CHAPTER XII #8
I take a deep breath and close my eyes to the two of them, to the full room, letting nothing but a quiet calm wash over me.
I can hear the faint echo of their words from afar, as if they’re knocking against the wood, but that’s all it is…
an echo. Both Ancients are locked out completely on the other side.
Sianoa finally sits back in her chair with a sigh, as does Heysan. I open my eyes timidly to the two and am greeted with their approving smiles.
“You’ve got it,” Sianoa nods.
The brothers stop their assault at her words, both of them turning towards me with sweat dripping across their face and chest.
“You going to tell us what door you used?” Heysan stands up, patting Stormfall on his sleeping head before he reaches for his sparkling toddy.
“Never in my life,” I exhale into my chair, completely exhausted.
I close my eyes with a happy sigh, bringing my hand to my temple.
“Well I’ll still tell you of the wager I set with your big friend…”
“That’s okay. He’ll tell me eventually.”
“Perhaps,” I can feel the cool grin of amusement from behind Heysan’s words, “or perhaps I can tell you now.”
“Leave it be, brother. She’ll find out on her own time.”
“I’ve asked your friend to be my own champion, Alexis.”
“What!”
I stand up so quickly that I nearly fall over, feeling Sianoa’s strong but soft hands grab my waist.
“Say that again,” I glare at the red-headed Ancient, “I must have misheard you.”
Heysan’s blue eyes are sparkling on mine like the Ancient of Mischief and Instigation he is.
“Absolutely not,” my voice is deathly quiet. “Take the wager back.”
“I can’t take it back. It’s still commencing. We’re to continue our drinking tonight.”
“Heysan,” I say with a warning, watching as the Ancient’s gaze turns curious. “Take. It. Back.”
The room around us becomes completely still. No one is moving save the heavy breaths that fall from my chest.
“I thought you’d be happy, Alexis…” Heysan says in quiet surprise.
I turn away from his face and head towards the door, opening it violently as Stormfall glides down the silent hall in front of me.
“There’s no way, Storm,” I fume.
No way I’ll let Cal hold onto that agreement. No fucking chance in the Old World.
He doesn’t need to be at Heysan’s beck and call like I am for Hirovale… doesn’t need to have the Ancient promoting his will through him.
“And aren’t we already surrounded by enough Ancients!” I curse, walking out of the temple.
Why are they so damn fixated with our group?
First Hirovale calling to Mana and Holis, rearing them as his followers. Then Hirovale with me and Keane, and Sianoa with Elena. Now they want Cal for their own?
What’s next, Nolan is going to wake up and claim Canon’s calm soul?
“He is his own man, Alexis,” Keane’s strong voice comes up next to me, stilling me in my walk.
I turn and glare at his calm brown eyes before starting my walk again.
“Your mother and I used to agree on a lot when I was younger, Keane… Not so much now, since I started working with your father. But she did say something recently in Bardot that I agree with wholeheartedly…”
My steps become hurried under the pillars and over the large stairs, greeting the late afternoon sun.
“It is seldom ever a good thing when an Ancient takes interest in a being of our Old World,” I scoff, repeating Renate’s words.
“Alexis,” Keane stops me with a hand on my shoulder, turning me around. “Cal is his own man. He can make that decision without you.”
“And when it’s made under false pretenses? Under the effect of drink? Does he even know what he’s gotten himself into?”
Keane shakes his head, his brown eyes holding mine. “Probably more mischief and mayhem then he has ever encountered in his life. But it is still his choice.”
“Then I need to hear his reasoning,” I step out of his embrace, “need to hear why he agreed.”
The King sighs next to me, following quietly as we make our way towards the inn. Canon walks towards us just as the young Woodlands girl who’s also staying at the inn walks out of the stables. She takes one look at my angered walk and quickly moves out of the way.
“Where’s Cal?” I ask the First Guard, eyes searching the stables for his and Alanna’s horses.
“Down in Heysan’s quarters,” Canon replies.
“Then lets ready our horses and greet them.”
“Alexis,” Keane’s voice is hard as he grabs my hand.
He pulls me to him, watching me with his sharp Discerni features of indifference as he says softly, “this isn’t about you.”
My eyes lift to the King in a fury, my heart pounding against my chest.
“Let’s take a walk,” he continues, “think this through. Calm yourself. Nothing has to be answered right away…”
There’s nothing less calming than being told to calm myself.
I pull out of Keane’s grip, feeling that strong ache in my head surfacing once again.
“I think I will take a walk…”
My eyes roam to the woods behind the inn.
“On my own.”
Stormfall caws from above before he swoops down in front of me and disappears behind the thick trees. Both men stand quietly at my back as I take a heated step towards a small path, disappearing myself.
“The fucking balls on him, Storm,” I fume to the Bird of Ash up ahead.
We’ve been walking for a while, keeping to the small path in quiet woods as argents greet us with their humming call. Keane and Cannon aren’t far behind, I know because I hear their footsteps in the woods every so often, the two of them trailing me quietly as they let me cool down.
Stormfall turns his yellow eyes on me mid-flight, angling his body towards mine with a sharp call before he flies to my shoulder.
“Why can’t they leave us alone?” I ask in a heated breath. “All of them.”
Storm’s talons grip my shirt hard.
“Not you,” I sigh to the Bird of Ash, “you’re one of the only good things that has come out of my meeting with Hiro.”
Stormfall spreads his wings wide across my shoulders, gripping me harder still as an argent dips low in the woods. Its hum is strong, calling to me in greeting as the three of us continue to move down the path.
Why in the Old World would Cal agree to something like this?
Hasn’t he seen how much trouble my own relationship with an Ancient has brought me?
Has brought our full group? Has his mind changed?
Is he more embracing of the mystics? Did Heysan promise him summoning as a benefit of becoming his champion?
I need to talk to him.
The Bird of Ash caws loud next to me, pressing his talons into my shoulder once again.
“What is it?”
He turns his head to another argent in the woods, the second hooking up with the first as they fly straight ahead of us. Their hum is strong. Too strong. As strong as it was in Etter when I first felt the summoning on our ride in.
Fuck me.
“You feel that?” my voice is hushed to the quiet woods around us.
Both Storm and I glance around as I stop along the path. My eyes narrow on the forest, noticing for the first time how thick the woods are, not much paying attention in my walk.
My eyes dart down quickly, sighing at the path still below my feet.
“Let’s head back now, Storm. I’ll greet Cal at dinner over smoke and ale. That should aid in the answers I need.”
The Bird of Ash narrows his eyes on the two argents again. I push my want and need into my abdomen for Keane, his own curiosity flooding into me quickly and gripping my chest.
“We’re turning back around. I’m still on the path. I’m sure I’ll catch up with you soon-”
“-Alexis…”
My head swivels back down the path, my body going tense.
Was that?
“Arens?” my heart leaps in my chest.
Is he here in Woodlands? Is he following our group, finally ready to leave his court for Warrior? He must’ve heard of our arrival in Etter.
My eyes dart to the trees, searching for the young Discerni as his voice echoes again through the woods.
“Arens?”
Keane’s location summoning nearly rocks me forward, hitting my chest so hard that I double over to catch my breath.
“Stop,” I bring my hand to my heart, “stop, Keane. I can’t breathe.”
“Alexis,” my friend’s voice is a quiet plea, this time reaching out in discomfort.
I look around frantically at the change in tone.
“Arens!” I yell, picking my body up and running towards the sound of his voice.
“Alexis!” he replies, calling out desperately.
What in the Old World?
What’s going on? What is Arens doing in the woods of Alston? And why is there torment behind his voice?
Please tell me you hear that, yes, Storm?
Stormfall caws in response as another argent dips towards my head, calling loud before it circles both me and the Bird of Ash and then darts between a few trees up ahead.
The bird returns from behind the limbs, chirping at me purposely before it heads back into the trees in the same direction, asking me to follow him.
I start running for all I’m worth, hearing Arens’ voice again, the man desperate for me to find him. Keane’s summoning still hasn’t left me— if anything it’s so heavy in its grip that it’s weighing me down in my run.
“Alexis!” another voice fills the woods now, stopping me in my tracks as I look around in confusion.
Was that Holis?
What is he doing here? Is he with Arens?
The woods are so thick that the sun barely shines through, the full of the trees lighted by only a few bottled moonslight lanterns that hang up ahead. I can’t tell where his voice comes from… can’t even tell what direction Arens’ is, either.
“Holis?” I yell in downright confusion.
The two argents fly up ahead, drawing my glance back down the path.
“Alexis, I’m here!” Arens’ next plea is close by.
I can’t stop hearing the pull in his voice, can’t stop my feet as they pick up in another heavy run towards the sound.