Chapter 21 Iann
IANN
Today, the hunting is over and it is time to focus on why I’m really here.
Though my body is physically in the castle’s library, my mind keeps drifting back to last night’s dinner. Most of the meal was dull and consisted of Marcel and Queen Cayleen discussing politics. The other, and better half, came with the kittenish glances from Ariah at the other end of the table.
Fingers snap in front of my face. “You here to help or daydream?” Deean says, leaning on the table in front of me. “We’re waiting.”
He and Benny recently uncovered a symbol on the anchor and are having a debate on what it could be. Benny is certain it’s a tree and Deean assures us that it’s coral.
“Sorry.” I take the anchor from him. On the bottom is indeed a small symbol. “Coral would make sense given the object…but it does look like a leafless tree.”
Deean plucks it from my hands. “That was unhelpful. And where were you last night? And the night before? Benny and I have practically been sleeping alone in this place.”
“It is true,” Benny adds. “Left this library far too late both nights.” He uses a magnifying glass to examine another object in his hand.
“Sorry,” I say again, for the tenth time this morning. “I forgot we were meeting this morning.”
“Ah yes,” Deean says, “Ariah told us of your absence from the castle yesterday. You know, I find it a bit insulting that I found out your whereabouts from a woman we just met. Aren’t you supposed to tell your courtier these things?”
“I would have, had he not been replaced with a fraud.” I lean my head in my palms, annoyed with all these early morning questions.
“You could have at least taken Ariah. Isn’t she supposed to be your guide or something?”
My shoulders tense and I roll my neck back and forth trying to rid any built-up tension. “I didn’t see the point. I’m sure she had better things to do, so I suggested she stay behind.”
He clicks his tongue. “A queen provides you with a woman to wait on your every need and you dismiss her. If I weren’t Eli, I would take full advantage of every pleasantry provided.”
“Well, it’s a good thing you’re no prince,” Benny says, and he and Deean erupt with laughter.
Clearly my absence has allowed them to bond.
Benny suddenly becomes quiet. “On a more serious note, does anyone else get the feeling of being watched? I swear there was a figure on the roof watching me as I went back to the workers’ quarters. ”
“Spies,” Deean says plainly, and although it sounds outlandish, in this life it’s not surprising. “Maybe an animal though. We did open the bottle of whiskey, you sure you weren’t seeing things?”
“Spies?”
“Benny”—Deean walks past him and pats him on the back before leaning over and looking at whatever it is Benny still examines—“you don’t get to be a royal without everyone wanting to know your every move.
And not just you, but everyone associated with you.
You think my father doesn’t have spies of his own roaming these halls? ” Deean gives him a cheeky smile.
“There you are!” My head snaps up at the sound of the familiar voice. Ariah curtsies at the sight of me. “Figures you would be in the one place I have yet to venture into.” Unsure how she does it, but her presence lightens the room, and my mood suddenly shifts. “This arrived for you.”
Today, she wears an ivory dress with an annoying number of buttons, like all the other outfits in Haymel.
It’s a style choice that needs to perish.
I count fifteen on her dress. Fifteen isn’t a desirable number but it’s not impossible to work through.
Her hair is down today—curls are allowed to roam freely wherever they like.
A parade of sandalwood, amber, and peony moves towards me at her approach. Even the scent of her is desirable.
“Are you okay, Your Highness?” Benny asks when I bump into the table as I stand.
“I’m fine. Thank you, Benny,” I reply.
Ariah hands me the letter and I recognize my father’s handwriting immediately. “Thank you for delivering it,” I tell her, tucking it away.
Her eyes dart away. “What are all of you up to?” She walks past me to the other side of the table where Benny and Deean are seated.
She picks up an empty glass and pulls it to her nose.
She sets it down with a smile and then touches pages of open books.
“The Ivian Flower?” She perks up and her eyes float back to me. “Are you studying it?”
“Why would you think that?” It’s Deean who speaks, plucking the thoughts out of my head.
She chuckles. “Maybe because he’s an explorer and half of these books are about the flower.” She takes a seat next to Benny. “It all reminds me of my father.”
“Is he an explorer too?” I ask excitedly.
“No. He’s an apothecary and very much believes the flower is out there.”
“But you don’t?”
She shrugs. “I’ve heard his stories but can’t tell if I just don’t have any interest in the divinities or if there is no belief there at all. After all, who would want to live forever?”
“I suspect someone who knows their life is nearing the end,” Benny replies, and hands Ariah the anchor.
“You’d be surprised what people do when they know there is little time left.
“Now”—he moves the anchor in her hands to where the symbol is—“you might be able to help us settle a debate. What does that look like to you?”
She squints and then reaches for a magnifying glass on the table. “There are initials here as well. F.V. What does that mean?”
“Fraya Vellen a—” Deean is cut off by Ariah.
“Famous captain. Yeah, I know who she is. This is the anchor of Kailaric.”
I rush over to her, taking a seat at the edge of the table. “The divinity of the sea,” I whisper to myself.
“My father has done extensive study on them. The divinities that is. Just another thing he’s shared with me. But to answer Benny’s original question, I would say it’s a symbol of a tree.”
Deean taps on the table in frustration. “It’s clearly coral.”
She tilts her head. “Oh yeah, I can see that too. But given the legends I still say it’s a tree.”
The legend of Kailaric says he was a demi-divinity who was cruelly chased out of the waters of the Graying Sea, his home for thousands of years, by a wicked king who had gained forbidden magic.
In the legend, it is written that Kailaric was forced to change into another form and washed up on Farella Isle, where his spirit rests.
Many believe it is Kailaric’s powers that allows the island to flourish and are responsible for the Ivian Flower itself.
They say the tree that blooms the Ivian Flower grew upon the spot he was buried.
“That would make sense,” Benny says, stroking the hairs of his beard as he dives deeper into thought. “If this represents Kailaric, I wonder if it needs some kind of submergence to work.”
“Ariah.” I stand, and she follows my urgency, our bodies mere inches from each other. “I hate to ask, but can you have the servants draw me a bath in my chambers? No oils or plants. Only water, and preferably lukewarm.”
She gives me an accusing squint and then her face eases into a smile. “I think I can do that.” She curtsies and rushes out.
“You know she’s going to want to stay.” Deean eyes me with caution, wondering what I’m up to. “You better know what you’re doing.”
“She knows this is my job. I search for things. She doesn’t know we are actually setting sail for it. We’re no different than her father. Just men with interests in history.”
“I’m sure,” Deean says.
“Let’s go put your theory to the test, Benny.” Ignoring Deean’s reservations, I take the anchor in hand and walk around the table. “I have a meeting with Marcel and the Queen soon, so we better make this quick.”
The three of us head back to my bed chambers.
As we make our way, I notice the castle is oddly quiet and there is a bizarre sensation of being watched.
I discreetly check my surroundings, but I pick up nothing but vacant corridors and empty rooms. As soon as we reach the frame of my door, I push all worries aside and instruct Benny to shut the door behind him.
We pass the freshly made bed and move into the bath quarters where we find Ariah.
“I sent everyone away. Said you needed space for a while.” She beams at the sight of me, and it is unnerving how much her joy brings me comfort. Foolish is more like it. I’ve known this woman all of a few days and yet I want to know so much more about her.
“Well, let’s get this going.” Deean snaps me out of thoughts that are on the verge of spiraling. “You have a busy day with our dear bro…prince and the Queen, sir.” Deean coughs, hoping Ariah didn’t catch the slip. “We wouldn’t want to be late for that.”
Benny hides his smile, and I pass Deean a grin of cautiousness.
“You’re right, Eli.” I move to the tub giving my brother one last look of warning. “Marcel will send people searching for me soon. Better try this quickly.”
I submerge the anchor in the water, lukewarm just like I asked, and release it. The others remain quiet but approach the large metal bath in time to see it sink to the bottom.
“Brilliant idea but I don’t think we’re discovering anything from that,” Deean says after waiting a few uneventful minutes.
Benny holds up a finger. “I have another idea.” He crosses the room and looks through cupboards.
“Salt. Where is the bloody salt?” It doesn’t take him long to find a golden pot that he pops the lid off of and moves it to his nose.
“If the artifact was created to represent Kailaric then naturally it will need salt water. Afterall, he is the divinity of the ocean. Here we go!” Benny holds up a jar, “Hopefully, one that’s lilac infused will do. ”
“No!” Ariah shouts, backing away from the tub. “Let me leave first. I’m allergic to lilacs.”
“You don’t want to see? That’s if it even works. I’m sure we can find different salts.” My voice comes out disappointed at the fact she’s taking her leave.