CHAPTER XIII #5
The Ancient’s brows raise at my tirade, his lips grinning in mock laughter. “Don’t care for me? But we haven’t even gotten to know eachother yet.”
“Do we need to?”
“Yes,” he nods, “more than you know…”
The Ancient stands proud in front of me, both of our eyes narrowed on the other as we measure the person in front of us.
“What do you want, Hirovale?” I glare at him, “truly, this time. No more vague answers.”
Hirovale nods his head as a look of approval flashes behind his golden eyes, “I want to wake my brothers and sisters from their sleep in this Old World, Alex. I want you to become my human reborn and stand alongside me as we work to restore magic to all beings and lands.”
My heart drops in my chest, his last words so near to mimicking the text in Storm’s book. Hirovale grins at me again and nods his head in affirmation.
No, I let out a nervous breath.
“Yes,” the Ancient replies.
The call to run in the opposite direction pulls at me again.
That can’t be what he wants. Can’t be what the book is about. If it is, then I’m damn sure not ready to have that conversation with Zander.
“You’ll need to be ready,” he responds quietly, “and soon.”
“Stop reading my fucking thoughts!” I throw my arms up in frustration, hating those golden eyes and the way they seem to see right through me. I hate the way they stare at me in curiosity and amusement, still alluding to the fact that he knows more about me than I do myself.
Keane!
I call to the Prince internally, wanting to see a different set of eyes- playful brown ones. I need him here with me. Need him to stand next to me and this powerful Ancient with his cool and commanding presence.
I push everything I have against that feeling of want and need in my stomach, trying to mimic the tug that Keane so often does to me. It’s a broken desire, as I can’t summon, but one that still gives me hope that he will feel it.
“Your King will not come,” Hirovale shakes his head quietly.
Keane!
I push his name through that gut feeling again.
The Ancient takes a step towards me, his eyes turning serious now.
“Don’t you want to know more on why I want to wake my brothers and sisters, Alex? Why I want to restore magic to the Old World?”
No, I glare at him silently, I’ve heard enough.
Hirovale tsks, his eyes narrowing when I start to reach down for the blade in my boot.
“I thought I told you no weapons, Alex.”
I scowl as yet another tendril of mist wraps around my hand. My fingers immediately still, the binding much harder this time as the Ancient continues to look at me in amusement.
“Release me, Hirovale,” I glare at him.
“Will you promise not to go for your dagger?”
“Yes,” I lie, pushing as hard as I can against the force holding my hand. The mist falters for the briefest of moments and allows my fingers to grip around the hilt of my dagger.
I smile in triumph, even though I can’t move my hand any further.
Hirovale looks at my grin in confusion and then glances down at my fingers now trying to leave my boot. His eyes widen ever so slightly before he starts to laugh in pure joy.
“You are interesting, Human Reborn.”
“Alexis!” Keane yells from the forest beyond.
My heart pounds in relief at the sound of his voice. I open my mouth to yell out to him but Hirovale is quickly on me, his tall frame towering over mine as his hand comes my mouth. His other reaches down for my fingers on the blade and squeezes tight until I drop the dagger on the ground.
“This isn’t how I envisioned our first meeting going, Lady,” he chuckles quietly.
He presses his chest against mine, that cool feeling of contact rushing through my body again.
I ignore the sensation and angle my knee straight between his legs, cursing into Hirovale’s hand when he quickly stops my movement with another laugh.
“Attacking an Ancient, Alex?” he taunts, “are you sure that’s smart?”
He grips my knee and pushes it back down, eyes dancing over mine in delight.
“Alexis!” Keane yells again, this time closer.
I push that feeling of need through my stomach with all I have.
“Ask why, Lady. Why would I want to bring back magic to the Old World?”
“I’m human,” I mumble into his palm.
“One more time,” he laughs, lifting his hand from my mouth.
“I’m human,” I tell the Ancient surly, “I need no magic. I don’t care why. Do your thing, Hirovale, but leave me out of it. I, like many others in this Old World, am happy with the way things are.”
“Are you, Alex? Truly?” the Ancient shakes his head. His golden eyes narrow on mine, commanding me to think.
“No,” he sighs knowingly, “you’re not. Your curiosity will win out in the end. You do care why. And if you think you don’t now, you will soon enough...”
There he goes again, speaking to me as if he already knows me.
“I do know you, Alexis,” he nods, “just as I also know that you are so much more than human. You and your brethren. You were never meant to remain mortal forever.”
My eyes widen at his words, heart stopping completely.
He can’t mean that.
The sound of footsteps from the outer forest has both our heads spinning to the right. I don’t think about the consequences and just yell out to Keane.
“I’m here!”
Hirovale looks back at me with a hard grimace, as if I’ve betrayed him in some way.
“You will join me, Alex,” he says, “you will work alongside me.”
“No,” I shake my head, “find someone else, Hirovale. I want no part of this.”
The Ancient looks at me in disappointment and takes a step back.
“Don’t hold Stormfall against my actions tonight,” he says quietly, “he is yours, just as you are his. I will explain more when I can.”
I watch as he turns around and heads in the opposite direction of where we heard Keane’s voice, the calm mist around his boots now rising to his legs.
“No!” I scowl at his retreating back, “you don’t get to end this conversation just because he’s here.”
Hirovale pauses at the edge of the forest and glances over his shoulder with a raised brow. The look he throws me is so sure and calm that he doesn’t need to say anything to remind me who the Ancient is in this conversation.
“Find someone else,” I glare back at him, “I will not help you.”
The Ancient’s golden eyes hold mine for another moment before he turns back around and disappears into the gloomy forest.