"Where on earth could it have dropped? Did the thing sprout legs and walk off on its own?"
Elios was practically flat on his chest against the cold floor, his broad, broadsword-bearing shoulders brushing ungracefully against the marble wall of the palace's gallery. His head was turned completely sideways, his brows knitted into a tight, frustrated knot as he squinted beneath a velvet settee, keeping his eyes glued to the spotless floor.
A few paces away, Flio pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a long, weary sigh that vibrated deep in his chest. "I told you to secure it properly. How does a lucky charm simply slip off a sword belt without you noticing?"
"I tied it properly!" Elios shot back, his voice muffled as he ducked behind a massive marble pillar to peer into a dark, shadowed alcove. "I used a proper double knot around the leather sheath! Somehow, the thing just finds a way to work its own way loose."
