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She waited for him before proceeding into the next bit of the course, then gave a small laugh as they reached their princess. The first time she'd had to deal with a golem of this sort it had looked like Taym, and he had sung Disney melodies for herself and America as shadowlings had tried to eat him. This time the golem was someone else she cared greatly for. Astrid, dressed in pink and looking tinier than ever.

Heading for the left hand, Peyton directed Lukas to the right. "You get that side, I'll get this side."

A little work, and the manacle trapping one dainty wrist clicked and opened. The golem Astrid gave her a beatific smile in thanks.

With their princess freed, they now had to make it back through the trapped tiles and shadowlings. Peyton took the golem's hand, started to lead her forward, then glanced at Lukas. "Ready for?" With her free hand she summoned one of her daggers.

She gave the golem a little tug to get her moving, and fell into a very quick pace. The flags were still standing, she still remembered which tiles they'd already triggered, so she avoided those.

For the first time, as he reached out to take the little golem's hand, Lukas got a good look at the princess's face -- and it made him snort out a brief sound, a smothered laugh through his nose. With exaggerated care, he clutched her fingers in his own, trying to imagine what the actual Astrid would do in reaction to this.

Hit him, probably.

He snorted again, and this was probably why he was just a split second too late to protect their golem fully from a sppung trap, spikes that shot up and caught Golem-Astrid in one toe, making her twitch and scream shrilly. She'd survive, though.

Lukas was prepared for them this time -- which didn't mean he did well, but it meant at least that he could drive them back well enough to keep their little golem together.

They could emerge together, only a bit worse for wear, back out into sunshine, and Lukas could draw in a deep breath. "Two favors, you said..."

His attention was turned after the golem as well, but his expression wasn't the same as hers, wasn't protective: instead there was a flash of something almost mean in his expression, storing this away for later teasing, perhaps. It sharpened his smile as he refocused on Peyton, both eyebrows raised slowly, considering.

"I'll have to think about it." For once there was nothing suggestive behind his tone. Instead it was genuinely thoughtful, in a way that was almost dangerous. He'd come up with something he really needed.

"I think not today." It came slow, almost distracted; Lukas rolled his shoulders in a shrug, testing the damage left in the wake of the shadowlings. Not bad, but not great, either. His shield was starting to feel a bit squishy, which made Zik rumble unhappily in the back of his mind. Maybe, partly, he just needed a bit of alone time.

Strange.

"I haven't really slept yet, strange hours..." He took one step back, then another. "I'll find, you though?"