that seemed to be made from heavy black scales that matched his clothes. She wondered if the flash of teeth he gave was the closest he could come to a smile.

He nodded. "Friends then?"

Proga walked back to stand next to Kait. "Take us to Yue."

-------

The next couple of bridges made the one from the main square to the local isle look pristine. Old planks trembled under their feet as they crossed from one isle to the next. A few were more wire ladders than bridges and required a very slow decent from one platform to the next. The wind was fearsome farther out with none of the buildings or walls to contain or redirect it. It didn't take much distance to require having to yell to be heard and it made everything on the crossings shift back and forth. Reugu seemed to think it was amusing to use as much force as possible when jumping between broken steps. Opal wondered if he was actually hoping to send one of them plunging to their death. Only Proga seemed angrier about joining forces than the other shifter. During one of the walks Kait hesitated for a step and Opal pretended not to realize as she went across behind Gabbro. She caught him as he had to pause for Reugu to make a jump and tie up a loose wire.

She waited for a gust of wind to quiet. "You said I looked familiar. What did you mean?"

Gabbro raised an eyebrow. "Just what I said."

"It's just... I don't know who I am. But I don't think I've ever been out here, either. How would you know me?"

Opal wondered if his smile was more sincere. "You think your friends would like you sharing all that with me?"

"No. But I hoped you might already know it before I told you."

He looked at her for a long moment. "I'm not sure where I recognize you from. Hopefully we will have more than a sun together and I'll have time to think on it." The bridge swayed with the blowing wind again. He stepped back to offer her the next jump before the bridge began to shake again. There was not enough room not to brush up against him. He smelled of trees and smoke. Like when Spark had created the explosion in the tunnel she felt like she was having small zaps of memory outside of the usual words and textbooks explanations. She could smell rain and smoke and taste something savory on her tongue. Laughter, like from a young boy filled her ears. Arms around her back, helping her feel content. And green, green eyes close to her own, a ringing in her ears and then- She had to cling to the side of the wire bridge with both hands after the jump as she steadied herself and her mind. Kait was crossing just behind her. Her face was tight with fear. "Wait for me next time. Are you ok?"

Opal managed to nod, feeling shaky all over.

The next platform was very small so that only one demon was able to stand there for a rest. By the time they reached the next crumbling isle even Reugu's legs were shaking a little bit. He pointed up ahead to an unassuming gray building. It was crumbling down one side and like most others was narrow at the base and then branched up higher. There was no obvious ladder or entrance from the ground.

"How would anyone carry Yue across this?" Kait asked, narrowing her eyes at Gabbro.

"They didn't. They flew, like most Lster residents."

Opal tried to consider what kind of demon would have no trouble carrying Yue that distance.

"Was he conscious, then?"

"During the flight I can't tell you. When I saw him he was quite sedated, awake but not making much sense. I thought it was on accident but now I'm thinking they preferred I not be able to talk with him earlier."

"You said you were persuasive." Proga rested against a pillar. "But I'm guessing that doesn't mean we are going to be able to walk in there and walk right back out."

"You'd be correct. I'm sure I can get us in."

Kait sighed. "Is it flammable at least? That would make things easier."

"How well can your fire-demon preform?" Gabbro gave her a bored look and glanced at the bangles around his wrists and ankles.

Spark looked fairly queasy from all of the open-air bridges. Still when he realized what Gabbro was talking about he put his hand to his mouth briefly and opened his palm to shoot a quick burst of flame in the other demon's direction. Gabbro had to jump back.

"That was pretty good." Opal nudged Spark who gave her a quick, sharp-toothed grin.

"It's not going to burn down easily but fire is still uncommon up in the skies. I imagine he'd be a decent distraction if we are trying to avoid bloodshed."

"We are." Proga stated firmly.

Reugu rolled his pale eyes.

"More importantly, how the hell do we even get in?" Spark cocked his head to the side. The building was almost as high up as the nearby isle that had a ladder disappearing into the clouds. She couldn't even see the entrance from the ground.

"We have two shifters. Didn't yours ever learn to use wings?"

"I can use wings." Proga glared at him.

"There. That's your answer, fire-demon."

As though this was his cue Reugu stepped back to disappear into the shadows of the broken buildings. Opal watched in fascination as the darkness began to swirl and shift and a moment later a massive pale feathered creature emerged. It had the face and head of a bird and clawed, taloned feet but its body was long and scaly. Feathered wings emerged from either side.

"There. A ride. Just don't look him in the eye right now. Won't do as much damage as the real thing but you'll still sleep for the rest of the day." Gabbro waited for the snake, bird beast to lay down in front of him and then climbed on and held fast to the scales.

Proga approached first and Opal managed to follow. The scales weren't slick like she as expecting but rough and dry. When Reugu breathed his whole body expanded. Opal shivered. Kait still hadn't moved, her silver eyes wide. Opal could see her trying to make herself go, the small twitches in her face but her body was trembling.

"Kait." Proga's voice was sharp. "Yue's waiting for us."

That seemed to jolt her out of it. Still shaking she was able to get close enough to put her hand on the creature's side.

"I hate this I hate this I hate this..."

Opal reached out a hand to help her up. She hoped the look she gave her was reassuring but more likely it was terrified.

"Ready, Reugu."

Opal tensed as the entire form started to slide forward and she realized he wasn't going to go directly up- they were going to fall off the platform.

She couldn't even scream as they dropped, only cling to Reugu and hope that at some point he'd use his damn wings. Wind ripped at her cheeks and hair and she started to feel it forcing her body to lift away no matter how tightly she squeezed her legs.

The feeling of the wind catching beneath them, bring her body onto Reugu's back allowed her to breathe again. When she opened her eyes they were rising towards the isle. Kait apparently had given up all pride and had her arms wrapped tightly around Spark's middle, face pressed into his back. Opal could see her trembling. Spark was trying to coax her down from her panic and let her know he couldn't inhale easily when she did that.

Proga called behind her and she turned. He was pointing down. Only then did she realize that there was no place for Reugu to land at this size. They were going to have to jump.