A fold of living metal caught the skin beside his ribs and pinched hard enough to make him jerk.
"Ouch," Quinlan rubbed the spot, then grinned.
"Harry Potter and the Wand Gobblers. Starring Lucille and-"
The next pinch caught him between the legs.
"Ah, hell no. I'll stop, I'll stop..."
An indignant huff vibrated through his breastplate before the pressure eased. Quinlan resumed his walk down the steps.
At the water's edge, he looked over the harbor the captain had so thoroughly dismantled.
"She made one hell of a mess."
Before starting on the wrecks, he looked up at the ruined fortress. With Veshara and Big Ambitions gone, he could finally bring out the saber without an audience.
Malvek was already inside it. Soul Reaper kept its own blade victims tethered until claimed, while the Elites' unspent harvest returned to him through [Undying Flame]. His women's unclaimed kills could still slip beyond his reach.
