Lily would end up either dead or married to Valefor, and Lux honestly didn’t know which would be worse. The whole idea disgusted him so much, he could hardly stand it. Lux pressed an arm against his stomach and looked as if he might pass out. 

Wick knew if she didn’t say something, she’d have to deal with reviving him and getting rid of Avaritia.

“What is Scelestus getting in return?” Wick blurted out.

“Pardon?” Avaritia raised an eyebrow.

“Lady Scelestus. She’s the one that gave the castimonia to your master,” Wick said. “But she wanted something in return. What was it?”

“Oh that. She wants to be the invidia,” Avaritia grinned. “She didn’t even know that the girl was a castimonia. She approached Valefor looking for a position, and after listening to her, he deduced that Scelestus was in possession of a castimonia. He would’ve agreed to anything, but she had no idea what she was bargaining with.”

“Does Invidia know that he’s about to be replaced?” Lux asked.

“I doubt it. But he’s been so useless, he should’ve seen it coming.” Avaritia clicked his tongue and shook his head. “He envies the most ridiculous things. He’s always trying to steal my shoes! I know I have fabulous footwear, but he should be out coveting and garnering nations, not apparel.”

“Where’s Lily?” Lux asked as soon as he calmed down enough to talk about her.

“What?” Avaritia looked up him, honestly unable to comprehend what Lux was getting at. “Why do you even care? What has gotten into you? You’re living in squalor, associating with that, fighting Ira, and obsessing over some stupid mortal.”

“I need you to tell me where she’s at,” Lux repeated.

“What for? So you can storm the castle and save the princess?” Avaritia shook his hands, pretending to be impressed. “I hate to break it to you, Lux, but you’re weak and stupid. Let it go. Maybe if you go groveling back to Valefor and help swing the castimonia’s vote his way, he’ll let you live and enjoy the apocalypse.”

“He won’t have her,” Lux said flatly. Avaritia looked at him, gauging his sincerity, then nodded.

“I can see you’re a serious man. I don’t agree with your choices, but I admire your conviction.” He looked from him to the wand in Wick’s hand. “I can help you out if you can help me.”

“You want the wand?” Lux asked incredulously. “You can’t even use it.”

“You really can’t,” Wick echoed, holding the wand close to her. “You don’t have the magic for it.”

“I don’t want to use a stupid wand,” Avaritia looked offended. “I have enough of my own magic, thank you. But that’s the horn of a unicorn. It’s very valuable.”

“What would you give us for it?” Lux asked, and Wick shot him a look.

“It’s not for sale,” she snapped.

“Come now.” Avaritia grinned. “Everything has a price.”

“You know what we want,” Lux said, ignoring Wick’s icy glare.

Avaritia shook his head. “I can’t give you the girl, no matter what you had to offer me in exchange. But I can tell you where she’s at.”

“She’s with Valefor, isn’t she?” Lux asked.

“Perhaps.” Avaritia shrugged and went back to picking at his nails. “Or perhaps not.”

“Tell us where she is,” Lux commanded.

“Tsk tsk.” Avaritia wagged his finger at him. “Horn first. Then I’ll tell you what I know.”

Lux sighed and held out his hand so Wick would give him her wand, but she held it to her chest.

“He doesn’t know anything,” Wick protested. “Or at least not any more than you do. Lily’s with Valefor.”

“No, you know she’s on her way to Valefor.” Avaritia’s lips spread out in a smug smile. “But you don’t know if she’s made it there yet, or what Ira might be doing with her.”

Wick and Lux exchanged a look. She didn’t want to give up her wand, especially for tepid information at best. But Lux’s blue eyes were serious and imploring. They both needed to do what had to be done to get Lily.

Wick scoffed and shook her head, and she finally handed her wand over to Lux.

“Thank you,” Lux said quietly, but she turned away from him and muttered to herself about how ridiculous this all was.

She crossed her arms over her chest and watched from the corner of her eye as Lux took a step toward Avaritia. Avaritia rubbed his hands together, his eyes locked on the prize he’d won from them. But he should’ve been paying more attention to Lux.

Lux moved swiftly, reaching out with his empty hand to grab the back of Avaritia’s precious hair and jerk his head back. Before Avaritia could let out more than a surprised yelp, Lux had slammed him back against the wall. The unicorn horn in his hand was pressed against Avaritia’s throat, the sharp tip ready to tear open his jugular.

“Where is she?” Lux asked, his voice calm.

“Hey, Lux, take it easy!” Avaritia held up his hands but didn’t try to push Lux off. Lux was broad-shouldered and strong, and Avaritia was a waif and a sneak. “I don’t have her! Messing with me won’t get you closer to her!”

“Maybe not,” Lux allowed. “But it would send Valefor a message.”

“You don’t want to waste time on me,” Avaritia said hastily. “She’s with him now. Or at least she’s almost there. Last I heard, they were almost to Valefor’s lair.”

“I told you that he didn’t know anything,” Wick said from behind them. He glanced back over his shoulder, where she looked utterly unimpressed by his display.

“And I still have your wand,” Lux told her, and then turned his attention back to Avaritia. “Where is she?”

“I already told you all I know!” Avaritia squirmed, and Lux pushed hard on the wand, piercing his skin just slightly. “Kill me if you want, Lux, but it won’t help you. It won’t save her.”

“We don’t have time for this,” Wick reminded him, and Lux relented.

He stepped back from Avaritia, who immediately smoothed back his hair and began straightening out his clothes.

“Here.” Lux handed the wand back to Wick. “I had to be sure that he didn’t know anything.”