CHAPTER IX #10
The leaders of the Four Kingdoms held a secret council over the work I do for Zander, and by the looks on his sons faces, neither Keane or Desmond knew anything about it.
What else has the King kept hidden from them?
From me? Is he actually anticipating that I’ll find the book, or have I been running around on a fool’s errand for some different purpose only he knows?
If he truly does need the book, what knowledge within it is so important that he had to call a Kingdoms Council?
Are Cal, Holis and Mana aware of any of this?
Or do they ride with me in innocence as a job given by the King?
And since when did Zander have visions? I never knew that was an aspect of his summoning.
I doze off in the water with my thoughts and wake up almost abruptly with the knowledge that there is someone I can go to for answers. But even as I sit in the lukewarm bath, I start to debate if I really want to go down that path...
In the short time I’ve spent with Golem, I’ve quickly grown to care for the magical creature.
He’s been with me since the beginning of this trip and has never once shied away from an adventure.
Ancients, oftentimes he’s the one instigating them.
He’s been a good friend and someone I can go to for answers, but he’s also the King’s Golem, and a part of me knows that he’ll protect any information Zander doesn’t want me privy to.
I sigh heavily and move out of the tub, thinking of how best to navigate this discussion.
I don’t want to push too hard and hurt either of our relationships, but I also know I’ll kick myself if I don’t try.
I get dressed slowly and throw on a gold nightslip in the same style as last night.
I tug on two of my thickest and warmest socks then wrap my green cloak around my body, grabbing an extra blanket from the bed as I turn to the magical creature.
“Will you talk with me outside, Golem?” I ask softly, jutting my chin towards the balcony. Alanna hasn’t returned from court yet and I don’t want to risk her walking in on our conversation.
Golem nods and walks with me into the cold night outside. I take a seat on a chair in the corner of the balcony and snuggle under the blanket, working out how best to start this delicate conversation as the mountain waterfall falls at our side.
“I don’t know how to approach this, Golem,” I sigh again, “and if there are things you can’t tell me then I understand, but I’m hoping you can be as truthful with me as possible…”
Golem’s eyes narrow on mine, his features remaining emotionless as he stares at me with the typical Discerni look.
“I guess I’ll just get straight to it,” I nod, “tonight at court, Prince Keane, Lord Desmond and I were made aware of the Kingdoms Council called two years ago by King Zander. Do you also know of this meeting?”
Golem remains eerily still for a long moment before he nods.
“And are you aware of the nature of the meeting and what was discussed?”
He nods again and folds his arms in front of his body.
“Why did King Zander hide that from me? From his sons? Wait, no, let me rephrase that… is there a reason why King Zander kept it hidden from us?”
Yes.
“Are you allowed to share that reason with me?”
Yes… then no.
“Right now? In this moment?”
No.
“But sometime down the road?”
Yes.
The intense feeling of curiosity fills my lungs right as I’m about to ask another question.
The summoning captures my chest and heart and makes me hunch over in a gasp.
I release a hard breath and shift uncomfortably in my chair, rubbing my chest as I let my gaze move to Golem in front of me.
Keane lets go of his summoning just as swiftly as he began, and there’s no doubt in my mind he’ll want to question Golem as well.
I stand up with a sigh, “we’ll need to put this conversation on pause, Golem. The Prince will be here soon.”
Golem shows no look of surprise at the announcement and instead bows his head.
He follows me back into the room as I hastily pull a pair of riding pants over my gold night slip and tuck the silk into my waistband.
I look around the room, not wanting to continue the conversation out in the cold, and frown when I realize there’s no fireplace to sit in front of.
But past Alanna’s bed and sectioned against a corner is a settee facing a table for two.
I walk over to the furniture and throw the blanket on top of the seat just as a knock greets the door.
Ancients, that was fast.
My heart gives a quick thud before I move back across the room.
Keane is standing on the other side of the door when I open it.
He’s in the same dark attire from tonight, his features hard but his eyes looking back at mine in small kindness.
Those eyes move down to the gold slip peeking out from under my cloak, his lips giving me a small grin before his body shifts purposely to the right and reveals Desmond standing behind him.
I quickly tighten my cloak over my front as both Princes look at me quietly.
“We’d like to have a conversation with our father’s Golem, Lady Alexis,” Keane states.
I give both brothers a small nod, my own glance letting them know that I will not be swayed or asked to leave. “As would I.”
Keane nods in understanding as Desmond does the same. I take a step back and open the door fully to them before walking to the settee.
“Alanna?” I ask, catching Golem’s gaze as he stands next to the table.
“She’s occupied at the moment,” Keane responds.
Desmond closes the door behind him just as I turn to see both brothers making their way to the settee. They stop just behind it and give Golem a low bow in greeting while the magical creature returns the gesture in kind, his face solemn.
With formalities out of the way, Keane takes a hard stance right behind the settee.
He leans towards the back and rests his hands on the cushions, gripping them tightly as his features turn stoic and he stares directly at Golem.
Desmond walks around the seat and moves to the other side of the table, his gaze never leaving Golem either as he pulls out the chair but doesn’t sit down.
I watch curiously as he leans his back against the wall and crosses his arms, his features melding into the silent Master Informer that everyone whispers about.
I sigh heavily at the men and pull the blanket off the settee before sitting down.
Of all the ways I wanted to approach this conversation with Golem, their quiet anger certainly isn’t it.
Keane and Desmond’s silent glares are filling the room like a sharp knife that’s pointing straight at the magical creature.
I understand that they’re upset, but aiming their anger at Golem won’t solve anything. He’s not the one to blame here.
The blanket falls into my lap as I try to position myself comfortably in the corner of the cushions. I do my best to ignore the quiet tension in the room and instead send Golem a smile just as Keane finally breaks the silence.
“A damn Kingdoms Council, Golem,” he states, his voice hard, “a Kingdoms Council in which we were not invited nor made aware of? The future King of Disce and the current Master Informer of the Kingdom!”
Golem dips his head to the Prince in another solemn bow.
“Was our brother there?”
My brows furrow. Why would that be Keane’s first question?
Golem hesitates before he shakes his head.
“But he is aware of it?” Keane scowls.
Yes.
“Fucking Ancients,” Desmond curses from his stance against the wall.
“And our sister? Was she present?”
No.
“Is she aware?”
Golem shifts on his feet before nodding slowly again. Both Keane and Desmond look at eachother in silence, their eyes flaring.
“And the nature of this meeting? Why it was called…” Keane continues, his face cold, “because our father wished to add an exception to the rule forbidding humans to practice Old World magic?”
No.
“An exception to the rule forbidding humans to learn and gain knowledge of Old World magic?” he corrects.
Golem nods his head.
“And he asked the Council for permission to send a human from Disce into the Old World libraries, within his own lands and foreign?”
Yes.
“Did he have Alexis in mind as that human from the beginning?”
My eyes quickly find Golem, watching as he turns directly at me with a slow nod.
Ancients.
Keane takes a heavy breath that mirrors my own, his hands gripping the back of the settee as he glares at Golem.
“I need to ask about the terms of the agreement,” Desmond adds.
I find my voice in the chill of the room. “I can provide one.”
Both brothers look at me in surprise.
“I only just found out tonight,” I shake my head, “after dinner. Apart from the vow your father took for the King of Aireal, claiming any of my actions as those on behalf of him and Disce, the Leviathans dictated that I only be allowed two nights and three days to search any libraries that fall within foreign lands.”
Keane and Desmond stare at me quietly, not recognizing the significance at all. I sigh and shift under the blanket, giving them a small explanation.
“It would be damn near impossible for me to find what I’m looking for in three days.
I typically take that long just to navigate the halls of larger libraries and understand how they’re catalogued.
I doubt I’ll be able to coordinate my search properly in that amount of time, especially since I’ve been given the impression that this library in Red Falls is fairly large. ”
“Their way of deterring her search,” Desmond says to Keane. The Prince nods his head in agreement as if it makes sense.
“But why?” I ask, still immensely curious as to the Leviathans and their aims, “why deter it at all?”
“The information in the text must be important enough that they don’t want it falling into our father’s hands,” Desmond replies.