“Shall we?” Elias said and took Sasha under the arm. “Let’s finish off that list.”

When they went outside the door Sasha saw not one of Elias men’s. She had expected guards, but there were only the local townspeople curiously looking at them.

“Dare to meet me without your wannabes?”

“I guessed Esmeralda's list was one preferable handled without my people involved.”

“So you are in?”

“If it means I can keep an eye on you it’s a fair deal.”

“Nah, you missed me that much Elias? Did you?” Sasha felt the emptiness in her stomach, the orb was gone and she was playing with fire. Still, she couldn’t help herself.

“I have promised three people so far to keep you alive. It looks like either you are popular or just keen on getting into trouble.”

“And which do you think it is?”

Elias stopped. He looked at her, planting his hands around her waist.

“You are a liar, a thief and a killer.” His eyes had a mad gleam in them. “I think you are trouble, Sasha. And I have missed trouble.”

“I am trouble that will collect the finest ingredients for brewing a love potion. On Esmeralda's behalf”, she hurriedly added. Sasha took half a step backward, but Elias took a step forward, his hands still lying loose around her. Sasha shook her head and looked confounded at him. “Now, tell me what the catch is.”

And tell her why he was all sweet and not a word about Isaak.

“Let's assume we make a deal, then you owe me a favor. I help you get off the queen's list”, Elias said. “So, should we start with the something that gets it burning inside?”

She didn’t like to bend, and she didn’t need a team. If she would have, her old team was at her disposal at Isaak's place.

“The dragon breath and the holy water is the easy part. I would prefer the ingredient of anticipation.” Sasha looked at Esmeralda's list. It would keep her occupied for a week.

“The anticipation?” Elias asked, “You like that don’t you?” Elias was bending closer, his breath caressing her neck, the lips almost touching her ears. “Or we wait with that until the end, my dear rebel?”

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Sasha involuntarily leaned in.

He let her go, chuckling when he saw her red cheeks. Sasha closed her fists. She could give him the dragon breath without haste. She could roast him. He deserved it.

“We take the night of the witches and collect the mushrooms only growing in the full moon”, Sasha said reluctantly not knowing how she would handle him.

She looked at him. He seemed to have taken her silence as an agreement to work together with him. He behaved volatile, the teasing gone, now a perfectly controlled surface with simmering feelings underneath. Yes, she would gain from his help and she wanted to get rid of the queen's soldiers, but she was not sure the price would be worth it in the end.

“Are you game for it?” Elias asked. “The night of the witches is not for players.”

“I am game”, Sasha said sternly.

“I would have preferred the youth in the mountains, and bring in help for the night of the witches”, Elias commented sighing.

“Might be, but it is a full moon tonight, and I don’t like waiting.”

“Well, I counted on that”, Elias said. “So impatient.”

“Do you prefer pink next time or shall we go with light green?” Sasha lashed out.

“All things good come to the ones who wait”, Elias said.

He put his hands on her back and started to walk.

“Are you sure the queen will let us go?”

“She is very eager to have me train you. Just keep quiet and let me do the talking.”

“Just… Stop Elias.”

“What is it?”

He was too cooperative, too smooth and they weren’t a team. Only her and Ivy were a team.

“I need to know, what about Isaak and Ivy? And what do you want in return for covering for me again? What are you telling the queen?”

“That is a lot of questions. Let’s walk with me to the stable, and we discuss it then?” Elias said.

“I have no reason to have faith in you”, Sasha wasn’t moving. “I will not walk into the castle.”

“You had trust enough in me to ask me to come to the bakery. Don’t play games with me, Sasha. If you didn’t trust me you wouldn’t be here.”

Elias was right. If Elias wasn’t to be trusted Ivy would have warned her a long time ago. Still, walking back to the castle was a completely new level of trust. She may trust him, but she didn’t trust he could handle the queen and the king. Elias sighed.

“Just rest assure I need your help with something. I have a very real reason for keeping you alive, outside of you being entertaining.”

“And that is?”

“Well, since the rumors soon are out that Isaak is single, every woman in the town will want to buy love potions from Esmeralda. I guess it will be quite lucrative to work with you.”

He wasn’t answering her questions. Instead, he tried to get her confused.

“I don’t need you. Let the queen try to catch me, Elias. I have outsmarted both of you before.”

“Ok, Sasha. Here is the deal. I will get both Ivy and Isaak off the hook, as well. All you have to do is to help me with a favor.”

She was tempted.

“Which is?”

“You know the queen wants to make you strong. I will ensure you get the magic next time to be able to search for some information I need.”

Sasha pondered. He was promising her Isaak and Ivy's freedom for some information. That couldn’t be that bad? Could it?

“Deal. If you safeguard Isaak and Ivy, help me with Esmeralda's list, and get me off the hook with the queen I will help you.” She was agreeing, but she would not go close to the queen. “But you go back by yourself and get us two horses. I will collect the rest of the stuff we need. I bet you can outsmart the queen all on your own. I am not going into the castle.”

“Can you handle things without killing my men until I am back?”

He had a point. If the queen was still looking for her, there was quite the risk she would accidentally end up in trouble. She was low profile, but that wouldn’t help her right now.

“I go down to the dragons and collect the dragon breath. Meet me there.”

Elias nodded. Sasha smiled, she would fit in quite right. The underground was the safest place for a monster. No one dared to enter the dragon´s world.

They parted ways just outside the castle walls. Sasha went the small path to the entrance of the labyrinth. Her mind was wandering. She was confused about her sister and Isaak. Sacha had been avoiding Ivy, not wanting her opinion on what she had asked Greg to do. Now she questioned that decision. As she questioned her choice not to be honest with Elias. It would bite her back.