Chapter 16 A Secret Place to Dream #2
“Two chickens, Snaglak,” Gemma told him. “Helgrom said so. Didn’t you, Helgrom?”
“Well, Snaglak has earned his chickens tonight to be sure. He fought well in the Under Dark. So did the twins,” Helgrom said magnanimously.
There was a faint frown at the end and Helgrom tugged his beard. This was a sure tell that he was upset about something. Rhalyf would find out about that. Surely Darcassan hadn’t attempted to steal something from Xrdatha under Helgrom’s nose, had he?
“Two chickens?!” Snaglak made a hungry sound and a suspicious gleam appeared at the corner of his mouth. It was drool. Of course, it was drool.
“I’m sure the kitchen can rustle something up. Since I have those damned fairies paying off what they did to my beer by washing up, the chefs have more time to cook,” Helgrom muttered.
“How long are Rain and Snow going to have to work off the honey brew?” Finley asked.
“Until their dying days,” Helgrom puffed mightily on his pipe as he clearly was still not happy about the dueling that had destroyed the brew.
Rhalyf had heard the story twice the night it happened.
He was certain that Helgrom was warming up to tell it a third time.
And while he was fond of drinking beer, he had no interest in the selling of it, let alone the wastage of it and the loss of income.
Shonda shook her head as they reached the main stairs that would lead them down to the first floor of the palace as she said, “The beer was worth that much or their labor is worth that little?”
“A little bit of both,” Helgrom answered.
“And it’s not just the beer. That is the last in a long line of infractions by those two.
The amount of glassware I’ve lost from their fights when they smash it on the floor!
The bent spoons and forks that they throw at each other’s heads!
The dulled knives from their duels! It all adds up and it adds up to a lifetime of servitude. ”
“Considering they spend almost all of their time in the Dawn anyways, I hardly see how it will make a difference to them,” Finley pointed out.
“More dishes. Less fighting. Or that’s what I’m guessing Helgrom is hoping,” Michael said.
“Right you are, General!” Helgrom pointed the tip of his pipe towards Michael’s broad chest.
“You make that pipe look so good, Helgrom, that I might want to take up smoking again,” Michael sighed.
“Michael! It’s bad for your health!” Shonda clucked.
“No, it’s not, Mom. Not anymore,” Gemma said sagely.
“Remember that the leaf the dwarves use is different from our tobacco. Healthier naturally. But also no more cancer. No more lung problems. No more anything like that. The Menders can just give Dad a tonic and boom! He’s immune!
That’s what they taught us yesterday in Potions, Alchemy and Herbs. ”
Shonda blinked. “Yes, yes, of course, you’re right. I know that, but I… I still can’t believe it sometimes.” But she gave her husband a narrow-eyed look all the same. “If you do start smoking it will be outside the house. I will not smell like a smokestack. Not even a sweet-smelling dwarven one.”
“Don’t worry, dearest. I promise to keep any smoking well outside of the house,” Michael said amicably.
He and Helgrom exchanged a nod. They would be pipe buddies coming up, Rhalyf was certain. As this was determined, they’d made it to the first floor and the group prepared to split up.
“Are you settling in for the night or heading out to the Dawn, too, Rhalyf?” Shonda asked.
Finley glanced up at him but then immediately looked away.
Was he still feeling shy about what had happened with the pollen despite Rhalyf being quite clear that he appreciated Finley’s admiration?
Or was Finley just thinking about how he could get rid of everyone, go into a corner at the Dawn, and read his magic book?
Maybe a little bit of both.
“Actually, I was hoping to borrow Finley for a little bit before he goes to the Dawn,” Rhalyf said.
“Borrow me?” Finley’s brows drew together.
“Yes, I wanted to show you some of my books on Illithor,” Rhalyf said with a brief smile.
“You have books on Illithor?” Finley brightened immediately.
Clearly, the way to this boy’s heart is through his mind.
“Yes, they’re in my… my rooms.” He smiled broadly.
“Well, I am certain we shall be seeing more of you in the near future,” Michael said gravely. “If you would please let Aquilan know that I would appreciate a moment of his time as well… about Declan.”
So the protective father bear has only slid under the surface! Good luck with him, Aquilan!
“I will, of course, let the king know about your request,” Rhalyf promised.
In some ways it was presumptuous of Michael to request to speak to the Sun King, but in other ways it wasn’t at all. Michael might become family in a way. And if Aquilan was really going to court Declan…
Good gods, what will Vex do then?
“We have to go to Hope again soon, Rhalyf! That was so much fun. And I’m sure the children will miss Gran,” Gemma grinned at him.
“I haven’t forgotten my promise to read them more stories,” Rhalyf said with a formal bow to her. “Lady Gemma, goodnight.”
Gemma giggled and blushed before she curtseyed with mock formality. “Goodnight, Lord Neres.”
“We’ll see you at the Dawn later then, Finley,” Helgrom said. “Probably best. No one wants to be there when Snaglak eats chicken and throws the bones on the floor.”
“Crunch crunch under feet good,” Snaglak muttered.
“Come, Glom, ham awaits,” Helgrom said.
The naki let out a howl of happiness, which was echoed by the orc. The three of them left the palace as well. He and Finley were alone. There was so much to say that Rhalyf found himself surprisingly tongue tied.
“So… did you really ask me to stay to look at books?” Finley lifted an eyebrow.
“No, but I do have some. Not here, of course. I don’t even know where my rooms are here,” he admitted.
Had Vesslan put it in the basement? If so, he would need to relocate.
Or perhaps, knowing Vesslan, the Emissary had “mistakenly” not assigned him a room at all.
But then he saw Cellica, one of Aquilan’s personal servants, walk into the foyer.
“Ah, Cellica, dearest!” He gave her one of his greatest wattage smiles.
She turned and smiled back at him, beelining her way to him and curtseying. “Lord Neres, how can I help you?”
“I was just wondering where my rooms are. I spent the first night here at the Dawn and haven’t yet scouted them out yet,” he explained to her.
She nodded. “I understand completely, Lord Neres, but not to worry, they are all made up for you. Third floor. west corner. You have the entirety of the west side there.”
“Really? I admit I thought that Vesslan…” He stopped himself. He made it a rule not to gossip about the royal family.
“King Aquilan had your rooms moved from the lower floors,” Cellica said neutrally, but there was a knowing twinkle in her eye.
“Yes, yes, so thoughtful of him! As always!” Rhalyf felt a mixture of happiness and guilt at the thought that with everything else going on Aquilan had made sure he was taken care of.
His lying best friend.
“Would you like some supper sent up?” she asked.
“Y-yes, I would! For two, please. And if you have some Chelios, I would greatly appreciate that as well!” Oh, it had been so long since he’d had a proper night in civilization!
In a palace! He caught Finley giving him a knowing look before the young man shook his head in amusement. He did so enjoy his creature comforts.
“Of course, Lord Neres, it shall be done.” She curtseyed again and hurried off to likely tell someone about his dinner order.
When she was out of sight, Finley turned to him and asked, “So why did you want me to stay?”
“There are so many answers to that, Finley, but I hope that you know the largest of these is because I enjoy your company. I hope you enjoy mine. If just a little,” he said as they turned back to the staircase they had just gone down. “More stairs. Lovely.”
“I do enjoy your company. Very much. And there is much to talk about. I know, but–”
“You want to read your little book in private?” Rhalyf guessed.
He lowered his voice as they mounted the steps once more so that no one could hear but Finley.
“Yes, I know. I bet you have imagined yourself in the corner of the Dawn, the fire crackling and popping merrily, the hushed voices of the patrons occasionally rising into bursts of tinkling laughter, a glass of wine at your elbow, maybe some cheese and bread–”
“You’re clearly hungry,” Finley muttered.
“Starving.” A quick nod. “But most importantly, you have your book open before you. A wisp lighting its pages. A quill and paper beside that so that you can take notes. Am I close?”
Finley flushed. A delightful color coating his pale cheeks. “Yes, I might have imagined such a scene a time or two. I’ve done something similar when planning out my games, but–”
“But a magical grimoire is different, yes?”
“A dream,” Finley answered, his voice thick with emotion.
Another nod from Rhalyf. “I know that dream. It has been mine, too. But there is a problem with your dream.”
“Problem?” Finley’s forehead furrowed. “You aren’t going to go on again about humans not having magic so I have to be very careful–”
“Oh, that goes without saying! All magic is dangerous. You must be careful. And this magic–well, it is unique and unheard of except for a certain elf–and we both know that anything he offers is a double-edged blade. Even to you, Finley,” Rhalyf said as they mounted the second floor’s staircase.
“He doesn’t just give information about power without some reason. Some price.”
Finley’s lips pursed. “You think he wants something in return?” The young man shook himself. “I mean, I would think so too, but what could I give him?”
“You’re Declan’s best friend. His brother. You have won the friendship of the Sun King. And now, you have the key to humans having magic. Or some humans anyways,” Rhalyf said with a frown.
He really needed to understand what this magic was that Vex had introduced Finley to. Which was the point of this evening. Part of it anyways. In truth, he could not see the back of Finley tonight without having some sort of panic attack and think the boy dead.
“Yes, I was wondering about that myself. Whether one needs the book and dagger in order to wield it at all. The person I took it from…” Here, Finley stopped. There was a flicker of guilt on his face.
“There was someone who had the book and dagger in Illithor?” Rhalyf’s eyebrows rose.
“They were practically dead. They were dead. I mean… maybe just sustained by the magic there, but… yes, I had to take it from them. They were going to kill me in order to escape the trap,” Finley explained haltingly.
“Kill you?” Rhalyf’s steps faltered. “What–”
“I don’t want you to think badly of me,” Finley suddenly rushed out. His eyes wouldn’t meet Rhalyf’s. “It really was them or me! I didn’t just kill them to get the book and dagger!”
Rhalyf put two fingers under Finley’s chin and lifted his face up so that they were eye to eye. “Magic is never without cost. You did what you had to do.”
But he truly hoped that whatever Finley had had to do hadn’t scarred his soul like that wound on his neck had his body.
“I did,” Finley assured him, gratefulness flooding his voice. “I did. It was awful in a way. What had become of them. I ended it. But there’s so much I don’t understand. I need to sit down and read the book carefully. Cover to cover. Again and again.”
“Yes, Finley, I agree. And you need to bounce ideas off of someone who is quite skilled with magic.” He fluttered his fingers in the air, creating a green flame before quenching it. “Even if this magic isn’t the same as mine, there are some general principles I am certain are the same.”
Finley’s eyes brightened. “Y-yes! I’m sure there are! And things I don’t understand maybe you will! That would be brilliant, Rhalyf! Amazing! I didn’t think you would… Well, I know that we’re supposed to keep magic secret, right?”
“Yes, from most people, which is why the Dawn isn’t the place where you can study and practice,” Rhalyf said.
They’d reached the second floor. Down the hallway to the West was a set of double doors in cream and gold. They were huge and ostentatious. The rooms beyond would be the same. Not at all to Aquilan or Rhalyf’s tastes. But he would make them his. And Finley would have a space there too. Or… a door.
“You’re offering to let me practice in your rooms at the palace?” Finley blinked, but looked a little uncertain. “That may be as problematic as the Dawn in terms of–”
“No, no, these rooms are just a gateway,” Rhalyf explained. “While I cannot make a rift to Illithor, I can to other places. A special place. Where I keep my most precious things. Secret things. And that place will be perfect for you to do the same, Finley.”
Finley beamed. “Take me there.”