CHAPTER XIV
MEN WITH BLADES
“I don’t like him,” I state angerly and pick up my blade from the ground, “who does he think he is?”
I walk towards the boulder in the middle of the clearing, speaking the words directly at Stormfall. I don’t give damn if Hirovale is the most powerful Ancient in the Old World. He does not get to dictate my life.
“Do you hear me, Hirovale!” I yell at the Bird of Ash, “find someone else! You will not use me!”
Stormfall cocks his head to the side and gives me a small chirp.
“Tell me, Storm. Tell me what game he is playing!”
“Alexis…” Keane whispers from behind, his boots hitting the ground as he finally enters the clearing.
“Tell him to come back!” I yell again at the Bird of Ash.
Stormfall spreads his wings just as his yellow eyes flash into an amused gold.
“Coward!” I shake my head at the Ancient, “because he’s here? Come back and tell him what you told me!”
“Alexis,” Keane’s voice is harder now, laced with concern.
I quickly turn on the Prince and let my glare land on him.
“And you!”
I bound towards him, walking as swiftly as possible as I hold his brown gaze, “where do I even begin with you? You and your brother started this whole mess!”
Keane lifts his arms out to me, “Ancients, Alexis, what is going on?”
I fall into his chest hard. “He was here, Keane. Hirovale. He’s awake.”
Keane’s full body stills at the words.
“Can Ancients be harmed?” I ask into his shirt, “I have half a mind to actually pull my blade on him the next time I see him. Ancients, he was infuriating. How can someone so-”
“-Alexis,” he grabs the back of my head and pulls me under his chin, “take a deep breath. I’m here now. I felt you...”
My body sags against him in small disbelief.
My call worked?
But how?
Keane holds me tighter, his hands running down the backs of my arms. “You’re freezing.”
Am I? I certainly don’t feel it.
I hear Stormfall caw from behind me, the sound also filled with concern.
“Let’s get you back,” Keane says softly.
I quickly turn to look at the edge of the forest where Hirovale disappeared into. The small mist is still lingering around the ground, almost like it’s taunting me.
“He’s still here,” I whisper, eyes narrowing on the air as I step out of Keane’s embrace. I start running in the direction of that mist instantly, not even close to being done with this conversation.
“I don’t want you!” I yell at the grey, watching as it scurries into the woods beyond.
“I’m human, Hirovale! Do you hear me? Human!”
I run past the treeline and stop to look around for his golden gaze.
“Go find someone else to assist in your game, Hiro. Or better yet,” I laugh at the darkness, watching as something tall moves farther away, “why don’t you just go back to sleep!”
“So I can dream of you more, Lady?” he laughs, golden eyes shining in the darkness as he steps around a tree.
“Elder Father and Mother,” Keane swears, quickly falling to his knee in the deepest of bows.
“That is the greeting I expected from you, Alex,” Hirovale grins.
“Then you’ve set your expectations too high, Ancient.”
The Ancient laughs and flicks his gaze to Keane, his lips sliding into a small smirk.
“I’m curious. Will you have your King harm me, or will you attempt to do it yourself?”
I knew you were listening.
Hirovale nods, eyes sparkling in admittance, “always.”
My fingers twitch on the dagger in my hold, desperately wanting to aim it at his smirking lips. Hirovale just laughs at the thought and looks back at Keane, his voice greeting him with deep respect.
“You may rise, Prince Keane Bardot of the Kingdom of Disce, first-born son of King Zander Bardot. You will also help me remake this Old World with my Human Reborn.”
“Get off it,” I scoff.
I move my fingers to the tip of the blade and launch it straight at the Ancient of Death and Exploration’s face. Hirovale gives me another laughing smile and casually brings his hand up in front of his forehead, catching the blade right before it lands between his pretty golden eyes.
“Pretty, Alex?” he grins.
I roll my eyes at the Ancient, just barely noticing that he’s maneuvering the blade in his own hand.
He flings it back at me just as quickly as I did to him, though Keane is at my front in an instant.
His arm sweeps around my waist and pushes me back just as the blade lodges itself perfectly into the ground right before his boot.
Ancients, that was green agate.
“For the record,” Hirovale gives Keane a look of approval as he walks towards us, “I am not here to harm her. Contrary to what this may look like. I only appear to you now because I know that you thought our Lady was going into hysteria.”
Hysteria?
I’m not going into hysteria.
But then I start thinking of how Keane found me in the clearing, how I was screaming at Stormfall and the forest around us.
Fuck me.
I’m sure he did think I was hysterical. Going mad even.
“Properly mad,” Hirovale nods, eyes twinkling in laughter as he approaches Keane.
He stops directly in front of the Prince, his golden eyes watching as Keane reaches behind him to grab my waist again. The Prince pushes me directly behind his back and eyes the Ancient carefully, the simple gesture putting his body steadily between ours.
I peer my head around his shoulder, watching as Hirovale gives him a genuine smile.
His golden eyes lock on Keane’s brown ones, his stance just a bit taller, but where Keane is broad shouldered and stands with a muscular build, the Ancient is lean and cut, moving with casual comfortability as he crosses his arms at his chest.
“You were right to want to pull the words from her tonight,” Hirovale nods quietly, “she needs to say them, all of them.”
“Everything will move quickly now, and you both have little time to waste. Head back to Bardot and speak with your father. Let him explain what he can. Then travel to Woodlands and meet with your sister…”
Keane shifts in front of me while I frown.
Elena has something to do with this?
“Stop with the game, Hirovale,” I sigh from behind, “we choose our lives. We choose how we live them and what we will do. You do not get to dictate our actions.”
Keane’s hand on my waist squeezes hard.
“And do you share the same sentiment, Prince?” Hirovale asks.
Keane watches the Ancient for a moment before replying. “I have been around Lady Alexis long enough to know that you will not force any actions from her. She will do as she sees fit.”
Hirovale grins in agreement, “which is why I asked the question of you.”
“You are the strongest of the Ancient Ten” Keane nods, “I will take your advice and direction with deep consideration.”
Hirovale laughs at his response. “Spoken like a true King.”
His comment makes me frown again.
The Ancient keeps referring to Keane as Ki-
“-Don’t, Alex,” Hiro interrupts the thought.
Don’t go down that path.
I scowl and take a hard step around Keane, moving to his side.
And why not? I demand silently.
Hirovale narrows his eyes and takes a step back, his glance quietly taking in the two of us before he starts assessing the proud stance of Keane.
“Does she know of your intentions?” the Ancient asks him softly.
I look at Keane in confusion.
“She will,” the Prince nods, “but I will not rush her.”
“You may have to.”
“And you?” Keane asks, “what of your intentions?”
“She is my Human Reborn.” Hirovale says steadily, “her life and mine will be closely intertwined. She will restore magic to the Old World in its proper form… and I will be there to guide her.”
I truly am over this Ancient and how he thinks he can dictate what I do. I take a hard step forward and glare at the him in strong resolute, willing him to hear my words.
“I am Alexis Deveren of the Kingdom of Disce. I am human and I am my own. I will do nothing of the sort until I have a proper explanation as to why, and then, only then, will I make a decision of my own actions.”
Keane’s hand falls into mine with a squeeze.
“There’s the fire,” Hirovale smirks, eyes holding mine with an unknown secret.
He reaches his own hand up to the sky above him, waiting until Stormfall glides through the forest behind him.
The Bird of Ash sweeps down and lands on his wrist, his talons sinking into one of the black bands around his forearm.
“I will leave you both for now,” the Ancient extends his hand out to mine, “but Stormfall will always remain. He has done nothing wrong, Alex,” he reminds me again, “do not take your anger out on him.”
I watch as the Bird of Ash takes a small step down Hirovale’s fingers, his yellow eyes watching me timidly. I smile at my new friend and extend my own hand towards him without hesitation, already feeling guilty for how I was yelling at him earlier.
In a quick movement, Hirovale wraps his fingers around my wrist and holds our hands together.
My breath completely catches in my chest at the touch as the strongest rush of coolness courses down my arm.
He holds me tightly so that Stormfall can walk between us, his golden gaze never leaving mine until his Bird of Ash starts moving up my arm.
Once the baby beast is nestled against my neck, he releases us and immediately locks eyes with Keane.
“Continue your preparations here in Fumagalli,” he tells him in new seriousness, “and I will continue to provide the sleeping air as protection. Look south as well, towards Varon and the Great Forest. They will need protection too…”
Keane remains quiet, listening intently.
“Speak to your father as soon as you can when you reach Bardot. Take the travel to Woodlands after and visit your sister…”
His eyes flick to me briefly before turning back to Keane. “Alexis needs to see the truth there, as you well know.”
The Prince nods agreement.
“I will be moving through the Old World and awakening a few of my brothers and sisters. If you need anything until we next meet, reach out to Stormfall. He will know how to get in touch.”