CHAPTER XIII #4
“Many, many years, Alex,” he grins in amusement, golden eyes crinkling in hidden laughter.
Ancients. Another mind reader.
“I’ve been waiting to tell you,” he leans forward, grin growing even wider, “that every time you speak our collective name, I claim those words. Have claimed those words. Your calls come to me.”
That’s disturbing.
“Oh no, Lady,” he says the word so mockingly, “not disturbing. Far from disturbing. Cursing, yes. But also pretty and wishful and full of passion. Heated, at times… or dare I say, most often, lustful.”
“Pervert,” I glare up at him in anger.
He laughs at me, a cool laugh that somehow matches his casual demeanor. It’s off-putting.
“Have you woken to take Storm, then?” I ask in attempt to change the subject. The thought sends a small, sad tug through my chest.
“He’s yours,” the Ancient shakes his head, “he’ll assist you in all that is to come.”
“He already has,” I nod in small approval, thinking of the Leviathan rider he turned to ash so easily.
Hirovale scowls and curses the word softly, “Leviathans.”
“Will you stop listening to my thoughts?” I narrow my eyes on him, “it’s not polite.”
“No,” he states simply.
“Then what can I do for you, Ancient?”
Hirovale’s golden eyes peer down at me in more amusement.
“For now, nothing. I just wanted to share your company after witnessing such a tense dinner.”
“How in the Old World?” I look at him in disbelief, “how can you possibly know about that?”
Hirovale glances at Storm with a smirk. The Bird of Ash turns to his Ancient and matches his gaze, his chest puffing up proudly.
No.
“Oh yes,” Hirovale chuckles, turning his golden gaze back on me.
I watch as his wavy black hair falls in front of his face, watch as he reaches his free hand up to tuck a side behind his ear. I catch a glimpse of something black near his wrist, but he quickly brings that hand back down to hide whatever it is.
“You’ve been watching,” I return to his comment, my face heating in anger.
“Everything,” he grins.
“For how long?” I nearly croak.
“Since you graced my dreams at the age of twelve, and at times, even younger. Since you were brought under the care of the King and Queen of Disce at fourteen. Since the moment you woke Stormfall, giving me a much clearer and awake view of you.”
My heart stops at his words.
I should run, run right now. I should get away from this person, this being, this Ancient. His words aren’t natural.
I take a small step back but am immediately halted by the forest air darting around my feet again, holding me in place.
“I’d like to go,” I tell him, hating how casually he still sits atop the boulder, “release your summoning.”
“I am not your King, Lady,” he chuckles in amusement, “you cannot command me.”
I peer down at my boots and try to push against the mist surrounding my feet.
“How about this?” he continues, “I’ll release you, Alex, but you have to promise me that you won’t run. I am not your enemy…”
His words make me glance back up in curiosity. I hold his stare and look into a set of genuine, golden eyes that hold mine.
“Far from it, in fact.”
I stare at him for a little while longer, finally nodding in silent agreement. The hold on my boots releases me almost instantly, the mist falling back to the ground as I take a deep breath.
“How are you awake?” I ask quietly.
Hirovale smiles, “now that is the question to ask.”
I cross my arms in front of my chest and wait for an answer. The Ancient moves his knee down and swings his leg over the boulder with the other, both of them now hanging over the stone in casualness.
“In short, I am awake because of you,” he places his hands behind his back and smirks, “in long, I am awake because of you and my cunning estimate that the Old World would need you.”
“No humility for you then,” I shake my head.
“No,” his golden eyes watch me in a new seriousness, “never when it comes to you.”
“I don’t understand,” I sigh, truly over all the games and non-answers from the past few days.
I’m over everyone having more information than me, about me, and yet choosing not to disclose it. I’m over being used for purposes that I have no idea what for. I’m over the elusiveness and secrecy of my travels. Just over it.
“Thank you for the company,” I sigh again, exhausted and done with the conversation already, “I won’t run away or tell anyone that you’re awake, but I think I’ll take my leave now.”
“It’s not going to get any easier, Alex,” he replies softly.
“Then tell me what’s happening!” I yell in exhaustion, “tell me why you’re here now.”
“But I already have,” he gives a sweet smile.
“Ah, yes,” I laugh, “keeping me company after my tense dinner.”
“And are you not grateful for my company?”
“You should know the answer to that if you’re reading my thoughts,” I glare at him, “you should also know, after admitting to witnessing said dinner, that I’m currently battling with a short temper right now. I do not desire any more games, Ancient.”
“This is not and will never be a game for me, Lady Alexis,” Hirovale replies smoothly.
“Then tell me!” I exclaim, “tell me why you sent Storm my way. Tell me why King Zander called the Kingdoms Council in order for me to locate the book.”
No, I remind myself quickly.
Not a book. It was never just a book. Only a blank supply of pages that laughed at me before it decided to spit out words on the last one.
“Words that you yourself continue to ignore,” Hirovale nods, his golden eyes narrowing.
I watch as he pushes himself off the boulder in that instant, his grey boots landing gracefully on the thick grass below. He stands up proudly at my front and looks over me with quiet curiosity.
“Why?”
I can’t focus on the question, only his presence and the fact that he’s immensely tall. Tall and so sure of himself.
I avert my gaze from those narrowed golden eyes and glace down to his side, noticing the black on his wrist again.
Four thick bands rest just below his hand, the dark color looking like it’s etched into his skin.
The bands move from his wrist down to his forearm, each one larger and thicker than the one before it.
They’re not made of cloth or metal or jewels, but instead look to be a part of his body, as if they’re stamped to move with his arm and truly are etched into his skin.
“What are those?” I ask curiously, transfixed by the all black.
Hirovale grins at my question but ignores it altogether.
“Don’t change the subject now, Alex.”
I scowl at the Ancient and take a step back.
I don’t want to speak about the words in the book. They’ve been imprinted in my mind day and night and at every waking moment. I don’t want to discuss them until I meet with King Zander, and I definitely don’t want to delve too deep into my suspicions, for fear that they may be true.
“There is nothing to fear,” Hirovale shakes his head.
“And yet I don’t know what to do with them,” I whisper.
“Because you choose not to,” the Ancient grimaces and moves closer, his tall figure so near to hovering over me now, “you choose to ignore your own natural curiosity. Which is extremely surprising, Alex, as I’ve watched where that curiosity has led you in life so far.”
“And just how often are you watching me?” I scowl up at him, taking another small step back as he takes another forward.
“Whenever I want, Lady,” his golden eyes crinkle in humor.
Not okay!
“I don’t care,” he laughs, “your life interests me. It holds a very big stake in the outcome of the Old World to come. Plus, you’re interesting, Alex. Far more interesting than I could have ever envisioned my Human Reborn to be.”
Those fucking words again.
“Holis and Mana?” I implore, taking yet another step back from him and his amused seriousness.
“Believers,” he grins at me, “protectors. They will continue to watch over you in ways that I cannot.”
The Ancient is too close for my liking now. When did he get so close? His body is towering over mine, his golden eyes darting to my forehead as his lips turn down in a small frown.
“I saw the moment when they took your scar away,” he says quietly, shaking his head, “you looked better with it.”
He lifts up a hand and reaches towards my temple, my breath hitching in my chest just as his fingertips brush against my skin.
A sudden coolness rushes through my body that is equal parts foreign and familiar, the feeling so strong that it makes me take a hasty step away in confusion.
I clumsily trip on my feet and fall straight on my back, cursing at the soft earth below.
Hirovale looks down at me like he wants to laugh at my expense, but instead he takes a strong step forward so that both of his boots are straddling either side of my legs.
I glare at him in warning and then look over to Stormfall still sitting atop the boulder, my eyes pleading to Bird of Ash for help while knowing I’ll get none.
“You do not need to fear me either, Alex,” he says.
He holds out a hand with a look of determination on his face, one that I ignore as I push up to stand on my feet. Hirovale does laugh at my expense now, the amused sound sending another shiver down my spine.
I probably should be fearful of him. I’m standing in front of the most powerful of the Ancient Ten, a being so strong that a simple touch from him can claim my soul.
But for some reason I can’t find that fear, only the feeling of mild disdain.
“I don’t care for you,” I cross my arms over my chest, “I don’t care for the way you speak to me as if you know me better than I know myself.
This isn’t fear, Hirovale, just a bit of anger.
You can’t watch someone without their knowledge and then casually own up to it as if it isn’t a big deal.
It is. And I also don’t like how you allude to the people and Old World around me.
Just tell me what you came here to say and get on with it. ”