Zerxus knows what fine means, in this context, but he'll take it for now.
All traces of tenderness vanish as he glances at said wizard, his words a dark mutter. "Serves him right if we didn't."
But he pulls back from Neal - very slowly, at first, for entirely too many reasons - and hooks his arms beneath the mage's shoulders. He doesn't drag gently, but their fallen enemy gets tucked away in the nearest alcove. As Zerxus straightens, he pulls a stone from his belt and raises a finger to his lips.
It gleams blue as he says, "Captain Drake? I found a wizard on a bender."
The voice that echoes from the stone is an equal blend of aggrieved and amused. "Seriously? Please tell me this one isn't one of Hollow's."
Zerxus snorts, and it's the first time he's sounded almost playful. "No, they're College of Enchantment - I think whatever he got up to scrambled his mind, he'll probably be talking nonsense once he wakes up. But I can't stay, so - "
"More important things to do, I know, I know." There's no hint of the lieutenant's snide passive aggression; Drake sounds downright affectionate in her teasing. "Give me the coordinates, I'll send the person I'm most annoyed with right now. Anyone else you want me to call?"
For the first time, he visibly hesitates. Then, as casually as he can, "Archmage Por'Co might be interested."
"Okay, First Knight, but I'm dropping your name immediately."
"Fair." The moment they say their goodbyes, his gaze snaps up to Neal, and all of the grim urgency floods back into his voice. "All right, we need to hurry, because she's actually good at her job."
He offers his hand - then pulls it back, wipes the blood off of it, and offers it again.
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All traces of tenderness vanish as he glances at said wizard, his words a dark mutter. "Serves him right if we didn't."
But he pulls back from Neal - very slowly, at first, for entirely too many reasons - and hooks his arms beneath the mage's shoulders. He doesn't drag gently, but their fallen enemy gets tucked away in the nearest alcove. As Zerxus straightens, he pulls a stone from his belt and raises a finger to his lips.
It gleams blue as he says, "Captain Drake? I found a wizard on a bender."
The voice that echoes from the stone is an equal blend of aggrieved and amused. "Seriously? Please tell me this one isn't one of Hollow's."
Zerxus snorts, and it's the first time he's sounded almost playful. "No, they're College of Enchantment - I think whatever he got up to scrambled his mind, he'll probably be talking nonsense once he wakes up. But I can't stay, so - "
"More important things to do, I know, I know." There's no hint of the lieutenant's snide passive aggression; Drake sounds downright affectionate in her teasing. "Give me the coordinates, I'll send the person I'm most annoyed with right now. Anyone else you want me to call?"
For the first time, he visibly hesitates. Then, as casually as he can, "Archmage Por'Co might be interested."
"Okay, First Knight, but I'm dropping your name immediately."
"Fair." The moment they say their goodbyes, his gaze snaps up to Neal, and all of the grim urgency floods back into his voice. "All right, we need to hurry, because she's actually good at her job."
He offers his hand - then pulls it back, wipes the blood off of it, and offers it again.