CHAPTER III #10
The Prince turns his gaze on me, quietly reading my reaction. I look away from the intense stare and step closer to the lake, letting the tips of my boots fall into the water.
“Where in Knowledge do you reside, Lady?”
I stare out at the pristine blue, appreciating the calmness of this city once again as I reach down and skim a hand along the water.
“I have a room in Castle Bardot.”
“And do you enjoy living in Knowledge and Bardot?” he asks.
“More than anything,” I nod with a smile, thinking of the green of the Bell Grove and the white of the Queen’s rose gardens.
My thoughts roam to the Willow and its large branches falling over the Basset Fields, sad that I didn’t get to visit it when I was back home.
I envision the Grand Entry with its beautiful oak greeting everyone who arrives at the capitol…
the mountain behind the castle with its magical moving staircase that leads those visitors up to the lively Palisades above.
“There’s a café in the Southern Palisades that overlooks the park there,” I think of Sera’s sweeping veranda with a smile, “the best cinnamon bread I’ve ever had. Don’t tell Chef I said that.”
“I know the one,” Keane nods.
“You grew up in Knowledge,” I smile in acknowledgement.
“I did,” he replies without emotion.
“Is that disdain I hear in your voice, Your Highness?” I tease.
The Prince’s eyes narrow on the lake.
“Yes.”
Ancients.
I open my mouth to ask him more, but the brief hint of sunlight over the horizon reminds me I have places to be.
“I need to get going…” I sigh, walking towards Millie, “thank you for the company, Your Highness.”
The Prince stares back at me in cool, Discerni indifference, watching as I urge Millie into a quick gallop without another word.
“You look like shit,” Cal greets as I ride into the clearing on the other side of the lake. We’ve used this spot to train in the past, though I’m surprised to see him here before me.
“I’m sure I do,” I laugh.
“I’m sorry, that was rude of me,” he frowns in small concern, “you look like you haven’t had a moment of sleep. Is everything okay?”
I swiftly dismount and take Golem’s jar out of my bag, unscrewing the lid before placing it on top of a large rock. Golem’s padded footsteps are heard almost instantly, the magical creature appearing from behind a large tree with his hands folded in front of his chest.
“You deserted me, Golem,” I greet him accusingly.
Golem nods with the hint of a smile playing at his lips.
“Not funny,” I cross my own arms over my chest, “I had no intention of having any company this morning but your own.”
One of his shoulders lifts in the tiniest of shrugs.
“Do I even want to know?” Cal asks, eyes flicking from Golem and back to me.
“The Prince is here,” I turn to him, “in Agnor.”
He nods, unsurprised by the news. “I thought I saw another royal steed in the stables.”
“And they’re watching us, Cal,” I continue, “or at least, Desmond and Alanna are.”
“Not surprising either, though I think we’ll keep these meetings secret for the time being.”
“How does that not bother you?” I throw up my hands in frustration.
“Because I don’t see why it should?” he shrugs, “what we do for the King isn’t widely known, Alex, but it’s also not a secret.
I’m sure His Highness will put his brother to the task of looking more thoroughly into us if he hasn’t already.
He’ll find that we’ve been visiting libraries that host mystical knowledge and that you are allowed in.
He’ll be shocked for a bit and will probably inquire with his father on how he was able to lift the Old World rule for you, and that’s it.
There’s nothing more to it. What you do within those buildings is between you and the King, no one else. ”
Golem nods in agreement.
“It’s invasive,” I groan, “why would I want strangers looking into my life?”
Cal watches me quietly before his brown eyes go soft. “It comes with job.”
I huff just as his hand lands on my shoulder.
“Keep your secrets, Alex,” he smiles, “they don’t need to know everything.”
I’ll try, I want to tell him, but I know they’ll also do their best to find them.
Cal and I arrive back at the stables after our morning training. The courtyard of the inn is already alive with early travelers departing for their day, and as we have a bit of the morning left to ourselves before the group takes off, Cal and I decide to grab some breakfast before we leave.
I laugh when he slings his arm around my shoulder and pulls me in the direction of food.
“Ancients, I’m hungry,” he groans.
“Same,” I reach a hand in my bag and uncap Golem’s jar, “hold on. Let me grab Golem.”
Cal pauses and looks around the courtyard, smiling at the magical creature when he appears from around the corner of the inn.
Golem nods to us both and follows behind Cal as my big friend opens the door, the three of us quickly walking inside to the far end of the room where an empty table awaits.
Golem takes his usual stance in the shadows of the wall once we sit, while Cal flags down the innkeeper with his stomach grumbling over the morning conversations.
“That’s him, then?” his gaze darts to another table at the opposite end of the room, looking like he’s about to size someone up.
I turn in the direction of his gaze and spot Prince Keane with the rest of our Warrior group huddled at their own table. Alanna is sitting next to the Prince but is engaging in a conversation with Barnes and Claymore, while His Highness looks to be in a quiet conversation with his brother.
Keane glances up almost immediately when I look at him, as if feeling both of our gazes from across the room. He gives me silent nod and then looks squarely at Cal by my side, his brown eyes assessing just as my friend’s did.
“I guess I need to introduce myself,” Cal stands from our table, “do you want to come with me?”
“Not particularly.”
“Golem?” Cal looks behind me.
Golem shakes his head.
“Traitors,” he laughs.
I chuckle in answer and feel the Prince’s gaze move back on me. I quickly turn away from that silent stare and rest an elbow on the table, shifting in my seat to talk to the magical companion at my back.
“Is the Prince a good friend of yours, Golem?”
While I’m still curious as to his motives last night, I can’t help but suspect that he’s not on good terms with His Highness. If he was, he wouldn’t have led me to spy on him.
“No?” I feign ignorance, “but he’s the King’s son.”
Golem gives me a quiet nod.
“Are you friendly with him at least?”
He shakes his head, then nods as if to say, ‘sort of’.
“Do you dislike each other?”
No.
“So, you’re merely friendly acquaintances?”
Yes… and no.
I roll my eyes at his non answers. “Well, you’re no help, Golem.”
“You’ll get nothing out of him but half-truths and leading answers,” the Prince adds behind me.
I slowly turn in my seat with a frown. Keane’s brown gaze is looking past me towards Golem, his eyes dark and unreading.
“Hello, Golem.”
Golem bows low to the Discerni Prince in greeting, his own features giving nothing away as well. I quietly peer at the Warrior table and see Cal now sitting with the rest of the Discerni, every single one of them watching the Prince and Golem’s small interaction from afar.
“A busy morning for you already, Lady Alexis,” Keane finally glances down at me.
“So it would seem,” I nod, holding back a scowl.
I don’t like the tension that’s suddenly come to the table. I can feel the stiff posture of Golem at my back, not to mention the completely cool emotions emitting from the Prince.
“I came to ask you both to join our table for breakfast,” his eyes flick back to Golem in small disinterest, as if wishing he didn’t have to extend the invitation to him as well.
Suddenly, my appetite for the morning has just vanished.
I stand up slowly and look at the Prince with a disappointing smile.
“I appreciate the offer, Your Highness, but no. Thank you.”
His eyes quickly dart back to mine.
“No?”
I walk around the table and feel Golem moving with me, the tense discomfort that rests between the two of them filling the space between all three of us.
“No,” I nod, “as I already ate on the ride here.”
“You can’t be serious,” Keane scoffs in disbelief.
“I am,” I nod again, then look between him and Golem pointedly, “whatever this is, I want no part of it. I can think of nothing worse than sitting through an awkward breakfast between the two of you.”
The Prince watches me as I walk past him and head towards the wing that hosts my room.
I pass by the Warrior table on my way and spot Cal sending me a grin in solidarity.
Alanna grins in my direction as well, though that smile is quickly replaced by her cool laugh as it follows me all the way down the hall.
Holis and Mana bow deeply to the Prince from their saddles, the last of our group to be introduced. I yawn and watch with the rest of the crew as we wait on our horses, all of us ready for the new day’s ride to begin.
“Let’s not meet tomorrow morning,” Cal moves his horse next Millie, “you need your rest.”
I smile gratefully at my friend and hide yet another yawn.
“He wasn’t too happy with your snub this morning,” he leans in.
I shrug in response, genuinely not caring. If the Prince wasn’t happy with my comment, then he could fix whatever was going on between him and Golem.
“Try to stay on his good side, Alex,” Cal continues quietly, “he’s very powerful where we’re traveling to.”
I nod at the advice, too tired to talk, and watch as the Prince moves away from the twins.
He surveys the rest of the group from atop the same beautiful horse from this morning, the full of him looking formidable in his attire of Warrior black.
He says nothing, just let’s his eyes roam quietly over the rest of us, then motions for Desmond to join at his side before leading the group out of the courtyard.