"You're not coming," Konrad said, though he meant it as a question.
Still, from Lily's fidgeting, he already knew the answer.
"Wouldn't want to steal your glory, Konny boy." She grinned. Figures. "You've got this—and I'll take care of the feast."
"Didn't know you cook," he sighed, the little ginger puffing her barely-there chest.
"That's rude. I mean—I don't, but what'd they do without food-tasters?"
"Look, I won't get mad," Konrad tried to sound serious. "I understand you have agreements with Gabrielle, and can't alter fate, but—"
"Then why d'ya ask?" Lily put her hands on her hips, challenging him to finish.
"Because—I can't trust you if you keep everything from me." He went ahead and said it. The girl's face fell—but Konrad wasn't done. "Once I'm back, we'll have to talk."
The ginger's frown turned into a smirk.
"Someone's serious," she noted. "Talk about how you can't live without me?"
"More like I can't live without trust," Konrad muttered.
Lily's eyes widened, her fluffy cat ears twitching.
"A little cocky, aren't you?" She pouted, grabbing his shoulders to turn him around.
As if she didn't want him to see her expression next.
"Go, win your battle, and we'll talk." She sounded—sad?
Konrad spun—or tried to, because that girl had insane strength.
"You'll still be here, right?" he asked, terrified of the thought that she'd actually disappear.
"That's not the face of someone ready to dump meow demonic highness," she giggled. Konrad ran right into that one, as she stuck out her tongue. "I'll be here—and I'll tell you what I can."
He let out a deep sigh before trying to get his head out of the gutter.
"You can see the future, right?" he asked a moment later, adjusting his belt. He hadn't put on his new armor yet; they had a long march ahead. "How will the raid go?"
"Glimpses," she nodded, turning him away. "But that's one reason why I can't tell you things."
"If that isn't ominous," Konrad said, shaking his head, "I don't know what is."
"Good. Keep that in the back of your mind." Lily pointed at the gathering tribesmen, the last group to set out on the six-hour journey. "Bring them back alive, and I'll do my part."
"Your part?" He raised an eyebrow. "The food tasting?"
The ginger let out a hearty laugh, pushing him away—towards his duty.
"That, too. The rest is—meow secret," she chirped, sounding all eager and happy again.
But when Konrad stole a glance, her smile didn't reach her eyes.
Her damn secrets. Why couldn't they trust each other?
Was this something that happened in his previous life, too? Was it why she left him?
Was it why his life had to go downhill—becoming a slow, lonely torture until he died alone?
He wouldn't let that happen again.
"Remember." He lifted a finger. As a warning, or as a plea? He wasn't sure himself, but he had to make sure they were on the same page. "You said you'll still be here when I return, victorious."
"I'll do my best, Konny boy," she replied with a smirk, but it seemed hollow. "And you too."
Konrad shook his head. He didn't trust her—but he had to. His plans were already in motion, and he couldn't stay behind to sort out his love life when hundreds relied on him.
Once he had won, they'd have that talk. She agreed to it.
He nodded to himself.
"I will. And bring back a lot of salt—with extra mouths to feed," he promised, clutching the handle of his adamantite sword. "Make sure you'll do your taste testing right."
"You'd better hurry, or I'll taste-test the last bites as well."
***
About two hours after Konrad had left the Council's grounds, the first scouts showed up.
Right on time—as she had foreseen it.
Her visions never lied, but they were often hard to understand. This one, though?
It was the clearest glimpse into the future she had seen in a while. If only the outcomes weren't so horrifying. But Lily couldn't burden her sweetheart in his moment of triumph.
To fulfill her agreement with those stupid angels, she had to make him as strong as possible.
A few well-earned victories, going through his own plans, building his confidence—
And Lily could still take on the fights he was not ready for.
"Eyna," she yelled, standing up. "Go wake that lazy blacksmith, and tell him I said 'it's time.'"
"T-time?" Those purple eyes went wide, but she was so smart. Unlike Konrad, she knew when to ask stupid questions and when to act instead. "By blacksmith, you mean your brother?"
Lily sighed—and took back that thought.
"No, I mean Welf Welfson, apprentice blacksmith of the Blood Moon tribe, son of Welf Haraldson. That's who I mean," she said, only with a tad more sarcasm than was necessary.
She could almost see the wheels turning in that pretty head before the girl bowed and ran.
"Now then, let's find that lost lamb without running into those scouts," she mumbled to herself.
If not for the vision, she might've thought the Inquisitor had a spy in their midst. It couldn't have been a coincidence that he chose this time to send hundreds of mercenaries.
But it was—and lucky, or not—they arrived too late to fight Konrad's men.
In a future where she warned him, the battle ended in a disaster, so it was better to avoid it altogether. Most of the time, she could've sorted this much out alone.
She was a greater demon after all—
But that coward hired at least seven sorcerers and three more monks.
She had to use her brain for once, "But at least Konny won't think I'm a stupid brute, or something. A smart brute—and a cute one," she whispered to herself, avoiding patrols.
In this cat-and-mouse game, she was the mouse this time, but she enjoyed it nonetheless.
She could've turned invisible, or killed everyone before they made a sound—but where was the fun in that? Another mouse—one with blonde hair—should've been on the run, too.
And if the vision was right—
"Oof," a startled voice exclaimed when she bumped into something big.
A friar, so tall—albeit slender, and—
"Stella Nord," she yelled, rubbing her forehead. "The wayward Sister Executioner in the flesh."
If she'd ever want to rank terrified faces she has seen in her long life, this blonde's would be in the top three. She fell on her butt, the rough cloak revealing her androgynous face.
"W-who are you?" Stella yelped. "You were with the Prodigy, right?"
She was scooting backwards, smart enough to recognize when she faced someone stronger.
Lily found it a little insulting that she didn't remember her, though.
"I'm his first haremette, yes, Miss Torturer," she said, puffing her chest. "And you came with the Inquisitor's mercenaries to plunder what's ours."
Stella protested, raising both hands and shaking her head.
"No, I came to warn him," she claimed, desperate to prove herself. "There are seven hundred sellswords behind me. He has to run. Please, you have to believe me—"
She begged, almost as if she prayed to a higher being—which was, well—
"I know that, silly," Lily smirked, holding out her arms, wrists put together. "Now, hurry up and capture me—tie proper knots so it's believable," she demanded, and Stella's jaw fell.