CHAPTER XII #3
“Thank you for looking after Millie for me.”
Alanna nods, her features stoic, and continues walking into the tree line.
Stormfall is fast asleep against my neck, stationed there since the late morning after his hunt and making me wonder if he’s a nocturnal animal.
If he is, that would work out nicely back in Bardot.
I could leave the balcony open to the Bell Grove and he could travel in and out at night, roaming on his own as needed.
“You’ll need to stay with the Prince again tonight,” Alanna says at my side.
I frown at the comment, not understanding why she’d bring it up, and feign my dismay with a shrug.
“I suppose so.”
I try not to let her see how my body actually begins to heat, the thought of spending another night like our first in the Plains doing all sorts of improper things to me.
“I’ll make camp next to Cal,” she adds casually.
My neck almost breaks when I turn to look to her.
Ancients.
Is she… asking for my permission?
Cal certainly had a flirty edge to him on the fortress balcony that first night in Red Falls. And Alanna didn’t come back to the room until the late hours of the morning, so I guess it’s not hard to put two and two together.
“He’d like that,” I nod, moving behind a tree.
I hear Alanna do the same before her voice travels between us.
“And you?”
“And me, what?”
“Would you like that?”
She is asking for my permission.
I sigh and shake my head. Alanna needs no approval from me.
I pull up my pants and round the tree.
“Cal is one of the best people I know, Alanna. He’s kind and thoughtful, genuine through and through. If you’re both happy with that arrangement then so am I.”
Alanna moves back around her own tree as I continue, “but if you hurt him, Discerni, you and I will be at odds.”
Alanna’s cool grey eyes land sharply on mine.
“We’re having fun, Alexis,” she replies.
I give her a side smile, understanding more than she chooses to say.
“You will always find fun with Cal, it’s in his nature. But he is still a lover, Alanna, and a giver. Do not take that for granted.”
Her grey eyes narrow on mine before she gives a small nod. I chuckle and walk next to her, pushing my shoulder into hers.
“Plus, if any little ones come out of this arrangement, I’ll happily watch over those Discerni babes with auburn hair. Or blonde? Will they be tall or short? Ancients, your children will have a damn battle over which one of you they’ll take after.”
Alanna pushes back against my shoulder, “you take it too far, human.”
“Perhaps,” I laugh as we walk back to the rest of the group, “but the offer will always stand.”
The small curve of her lips only affirms my suspicion.
“Will you show me your summoning when we reach Fumagalli? Or Gaumond?”
“Either works,” she nods.
“And if I asked you to accompany me on my trip to Woodlands, would you consider it?”
Alanna’s step falters as she furrows her brows.
“Consider it,” I continue, not wanting to press too hard right now, “it’s next on my travel list after I return to Bardot.”
“I will,” she says quietly, her features unreadable.
“Lady Alexis,” Prince Keane calls from across the small camp. I nod goodbye to Alanna and walk to him in question.
“Lord Daniel, Cal,” he continues, beckoning the two men from their resting spots. Desmond comes to stand beside his brother with a hard look in his eyes.
“There are a number of Leviathans on the road ahead…” Keane speaks directly to Lord Daniel and Cal when they arrive. Both men nod to the Prince in solemn understanding.
“We will ride hard for this next portion through the Plains and make our camp earlier than usual. We’ll rest two turns before sundown. I don’t want any fire beckoning the riders to our location during the night.”
Both men nod again, clearly understanding something I don’t.
“We’ll let the group sleep into sundown and then ride hard through the night until dawn. Should any interaction come, I want you two to take Lady Alexis and escort her back to Fumagalli.”
What?
Lord Daniel and Cal nod their heads as I turn to the Prince.
“Is this serious?”
He can’t be serious. I know there’s worry about the Leviathans, but why would we break away from the group? Wouldn’t we be better off in full numbers?
Keane looks back at me with that face Alanna told me I didn’t want see again, his features cool and calm.
“You will listen and follow anything Lord Daniel asks of you, Lady Alexis. Do you understand?”
“Is it really going to come to that?”
I look at the men and their hard stares.
“Do you understand?” Keane asks again.
“Yes,” I huff, meeting his cool brown eyes.
“Then I will let the rest of our group know of our riding plan for the day,” he walks away without another word.
Keane’s announcement is met with small surprise that quickly turns into hard resolute.
Everyone understands the weight of his words and is now quietly preparing for a potential altercation.
The three human soldiers each discard their coats to gain easy access to the broadswords at their sides.
Alanna and Holis both attach their bows to their backs, with the blonde Discerni reaching over to Holis’ small quiver and multiplying the arrows by half.
Holis gives her a smile in thanks as Barnes, Claymore and Desmond all adjust the broadswords at their hips.
The Master Informer also unsheathes a small sword that was hidden beneath his cloak, while Cal adjusts his daggers all along his body.
Mana just remains quiet, angling his kedge behind his back with a small frown.
Prince Keane and Lord Daniel are the only two who remain the same, both men sitting proud atop their horses without a hint of a weapon. It’s apparent now more than ever that the Prince’s summoning is his defense, though what all he can do still remains a mystery.
I turn with a frown towards Golem. “You’ll have to return, Golem. I’ll give you an update when I can.”
Golem assess the group with a face that tells me he’s come to the same conclusion. He starts walking off into the thin woods as Keane eyes him in his departure, the Prince’s brown gaze flicking to mine before he moves Ash front and center.
“We all know the plan,” he addresses the group.
There’s a formidable presence about him, one that commands everyone’s attention.
“Lord Daniel, Cal, Lady Alexis,” his continues, looking between the three of us, “you’ll ride at the rear. Remember yourselves.”
Remember your agreement, he means.
Lord Daniel and Cal both give him a nod and direct their horses towards Millie. I reach my hand out to the girl and stroke her neck, feeling Stormfall nuzzle against me. The Bird of Ash is completely oblivious to the situation around him.
“Let’s ride,” Keane flicks his reins.
The rest of our group follows quickly behind him, our lot bounding into the never-ending plains of dried and dead yellow.
We’ve been riding for what seems like forever.
We completely discarded the Great Road that we followed to Pyre, the brothers instead leading us through the yellow plains in the general direction of east. We stopped briefly for the horses to give them a small rest and water, but the break was short lived and unmemorable due to the hastiness that shrouded the group.
Eventually Keane and Desmond slowed their horses when we neared a small hill and directed everyone to the bottom of it in the same fashion as before.
“Barnes,” Prince Keane commands atop Ash.
The Discerni Warrior promptly dismounts and hands his reins to Claymore.
“Lord Daniel,” the Prince orders again.
Daniel dismounts and hands his reins to Alanna, looking at our group around him.
“Closer, please,” he beckons.
We all move our horses towards the large undying fire that Barnes is preparing. Lord Daniel nods and angles his palms to the ground, the earth immediately rumbling beneath our feet as boulders begin to cut through the dead grass.
Ancients, it’s a sight to see.
Massive stones of gray are piercing through the yellow ground around us, forming an even tighter circle than the first night we spent in the Plains. They jut up towards the sky and surround our group, the tight barrier ensuring that no one will be able to get through unannounced.
Not a single person attempts to set up their tent, and instead, we all tether our horses together and pull out our bedrolls, situating them closely next to eachother around the fire. Conversations remain at a minimum as the overall atmosphere of the early evening turns quiet and tense.
Cal and Lord Daniel never leave my side, and I don’t even bother uncorking Golem from my bag in case we need to make a hasty exit. I stare at the fire and watch as no one is able to sleep, either. We all just eat a bit and let our horses and bodies rest as we wait for the sun to set.
When the rays finally dip below the horizon and the night sky around us turns a dark red and orange, Barnes stands and approaches the fire, putting an end to it. His hands reach out to calm the flames as the tendrils of red obey his summoning and sink low into the ground.
Desmond stands as well and watches the last of the smoke leave the air before he makes his way to Keane. The Prince is already readying his horse, his cool eyes finding the Master Informer’s as they bow their heads and begin a quiet conversation.
I stretch out my legs in front of me and watch with a frown as Desmond tilts his chin in a direction over the boulders.
Keane scowls and looks in the same direction, then turns to Cal and Lord Daniel with another hard look on his face.
The Prince silently beckons Daniel to join him, with the Lord promptly standing from his seat and making his way over without a word.
“I don’t like this,” I whisper to my friend.
“They know what they’re doing,” Cal replies quietly, his own features hard.