Chapter 29
Ael
Everyone sat around the dining table, discussing their upcoming trips and waiting for Seda to arrive.
Roya had successfully gathered two Corvids to aid their cause: Vira, who was a tall, moonlit woman with a pointed nose, and Sepher, who was as dainty as the other two Corvid women, but her eyes were filled with a fire that rivaled Roya’s.
“Has anyone told Elco you guys are leaving?” asked Praxis as he plopped two breakfast sausages on his plate and smothered them with thick syrup.
“Seda did, and he refused to listen to the warning about males going to La Uma. He wishes to remain at her side,” Ael replied while sipping his coffee, his eyes frequently darting toward the door.
“He’s a damn fool just like you.” Roya glared at him.
He opened his mouth to speak, but Luelle interrupted him, saying to Praxis, “Why do you have to stay? Why can’t you go with them?”
“Because our king thinks you need help here, obviously,” he replied with a wink. “Besides, what if you get lonely? And what if Meir comes back with Neoma? You’ll need some actual strength around here.”
Luelle slammed her fork on the table and glared daggers at Praxis. “The only thing you’ll do is fuck her in the bushes! Even knowing what she did to you with that potion!”
Praxis shrugged. “As long as it’s outside the castle walls, I see no problem with that. I’ll be whoever she wants me to be.”
“Maybe La Uma doesn’t care about male animals. Maybe it’s just men,” Askold said, bringing the conversation back to Elco, as he shoved pancakes into his mouth, the jam on top spilling past his lips and dripping down his chin.
Ferona narrowed her eyes at him, watching the mess he made on his shirt. “Why do you have to eat like a pig?”
He smirked at her, a chunk of pancake stuck to the syrup on his chin. “But don’t you remember, Ferona? You said all men are pigs. I’m just living up to the name.” He took another big bite and chewed with his mouth open, glancing over to make sure Ferona was watching.
“Besides,” he said before he took a big gulp of coffee. “We’re going on two separate missions, and who knows when I’ll get to eat something like this again? It could be weeks!”
Ferona let out an audible gag at his disgusting display, and Luelle chuckled as she stared at her.
“I agree. Men are pigs,” Luelle said with a reassuring nod and made sure to shoot Praxis one more glare.
Askold feigned mock shock before digging back into his plate.
The doors swung open, and Seda hesitantly stepped inside, shadowing the doorway and making the whole room fall silent. Askold gasped loudly.
She wore armor that accentuated her curves, but her wings… they had grown. Folded up, they were taller than she was, and glittering starlight pulsed with what appeared to be each of her heartbeats.
Roya’s mouth hung open, and she dropped her fork sharply on her plate. “They’re here...”
How had she grown her wings since seeing her? He was just upstairs with her—not even twenty minutes ago.
Her skin looked pale, as if she hadn’t slept in days. Whatever Kalon did to her… Ael’s anger surged. That fucker was going to pay.
Seda was carrying a cloak in her arm, and when she looked at Ael, she smiled at him and made her way toward the empty chair beside him. She struggled to sit down with her wings, but furrowed her brows and strained, slightly parting them so she could sit.
He could feel the tension radiate off her, and he wanted to reach out and touch her, but she looked like she had seen a ghost.
In a way… He supposed she had. This was all so new for her. What magical being had wings like that? Nothing in the library had shown anyone like this, not even that book he stole and read through countless times, always stopping and glaring at the image of a snake.
He looked down at her, expecting her to talk, but she reached for the honey cakes he had ordered and poured coffee into her cup, saying nothing.
“So…” he pried, glancing up at her beautiful feathers, refraining from reaching out and touching them.
The door opened once more, and the maid, Suza, walked in, wearing clothing made for a… journey, not her usual maid’s dress.
“What are y—” Ael began to ask Suza.
“She’s coming with us,” Seda replied as she took a large bite of her honey cake.
“Why?” Ael asked.
Everyone in the room fell silent, staring at the maid, their gazes slowly shifting to Seda.
“I have a lot to tell you all.” Seda swallowed and offered a strained smile.
Suza sat down at the table, hesitant to make a plate.
“You may eat.” He waved his hand to her, and she beamed at his approval. This was the same maid who tried to throw herself at him, and he didn’t like her.
“Kalon visited me,” Seda started, and Ael’s gaze quickly shifted back to her. “Things aren’t what they seem.”
“What do you mean?” Roya asked.
Seda’s face blanched as she hesitantly said, “Kalon says that Feich is still alive.”
“That liar!” Roya stood from her chair and slammed her hands on the table. “We saw him die.”
“Well…” and the words tumbled out. When she finished, everyone’s mouth dropped open in complete shock.
“There’s no way,” Ferona said. “Our brother would never go against Roya… against you.”
“Think about it, Ferona. His body disappeared when the Mungder attacked him, and then it chomped on itself and exploded in anger when there was nothing within its tentacle.”
Stunned silence echoed through the room. The only sound came from Askold’s slow chewing.
Roya’s eyes were wide with horror. The information was settling in deep within her, though, as she looked over Seda, focusing on the wall above, chewing on her lip.
The events Seda mentioned with the Mungder must be accurate.
“It’s true,” Vira, who spoke for the first time, said. “There are other Corvids who are hesitant toward you, Seda. I’ve heard their whispers. They spoke of someone gathering sources and people to their aid. It must be Feich.”
“When did you hear this?” Ferona asked.
Seda’s eyes snapped to the two new Corvids, as if seeing they were there for the first time. “I’m sorry, I didn’t introduce myself. I’ve had quite a morning.”
“I’m Vira,” the tall Corvid woman said as she stood from her chair and bowed at the waist to Seda.
“This is my sister, Sephyr.” She gestured to the small Corvid woman beside her, who quickly stood and also bowed.
“Our mother told us stories growing up of a queen who ruled over all Corvids. We knew you would return to us someday. We’re here to serve. ”
“Um… It’s nice to meet you both,” Seda replied as she blushed bright pink at their displays of respect. It was obvious Seda wasn’t sure how she felt about all of this.
The two women sat back down, but Vira looked toward Ferona and answered her question. “The other day, we heard some quiet whispers. Only a few have joined his cause.”
Ferona and Roya pursed their lips in response.
“I don’t trust anything that man says, Sed. He stole the moonstone and just took off into the night. How do we know he isn’t lying again?” Ael growled.
“I don’t think we have much of a choice right now. He said he’s holding onto it and would give it back.” Seda’s gaze flickered between his. She obviously believed this story, and he gritted his teeth together as he refrained from arguing further.
He would kill this man, or god, or whatever the fuck he was when he showed his face again.
“You haven’t told us why Suza’s coming with us,” Ael snarled as he looked pointedly at the petite maid sitting at the table, eating through a bowl of berries and cheese.
“Oh, yes. This is Suza. She works for Kalon,” Seda replied as she looked at the woman. Suza’s disguise flickered, and her serpentine form showed below the illusion.
Shock and disgust flared through him, and he quickly stood from his chair. “Abso-fucking-lutely not.”
Seda also stood from the table and glared at him with furious, glowing irises. “She’s coming with us, even if you don’t want her to. She’s coming with me.”
Suza wasn’t to be trusted, along with her piece of shit master. He wouldn’t allow it.
Benny cleared his throat, and they parted their gaze from each other. “A lot of things are at play right now. We need all the help we can get, Ael. If Seda trusts her, I trust her.”
Of course he did.
Roya looked over at Benny and smiled weakly at him. Then she also stood from the table. “It’s settled. It’s time to go.”
“Yeah, Ael, pull that wedgie out of your ass. Wake up and stop being a dick,” Luelle scolded.
Ael shot a sharp glare at Luelle, his oldest friend, who was the only person alive who could speak to him that way and still go unpunished.
“Fuck you, Luelle.” He let out a sigh and stormed from the room, leaving the others behind.
Whatever Kalon was scheming, he intended to discover it.
And once he did, Ael vowed to kill him.