The grate scraped against the cobblestones as Sebastian pushed it aside, the iron screeching in protest. He hauled himself out of the darkness with a grunt, his boots hitting the wet stone, his clothes filled with filth and blood. The night air hit him like a first, clean and carrying the salt of the harbor, he stood there for a moment, breathing. The stars were out, scattered across the sky, the city was calm at this hour, indifferent to the horrors that lurked beneath its streets.
And there, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and his expression caught between amusement and impatience, was Lambert.
He had already cleaned himself up, his clothes were still damp, but the worst of the filth was gone, and his hair had been scraped back from his face. A small fresh bandage wrapped around his forearm a souvenir from whatever he had encountered in the darkness, nothing serious.
"Are you done?" Lambert asked.
Sebastian let the grate fall back into place with a hollow clang. He wiped a hand across his face. "Yeah. I'm done."
Lambert pushed off from the wall and walked toward him. "You sure took your time."
Sebastian's lips twitched. "I know, right? Even though you said to me, while leaving, 'make it quick.'"
Lambert smiled. "I was about to do it myself, because I was starting to get irritated by that Whoreson Jr."
Sebastian smiled. "Is that what you were doing? Getting irritated?"
"No, I was circling around, listening, trying to figure out what the hell you were doing down there." Lambert shook his head. "But you want to know what I think about my acting? 'I'm going to check this path. I sense a lesser vampire.'" He spread his hands, a theatrical gesture. "Brilliant, right? I could play in one of the ballads at this point, Dandelion would be proud."
Sebastian snorted. "Don't praise yourself too much. But yeah..." He nodded slowly. "It was pretty convincing, judging by Whorson Jr's reaction to it."
Lambert's grin widened, he clapped Sebastian on the shoulder, then immediately recoiled as his hand came away slick with something dark and foul.
"Ugh, you're disgusting."
"I know." Sebastian looked down at himself. The blood and sewage had dried in patches, cracking across his leather jerkin.
"So, want to tell me why you bothered to do all of this? Accepting his contract, and then killing him?" Lambert's voice had dropped, losing its teasing edge. "It's like you have a history with this man."
Sebastian was quiet for a moment, a distant laugh echoed from a nearby tavern.
"He's a piece of shit," Sebastian said finally. "That's all you need to know." He met Lambert's eyes. "This city might have many things going wrong with it, but I did them a big favor, no one would miss him, not even his own father."
Lambert studied him. His yellow eyes were sharp, searching, but he did not press.
"Whatever," Lambert said. "They'll still look for him, though."
Sebastian shook his head. "He's charred and in a sealed room under rubble. No one will find him, and even if they do, no one would recognize him." He paused, a cold smile playing at his lips. "I led them straight into a katakan's nest."
Lambert's eyebrows rose. Then he laughed, warm and surprised.
"How evil of you," Lambert said, shaking his head. "Truly. I'm impressed, Sebastian of Nilfgaard what a demon..."
Sebastian turned and began walking down the alley, his boots squelching with each step. Lambert fell into stride beside him.
"Trust me," Sebastian said with the same tone Lambert used. "Geralt of Rivia, the white knight himself would have done the same to this man."
Lambert considered that. "He must be a real piece of shit, then. Not that I felt otherwise..." He made a dismissive gesture. "He had the face of one, the kind of face you just want to punch."
Sebastian reached into his belt pouch. He pulled out a heavy coin purse, the same one Cyprian had tossed him at the entrance and tossed it to Lambert.
The purse smacked against Lambert's chest, he caught it reflexively.
"The pay for this task is yours," Sebastian said. "You can leave, it's more than what that Viktor fellow owes you. This is enough to go back and rest in Kaer Morhen."
Lambert looked at the purse, he weighed it in his hand, then he tossed it back.
Sebastian caught it, his brow furrowing.
"No," Lambert said, his voice was flat and final. "This is about my pride, Seb. Not the coin. I must receive it from Viktor's coin, not yours or someone else's."
"Damn it, Lambert." Sebastian's voice rose, frustration bleeding through. "Don't be stubborn."
"Doesn't matter what you say." Lambert's pace did not falter. "I'm attending that transaction between Whoreson and Velm of Tretogor. The paintings apparently will be in an auction. The buyer is already Whoreson, but they'll raise the price intentionally to increase their value, one of the many things Whoreson does to make coin. He resells most of his things." He glanced at Sebastian. "He's not exactly into art. But the fact that he's a fanboy of Dandelion is still all true."
Sebastian sighed. "Oh boy."
"I'll go even if I have to go alone." Lambert said. "You can go, Seb. Find Dandelion or do whatever you want. I'll do this and leave Novigrad."
Sebastian stopped walking.
Lambert stopped too, turning to face him.
"Of course I'm not going to leave you alone." Sebastian shook his head. "You really leave me no choice."
Lambert's expression softened, then the smug look was back.
"Alright then, let's go."
Sebastian sighed again. He looked down at himself, at the drying ichor and the sewage and the blood that was not his own.
"Shouldn't we go clean up first?" Sebastian asked.
Lambert glanced at him. His nose wrinkled. "Right, I mean we still have time, the auction is in early morning, and we smell like a hundred dead drowners."
Sebastian's lips twitched. "I didn't keep count, but we probably killed like thirty of them. At least."
"Whoreson slayer, now that's a story for a drunk Kaer Morhen night." He fell into step beside Sebastian as they walked toward the main street. "We'll just leave the details of why I'm here a secret. The others don't need to know that Viktor swindled me."
Sebastian nodded. "Sure, whatever you want."
They walked in silence for a moment, then Lambert spoke again, his voice softer.
"Seb."
"Yeah?"
Lambert was quiet for a moment, then he said. "Thanks. For coming with me. For... I don't know." He waved a hand, as if trying to brush away the sentiment. "For being a good brother, you're not as annoying as the others."
Sebastian's lips curved into a genuine smile. "High praise from you?!, Yeah, I think I'm going to die today."
"Don't let it go to your head."
"Too late now."
"Alright," Lambert said, his voice low. "Be quiet and follow me." He glanced back at Sebastian, a hint of amusement flickering in his yellow eyes. "I know a bathhouse that opens even right now. It's owned by a shady individual too, I hear."
Sebastian's brows furrowed. Then his eyes widened as realization dawned.
"Oh," Sebastian said. "Oh, I see."
"I have a strange feeling that this shady individual will charge us double the moment he sees the wolf's head medallion on us." Sebastian said.
/-\
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