Syryn kept vigil over Riaku. An hour went by and Akida hadn't returned. He wondered if the mountain was far away.

"Let's play a game while we wait for Rowan," Sebastian suggested. They'd kept themselves entertained so far with the descriptions of Nua that Syryn had painted for their imaginations.

"What game?" The alchemist asked as he touched the skin on Riaku's cheeks. It was a layer of warm newly healed skin that looked baby soft and felt like it too.

"Truth or dare," Sebastian announced with a flourish of his hand.

"No."

The mage turned to their stern anti mage. "What are you afraid of, A-mu?"

Artemus was afraid of many things. That included playing a game of dares with possibly two of the most reckless people he was acquainted was. Pushing boundaries was what Sebastian and Syryn had in common. Unfortunately so.

"Mu-mu is afraid of dares," Syryn chuckled. "Who knows what you might make him do, Seb."

"Nothin' he doesn't already want to do," Sebastian's smile was loaded with meaning.

Artemus spared Sebastian a sharp sideways glance.

"Think of it this way, Artemus. You can punish Sebastian for annoying you all the time," Syryn suggested.

"Whatever punishment I set for him won't be worse than what he might make me do." Artemus' long legs crossed the room in three strides. He stood before the sleeping prince whose deep breathing set him at ease. "We should leave as soon as Rowan returns."

"Come on A-mu, just three rounds. One dare, that's it. Don't ya want to humiliate me?" Sebastian asked.

"We're in a war zone," Artemus replied. "People are dying."

"And this is how we're coping with the losses," Syryn chimed in seriously.

Artemus shook his head. They'd nag him about it if he didn't give in. "One dare, two truths each. And we're done."

Sebastian settled his features into something less excited than what he was feeling inside.

"Sebastian," Syryn began immediately - before Artemus changed his mind. "What and who did you fantasize about when you last jerked off?"

The sandy-haired mage glanced at Artemus and back at Syryn. The little shit had gone straight for his jugular. He sighed and threw his head back to stare at the ceiling. Well, he had been quite sure this would happen. Syryn always made things interesting. If it was someone else in the teen's place, they'd have spared his feelings just a little bit.

"Who I thought about isn't important," Sebastian answered with a grin. "What he did to me though," the sandy-haired mage thought back to early morning when he'd taken care of business. "He got me off so good with his pretty mouth."

Syryn was having too much watching Artemus. The anti mage had his arms crossed and was leaning against the window but there was a tightness to his posture that betrayed his projection of calm.

"A-mu, it's my turn to ask," the sandy-haired smiled.

The anti mage nodded once, a wary dip of his chin.

"What's one thing you want to do before ya leave the world?"

Syryn and Artemus were both taken aback by the question. Sebastian was sly, Syryn thought. What a sly bastard. He really was serious about courting Artemus.

The anti mage's gaze had settled on the floor as he thought about it. What did he want to do?

"Finish reading every book on my reading list," he answered. "Or at least half of it."

"Will I ever get to see your readin' list?" Sebastian asked.

"Mm," the anti mage said.

"It's your turn, Art. Ask me anything you want." Syryn leaned forward and waited for the anti mage to speak.

"Why didn't you let us watch when you were taking off Riaku's armour?"

Syryn's smile turned deadly. He had thought Sebastian sly but Artemus was no less. Gathering intel during a game of truth or dare. Who was this ruthless to their own friends? The game of truth or dare had suddenly escalated into espionage of the highest level. Nua's biggest secret was at stake.

"Nothing but the truth, Syryn."

The teen glared at Sebastian. Elysium boys were really heavy-handed.

"Riaku's form was distorted by the armour of Soma. I spared you a sight that would have terrified you." Most people were terrified by demons, weren't they?

Artemus was smart. He would have taken one look at the horns, the wings and deduced that it had to do with demons. Syryn's vague reply was a confirmation of his suspicions at the least. The armour came with a demonic mask so most people made the assumption that the horns were part of the decoration which was made intentionally horrifying. The absurdness of the notion that the royal family would harbour a demon spawn in their midst protected the person inside from suspicions.

"My turn again. Sebastian, who did you think of when you-"

"Yeah, give me two dares," the sandy-haired mage interrupted Syryn before he could complete that cursed question.

"It's non-negotiable," Syryn said.

"3 dares," Artemus suggested.

"If you say so, Mu-mu. Ask away, we'll get to the dares later."

Sebastian bit his lip in thought.

"What's your favourite memory of us?"

The anti mage blinked up at Sebastian, his dark eyes sucking in Sebastian's attention. "I don't have one."

"Liar," the words came out in a low whisper. "You can't expect us to abide by the rules when you're breakin' them yourself, A-mu. Even Syryn tried his damnest though the truth wasn't his to tell."

Artemus glanced at Sebastian willing for another demon to attack just so he could get out of this. "I think that there were many memorable instances from our childhood. I don't have a favourite."

"Artemus, how boring can you get?!" Syryn whined.

"My turn to ask you Syryn. Tell us a secret about yourself that you're hiding."

Artemus knew the ways to cause him stress.

"Ah, a secret." What was he hiding that could be revealed without risking much? "I saw a citizen of Sigil getting murdered and I helped the killer."

The words had to replay in Sebastian's mind before they really registered. "Why are you confessing such a thing with him around?!" The sandy-haired mage incredulously asked as he pointed at Artemus. "He's a Sanguine. Did you forget that small glarin' fact? A-mu can have ya arrested and tortured for a confession."

The anti mage wore a look of intense disapproval. "The murder confession is the least incriminating secret he can tell us. Makes me curious about what else he's hiding."

The anti mage's dark frown was shearing a layer of skin off Syryn. "Enough about me. Let's get to the dares!"