28. Rahzlyn #2
It wasn’t uncommon to hire acolytes to conjure a natal chart through Blood Sight for those whose natal dates were unknown. Creating false charts was unlawful, regardless of territory. To open themselves up to such risk didn't make sense, unless the reason for doing so was more important.
Unable to sit still any longer, I crossed the chamber and opened the doors, spotting a solemn Felaf standing watch in a cozy-looking alcove between my room and the corridor beyond. Only a chair, some plants, a small bookshelf, and table with water and fruit decorated the tiny space.
“Princess,” Felaf greeted me with red-rimmed eyes. “You should be resting.”
“Are you alright?” I asked tentatively.
“I don’t deserve sympathy right now.”
“Why not?”
She glanced down at her boots. “Because of what I’ve done and what I almost did to you.”
I shut the massive doors to my room and faced her. “But you didn’t.”
“I was raised to follow orders. I always thought—” She shook her head. “You don’t know me, but I took no joy in hurting Raithe. I never do.”
“How many times have you been forced to do that?”
Felaf winced. “More than I care to admit. I’ve only been here a year, but from what I know, he never acted against Maryn when my predecessor, Hector, was here.”
Raithe initially struck me as a rule follower—like Felaf. His disobedience said otherwise; clearly, he didn’t respect the queen regent. Something told me it was more than that, especially when the penalty was so severe.
“A guardian’s sole purpose is to protect a royal,” Felaf went on to explain.
“Without one, we are… aimless. Left to wander and find meaning in our days. But with the apostate attacks surging in the cities, the queen regent keeps everyone close. None could attack the palace unless they had an army of Pegasi or Gryphons, but she feels safer with us nearby.”
“She has an odd way of expressing her gratitude to both of you,” I noted dryly.
She snorted. “I couldn’t care less about gratitude. Respect, maybe. We don’t serve our queendom for anything in return. Such is the life of a Chosen, as you’ll come to find.”
I nodded, pretending to understand. Even before Pahn’s illness took hold, we were never devout Astral worshipers.
We tried to avoid their attention given Basil’s Sight and our ability to hear music in the wind.
I wondered now, though, if that familial phenomenon had anything to do with being Chosen.
Was this my punishment? For coercing Basil into using Blood Sight. For working alongside Allory and Markus, even if it was all to save my family. For living selfishly, aimlessly, for so long.
As I mulled over my regrets, Felaf seemed to shake herself out of her own lament. “Raithe knows the consequences of his actions. He just doesn’t seem to care.” She cocked her head. “Why did you intervene, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“I’m simply unfamiliar with the way things work around here.”
Felaf’s stare turned dubious.
I shrugged. “When Letti told me what was happening to him, I had to see for myself. When I did, it felt wrong not to do something.”
She fidgeted with the tip of her blonde braid. “I wouldn’t have hurt you. You do believe that, don’t you?”
I didn’t know what to believe except for her true remorse. To what extent she would carry out an order remained a mystery. I believed everyone had a choice. Choices always had consequences, good or bad, and it was time I started taking responsibility for mine. “Don’t worry about it.”
“You sound like Letti.” Her cheeks reddened. “She says I worry too much.”
“That’s not always a bad thing. It means you care. People need worriers in their life so they can feel appreciated.”
I thought of Kole and Mel. Hopefully they didn’t do anything too reckless following our disappearances. I knew Kole’s name, at least I thought I did, so if my theory was correct, he didn’t bear the brand and therefore couldn’t be an apostate.
Still, Kole seemed familiar with Allory, which meant he had likely been to Serpentine before. Hopefully, he stayed away from her. I tried not to think about how well they really knew each other. If Kole found distracted solace in Serpentine, I couldn’t fault him.
After losing their mother, the Dolus siblings went to a dark place. While I didn’t understand the pain that led someone to make the decision to leave this world, I did understand the pain of those left behind.
And I’d told Raithe to walk himself—just as Kole and Mel’s mother had done. Regret festered in my belly. No matter my frustrations with the man, even in the midst of my abduction, I knew better than to callously throw that word around.
I toyed with the sleeves of my dress. “Is… Raithe alright?”
Felaf peered at me. “He’s… in a mood.”
“Isn’t he always?”
Felaf chortled at that. “You seem to understand him well.” She leaned forward with her hand cupping the side of her mouth and whispered, “He thinks he’s so covert.”
My eyes widened. “Can he hear us from wherever he is?”
“We can hear for miles without interference or distractions. Sometimes it’s difficult to sift through the different voices, sounds, and layers of the palace. If you were to ask Raithe, though, he would smugly tell you he can hear as far as Antares.”
I’d assumed all guardians, and Scorpions, were like Raithe—stoic, serious, tough. Dangerous, even. I didn’t question the predatorial strength Felaf was capable of, but now she seemed a little more human to me. “You’re not at all what I was expecting.”
Felaf laughed. “Should I be flattered?”
“You’re not scary or brooding.”
“Damn, not even scary?”
It was my turn to chuckle. “You know what I mean.”
She shrugged. “Scorpions get a bad reputation solely because of our intense nature. But our intensity shows up in different ways depending on the rest of our natal chart placements. I’m a Capricorn rising and Taurus moon. I value structure, but I’m no less passionate than my fellow Scorpions.”
I fleetingly wondered what Raithe’s other placements were and if they were at all compatible with mine. Likely not, all things considered. “Where is Raithe now?”
“With Gertah, our physician, in the infirmary. She’s the one who has been providing healing ointments like yarrow for your glyphs.
She can create a concoction for any ailment, including monthly cycle pains.
Guardians don’t usually need such remedies though.
We heal a lot faster than most.” Felaf kicked the ground.
“Raithe should be halfway mended by tomorrow morning—”
“He will be alright though?” I didn’t know why I cared so much. If it was the other way around, he’d likely rejoice in my pain. No, I just needed him for my planned leverage to work.
“Yes. It takes a lot to kill a guardian.”
There was much on my mind, but at present was a regretful choice of words I needed to apologize for.
The last thing I wanted was to stay on Raithe’s bad side.
Perhaps he would be grateful for my having stopped his punishment.
Grateful enough that he’d be willing to help me keep my grandparents safe, and I wouldn’t need to resort to leverage.
I smoothed my hair behind my ears. “Take me to him.”